Chapter 5

            Nick planned to settle in at home with a book. Tomorrow morning he was going to call the P.I. he had hired to help him find Ghost.

            There was a knock at the door.

            Nick opened it.

            It was the sheriff and Goldman.

            “Look alive, Dalton,” Goldman said loudly and entered the living room without being invited in.

            The sheriff walked in behind him.

            “Why do you have on boxers and a T-shirt?” Goldman asked.

            “Because it’s nine-thirty. I was about to go to bed,” Nick answered with annoyance.

            “On a Friday night? You’re off. We’re off. Get that pussy repellent clothing off, put on something decent, and let’s go,” Goldman demanded and plopped down on the couch. “We’ll wait. Won’t we, General?”

The sheriff smirked and put his hands in his pockets.

            “And where are we supposedly going?” Nick asked.

            “Garvey’s,” Goldman answered.

            “What? On a Friday night? You’ve lost it. I’m not into . . . that kind of sex,” Nick said.

            “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it,” Goldman said.

            Nick glared at the sheriff.

            “It’s not what you think. I haven’t seen Jodi in almost three days because of all the hours I’ve been working, so I wanted to stop in. My plan is to be out of there by midnight,” the sheriff said.

            “You haven’t talked to her on the phone?” Nick asked with bewilderment.

            “Of course, I have, Dalton, but it’s not the same,” he answered with a smirk.

            “Okay, what does that have to do with me coming with you?” Nick asked.

            “I told the general I was going out to Garvey’s for a beer, and I was going to stop by your place to see if you wanted to tag along,” Goldman said.

            “I said that sounded like a great idea and I wanted to go to see Jodi,” the sheriff finished. “This was not a conspiracy to get you out of the house. Although, it’s not a bad idea.”

            Nick looked up at the ceiling. “You guys aren’t going to leave unless I come with you, are you?”

            “That’s right,” Goldman admitted with a smile.

            “Ugh,” Nick groaned with annoyance.

            Forty minutes later, they approached the door at Garvey’s. There was a line to get through the door.

“This place is packed. We’ll never get a seat,” Nick complained. He wanted to go home. He wasn’t in the mood to be in a crowded bar full of horny jerkoffs.

“Let’s hope the general can pull some strings to get us the VIP treatment,” Goldman said.

The sheriff shrugged. “I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t make any promises.”

They finally got to the entrance.

“Hey, Matt,” Lance, the bouncer, greeted. He was muscular with long dreadlocks. Nick had met him at the gym in town.

“Hey, you guys giving out bracelets already? It’s only 10:15,” the sheriff said.

“Oh, you don’t know. Tonight is Garvey’s Annual Wet Nightie Contest. Which means we charge $35 per person at the door tonight,” Lance said.

The sheriff’s eyebrows shot up.

“What?” Nick exclaimed. That was way too much to see wet titties in his opinion.

            “Don’t mind him,” Goldman interjected. He was practically salivating.

            “Surely, you wouldn’t charge me and my friends $35 a piece,” the sheriff hinted.

            “No, I guess not. I guess Jackie will be okay with it,” Lance said. “Hey, Vince, give these guys a bracelet.”

            Nick figured Jackie would let this pass because of Jodi, but he chuckled at the thought of her being angry about missing out on $105. He remembered that she had a sexiness about her when she was mad.

            As they were getting their bracelets, Lance asked, “Do you boys want to enter the raffle to be one of the guys selected to spray the girls?”

“No, I’ll pass,” Nick answered flatly.            

“Shit,” the sheriff chuckled and adjusted his black Stetson.

“Fuck yeah,” Goldman said with excitement.

“It’s $10 per entry,” Lance said.

Goldman pulled out his wallet and gave Lance a fifty. “I want five tickets.”

They waited for Goldman to get his raffle tickets.

The sheriff asked, “Is there any way we can get a table?”

            “Yeah,” Lance said. “The waitress just bussed a table in the back. We had it on reserve earlier, but no one is there, now. Follow me.”

            The men followed Lance to a table for four. The reserved sign was still on it. It was against the back wall. Nick and the sheriff sat down. Goldman remained standing.

 “I'll put in y’alls food and drink order if you want,” Lance said.

“This is my treat guys. I want to start a tab,” Goldman said and reached for his wallet. He pulled out his credit card.

            “You ain’t got to do that, Goldman,” the sheriff said.

