Drunk on JD

Sara had called Tanner and hitched me a ride to the bar later. It was agreed he would pick me up on his way down at seven.

I’m told they take cards at the bar, which delights me—I feel so lost and powerless without my bank cards.

I know better this time, so I am ready and armed with my ripped boyfriend jeans and my University of Cambridge T-shirt.

My clothes seem to have gotten bigger since coming here, so I knot the T-shirt on the side to give myself a more feminine look.

If these guys can wear their Nashville and Tennessee everything, then I will take one for the British team.

A large Ford stops in front of me, and Tanner leans out of the open window.

“Well, don’t you look mighty fine,” he hollers.

I laugh and run toward the passenger side. It’s the biggest truck I have ever seen, and I have to literally climb it to get in.

I’m both happy and disappointed when there is no Tobias with him. I’m so confused by my mixed feelings for the cowboy!

“Just us?” I ask.

“Toby is still finishing up—he’ll join us if he can prize himself away from the stables.”

“I’m looking forward to this. I’ve never been to a honky-tonk.”

Tanner laughs. “Well, don’t expect too much.”

We talk about his truck that he is very proud of. He tells me more about Dylan, his son, who he has shared custody of with a woman called Crystal.

I almost swallow my chewing gum when he says her name—Crystal. Can it get any more Southern? I envision her as someone who would appear on ~Teen Mom~ or some equally horrendous show.

“No love story behind his conception, then?”

Tanner shakes his head and laughs. “No ma’am, just a bonk behind the Water Hole after a gig and a lot of whiskeys.”

“Nice!” I cringe through gritted teeth.

I see Lee and Nick heading in as we park. The place is dead, apart from the two bars that have large lights illuminating the street and music spilling out.

Country music again. I recognize the song playing as we bring some chairs around the tables that have been joined up.

A waitress in an extra tight tank top approaches us. “I have your table, guys, just holla if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Cora,” Tanner says as he winks at her.

~Maybe she’s his lucky lady tonight.~ I smile to myself at the thought.

I grab a seat next to Sara and see Lynn loitering by the bar with another woman. Sara says she won’t join us unless Toby makes an appearance.

She also points out Deena, who is on the pool table. Apparently, she’s the other one gunning for Toby.

I’m surprised, as she’s the opposite of Lynn, who is timid-looking and naturally pretty.

Deena looks hard, and I imagine she would look rough as a dog with no makeup on.

She has her dark hair scraped back into a ponytail and is wearing tight black leather-looking shorts, which I assume are more plastic than leather.

She has her belly button on show as her short vest top lifts with her shoulders.

A few drinks in and the bar is rocking. I’m having a great night, and I take back all my initial opinions of the people here. This lot are pretty cool. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time.

I get some selfies with Tanner and Sara and post them on my Insta and Snapchat.

All my friends back home want to know who Tanner is.

“Tell him to lose the hat and I would,” my best friend Carla comments. She hates anyone past the age of twelve wearing a cap. I did too until I came here.

Tanner gives me his social media accounts so I can tag him. I add him and look forward to having a good peek through his profile tomorrow.

“I still can’t believe you guys have Insta and Snapchat,” I laugh.

Sara and Tanner look at each other as though they are sharing a secret.

“What?” I ask.

“We’re actually pretty famous on TikTok and Insta,” Tanner says.

“Who is?” I ask. My words are slurring a little after the five JD and Cokes.

“Me and Toby. Look us up, you’ll see,” he laughs.

I can’t find anything, so Tanner takes my phone and finds himself. I’m shocked: over a million followers on TikTok—no way, how have I never seen him on there?

Then he shows me Toby. What a dark horse—TikTok videos and well over a million followers.

“What’s this? Nashville’s original cowboyesque?” I ask as I squint my drunken eyes at his profile.

Tanner howls with laughter. “Yeah, I never made it to the finals. Toby did, though.”

“I thought you said he was quiet?” I say to Sara.

She shrugs. “Apparently it’s all for the money, which he puts back into the ranch.”

When I finally pull my eyes away from his videos, I am faced with the real cowboy in front of me. My heart races at the sight of him in the flesh.

“What a hypocrite,” I say as he stands over me. “You call me out for my internet use and modern life needs, and here you are, the original TikToker.”

“That shit isn’t me,” he says, the frown still on his face from this morning.

“Well, it sure as hell looks like you, cowboy.”

I stand and walk toward the bar to get some more drinks. The news of Toby being such a hypocrite has made my night. Mr. High and Mighty, flaunting himself on the internet for money and likes—hilarious.

“In honor of Tobias’s TikTok fame, I’m buying you all the next drink on my dad,” I announce in my drunken loud tone.

I continue to the bar as everyone cheers except Tobias. I order a full bottle of Jack for the table and a bucket of beers and Cokes. It comes to the bargain price of one hundred and twelve dollars.

~Wow, it costs me more back home for a bottle of my favorite champagne.~

“Here, carry this,” I demand as I thrust the bucket of beers at Tobias when he appears next to me.

“Carry it your-fucking-self,” he replies as he leans on the bar and orders himself a drink.

Tanner comes over and puts his hand on Tobias’s shoulder, but Tobias shrugs it off harshly.

“Come on, man, what’s up your ass? Everyone here knows you’re famous on there.”

“You know I do that shit for the money. I don’t need to remind people. You’re a fucking ass.”

“Come on, bro, I’m sorry. Come join us. Lynn and Deena are over there waiting to pounce, safety in numbers and all that.”

Tobias grins, and I see those dimples under his stubble dent his cheeks. Tanner helps me carry the drinks to the tables, and although Tobias doesn’t sit near me, I see him take a beer that Tanner passes him later in the night.

I am so drunk and don’t realize until I’m on the dance floor that I hate dancing, and the only time I will is when I’m intoxicated.

I’m with Sara when a young man in a red baseball cap approaches me.

“Hello there, beautiful,” he says in his American accent.

He’s cute and looks like a college student rather than a manual laborer. There’s something that sets him apart from the guys I’m with.

“Hello there,” I reply.

Sara’s eyes widen as he takes my hand and pulls me into him.

He sways and my body follows his lead.

“I haven’t seen you around here. Are you from outta town?”

“I predict I’m from a whole different planet to you, my friend.”

He laughs. “You’re British?”

“Good guess, not like the shirt didn’t give it away.”

“Clever lady you are, then. Cambridge University?”

Sara is behind us now, dancing with a couple of women she seems to know from the bar.

“I’m heading to uni here in summer, doing my MA.”

“Vanderbilt? I go there,” he smiles. “I’m a Commodore.”

“What’s one of them?” I ask.

“Oh, you will know when you start. We’re like stars around campus,” he adds as he does the Serbian three-finger salute.

I shake my head, confused.

“It’s the VU hand sign—you need to learn it if you’re going to be a part of our university.”

I laugh. He’s a bit of a dork, but he seems nice enough. We talk some more, and I discover his name is John and he lives on campus—a great asset if I decide to move there.

When I head back to the table, Tobias is sitting and brooding. I try not to let his miserable face ruin my night.