Thirty

December 14, 2019

Boston, Massachusetts

Being back in Boston was one thing, being back at Red’s was another. Creed hadn’t wanted to come do this gig tonight if I didn’t come with him. Considering what had happened the last time he played with Kranx at Red’s. It had been a month since I’d broken things off with Griff and it wasn’t likely he’d even be at the bar tonight. Unless he had stopped studying all the time, which I very much doubted.

We had gotten in traffic on our drive here and had arrived just before the band went on stage. The large round booth in the corner was all mine. I sipped my martini and listened to the band glad I had come. I enjoyed watching Creed play and the last time I’d been here, I had tried my hardest not to watch him. Now I was free to soak it all in.

Red’s was filled with colorful lights strung across the ceiling, in no particular order, and a Christmas tree had been added to the entrance. They even had an eggnog cocktail on their menu I wondered if anyone was ordering. Creed had ordered a large basket of fries and a grinder then left them for me. I hadn’t known what a grinder was until the sub sandwich arrived with the fries. I took a fry just as Creed looked in my direction and winked. Smiling, I took a bite and enjoyed having his attention.

Although Red’s didn’t have a fireplace, like Clarks did, they were on the water or the marsh. Creed had corrected me when I called it the lake. I didn’t know there was a difference. Glancing over my shoulder, I looked out at the lights from Red’s twinkling on the water. Boats were anchored outside, but no one was on them. It was too cold for boating I would assume, but then this was New England and these people wore shorts when it was forty-five degrees out.

Relaxing, I leaned back with my cocktail and considered taking a bite of the sandwich when I glanced up to see Chet enter the bar. I’d hoped this wouldn’t happen. I had almost convinced myself I was in the clear. Most college students were taking exams, so Chet and Griff should be studying. Creed had offered to call Chet and see if they were coming, but I’d felt bad asking him to do that. I would have to see Griff again, and if that was tonight, I would deal with it.

There was no Griff behind Chet though. I sighed in relief and decided I was taking a bite of the sandwich. If Chet was here and Griff wasn’t with him then I was in the clear. This wasn’t Griff’s kind of place. He had never loved going to bars, but he’d go with me to listen to music when we were in Nashville.

Chet was talking to a small group of people and a pretty brunette was with him. I wondered if that was Shelly and the idea made me grin. Moving my eyes back to Creed on stage he was watching me. I wondered if he’d seen Chet enter too and had waited to see if Griff followed. I held up my drink to him in a toast and he smirked.

They would hopefully be getting a break soon. I missed him.

“Hey, Sailor,” Chet said, and I had missed his walking over here toward me. He’d been at Thanksgiving, and after he made a joke about me switching boyfriends, we had all been comfortable.

“Hello, Chet,” I replied. “Y’all want to sit here? The place is packed.”

Chet motioned for the brunette to slide inside the booth before him. “Thanks, I was hoping you’d offer. If not, I was just going to be rude and sit. Sailor, this is Maegan, and Maegan, this is Sailor.”

Maegan’s eyes went wide and I was preparing myself for her to recognize me as Denver Copeland’s daughter when she said, “So you’re the Sailor?”

“Oh yeah, that’s her,” Chet replied grinning wickedly. “Griff was drinking too much this evening and went on a drunken rant about you. I wasn’t sharing your shit or anything,” he said to me.

I hated to think of Griff getting drunk. It wasn’t like him. Although I didn’t love Griff, I cared about him. He had been important to me for four years. Breaking up with him didn’t change that.

“I’m surprised he was drinking with exams,” I said.

“We are done. He’s heading back to Nashville tomorrow for the holiday break. Instead of going out tonight, he decided to have his own party with Jim Bean,” Chet said then reached for the fry basket. “Do you mind?” he asked, before taking a fry.

I shook my head. “Take all you want.”

“Is the grinder not good?” he asked me, nodding toward the sub.

“It’s okay.”

