Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Halle went behind the bar and started loading glasses into trays to be washed. Behind her she heard a rough and very slurred voice.

"Hey there pretty lady, can i buy you a drink?"

Rolling her eyes she turned quickly on her heel and said "well...that's not one i havn't....." she stopped dead in her trackswhen she noticed exactly who it was. 'Fuck me, holy hell' she had noticed him when he walked in but he had kept his hat low so she hadn't recognised him. She quickly recovered then finished "heard before".

"Well in that case darlin' I'll just have another Jack on the rocks" he drawled taking his cap off and dropping in on the bar beside him then running his fingers through his glorious hair.

Halle was a little weary about serving him but decided one more then she would cut him off.

She pored his drink then watchedin stunned silenceas he downed it in one mouthful. 'Well i wonder whats beating him down so much that it's pushed him to drink like this?' Halle thought, keeping a protective eye on him as he swayed slightly.

"Hit me again darlin'" his slurring worse than before.

"Sorry cowboy, we're closing up now, would you like me to call a cab?"

Richie scowled, trying to focus on her through glassy eyes "aaawwww c'mon babe, give a guy a break, I've had a bad night" 'and an even worse couple of years' he thought.

Halle could barely makeout his incoherent speech and watched as his eyes became heavy.

"C'mon cowboy, time to go. Where are you stayin'? I'll call you a cab."

Richie forced his eyes wide open, "sss ok I got a car" he mumbled fishing around in his pocket and triumphantly pulled out a set of keys. He turned, swayed slightly and headed toward the door, tripping on a chair leg along the way.

Salvatore came over "hey Hal, he's not driving is he?"

Halle was already making a move to head him off. "Not if i have anything to do with it. It's ok Sal, I can handle him" then shifted into Richie's path.

Holding her hand out in front of her and in a commanding tone she said "Ok, hand over the keys cowboy".

Thinking he would try being cute he smiled crookedly and slurred "whatcha gonna do if i don't?" Leaning slighly forward he hoped he could unnerve her. Even in his inebriated state he could see her beauty and if he wasn't in such a funk when it came to women, he would have made a move on her in a heartbeat.

Halle was up to the challenge. "Well honey, that's not going to be an issue because you are going to give me those keys".

Richie held them up, just out of her reach, his chocolate eyes twinkling with mischief.

With her hands on her hips she laughed "ok, so we're gonna play that game huh?".

He just nodded, slowly blinking and still swaying slightly.

Quicker than he was prepared for Halle jumped and grabbed his keys, but lost her balance, and both of them tumbled to the floor.

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