justdidntseeit | [[ wheelsy, south carolina // saturday night, henenlotter's saddle lounge ]]

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[[ wheelsy, south carolina // saturday night, henenlotter's saddle lounge ]]

[ "we can't cancel, can we?" ]

She threads her fingers with Bill's as she takes his proffered hand.

(Convincing him had been easy; a simple, "It's your last weekend as a free man -- let's go out on Saturday" had gotten an immediate smile and a nod of agreement. The hard part was assuring him they should stay in town instead of driving to Columbia for a night out.)

Gravel crunches beneath her heels as she slides from the cab of the truck.

"S'pretty crowded tonight," he says with a glance around the parking lot.

"Let's hope there's not another rodeo on," she teases, squeezing his hand. She ignores the tight feeling in the pit of her stomach and doesn't let herself double-check for June's car as they cross the gravel lot.

Bill holds the door for her and she ducks inside; the four-piece band stops warming up and the lodge buzzes with the hushed hum of nearly a hundred people.

When Bill steps in beside her, the house lights flash.

"SURPRISE!"

Resisting the urge to bite the inside of her cheek (and stifling a laugh at the hand-painted Welcome Back ~~Sherr~~ Sheriff!! banner), Kate turns to give him a hopeful smile.

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Rudy grins and Bill pouts.

"After you, sheriff."

Stepping aside Rudy waves Bill to get in.

It takes Bill several tries to get in and Rudy stands by laughing.

"Go on an' laugh, Rudy, 'cause it'll be fuckin' hilarious when you're walkin' home."

"Aw c'mon, Bill."

Rudy turns sideways, grasping the door and resting his elbow on the seat to hop up, only he doesn't get his leg up high enough and ends up slipping off the seat and sliding halfway underneath the truck.

"Woah!"

Bill falls over on the seat laughing.

"Oh my god -- "

"Rudy -- "

Kate crouches and June hurries over to help the fallen deputy.

"Hey," Kate says, looping an arm around his shoulders to help him sit up, "you okay?"

June shoots Bill a Look.

"Son, you'd best not be laughin' too awful hard, or there's no tellin' what'll happen when you try an' get down at home."

June's words cut Bill's laughing off quick.

"Oh, c'mon, I wasn't-- he's all right. You're all right, right, Rudy?"

Bill leans over on the seat to look out at Rudy.

"I'm fine," He nods, brushing his shirt front off. "Didn't break my ass."

Kate breathes a chuckle and helps Rudy clamber to his feet; when he totters, June reaches out a steadying hand.

"M'all right, m'all right."

Shooting a smiles of thanks to Kate and June, he turns his attention to the traitorous truck cab and smirks.

"Sheriff, get outta my seat."

Bill gives Rudy a surprised 'are you talking to me?' look, then moves over.

"C'mon, get in here. You're just lucky my mom an' girlfriend like you," Bill informs Rudy, holding out his hand to help him up. "An' that deputies are so hard t'come by."

Rudy takes Bill's hand and hauls himself in the truck, only swaying a little once he finds his seat.

Kate makes sure he's steady before shutting the door, and smiles to herself as Bill and Rudy fumble with the seat belts.

She turns to June, and her heart begins to beat faster.

"Thanks for coming tonight, Mrs. Pardy. It -- it means a lot that you're here."

June rubs her hands together, looking at Kate.

"Yes, you said that before an'... you were right. Bill would've been hurt if I didn't show up, an'-- "

He's been hurt enough.

"-- an' I didn't want to spoil his evenin' by doin' that."

"He's in a hurry t'get himself killed, an' I'm so glad you're there to encourage him."

She licks her lips and forces away the ugly echoes of that conversation.

"You guys looked great out there on the dance floor."

After a moment of hesitation, she steps closer and gives June a quick, tight hug.

"I worry about him, too."

"So did you," She says quietly.

She tenses a moment at the contact, then returns the hug and nods against Kate's shoulder.

"Take care of him. Please, don't let me lose him."