“Which one is Creed?” Maegan asked.

Chet smirked at me then looked at his date. “The wicked hot one,” he said.

Maegan didn’t have a hard time figuring that out. “Oh,” she replied, and I knew what she was thinking. Yes, Creed was beautiful and sexy but that hadn’t been why I chose him over Griff. I couldn’t exactly defend my choice though she wasn’t voicing her thoughts.

“Well damn,” Chet said, his attention on the door.

I followed his gaze. “Oh no,” I whispered.

Griff had decided to come out after all. Even if Chet hadn’t told me he was drunk, I’d have been able to tell. Especially when he looked our way and raised his hand to wave it back and forth in the air at us and shout. “HEY!”

Griff did not cause scenes. At least he didn’t sober. The amount of times I had witnessed Griff even tipsy I could count on one hand. His dad was a recovering alcoholic and Griff drank in moderation.

“Didn’t think he was going to leave,” Chet said, looking unsure on what to do.

“Did he drive here?” Maegan asked sounding horrified.

“Fuck, I hope not,” Chet said and stood up as Griff started making his way toward us.

Griff stumbled twice and bumped into people that he then stopped to apologize to and point at our table before continuing on. I had to do something, but I didn’t know what to do. I moved to the edge of the booth, in case I needed to stand up and get Griff out of the bar.

“What a coincidence,” he slurred loudly when he reached us.

“You’re drunk, Griff. We need to take you back to the apartment,” Chet said, standing up and putting a hand on his chest to keep him from falling into the table.

“I’m fine! Here to party. Ain’t that why you’re here, Sailor?”

I looked at Chet unsure if I should even speak. He rolled his eyes at Griff and tried to turn him around. “If I don’t get you out of here, you are going to regret it in the morning,” Chet told him. “Trust me.”

Griff jerked away from Chet and almost fell on top of me. He caught himself on the back of the booth, but he was leaning over me and laughing as he steadied himself. “Hello Sailor,” he said grinning. “Are you here to see your boyfriend play?” he asked then leaned down closer to me. “Guess you realized you had to come with him to keep him from fucking someone else.”

I opened my mouth to tell him to shut up when he was jerked away. Creed had the back of Griff’s shirt in his fist and the fury on Creed’s face scared me.

“He’s drunk!” I said, as I hurried to get out of the booth and stop this. “He doesn’t mean anything he’s saying, Creed.”

“She’s right. He’s had a fifth of Jim Bean this afternoon,” Chet said, sounding as worried as I was.

“There are some right and wrong answers here,” Griff slurred, still grinning while Creed held him up. “I have indeed drunk a fifth of Jim, but I do know what I’m saying.”

“Shut up, Griff!” Chet said, moving toward Creed. “Give him to me. I will take him to the apartment.”

“The apartment!” Griff shouted. “I don’t want to go to the apartment. Tell me Creed, did you start fucking my girlfriend at the apartment or did y’all wait until you were in Portsmouth?”

“I don’t give a fuck if you’re drunk. If you say one more word about Sailor, I will beat your face in,” Creed warned in a low voice, loud enough for us to hear.

Griff cackled like an idiot. “You took my girl. What more can you do to me? Tell me, Sailor, is the sex that good?”

Creed threw him then and Griff went face forward into the wall.

I screamed, and Chet cursed loudly.

“Creed! Stop!” I begged, as Griff got his bearings and turned around to look at Creed. He wasn’t smiling anymore.

“What happens when you get bored with her? When the sex gets old and you want something new?” Griff taunted him and I reached out to grab Griff before he got any closer to Creed.

I wasn’t fast enough. Creed’s fist connected with Griff’s face and he went down again.

“CREED!” I screamed in horror, just as the bouncer arrived to take Creed’s arms and restrain him. I fell to my knees and checked to make sure Griff was breathing because he was unconscious.

“Do I need to call an ambulance?” a waitress asked, standing over us.

