Page 17 of Red Zone Realizations
I motion to the various vehicles around us both parked and driving by as we cross the street, of which about fifty-five percent are trucks. “And yet everyone has one.”
We’re so close to Bobcat Teddy’s now that I can hear the music thumping.
There’s a huge porch covered by a tin roof that’s packed full of people despite the summer heat. You have to walk through the porch crowd to go inside to the bar, and Noah reaches for my hand again to guide me through the crowd.
The average age of the patrons is definitely older than us and the music playing reflects that.
We step up to the bar together. “What do you want to drink?”
“I’ll have a beer. Whichever one you get.”
Noah turns to the bartender, and I can’t hear what he says as I dig through my purse for my card.
He puts his hand over mine. “No, this is still apology night. Drinks included.”
I put my card back in the little bag and accept the beer he hands me. He leads me back through the crowd to a tiny table directly under a fan.
For one split second the silence is a little awkward. We’ve known each other for one night. We’ve already covered music and our friends. Now what? I sip my beer and take in the massive amount of wood surrounding us. The tables, barstools, walls and even the bar itself are wood like a house straight out of the eighties. Another classic rock song comes on and the older people in the crowd around us start singing along. “I know I said I liked old music, but not quite this old,” I say.
“It was this or one of the eight bars where the music is so loud we wouldn’t be able to hear each other talk.” I’ve been to many of those bars for birthdays and girls’ nights and spent the entire night screaming in my friends’ ears. “They’re also way more packed than this place is, and I hate waiting in line for a beer.”
“Impatient much?”
“A bar is a bar and a beer is a beer. If the bartenders want to play the ‘only wait on hot girls’ game, I would rather take my business elsewhere.”
“So you come here where you’re guaranteed to be the hottest person in the whole bar?”
He leans his elbows on the table, bringing his face closer to mine. “So you do think I’m hot?”
I motion at him likeobviously. “You’re objectively attractive.” I pause, considering my next words. “And very nice and charming.”
“Thank you. You’re beautiful. I always thought you were even when you were dead sweaty after class.” This makes my cheeks flame like I just got out of said hot yoga class.
He points at my bottle. “Another beer?”
I don’t even hesitate. “Yes.”
I watch him walk back to the bar, taking in the way his tight jeans fit around his thick thighs and nice butt. He’s a tasty morsel, that's for sure, but I’m glad we’re spending tonight getting to know each other. I feel so at ease around him. I drink my first beer as slow as I possibly can, trying to drag out the time we have together.
When Noah returns, two more beers in hand, I pat his seat like I’ve been saving it for him.
I’m so lame.
Quickly, I try to recover by taking his mind off my awkward gesture. “What’s your favorite TV show?”
“Easy.The Office.”
I perk up. “Mine too. I always say you’re either one of two people. Someone who watches it once and moves on, or you watch it over and over again for the rest of your life.”
“I play it on a constant loop.”
“Me too!”
“I skip the last three seasons with Robert California, though. I can’t stand him.” Another correct answer.
“I wish Will Ferrell had stayed.”
Noah shakes his head. “He was already too big.”
