Chapter 7

Garrett returned to his normal routine, working at the same job, driving the same old Ranger pickup, and dressing and eating the same. Quite rapidly the interest died down and life went on as before.

Garrett did take a few more of his meals in the cafe but that was no big deal. After all, several of the single people in town and a few of the married men ate there at least once a day. During his visits to the cafe, Garrett began flirting with Sarah, a waitress about two years younger than he was. He was finally able to convince her to go on a date with him.

Garrett and Sarah went out Friday night and saw a movie then came back to his place for a nightcap. The cafe was just closing when he and Sarah climbed his stairs. Several of her friends saw them and made the obligatory off color remarks.

About one a.m. Garrett took Sarah home. He was somewhat upset but not really surprised. Sarah had a reputation of being a prick tease and she lived up to it very well, damn the luck. He got some bare tit and a wet finger but that was all. On top of the frustration, it was obvious they really didn't have much in common. Garrett chalked the date up in the "lose" column and decided to move on.

Saturday morning about 8:45 a still tired Garrett walked into the cafe for his coffee, breakfast, and gossip. The usual crew was there—a bunch of the local farmers and some of the other residents relaxing because it was a weekend or because they needed a break.

Garrett saw Bill, Kathy, and Sally, Bill's wife and Kathy's mother, sitting at their usual table. He walked up and sat down as he normally did when they were there before he was. Kathy glared at him and didn't speak when Bill and Sally said good morning.

Garrett said, "Good morning. Looks like it's going to be another hot one. Sure glad we're not working today. I'm not sure I could take it for long."

Kathy pressed her lips together and glared at Garrett then spat out, "Well, maybe if you weren't out screwing around until all hours of the morning you wouldn't be so tired."

Garrett just looked at her and shook his head then returned to his conversation with Bill. Sarah came up to the table, placed her hand on Garrett's shoulder and said, "Good morning, Garrett. I sure enjoyed last night. Coffee and what else?"

Kathy snorted and murmured, "Yeah, I bet you enjoyed it a lot slut."

Sally looked shocked and turned to Kathy. She said, "What did you just say young lady?"

Kathy looked unrepentant and said, "You heard me. Now can we just drop it? You know what? I think I've had enough. I'm going to walk home." She loudly pushed her chair back and left the cafe at a fast walk. As she let the door close she used her hand to wipe her face as if she was wiping a tear from it.

Garrett looked at Bill and said, "What was that all about?"

Bill and Sally looked at each other before he sighed and said, "Garrett, if I have to tell you then you're not nearly as smart as I thought you were."

Garrett looked at Sally who was staring at him. He shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of his coffee before he said, "Well, I guess I'm not as smart as you thought I was. I really have no idea why she's in such a mood today..." His face turned red and he stammered, "Oh. It's a woman thing, huh?"

Sally frowned then said, "Damn you men. You hurt a woman's feelings then all you can think of is that it must be that time of the month or something. Damn it, Garrett, just think about what you've done recently that you shouldn't have done. Maybe something will come to you."

Sally looked over at Bill and said, "I'm done. Are you?"

Bill nodded his head yes and stood. Sally began walking toward the door as Bill sorted out a tip for Sarah. He looked at Bill and shook his head then said, "Well, maybe this will blow over but I think you really screwed the pooch on this one, Garrett. I guess I'll see you at work Monday."

Garrett shrugged his shoulders and continued eating. He was leaning back in his chair sipping his coffee and throwing his two bits into the conversation going on around him when a couple of his younger friends came into the cafe.

Pete and Trevor grinned when they saw Garrett and moved to his table. They took chairs and Pete said, "How was the date, stud? Did you get any or did you strike out like the rest of us do? Come to think about it, why did you even go out with that little prick tease when you had someone as nice as Kathy hanging all over you? Man, that's like throwing away a perfect prime rib for a piece of hide. When did you and Kath break up, anyway?"

"What? Kathy and I didn't break up. Hell, you know we were only friends. And you know better than to talk about a date like that. Sarah and I went to the show and then visited for a while before I took her home."

Pete and Trevor laughed then Trevor said, "Yup. He struck out like the rest of us."

"Now, back up here. Why did you all ask about Kathy? She was acting awfully strange here this morning and took off walking for home when I came in. Do you all know what's wrong with her?"

Trevor said, "Ok, let me see here. You and Kathy have been hanging around together now for months. She's been at your place more than at home all that time. You take Sarah out on a date and Kathy gets pissed and you don't know what's going on? Jesus, boy are you dumb or what? Man, you just pissed in that girls punch. You're lucky she didn't cut your balls off for what you did."

"But we were friends. She was helping me fix up the apartment and sort out some of Gramps old things. That's all."

"Yeah, ok. I guess that's why she has refused all of us when we asked her out since she started hanging with you. She's just a friend but isn't interested in men any longer?

"Man, I bet it sucks to be her right about now."

Pete and Trevor began talking to the rest of them men in the cafe while Garrett just sat ignoring the ongoing conversation while he played the strange happenings of the morning over in his head. From those things, his mind wandered back to the last several weeks with Kathy. Shit, maybe there was something there after all. She seemed awfully interested in his happiness and helping him. When she was close to him she would touch him. She always smiled and greeted him pleasantly. She routinely brought him coffee, tea, or whatever on the spur of the moment. CRAP, had he been completely blind here?

If Kathy did like him as more than a friend, what about him; what did he feel for her? He felt like crap right now thinking about hurting Kathy. What did he feel about her? He sure did like her around and she was built like the proverbial brick shithouse. She sure was nicer and prettier than Sarah, as well as more mature. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

A very confused Garrett pushed away from his table and stood. After he pushed his chair in, he walked to the register to pay for his breakfast and coffee. While Betty Jean, the café owner, was making his change Sarah came up and put her arm around his waist. She smiled and said, "So, whatcha gonna do today Garrett?"

"Not sure. I have some things I need to do on the remodel but I have to buy some material first. Probably go to town for that."

"I get off at two."

"Huh? Oh, that's nice, you'll have most of the day to relax then." Well, catch ya later." Garrett walked out of the cafe and didn't even see the shocked expression on Sarah's face. Betty Jean had to turn away quickly so she didn't see the grin breaking out on her face. Apparently the date didn't go too well from Garrett's viewpoint. From the way Sarah had been gushing all morning the staff had the opposite impression. Humm, Garrett was preoccupied, Kathy almost ran out of the cafe when Garrett sat with her ... Yep. That boy was in a world of hurt. He had two women pissed at him now.

Garrett got into his truck and drove to Neosho where he visited the friendly folks at Lowe's. They were more than happy to sell him the material he needed to begin working on the first floor of the bank. He still hadn't decided exactly what he wanted to do with his second floor apartment so decided to do the first floor while he thought more about it.