            “I want to. It was my idea to come here, and I want to make sure you boys stay for the show,” Goldman said with a big grin.

            Nick and the sheriff shook their heads with amusement.

            Goldman handed Lance his credit card. “We want a big ass order of wings with ranch and blue cheese on the side and three beers. Keep the beers comin’. We also want to know more about this wet nightie contest.”

            Lance laughed. “All right, big guy. The winner gets a $700 prize, runner-up gets $500, and third place gets $200. The contest will start in thirty minutes.”

“That sounds great, buddy, thanks,” Goldman said and patted him on the back.

“I'll put your order in,” Lance said and left.

A red-haired waitress approached them with a tray full of shots and beer mugs. She was also wearing a sheer red nightie. “Hey, Sheriff.”

The sheriff smiled and tipped his hat to her. “Hi, Sandy.”

“Trina saw you guys come in. This round is on her,” Sandy said and started to set down the drinks.

“Goddamn, we should have come here on Friday nights ages ago,” Goldman said as he put his wallet back in his pocket.

“Thanks, Sandy. And thank Trina for us. Where’s Jodi?” the sheriff asked.

“Um . . . she’s helping the contestants with their makeup,” she said.

Nick noticed that Sandy had a nervous smile for a moment when the sheriff asked where Jodi was.

“All right. If you run into her, will you tell her I’m here?” the sheriff asked.

“Oh sure, now bottoms up with the tequila shots guys. Trina told me not to come back until you drink those at least,” Sandy said.

Goldman stood at the head of the table and raised a shot glass. “Here’s to Friday nights, Garvey’s, and wet titties!” he shouted.

The men laughed and downed their tequila.

“Good. Trina will be very happy,” Sandy said and walked away.

Goldman was about to sit down until a Latina plastered herself on his body. She wore a short blue nightie. Her dark hair was straight and flowed down her back. “Hey, lover. I figured we would see each other again but not this soon,” she said in a sultry voice.

Goldman’s eyes widened to the size of nickels.

            Nick and the sheriff held their beers with their mouths open as they watched the young Latina rub the front of Goldman’s chest with both hands.

            “I . . . I . . . hi,” Goldman stammered. He was stupefied.

            She giggled.

            Goldman shook the surprise off his face. “You didn’t say your destination was Garvey’s.”

            She giggled again as she continued to make love to his chest. Nick wondered if she was old enough to be in a bar.

            “You are a naughty girl,” Goldman said in a deep voice and then smirked.

            Nick and the sheriff were still gawking at them. Nick couldn’t help, but notice how large her breasts were. He could see her dark nipples through her nightie.

            The sheriff cleared his throat. “Excuse me, miss, but how do you know our friend here?”

            She turned and looked at him. “This fine deputy helped me out of a distressing situation,” she answered as she continued to rub Goldman’s chest. “I don’t know what I would have done without him. I was stranded all alone in the desert,” she pouted.

            “I see,” the sheriff said with a smirk. “Did he happen to be on duty when you two were . . . all alone in the desert?”

            Uh oh, Nick thought and sipped his beer. This must be the girl who Goldman got the drawls from. The sheriff knows what’s up. She’s practically advertising that she fucked Goldman out there.

            “Now, General, it was an emergency. You know how emergencies can just . . . pop up,” Goldman said with a sly grin.

            To Nick’s surprise, the sheriff chuckled. “Yes, I do. But, to put my mind at ease, how old are you, miss?”

            “Twenty-one,” she answered and pouted her lips at him.

            The sheriff leaned back. Nick breathed a sigh of relief.

            She turned her attention back to Goldman, who was getting a rise out of the chest massage. “Did you just call him General, Jeff?”

            “Jeff?” Nick repeated. Goldman hated to be called by his first name.

            She turned back to the sheriff, “Are you in the army? As Jeff knows, I love men in uniform.”

            “Jesus,” Nick chuckled.

            “No, miss. He just calls me that,” the sheriff answered with a grin. “Goldman, why don’t you properly introduce us to your lady friend?”

            “Oh, yeah, sure,” Goldman said.

            She stopped rubbing his chest.

“Over there, sweetheart, is Nick Dalton. Best wingman around and one helluva deputy,” Goldman said.

            “Thank you,” Nick said with a grin.

            She leaned over to shake his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

            Nick shook her hand. Damn, her tits were large. Nick had to admit, he was starting to enjoy himself. Maybe it was worth leaving the house this evening.

