I don’t know if it’s withdrawal symptoms from my life’s luxuries or jet lag, but my body is acting crazy. I feel tired but I can’t sleep, I feel hungry but don’t fancy anything, and I am sweating but my skin is cold.
“Good day?” he asks.
“No different to yesterday,” I reply. “Dad said he will call soon. I don’t want to miss the call.”
I pull a chair out across from him and take a seat. His eyes return to the papers as mine take in the room. It looks like it hasn’t been touched in years—there is literally stuff everywhere.
I want to ask about the mess and clutter, but I don’t feel it’s my place. I don’t know the guy, and after yesterday’s rant, I assume I am already pissing him off.
“Dad?” I say.
“Hey Ella-bee, how’s it going?”
“Dad, I thought you said I would have a car. Where the hell is it?”
“Wait up, I said you could earn a car,” he chuckles. “You need to give it time. All good things come to those who wait.”
I’m furious. “Stop with the bullshit. You lived here, you know what it’s like, why won’t you just get me a frickin car already?”
“Because, El, you won’t need a car until you start uni. The week before you start, I promise you will have a car.”
“Why are you doing this?” I shriek.
“That’s not my fault, and my friends are in therapy, not AA.”
“Same thing. You will grow to like Nashville, I know you will, and I promise you will return a better person.”
“If I survive long enough to return,” I mumble.
I see Frankie’s lips thin as he smiles.
“Right, baby, I have to go, I imagine the good old barn dance is on tonight, you should go. Meet people, have fun.”
I sigh. “Maybe! Can you at least pay for Uncle Frankie to get Wi-Fi?”
I see Frankie look up from his paper. He shakes his head and it’s like my dad has some kind of weird connection with him.
“Frankie won’t have Wi-Fi. He hates technology.”
“Right, well, I guess I’ll fail my course anyway. How can I study with no internet?”
“You’ll figure it out, El. I went to that university, and I lived in a house smaller than Frankie’s, no nothing for us. Plus, you will have the car so you can spend time at the library.”
I huff. I hate the library. The smell, the old books that have been in people’s homes, in places where anything could have happened.
Nope, I fell out with library books when I was fifteen and checked out a book with pubic hair stuck to page 22.
I hang the phone up without saying a proper goodbye.
“Did the line cut off?” Frankie asks.
I shake my head. “Nope, we were done.”
“I cannot believe you made it this far in life without learning some basic manners.”
Oh, he’s off again. Screw this, I need to get out of here and have a few stiff drinks.
“Will there be alcohol at this barn thing tonight?” I ask.
Frankie smiles like I just asked the dumbest question. “Is there anything else to have at a hoedown?”
“Are you going?” I ask.
“I might call there. You can catch a lift and head back with the Kinsley boys.”
“I’ll catch that lift, but I don’t need any men to get me back, thank you.”
He smirks as I head back upstairs to find something decent to wear.
I eat my last pack of barbecue crisps as I get ready—I need to line my stomach before having any alcohol, and I intend to consume as much as I can.
On the ride there, the bumps down to the barn have me jumping around uncomfortably on the hard seats.
“Excuse the bumps, you’ll get used to them after you’ve been on these roads a few times.”
“I doubt I will ever get used to being bounced around until I’m black and blue,” I reply.
The barn is banging, and I’m silently impressed. A few cute guys hang around outside and watch as I pass.
Being new in this place is like being famous. The locals have their eagle eyes on me, a mysterious outcast from a different planet.
As I look around, I notice they all seem obsessed with hats. Either caps or cowboy hats—most of them are in caps now but the odd older guy can be seen sporting a good ole cowey.
I changed three times before heading out and now I wish I had stuck to the first outfit. Everyone is so casual—flannelette shirts, denims, and hoodies.
And here I am, standing in black tight trousers and a black bodysuit—looking more ready for a night out in Soho than a hoedown.
I thought I was doing well with the black bodysuit that fits like a second skin, as it has a frill around the top—I thought it was very cowgirl.
