This is my second attempt at turning a country song into a short story.
This one is based on the song "
Next Thing You Know.
" It was written by Josh Osborne, Chase McGill, Jordan Davis, and Greylan James, and recorded by Jordan Davis. All credit to them.
Next Thing You Know
♫ ♬ ♫ ♬ ♫ ♬
"Shut the hell up, Mason, I'm not even close to thinkin' about getting married!" I shook my head as I took another pull on my beer. I looked at my other two friends. "Joe? Gary? You're with me on this, right?"
Those two idiots were like Switzerland, not saying a word. They were staying out if it.
Mason continued, as he peered contemplatively into his glass. "I'm just sayin', man. It's worked out great for me so far! Don't knock it til you try it!"
"Dude! It's not like a new fishing rod that you can try out and then take it back if you don't like it! Besides, after..."
"She Who Shall Not Be Named," intoned Joe and Gary, and clinked their beer bottles together.
I glared at them. "Yeah, her. I'm not itchin' to get back into anything."
Mason took a pull on his drink, shrugging his shoulders good-naturedly. "Okay, man, whatever you say."
Despite my protestations, I surreptitiously stole a glance at the very cute girl who was sitting with a group of girlfriends a few tables over. It was my peeking at her that got Mason started in the first place.
She caught me this time, and smiled, looking down, and tucked a strand of wavy blonde hair behind one ear, and I felt my pulse accelerate. She looked back up and busted me again. Damn, was I in high school? I gave her my best grin and shrugged, and she crossed her eyes at me and stuck out her tongue.
I couldn't help it; I laughed out loud, picked up my beer, and made my way over. I ignored the catcalls from my friends.
It felt like no time at all when the lights came on in the bar. I sat back in mild surprise and looked at my phone. "Wow, 2 a.m.?" I gazed at Karen, who was still chuckling over a story I had just finished telling. Our friends were all long gone - I had a vague recollection of them checking with us before heading out - and now it was just the two of us.
She looked at me. "Oh crap, how am I gonna get home? I rode with my girlfriends; I guess I need to talk to them about leaving me with someone I just met! Even if I
was
ignoring them." She blushed.
"My friends bailed too," I laughed. "They're gonna give me hell tomorrow!"
"Mine too," she agreed.
"Umm, I can give you a ride, or I'll call you an Uber if you'd feel more comfortable?"
"No offense, but..."
"None taken, I promise."
We stood out front, casually chatting, until her ride showed up.
"Umm... I had a really good time."
"Me too," she said, a little shyly.
"Would you..." I began.
"Here, give me your phone," she smiled.
N T Y K
We were out on the lake. Earlier in the week, I had asked Karen if she minded me going fishing with the guys, and she had kissed me and told me to have fun, and that she'd probably go visit her mom.
Now they were razzing me again.
"Dude, why would you ask me that?" We've only been dating for three months! She is NOT moving in!"
"Keep telling yourself that, man. Seriously, how much time does she spend there now?"
I started to get aggravated, and he saw. He held his hand up in the universal 'stop' gesture.
"No, no, no, I mean that as a good thing! Seriously, we all think she's awesome."
"Yeah," I agreed. "She really is."
The issue was, he wasn't wrong. After that first night at the bar, I had waited all of five minutes to text her.
> Let me know when you're home safe?
> Ok!
Then about 20 minutes later, my phone pinged.
> I'm home! <smiley face>
> Good night, sleep well, beautiful!
> Aww. Thank you! Night.
We went out again the next weekend, and I got a nice lips-only kiss goodnight. Then we had lunch three days later. Then dinner that Friday. Then I picked her up early and took her to breakfast and the farmer's market the next morning, and after an interminable four hours apart we went back to what was becoming 'our' bar for drinks and dancing and hanging out with our friends. Mine and hers. Mason and his wife got a sitter and they both came, and we had a great time.
What I'm getting at is that we were becoming inseparable, and three weeks later, she spent the night. I gave her one of my old T-shirts to sleep in, and that's what we did. Slept. But the
next
night... and after that, she kinda stayed.
N T Y K
We recruited her friends and mine to help her move. After some discussion, we decided that my apartment made more sense. It was bigger, and closer to both our jobs.
Now Karen and I were laughing, watching them bicker over how to properly wrap and box up her valuables and load them safely into the U-Haul trailer that was hitched to my truck.
"Come on honey, let's go break it up before there's a fistfight. Mason will never live it down if he gets beat up by a girl."
"I heard that!"
♫ ♬ ♫ ♬ ♫ ♬
"There, I think that's the last of it." I dramatically brushed my hands together, then put one arm around her waist, looking at what used to be my old apartment. What was now
our
new place.
"I can't believe we're doing this," she whispered, snuggling against my side.
"Not having second thoughts, are you?" I asked, just a tad worriedly.
She saw it in my eyes too, because she hugged me fiercely. "Never."
Then, giving me that smile, the one that melts my heart every time, she said, "Come on, let's christen the bedroom."
The next morning, we were sitting at the kitchen table, having breakfast. She had her feet in my lap, and I was pressing my thumbs into the arch of her foot.
"Ohhh, so good!" she moaned. "I think I'll keep you!"
"Your kept man, huh?" I grinned at her. "I think I like that idea."
"That carpet, on the other hand..." she smirked, then shuddered theatrically.
"Whatever you want, honey," I laughed.
When her gaze wandered into the living room and settled on Elmer, I backtracked. "Whatever you want
within reason
, darlin'" I chuckled.
Elmer was a 10-point buck that I'd gotten with my dad, the last time he was able to go hunting, and as a gift, he'd mounted the head for me. Elmer was staying.
N T Y K
