Be My Baby (10 page)

I threw my jacket on and went out the back
door of the mansion towards the stables. Danny was waiting for me
when I got there.

"You're late," he commented opening the door
of his truck for me to climb in.

"Geez, sorry. I had to get my baby tucked in
for the night."

Just as promised, Jackass Flats was just a
couple of miles from my dad's estate. The parking lot was pretty
much full when we got there. We could hear the band playing from
the parking lot.

Danny and I sat at one of the two long bars
inside.

"What'll you have Tylar?" he asked me.

"Hmm - I want a 'Grateful Dead," I replied
wondering if the bartenders here were as astute as making them as
the ones employed at Tristan's and Gina's club.

The bartender didn't bat an eye when Danny
ordered my drink. Danny ordered a bourbon and water for himself. I
looked around. The place had appeal. I liked the old barn siding
that the owners had left in place. It gave it a rustic look. The
dance floor was huge and the acoustics were pretty good.

We were sipping our first round when a
couple of girls came up to Danny. They were both probably in their
late twenties. They were made up to look like 'club girls' as Gina
had often referred to those ladies that frequented the clubs on a
regular basis 'trolling for meat' as she so eloquently had put
it.

"Danny," the taller blond girl whined,
immediately running her fingers through his hair and leaning into
him.

"Why haven't you called me in a couple of
weeks, babe?"

"Sorry Leanne," he said, "I've been really
busy."

"Oh, I guess I can see that," she retorted
giving me the once over still clinging to him.

"No," he explained, "Busy at work. This is
my friend Tylar. She works with me at the stables."

I was so glad that he hadn't gone into
detail about me being the daughter of the owner.

"Haven't seen you around before," she
commented continuing to look me up and down. "Are you from around
here?"

"No," I replied, "I'm from Atlanta most
recently."

"Uh huh," she replied unimpressed.

"It's nice to meet you Leanne," I said
offering her my hand.

"Yeah you too Tylar," she replied shaking my
hand.

"This is my friend Georgia."

I turned my attention to Georgia who was
really cuter than Leanne. She seemed a bit more refined even though
she was made up every bit as much as Leanne.

"Hi Georgia," I said smiling, shaking her
hand.

"Hi Tylar," she replied, "I hope you like it
here in Baton Rouge. I'm originally from Augusta, Georgia. I knew
that it takes some getting used to."

"Thanks," I replied, smiling. "I actually
spent most of my life living around Louisville, Kentucky."

"Really?" she asked her eyes widening.
"That's where my sister lives. She's married and her husband was
transferred there with GE. I visit there occasionally. It's a great
city."

"Well listen to you two," Leanne commented,
"It's like your BFF's already. Danny let's dance and let these two
catch up?"

Leanne grabbed Danny's arm and they were off
to the dance floor. Kelly sat down on the bar stool that Danny had
just vacated. She acted embarrassed by her friend Leanne's
behavior.

"Do you want a drink Georgia? I'm buying," I
offered. I could see that she was forever in the shadow of her
friend Leanne. I couldn't figure out why.

"Ok thanks, I'd like an 'Adios Mother
Fucker."

"Really?" I asked amused.

"Yeah," she laughed, "It's actually cheaper
for me. All I need is two of those and I'm good to go."

Georgia was fun to talk to. It appeared that
Leanne was going to dominate Danny for the evening.

We were each on our second drink when a
third drink was placed in front of us. The bartender indicated it
was from the two guys at the end of the bar. Both of us looked down
and saw the two of them smiling and waving at us. They were both
darling. Georgia looked over at me.

"Should we invite them to come and sit with
us?"

"Oh Georgia," I replied, "That is totally up
to you but I have to tell you that I am not on the market."

"You're not," she asked her brow furrowed in
confusion. "But if you're not with Danny, I mean -"

"Look," I said, "It is really complicated.
I’m married with a baby girl. My husband and I are separated after
I caught him making out with one of his colleagues."

