__________________________
Kate applied a coat of lipgloss, she smacked her lips together and fixed her dress
"Will you stop panicking, take it from a guys perspective you look great" Eddie spoke in her ear, her phone rested on the bed, her earphones tugging it further to her.
"How did even know, you can't see me" she argued
"Hey, I'm just instilling confidence"
Kate sighed "it's not like it even a date, why would it be one. He doesn't like me and I-.." she paused "well I don't really know"
"You'll be fine, now stop freaking out over nothing"
"Alright I better go, I'll talk to you later"
Kate ended the call, she gave one last look in the mirror before leaving her room. It wasn't a date, it wasn't a date she repeated in her head, he was taking her out to try broaden her horizon. He was trying to set her up with some stranger at bar, not take her out
Buck looked up from his phone, his brows raised at the sight in front of him "wow, you look amazing"
Kate blushed "thanks, I haven't been out in ages I wanted to dress up, but I feel a bit overdressed"
"No, no you look.. you look Beautiful"
Kate gave a laugh "okay Buck, anyone would think you'd like me"
"Oh ha ha" he mocked
*
Kate followed Buck and chimney into the bar, chimney found a table rather quickly. Kate hadn't been out in a while and the smell of the bar alone made her reconsider joining the two.
"The world looks so different now that I'm single again. "
"Buck, you've been single for months." Chimney commented.
"Yeah, only circumstantially. I know Abby's been gone for a while, but, in my head, we've been together this whole time. But now I'm out of her place. I'm just... I'm nervous, you know?"
"Are you afraid to get back on the horse?" Chimney asked
He shrugged "I don't want to revert back to being Buck 1.0. I-I know I'm single Buck again, but I want to be single Buck 2.0." He explained
"Like, if I'd come in here with Abby, I would never have noticed that blonde over there, licking the salted rim of her margarita glass while she maintains strong, intimate eye contact." He described, staring over at the flirting lady.
Kate ignored the feeling of jealousy that had grown quickly, she didn't like feeling like this, like a girl with a school crush. But Buck.. he made her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time, he sparked that feeling again and she was finding it impossible to forget.
"One drink, two compliments later, we end up in bed together having totally meaningless sex."
Kate heard as she zoned back in, holding back the snide comment she so badly wanted to make.
"You're overthinking it too much" Kate commented,
Buck looked at her "how?"
"You can have sex with a complete stranger without going back to this Buck 1.0 you always talk about, if you want a relationship start easy, if you want sex just have sex" she voiced her opinion
"I agree" chimney nodded
A woman approached the table, ready to take their order.
"Ah, just, uh, two IPAs, please" Buck asked
"Ill take a vodka coke" Kate asked,
the woman gave her a confused look, not sure what she specifically wanted
Kate sighed, forgetting how Irish she sounded "vodka soda, please"
"And a glass of chardonnay." Chimney added
"Gotcha." She nodded, walking away
"Who's the wine for?" Buck asked
"Maddie. She was parking."
"Oh great" Kate beamed.
"Uh, you invited my sister?"
Maddie gave a wave as she walked over to the table, she took a seat next to chimney. Throwing her bag over beside Buck.
"Hi. Sorry I'm late. I don't know why I get on the freeway. I always regret it."
"Because you are an eternal optimist, that's why."
"That's true." She nodded
"Are you hungry?" Chim asked
"Oh, yeah, should we get that thing we got last time?"
"Uh, last time?" Buck questioned, neither one paying attention to him
"Here we go" the waitresses handed them their drinks
Kate took a strong sip, needing not to feel extremely sober. She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
Buck stared at his best friend and his sister, dumbfounded by their relationship that also wasn't a relationship. They had Been spending so much time together, but neither of them realized they were practically dating.
Kate had knocked down her drink in 10 minutes, it wasn't as strong as she hoped and she was more thirsty then she anticipated.
"I'm gonna go get another drink, anyone want anything?" She asked
They all replied with a no, Kate nodded and walked over to the bar.
"What can I get you?" The Barman asked, a towel slung across his shoulder.
"Can I get a vodka soda, double vodka please?" She asked, "oh and hold the ice"
"Tough night?" He asked
"Just listening to the guy I might like talk about having sex with a stranger" she responded.
He gave a short laugh "we've all been there"
He placed her drink on the counter, a shot sat beside it.
"Oh I didn't order that"
"It's on the house, you sound like you could use it" he told her
Kate didn't object, she Brought the small metal cup to her mouth, the liquid burned her gums; she swallowed quickly and felt it burn on the way down.