I had brought my black-and-white varsity jacket to make it more casual, but it’s so hot that I left it in Frankie’s truck.
The country music is loud, and everyone is going crazy for it, but I don’t see the attraction. Give me a Bastille gig any day.
Then I see them, and I suddenly understand what the fascination is. The majority of the audience is female, which figures, as those hot Kinsley brothers are rocking the stage.
Tobias is singing, which surprises me, his voice all husky and sexy. I can imagine such a voice belonging to a romantic, sensitive man. He seemed anything but either of those things.
Tanner is bouncing away on the drums, wearing only a pair of jeans, showing off his tattoos and all the perks of his manual labor.
There are two others, both playing guitars. All together, they look like one hot meal deal.
Frankie distracts me as I ogle the main singer.
“Come on,” he says. “Let me introduce you to some people. You don’t want to sit with us old folk all night.”
I follow him to a group that is standing by the stage. They look similar in age to me—I’d say around their early or mid-twenties.
“Hello, you lot of troublemakers,” Frankie says.
I feel like I’m at a school party being forced on the popular kids by my parents.
“This is my niece, Ella. She’ll be staying with me while she’s at university and she doesn’t know anyone.”
The blonde pretty girl steps forward instantly.
“Hi Ella, I’m Lynn,” she says. “This is Sara and Lee.”
I smile at the three of them and Sara leans into me.
“Come stand with us, you don’t want to be stuck with all the old boys.”
I smile. I think I might like her.
“So where you from?” Lee asks as Frankie leaves me with them.
Lee’s got a very peculiar face, and I struggle to pull my eyes from it, but I don’t want to seem rude. I have already pissed enough people off in the short few days I have been here.
I do wonder though if he was in an accident of some kind.
“London, in England,” I reply.
They all nod in sync; they seem impressed.
“My parents were from here. Frankie is my dad’s brother.”
“Cool, so your mom is Sky?” Sara asks.
I nod. Why does everyone mention her around here?
“Crazy, your mom was my mom’s best friend. You must be the baby I’m always with on my baby pictures. My mom always said she lost her soul mate when Sky died.”
I don’t know how to respond to her comment. I’m not very good with emotions at the best of times, especially not with strangers.
“Lee is my brother, but he was born after your dad left with you. Apparently your dad just couldn’t cope being here with your mom not being around.”
“I wouldn’t know,” I reply. “My dad never speaks about his life here or my mom.”
“Well, you have to come around to my house tomorrow. My mom will be so happy you’re back.”
“Sure,” I say.
I haven’t decided yet if I will go over to her house—she may just be one of those people who say these things and never mean it.
“I really need to get a drink. Do they take card in here?”
They laugh. I hadn’t realized I was suddenly a comedian.
“I would love to see Walker’s face if you ask that at his bar,” Lee grins.
“I take that as a no then.”
I pull out my purse and look at what change I have from the food I bought. Hopefully, I will have enough to scrape together for a drink.
“I’m just going to,” I say as I point in the direction of the bar.
The young bartender sees me and immediately heads in my direction. He wolf whistles as he leans against the bar to face me.
“Never seen you around these here parts,” he flirts.
I ignore his comments and curse my tight clothing.
“What will fifteen dollars get me?” I ask.
“Fifteen dollars and a kiss will get you a lot,” he smiles.
I frown at him and slam my fifteen onto the bar. He lowers his eyes to the money and licks his lips. He is kind of cute but so not my type. He looks like the type you would need a tetanus jab after.
“Don’t you have a girl?” a husky voice questions from behind.
I turn to see Tobias. He’s all hot and sweaty from his performance.
“Ha, I’m just giving the new girl a good old Southern welcome,” the bartender laughs.
“Yeah, I bet you were,” Tobias adds. “Can I get a beer and whatever she wants.”
“Do you have Aperol spritzers?” I ask.
He scratches his head as Tobias chuckles to himself, so I assume that’s another humiliating no.
“Just a beer,” I add.
Tobias takes his drink and walks away without saying anything further. I take the beer and order five of the tequila shots on offer.