I shook my head. “I don’t know,” I told her honestly.

Chet was beside me then and I was thankful for his medical knowledge. My heart was pounding from fear.

“His pulse is steady,” Chet said and glanced at me.

“That’s good, right?” I asked, twisting my hands in my lap nervously.

He nodded. “Yeah. He’s probably going to have a concussion from the way he hit his head when he fell. As long as I watch him tonight and check his vitals regularly, I think he’s okay to go home.”

“I’m going with you,” I said, needing to help somehow.

Chet frowned and glanced back at the door where the bouncer had taken Creed. “I don’t know if Creed will be okay with that.”

“I don’t care what Creed is okay with. You can’t stay up all night and watch him. We can take turns.”

Chet sighed then nodded his head. “You’re right. I’ve drank too much to stay awake all night.”

“I can help too,” Maegan offered, and I remembered she was here. Glancing at the rest of the bar, I realized people were all standing around watching us.

Jazz’s eyes met mine and she was glaring at me. I’d messed up their night. They were out a guitar player. I didn’t have time to worry about the band or anyone else for that matter. I had to help get Griff out of here and deal with Creed. What in the world had he been thinking? It was obvious Griff was drunk. Besides that, I’d told him several times.

Griff grunted then and I swung my gaze back down to him.

“He’s coming around. That’s good,” Chet said and leaned forward to put his hand under Griff’s back. “Come on, you need to sit up slow,” he told him.

“Where’s the fucker at?” he slurred worse than he had been before.

“He’s gone. Now if you can keep your mouth shut we might get you home before he kills you,” Chet told him.

Griff squinted at me. “What are you doing?”

“Helping,” I replied.

“I don’t want your help,” he said.

“She’s helping me,” Chet told him. “Just shut the hell up and focus on standing.”

“I’ll go get the car and bring it around to the front,” Maegan said.

“Thanks,” Chet told her but kept his eyes on Griff, who was struggling to get to his feet.

I stood up and grabbed my coat and purse from the booth then followed them as Chet held Griff steady with his arm around his back as they went to the exit.

A waitress hurried toward us. “If one of you can sign this on his behalf. It’s stating he refused medical attention,” she explained. Chet nodded at me and I took the paper, signed it and handed it back to her.

“I’m a fucking doctor. I don’t need medical attention,” Griff said.

“You’re right. You need mental attention,” Chet said sourly as we walked into the cold night air.

My eyes found Creed. He was leaning against his Jeep with his arms crossed over his chest looking furious. He wasn’t going to like my going to help but I had to. Chet couldn’t do this alone and I felt responsible for the entire thing.

Chet stopped beside Creed and covered Griff’s mouth with his free hand to keep him from saying something stupid. “You’re an ass,” Chet told Creed as Maegan pulled the car up beside us.

“I’m going with them,” I told Creed.

“What?” he asked, the anger changing to hurt quickly.

“Chet needs my help. I can’t. I don’t.” I stopped and shook my head, trying to find the words. “I can’t believe you did this, Creed. I’m not okay with it.”

“Did you not hear what he was saying?” Creed asked me.

“He is drunk. Drunk!” I yelled the last part. “I need to go help them and I need some space right now. Tomorrow. We will talk about this tomorrow,” I said then turned and climbed into the front seat beside Maegan who was driving. I didn’t look back at Creed as we drove away, but my stomach felt sick leaving him like that. He had been stupid tonight and I would forgive him. For now, I needed to be mad for a little bit. He would have to wait until I was calm enough to talk to him. Tomorrow, when Griff was fine, then I would be ready to talk this over with Creed. He couldn’t go smashing a guy’s face in because he said something about me or to me that wasn’t nice. I was not a fan of violence. I understood that he was upset with the things Griff had said but Griff was drunk. He was also still hurting. A hurt that I had caused him. I felt the guilt of that weighing on me. Maybe it wasn’t Creed I was mad at…maybe it was me.