"Thanks" she dropped the glass,
She picked up her drink and walked back over to the table, scooting in before Buck
"What I miss?" She asked
"We were thinking of doing karaoke" Maddie replied, "you want to?"
"Oh no, no no" Kate shook her head
"You should, you'd sound amazing" Buck insisted
"I'm not nearly drunk enough for that" she refused, taking a sip of her drink
"Please, come on just once" Buck begged, he took a firm hold of her hands. Kate glanced down for a second, her hands looked so small compared to his, but the way he held them made her feel safe,"for me"
"I don't even-.."
"Kate" Buck interrupted her "have some fun, go up there and sing your feelings away
Kate rolled her eyes, letting out a defeated sigh "fine, but they better have Celine dion" she joked
Maddie scanned through the book really quickly "uh, it's all coming back to me now?" She asked
"Perfect" Kate nodded
"Alright, I'm gonna go get a fresh bear" Buck announced
"Me too" chimney followed, Leaving the girls alone.
"Hey can I ask you something?" Maddie asked
"Yeah of course" Kate nodded, bringing the straw to her lips
"Do you like my brother?" She asked
Kate almost choked at the question, she swallowed hard, wiping the the remains around her mouth.
"what?" She asked, coughing slightly
"I'll take that as a yes" Maddie assumed
"I don't-.."
"You've been watching him since I got here, when he took your hands I seen your eyes light up and you—.."
"Okay, okay" Kate stopped her "apparently I'm not doing so well at hiding it"
"You should tell him, I think he feels the same"
"Yeah, okay" Kate snorted,
"I'm serious" Maddie said, giving her a soft look "you should have heard the things he'd say to me"
"Like?"
"He said you were Amazing during the earthquake, that he'd never seen someone so brave on their first one, he couldn't stop talking about how good you were with Eddie's son. He said you are easy to talk to and a great listener and lastly" she listed off what she could remember, "and when you walked over to that bar, he watched like a high school kid in love"
Kate tried to hide her red cheeks, she felt then heat up by the second; a smile crept its way onto her lips.
"I know my brother and I know he admitted months ago to himself that he was single, he just needed time to admit it out loud, you are the first person I've ever seen him look at the way he does"
"Okay, please stop or you'll actually have me convinced"
"Good" Maddie exclaimed "you should be, because like it or not you like Buck and he definitely likes you"
Buck set down his drink, he slid a shot in front of Kate "this was from the bar man" he told her, sounding almost annoyed
"I think he's tryna get me drunk" she joked,
"Did you not drive here?" Maddie asked
Kate blinked, her eyebrows knitted together "drive, when I know I'd be drinking. Isn't that illegal?"
"There's a limit you can stay under" chimney answered
"Well In Ireland there isn't, if you are going out you better make sure you have a way home that doesn't involve getting behind the wheel"
"That actually makes sense" Maddie nodded
Kate laughed, she swung her head back and swallowed the shot, this time it went down a little easier. She picked up her glass and took a few gulps, if she was doing to sing was at least going to be tipsy.
Kate made her way to the small stage, she gave the man her song and grabbed the mike nervously. She hadnt sang in front of a crowd for almost 5 years, but she was almost three drinks and 2 shots in and it was slowly going to her head.
"There were nights when the wind was so cold
That my body froze in bed
If I just listened to it right outside the window
There were days when the sun was so cruel
That all the tears turned to dust
And I just knew my eyes were drying up forever
I finished crying in the instant that you left
And I can't remember where or when or how
And I banished every memory you and I had ever made"
She started off a bit Rocky, her nerves were slowly easing as she got into the song. Remembering how she used to feel on a stage, how she'd sing every pent up emotion free.
"She's really good" Maddie complimented, goosebumps slowly forming on her arms
"I think she has us beat" chimney joked
Buck wasn't really listening, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. The spotlight shone on her perfectly, her bright green eyes illuminated as she sang into the mic; her body moved perfectly to the music as she took the attention of every man in the room,
Baby, baby
If I kiss you like this
And if you whisper like that
It was lost long ago
But it's all coming back to me
If you want me like this
And if you need me like that
It was dead long ago
But it's all coming back to me
It's so hard to resist
And it's all coming back to me
I can barely recall
But it's all coming back to me now
Her belts took Buck by surprise, sending shivers down his spine. He never expected such loud belts to come from her, but she was always full of surprises.
