Page 5 of One Night Rebellion
Even as I don my apron and grab my ticket book, I’m thinking of ways to capitalize on that. There are a few TV shows—cooking and travel—that we could try to get placement on, if I can get Rusty to go for that. That’s a very big if.
—---
My shift is finally over. It’s been busy. No breaks all day long. A couple of the smaller tour companies that do guided a la carte bourbon tours like to include Rusty’s as their lunch stop. We had a couple of those today, and while the tips were great, my feet are killing me.
I step out into the parking lot, digging in my bag for my keys and phone. All I want is to sit down. Somewhere. Anywhere. But I look up and forget all about how bad my feet are hurting. Standing just a few feet away is JT. He’s put on a jacket since the evenings are starting to get cool, but beneath it is just a plainwhite T-shirt and well-fitting jeans. Is there a hotter look on a well-built man than the classic bad boy attire of denim and a leather jacket? No. No, there is not. But what the fuck is he doing here?
“Malcolm had to get the truck,” he says as I walk toward him. “I offered to give you a ride.”
“How the hell did you get that thing in this parking lot without a scratch or a speck of dust?” I ask, waving toward the car.
“Carefully,” he answers with a smirk as he opens the passenger door. “And with no small amount of skill.”
“You’re starting to make a habit of chauffeuring me around.”
He pauses in the act of starting the car up once more. “I’ve had worse habits. You headed to your Mom’s and Lucas’s?”
“No. Tonight, I’m going to sleep in my own bed,” I tell him. And I’m half tempted to invite him to join me, but that’s a whole mess of complications that I don’t need. Too many things are in motion right now—the job, all the transitions, and changes that are coming at me are things that I’ve never done well with. They tug at my anxiety. It’s not a big mystery as to why. There have been a lot of good years in between, but nothing wipes away the memories of growing up in a house where Kyle Stevens’s temper ruled everyone and everything.
Growing up in that house made me cautious, prone to anxiety—a whole passel of trauma responses usually wrapped up in dark humor and feigned indifference. JT’s got his own traumas. It’s pretty obvious that what my dad did to his dad left a mark. It’s also obvious that having his dreams of being a pro athlete ripped away from him just when they were within reach—that’s fucked him up pretty good. And two fucked-up people together is a recipe for disaster.
“Thanks for the ride,” I say, as the car growls its way down the highway. “I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. It’s no trouble at all… I’m not exactly the favorite son of Bellehaven anymore. A lot of people are super disappointed in me.”
“No. They’re disappointed in their own lives and projecting that on you… And if they’re pissed because your life didn’t turn out the way they wanted? That’s their fucking problem, isn’t it?”
“When did you get such a potty mouth?”
I shrug. “About the same time I got boobs.”
Even in the dark interior of the car, I see his gaze cut toward me and then immediately back toward the road. “Lot of things have changed around here, Addie.”
But too many things have stayed exactly the same.
4
JT
"Do you wanna come see this house with me?" I ask my dad the next morning while we have our breakfast. "Troy said he could come this afternoon, and I'd like for you both to agree on it. Each of you have your own strengths."
Dad smirks. "Troy will look and make sure that the house is sound. I'll make sure you aren't getting your ass handed to you with the interest rate. Is that what you mean?"
"It is. I've got the best of both worlds."
"Then whenever Troy is available, I'll make myself available too."
"Perfect, thank you. Malcolm will probably meet us out there. He's the agent I'm using." I take a bite of the waffles Mom made us before she left to take Sierra to school.
"Sounds good, just text me the address. I'll meet y'all out there. I have to go in and watch some tape."
"Love you, Dad."
"Love you, too."
I don't start my new job until Monday, so I have a few more days to fuck around Bellehaven. When I'm done with breakfast, Ihead out to my car and head for downtown. I've missed this little place. Especially after being in Nashville for so long, the slower pace of life is exactly what I've been looking for.
The main drag hasn't changed much since I left. Same brick buildings, mostly the same businesses. But that's exactly what I love about it. I park near the courthouse square and decide to walk around, maybe grab another coffee before I meet everyone at the house.