"No," she said horrified, "Really?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm staying with my dad down
here. My baby girl is with me. I lost my other baby when I was
seven months along. I'm just trying to heal."

"I totally sympathize with your situation
Tylar," she said sincerely. "We'll just ignore these guys."

"No, no," I said, "Look invite them over. I
can hold my own. Just because I have issues is no reason for an
opportunity to slip by you."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes really," I replied.

Georgia smiled over at the two guys and
waved them over. There weren't any empty bar stools but they seemed
satisfied standing behind us. They must have discussed who wanted
who when they ordered the drinks for us because each of them took
their place behind our bar stools.

I took another drink of my drink and that
old quote from a classic rock song reverberated in my head.
Something about when you can't be with the one that you love then
love the one you're with. I was game.

The guys introduced themselves as Leonard
and Vincent. It appeared that Vincent was mine. He was tall with a
semi-muscular build. As it turned out, he was a junior at LSU and
was a starter on their football team.

(Oh My God - a college jock!)

"How old are you Vincent?" I asked.

"I will be twenty-two next April," he
answered.

(Hmm . . . younger than me.
Did that make me officially a 'cougar' where Vincent was
concerned?) .
As it turned out, his friend
Leonard worked at LSU and was twenty-five. Just two years younger
than Georgia. I guess we were both 'cougars' tonight.

We sipped our drinks totally engaged in our
conversations with these two LSU guys. Even though I was not a
native of Baton Rouge, I knew about the LSU Tigers. Trey watched
college and pro football so I was familiar with the league. They
were quite beloved, not just in Baton Rouge, but in the far south
as well.

"What position do you play?" I asked
him.

"I'm a defensive back," he replied.

I wasn't quite sure what that involved so I
faked it.

"Really? That is so awesome," I replied. "I
mean you put yourself right out there with all of the risk of that
opposing offense."

"Yeah. You get that don't you?" he said
beaming.

"We're playing 'Bama at home next weekend. I
would love it if you were there. I can get tickets for you and your
friend here," he offered, "I mean if you would like to see a live
game."

"Oh my God, I would love it," I squealed
delighted.

(Where the hell was all of this coming from?
I didn't know squat about football. My expertise with the game was
seeing it on the flat screen while walking past the living room
while Trey was watching it. Or occasionally in the bedroom after
sex and before I drifted off to sleep. That was it.)

"But I'd have to check with Georgia," I
lied, "I'm not sure whether she works her normal shift next
weekend."

"Well let me know Tylar," he said smiling at
me. "I'd love for you to be there cheering me on in the
stands."

The guys bought us a couple of more drinks
and then we were out on the dance floor having a blast. We finally
took a break to go to the 'ladies' room.

"Oh my God," Georgia giggled, "I am having
such a good time!"

"I am too," I laughed. "My guy is a football
jock for LSU."

"No shit," she said very impressed.

"My guy is the athletic director for male
sports at LSU. How fucking awesome is that?"

"He is?" I asked, "That is totally
awesome."

We were giggling like a couple of teenagers
in high school.

"So," I said, putting fresh lipstick on and
brushing my hair out, "What are the plans for you and Leonard this
evening?"

"What?" she asked looking over at me. "I
don't really do that kind of thing. That's more along Leanne's
line. It's not me. But hey, I don't judge. If you and Vincent want
to slip out to get cozy that's fine."

I was horrified with myself. Why had I
presumed that Georgia was some easy lay when I knew in fact that I
wasn't and she seemed so very much like me? I had offended her I
could tell.

"Hey Georgia, I'm a little drunk and quite
frankly, out of my element with the whole singles world because I
never really experienced it. I am sorry if I offended you. I wasn't
trying to make it sound like you are easy. You see, I don't have a
point of reference on any of this. I'm totally out of my comfort
zone. All I know is that I am having fun but I am not about to get
physical with Vincent."

"Well me either with Leonard. We'll just
stick together then."

"Sounds like a plan to me," I giggled.