"I think Buck might be in love" chimney teased
Buck gave him a glare, shaking his head
"Hey, I'm not the one staring longingly at her" he held up his hands in defense "but seriously, you like her don't you?"
"I' don't know" he admitted, "Abby's been gone so long and trying I've been trying to ignore whatever kate made me feel"
"Buck, Abby was never gonna come back and a part of you knew that, you talked about Kate non stopped when I was staying with you and you two practically had date nights and then you move in to her apartment"
Buck hesitated, maybe Maddie was right. Maybe he had feelings longer then he cared to admit, maybe moving on wasn't the issue, maybe doing it with a stranger was.
Kate had finished her song, the whole bar erupted with applauds and cheers, Kate remembered how amazing it felt to be cheered for and not to experience an earth quake for it to happen
She gave a quick thank you and walked back to the table,
"God I forgot how amazing that felt" she exasperated,
"You sounding phenomenal" Buck complimented, "you should sing like that more often"
"I think we are next" chimney said, he stood up and took Maddie's hand leading her away
"I feel like I've sang half my anger away" Kate joked "I used to sing to help express my emotions and I didn't realize how much I needed it when I stopped" she admitted, maybe she was drinking too much or maybe Buck knew enough to know a little more.
"The barman seems to like you" Buck noticed
"Yeah, I guess" she shrugged
"Well I thought the Goal of the night was to get you out there, have someone else to compare to other then the mediocre pig"
"I thought you wanted to get laid too?" Kate asked, not dancing around the statement like he did.
"No one here seems.." he paused
"Like they'd wanna have sex in a bathroom stall?" She finished
"Like my type" he corrected
Kate finished the end of her drink, it had went to her head quicker then she expected due to the fact she had lost half her tolerance.
"Yeah, cocky bar man who buy me drinks aren't really my type" she sighed
"Who is your type?" Buck asked
"Someone nice, someone who knows my worth and knows I like my own independence. Someone who will pull me from a panic attack or make me laugh so hard I could pee. Just someone who makes me feel special and loved" she described, "oh and I like grand gestures" she added
Buck nodded as she described the Person of her dreams. Someone who didn't sound like him, maybe he was wrong maybe he shouldn't be feeling what he felt towards her.
"What about you?" She asked,
"I'm not sure, I never really was. I think just someone who makes me feel like I'm not a failure and-.."
Kate cut in "You aren't a failure Evan, you're practically a super Hero" she rested her hand on his leg "you are anything but a failure, don't even think something like that"
Buck moved closer, his eyes were locked on hers "I won't" he said quietly
"Good" Kate breathed, she watched as he moved closer to her, she didn't object it in fact she invited it.
Their faces were now inches apart, Kate could feel bucks Breath against her nose, they were so close to kissing and neither of them stopped it,
A drink was landed on the table, the two grew apart in a second.
"Uh we didn't order that" Buck told the barman
"She did" he pointed,
Kate looked over to were he pointed, she seethed at the site of the familiar red head. A part of her wishing she'd had staid in that helicopter... obviously in the sky.
"I have to use the toilet" Kate finally said
"Kate I-.."
"What?" She shrugged "go get laid"
Kate walked away, she ended up at the bar rather than the bathroom; Watching as Taylor ran her hand up bucks arm. Kate shouldn't hate her this much, if she didn't like Buck as much as she said than this should be okay but it wasn't, Kate wanted to be with Buck and she may have just lost her chance.
"You okay?" The barman asked
"You couldn't have waited a few seconds to give us that drink?" Kate asked, glaring at the brown eyed man
He held up his hands, "Hey I'm just doing my job"
"Whatever" she rolled her eyes
"Would you be mad if it was more than just my job?" He asked
Kate glanced over to buck, who was noticeably getting felt up by Taylor Kelly
"Oh yeah?" She raised a brow, "what, you didn't want me with him"
"I wanted you with me"
Kate leaned forward "sex, no strings, no I'll call. Just sex"
"Break!" The man yelled, he walked out from behind the bar and pulled Kate into a storage closet.
Kate kissed him messily, not really caring about how good it was. All she could of was buck getting felt up, this was more of a revenge sex - but she had no reason to be vengeance. He didn't know how she felt, he had every right to be with Taylor.
Kate felt his lips against her neck, this part he seemed good at. His hand made it ways up her leg, she exhaled a shaky breath.
"Condom" she barely murmured
He reached up and grabbed a box, pulling one out
"You aren't the first"
"And I won't be the last, so shut up and satisfy me"
"Yes ma'am"