Page 26 of River Ride

When everyone came into the house ready to crash, Travis asked, “Y’all want to go down to the roadhouse for a pitcher?”

I was dead tired and wanted to flop on my bed. I hoped everybody else would agree with me, but Annie said, “Sure. That will be fun.”

“I’ll stay here,” said Tammy.

Travis immediately shook his head. “Not possible, Tammy. If we’re all going, you’ll have to come with us.”

“But I’m tired, Daddy. I want to go to bed.”

“Only for an hour, Tammy. You can do it. Don’t be a baby.”

Dry Run Roadhouse. Coyote Creek.

Tammy sat in the back of the booth and pouted the entire time we were at the roadhouse supposed to be having fun.

Jack had hired a live band for the Fourth celebration and the roadhouse was jammed with people. All the tables and booths were packed. We were lucky to get a place to sit.

Tessa came running over to take our beer order and she looked tired already. She probably had another four hours on her shift.

Rowdy pulled Annie onto the dance floor and Travis didn’t look pleased seeing them dancing together. You couldn’t miss noticing how happy Annie looked when she was with Rowdy.

Virge watched Dad closely and asked, “You jealous of Rowdy, Dad?”

“Yeah, I guess I am, son. I wasn’t expecting him to come, but why wouldn’t he be with Annie and the kids? He’s the coach for the kids, so of course he’s with them. I should’ve thought of it and been ready for the possibility.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think of it either,” said Virge.

I finished my first beer and asked Lucy to dance to a slow song. While we were on the dance floor, I could say things to Lucy I wanted to tell her and there was a lot I wanted to say.

The slow song ended, and I was walking Lucy back to our table when Penny came in the front door with her roommate Savon and a couple of older guys.

Huh. Penny is cheating on me. What the fuck?

I gave her a wave and kept on walking.

“Who are you waving to, Harlan?” asked Lucy.

“The girl from the grocery store. I took her out a couple of times.”

“Those guys she’s with look a lot older than her,” said Lucy. “Hope she’s safe.”

“Me too. I don’t know those guys. Haven’t seen them around town.”

Wild Stallion Ranch.

After the trip to the roadhouse and drinking more beer and dancing, I was definitely ready to sleep. I stripped down to my boxers and didn’t even remember closing my eyes or saying goodnight to Virge.

Lights out.

Tammy laid in her bed beside her sister Lucy and watched the numbers on the digital clock on the nightstand.

3:00 a.m.

Tammy slipped out of bed, picked up the bag next to the closet door and tip-toed across the hall to the bathroom. She changed into her uniform, strapped on her holster, and carried her boots and her bag downstairs.

Outside the back door, she tugged on her boots.

Travis’s Bronco—Harrison County Sheriff—emblazoned on the doors sat at the top of the laneway facing the road.

---