            “Who’s the cowboy with the chiseled jaw?” she asked sweetly.

            “That my dear is Matt Kirby. He’s my boss,” Goldman said.

            Her face beamed. “Well, well, so you’re the famous Matt.” She moved over to the sheriff. It looked like she was going to give him a hug.

            “Miss, you are very attractive, but I’m spoken for. I don’t think my fiancé would like you hugging me,” the sheriff said quickly.

            She laughed. “Why would Jodi mind? Granted, you two aren’t married, yet, but we’re still family,” she said and hugged the sheriff around his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek.

            One of the sheriff’s eyebrows arched up. “Family?” he stuttered. He looked at Nick and Goldman.

The deputies shrugged.

She stood up straight and made her way back to Goldman.

Nick sipped his beer.

            “Uh huh, I’m glad I finally got to meet the hunk of all hunks that got my cousin dicmatized.”

            Goldman burst out laughing.

            Nick choked on his beer. He could feel his face turning red as he was coughing.

            The sheriff was speechless for a moment. “Cousin? You’re Jodi’s and Jackie’s cousin?”

            “That’s right. I’m Gabriella Garvey,” she said proudly.

            “How are you cousins?” Goldman asked.

            “Their dad and my dad we’re twin brothers – identical, just like Jodi and Jackie,” she said sweetly.

            “Well, I’ll be damn, Goldman. You got yourself a Garvey girl,” Nick teased and chuckled.

            “Jodi has mentioned her cousins from time to time. She didn’t tell me you were coming for a visit - or how friendly you were,” the sheriff said as he gawked at her.

            “She didn’t know. I surprised them,” Gabriella answered.

            “Oh, you’re a surprise, all right,” the sheriff teased and grabbed a napkin.

            She giggled.

            The sheriff used the napkin to wipe Gabriella’s lipstick off his cheek.

            “Would you like to join us? I buy ya drink,” Goldman said.

            “I would love to, but I have to get ready to get onstage. I’m singing tonight,” she said.

            “Really?” Goldman said and sat down. He picked up his beer and took a big swig out of it.

            “Yes, I’m opening for the contest,” she said.

             Sandy came back with a tray along with Becky who was carrying a tray as well. “We got y’alls order,” Sandy said.

            Gabriella stood close to Goldman as the waitresses put their order on the table.

            “Wait a minute, girls,” Goldman began. “We ordered three beers and wings. We didn’t want any more tequila shots.”

            “The shots are on the house,” Becky said.

            “We already had shots on the house,” the sheriff stated.

            “Well, have them again. Trina can be very generous,” Gabriella said.

            “Yeah, drink up, Matt. It’s your night off,” Sandy said.

            Nick got the feeling they were trying to get them drunk especially the sheriff , but why?

            “Let’s toast to your engagement. I wasn’t around when you guys made the official announcement,” Gabriella said and grabbed a shot glass.

            The sheriff shrugged and said, “All right, one more shot guys but that’s it. We don’t want to be falling down drunk in here.”

            Goldman and Nick picked up a shot glass.

            “Here’s to Jodi and Matt,” Gabriella said

“To Jodi and Matt,” Goldman and Nick said

Gabriella and the men downed the liquid.

“You guys holler if you need anything,” Sandy said and walked away.

“Gabriella, you’re on in ten,” Becky said.

“I’ll be ready,” Gabriella said.

Becky walked away.

Gabriella shook her head. “There sure are some handsome cops in this town. It’s a shame I have to go.”

“We’ll see you later, right?” Goldman asked.

“Count on it,” she said. She bent down and cupped the side of Goldman’s face. She kissed Goldman on the opposite cheek. With her lips pressed against his cheek, Gabriella said in a deep sultry voice, “I don’t have any panties on.”

The sheriff and Nick’s eyes widened.

Goldman closed his eyes. The tip of Gabriella’s tongue seductively licked his cheek as she purred. A big grin appeared on Goldman’s lips. He loved it.

The sheriff and Nick’s mouths dropped open.

“Tah-tah for now,” she said in the same sultry voice and walked away.

Goldman opened his eyes to the two men staring at him.

“Goddamn, Goldman,” the sheriff eased out. “You must have given her the good end of the sausage.”

Nick laughed loudly.

“Don’t be mad because I know how to please a lady,” Goldman bragged and grabbed a plate.

They chuckled as they dug into their wings.