We went back out and found Danny and Leanne
at the bar where our new 'guys' were still standing waiting for
us.

"There they are," Leonard announced as we
got closer.

Just then the band started back up with
their last set of the evening.

(Holy Shit! What time was it? I found the
clock on the wall and saw that it was 12:30. The bar closed at 1:00
AM.)

The song they started was one very familiar
to me. It was the same song that the band had done at the club the
night of my 21st birthday. It was the one my OMD called, 'If You
Leave.' It totally reminded me of Trey.

"Come on," Vincent said, taking my hand, "I
want to dance with the prettiest girl in this club tonight."

He led me onto the dance floor and we danced
to the song. I was surprised at how agile he was on the dance
floor. He was a football player but yet he was graceful on the
dance floor. I had read somewhere that some football players
actually took ballet and jazz dance lessons so that they could be
very agile and flexible at their sport.

I melted into his strong arms feeling safe
and secure with my football player. He had been the perfect
southern gentleman all evening. I hadn't shared my life story with
him even though he had asked me about my life and interests. We
were less than a year apart in age but yet I felt like I had lived
far beyond his years. He was studying law at LSU - how totally
bizarre was that?

The song finished and I looked for Georgia.
She was over at the bar writing her number down for Leonard. I
walked over to where she was; Vincent had his hand on the small of
my back as we returned to the bar.

I looked around for Danny. He was nowhere to
be found. Neither was Leanne.

"Where's Danny?" I asked Georgia.

"Oh he and Leanne just left."

"Well that's just freaking great," I said.
"How in the hell am I supposed to get home?"

"I know," she said. "Leanne told me to take
her car to get myself home and then forgot to give me her keys.
Leonard is giving me a ride home. I'm sure that he will drop you as
well, Tylar."

"There is no problem here," Vincent said,
taking my arm. "I will see that Tylar gets home safe and
sound."

Georgia looked at me concerned. She wanted
to make sure that I was good with that. I was furious with Danny.
He was going to get the better part of my wrath when I saw his
sorry ass next. I supposed that it made no difference whether
Leonard took me home or Vincent.

"Vincent if you are sure that it is no
trouble. It's not that far from here."

"It's no problem Tylar," he answered
sweetly, helping me on with my jacket. "I would be happy to see you
home."

He grabbed his LSU jacket shrugging it on.
He placed his hand on my elbow and guided me through the still
crowded club.

"My car is right over there," he nodded. He
drove a newer model Jeep.

Vincent opened the passenger side door
helping me up into his jeep. I wanted to kick myself in the ass for
ending up in this situation. I truly hoped that I didn't end up in
a ditch somewhere along the way home with my throat slit. I should
have phoned my dad to send a car but I was afraid that would seem
too pretentious. What the hell would he think any way when he drove
up the drive to my father's estate to drop me off? That had
pretentious written all over it.

I just wanted to be an anonymous chick right
now. I didn't want to be anyone's daughter; I didn't want to be
anyone's wife. I simply wanted to be Tylar Sinclair of Baton
Rouge.

I gave him directions to the house along the
winding county roads. He asked me what I did for a living. I told
him that I worked with horses, which was true. He seemed fascinated
by it, asking me questions about dressage and the thoroughbreds I
had mentioned.

He let out a low whistle when we pulled up
into the long curving driveway of my father's estate.

"Wow," he said, "Very impressive."

"The bunkhouse for the hands is around back
I directed him."

(Still not a lie!)

He pulled up in the parking area next to the
stables as I instructed.

"Thanks for the lift home Vincent," I said
cordially. "It was really nice meeting you."

"Tylar," he said hesitantly, "I don't want
to be too forward but would it be okay for me to give you a call
sometime? I really enjoyed this evening."

"Oh Vincent," I replied, "I had a great time
too. My life is a little complicated right now. It's hard to
explain."

"I understand," he sighed. "Can't blame a
guy for trying I guess."

He pulled a pen and a pocket notebook out of
his glove box and scribbled something on the paper.