Page 3 of Cowboy

Oh my God.

There had been someone in her apartment last night. What had he done while he was here? Her body flashed cold, and her knees went weak. She sank to the floor. Had they had sex? Had he raped her?

Wait. She’d woken nearly fully dressed. She looked down at herself. Nothing seemed buttoned wrong. Her bra was still in place and remembering her trip to the bathroom a few minutes ago, so was her underwear. Was it possible she’d been redressed?

Of course, but who went to that much trouble once they had what they wanted? And what kind of person would do that to a woman then leave their phone number?

Thinking back over everything she’d seen and done since she’d woken up, she remembered the water and the pills. Maybe she hadn’t left them for herself? Getting out of bed she’d kicked over the trash can. She couldn’t recall putting it beside the bed. Maybe because she hadn’t?

Ava didn’t know how long she sat there, wondering what kind of guy would take a woman home, put her to bed, make sure she had meds then leave. When she got to her feet, she went to check the door, hoping he hadn’t left it unlocked. Sure enough. It was locked.

She checked her pocket for her phone but didn’t find it. Had she lost it last night? If this mysterious Cowboy had brought her home and put her in bed, she couldn’t imagine him stealing her phone, especially having left his number.

It took a few minutes for her hangover clouded brain to register, but she went back in the bedroom and peeled back the blankets. There she found her phone, halfway under her pillow.

Ava knew what she needed to do, but couldn’t bring herself to do it, not yet. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that all she’d put in it was a glass of water and a few crackers. She needed something more than that. She’d call this Cowboy person after she ate.

3

Cowboy sat at his desk in the office of his shop drawing up a design a client from out of state wanted for a bike when his phone rang. Distracted, he didn’t even glance at the screen, just hit the button on the screen to answer, letting the headset that had been streaming music to block out the noise in the shop switch over to the call.

“This is Cowboy.”

“Um, Hi,” a hesitant woman’s voice said. “My name’s Ava and I don’t know if I’ve got the right person,” she let out a nervous laugh, “but I think you brought me home last night.”

Those words pulled him out of his distraction.

“I’m sorry. Did you say your name is Ava?”

“I did. Did I not tell you that last night? I hate to admit it, but I have no memory of you.” She paused and he gave her a moment in case she wanted to say more, but she didn’t.

“Not surprising. You were pretty shitfaced last night. I hope you’re feeling okay this morning.”

“As good as can be expected, I guess. I won’t be doing that again any time soon.”

“Which part?” He couldn’t help the teasing note in his voice and hoped she wouldn’t be offended by it. “You looked like you were having fun, and I’ll never support giving up fun.” He leaned back in the swivel chair, stretching out the kinks from having been over the desk, then getting a little more comfortable.

“No, I’m not giving up the fun part, but drinking till I don’t know where I am or who brought me home? That’s not going to happen again. I just hope I wasn’t too stupid.”

“I’ll agree with not letting yourself get so far gone you don’t know where you are, or who you are with, but you weren’t totally stupid. I watched as several men hit on you and you turned them down. I don’t know why you let me take you home, but I was the only guy you didn’t refuse all night long. Maybe because I wasn’t hitting on you. I just wanted to make sure you made it home.”

“Thank you for that. I can’t say that enough.”

“No need. I just did what was right.”

“Did you leave water and Tylenol beside the bed? I thought at first that I had and just didn’t remember it, but that was before I realized you’d brought me home.”

“That was me. We got you home, you went into the bedroom and passed out as soon as your head hit the pillow. I wanted you to be comfortable, so I took off your boots, but didn’t want to intrude so I left your clothes on. If I’d thought about it before you made it into bed, I would have had you drink water first, then you wouldn’t feel so bad this morning. Since I was too late for that, I put the water next to the bed.”

“Does water really make you feel better?” She sounded doubtful.

“It does. The hangover is mostly from dehydration. If you drink water while you’re drinking, it’s not so bad. But I have to admit, even knowing better, I still sometimes forget.” He wondered how she didn’t know this. He would have guessed her age at thirty at least. Surely, this hadn’t been her first time drunk?

She groaned. “I don’t think I’ll be drinking much in the near future.”

“I wouldn’t say you need to give up drinking, not if you enjoyed it, but maybe next time go out with a friend. Someone to help make sure you make it home safe.”

“I planned to last night, but she cancelled last minute. One of her kids got sick. It was just around the corner, and I didn’t see the harm. I see why people go out in pairs and groups now.”

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