It's part of a prayer she's been saying for a long time now. She still wishes Kate would talk to Bill, but knows that's something Kate has made her own mind up about, and now isn't the time to talk about it.

Her arms tighten around June and she swallows hard.

"Okay."

From inside the cab, there's a muffled "Wait a minute, rock don't beat paper!" followed by a muted thunk.

Kate pulls back and gives June a watery smile.

"Drive safe, and thanks again."

June returns the smile, swiping discreetly at her eyes, and nods.

"You too. Goodnight, Kate. Good luck with those two."

She looks at the truck and shakes her head, giving a small laugh, then gets into her car.

"Thanks," Kate says with a grin, just as a curious symphony of thuds and expletives escape the cab. "I think I'll need it."

She climbs into the truck and clicks her seat belt into place while June exits the parking lot.

"All right, you two," she laughs, surveying Bill and Rudy's too-innocent expressions, "let's get you home."

"All right." Bill gives her a wide smile, then elbows Rudy when Kate turns her head to back out.

Along the way there's fighting over seat space, whether the window should be up or down, and radio stations.

When the truck pulls up to Rudy's house the window is down and the two men are leaning on each other singing 'Friends in Low Places', their loud and drunken voices drowning out Garth Brooks in the background.

"Guys -- "

"I'm not big on so-shul graces -- "

"No, guys -- "

"Think I'll slip on down t'the OH-OH-AAAAAAASIS -- "

They're lucky Kate doesn't have a Nerf bat.

Or a Louisville slugger.

"Oh, I got frieeeends in lo-oh-oow placeeees."

Bill starts up again but Rudy cuts off mid 'friends' when he glances out the window.

"Hey, that looks like my house."

Bill stops and leans over to see for himself.

"Sure as hell does."

They both turn to look at Kate.

She really wants a pair of earplugs.

"Home sweet home, Rudy."

She cuts the engine and palms the keys.

"Bill, stay put." She brushes her lips against his cheek. "I'll be right back."

She just wants to make sure Rudy gets inside safely.

Bill would protest, but her kiss makes him all sorts of amiable.

Rudy opens the door and tries to step out but can't move from his seat. He struggles a moment then realizes he still has his seat belt on. Grabbing the strap he tries to pull free.

"No, you gotta-- y'gotta click the little thingy. The button, dumbass."

Bill tries to instruct him and Rudy fiddles and finally unlatches the belt.

"We'll see ya later, Bill."

"'Night, Rudy."

It only takes a few minutes to get Rudy inside; before she leaves, Kate reminds him he's on traffic detail in a few hours.

(But she has a feeling he may not make it to the First Baptist Church.)

When she returns to the truck, she can't help but chuckle under her breath to see that Bill hasn't moved from the middle seat; his lap belt is still in place.

"So," she says after she climbs in and turns over the engine, "you want to be close to me, or are you just feeling lazy?"

"You said stay put," He reminds her, leaning over to brush his lips against her cheek. "An' I always wanna be close to you."

"You take direction really well after a couple of beers, sheriff."

Or, in this case, more than a couple.

She gives his knee a gentle squeeze before putting the truck in gear to wind through the quiet streets toward Bill's house.

"You sayin' I don't listen when I ain't a little buzzed."

He's a lot buzzed and he knows it, but if she doesn't already know there's no point in admitting it.

She glances over; his expression causes her to bite her lower lip so she won't laugh outright.

"I'm saying you always behave yourself."

He grins wide and pleased and nods.

"'Course I do."

When they arrive at the house he remembers his seat belt and only fumbles with it a little before getting it unlatched, but hesitates before getting out of the truck.

"Hey, Kate, think you can help me? I mean, I could do it, but my mom might've jinxed me for laughin' at Rudy."

She slides from the truck seat and turns, holding out both hands.

"C'mon."

A beat and a teasing grin.

"You big baby."

"Am not."

He takes her hands and carefully slides down.

"You're the one who spoils me."

Getting himself steady he takes a slow breath and starts to walk towards the front door.

He almost makes it before he trips up on his own feet and hits the dirt on his back. Laughing.

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