A SIMPLE KIND OF MAN

Town & Country Lanes || open || @eureka-starters​

In Fliss’ eyes sports would always be more about the social aspect than the competitive one and bowling was no exception. And it was just as well when for most of the evening her throws had been wayward, aim thrown off when her attention was inevitably drawn elsewhere by her friends or something else happening around her. It was almost a running joke by the time the game was nearing the end that her ball was almost certainly going down the gutter. Each unsuccessful throw had been laughed off by both herself and those around her. A bet had been made that she couldn’t make a strike by the end of the game and she took it for the fun of it despite feeling as though she was going to be the one to have to pay up. There’s slightly more focus in her movements this time and her eyes widened as the ball collided with the pins, hitting them just right to earn her a strike. The thrown was undeniably a fluke but arms are still thrown up in the air in celebration and there’s a bright grin on her face as she turns back to collect her winnings. “Lucky shot or not, a bet’s a bet.” Hands held out as she approached them with a spring in her step to claim her prize.

...

Clayton’s eyes focus on the blonde as she walks up to the lane. He crosses his arms over his chest, remembering that every single frame she mentions how she’s going to get a strike and that this is going to be her chance. He takes a step closer as if that’s going to help him see the ball roll down the lane a little better. He laughs as he shakes his head at her celebration. “I honestly can’t believe you waited until the last frame to do the strike. Have you been conning me?” He teases.

Florence chuckled, fully avoiding his gaze after the mention of anonymous wedding sex. No matter what people thought of her past, she had been in relationships for the better part of her life, so no string attached sex was not something she was very knowledgeable on. “I’ll take your word for it. You don’t want to know what I used to do at weddings,” she said with a shake of her head. It usually involved lines in the bathroom and embarrassing dancing. His next comment makes it impossible for her not to look back him. “Yeah, so did I. I didn’t think things would turn out this way. Not that I’m unhappy with how things turned out, I’m not. There are just some things I wish we’d done differently.”

...

Clayton turns his head to look over at the blonde sitting next to him, pressing his lips together as he pulls his gaze to look away from her towards the water. He thinks about how much Benjamin got into his head while he was dating the blonde, the way he didn’t want to risk her sobriety and then someone else got to sweep in and give her the life she deserved. He raises his hand up towards the collar of his shirt, tugging on it a little because he feels like he’s suffocating in the emotions daring to bubble up. “If you wanna tell me you can,” he says softly. He settles his hands on his knees, thinking about whether or not they should be having this conversation or not. “You know what they say,” he clears his throat. “If something was meant to be...” He stares at the sand as he moves to push his hands down, standing up. “I shouldn’t have said that,” he turns his head to look down at her. “I should go.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “I’m... Fuck, I’m so happy for you, Flo...” He glances down at her. “I just can’t keep opening this back up. No one in your life was ever going to be okay with you datin’ me. You would have lost everyone. I can’t regret that plus you ended up with something so much better and someone people approve with.” He whispers. “But it doesn’t mean that I never stopped loving you.” He confesses. “Or that I’m over it now... Just, stay happy but I can’t be apart of it or watch it so maybe it’s just best if we stay away from each other.” He stares at her for a minute, dropping his gaze down to the baby before lifting his eyes back up to her. “Bye Flo.” He takes a few steps back before turning around and walking back to his truck in the parking lot.

Clayton walks down the street, glancing at his phone as he reads the list he wrote himself to pick up for his apartment, the bachelor party and the parlor. He lifts his eyes up right in time to see Ava standing in front of one of the windows, staring at something. He furrows his brows and slides his phone into his back pocket, closing the distance between them as his head turns to look at what she could be staring at. “What are you lookin’ at like that?” He murmurs with a slight grin on his features. 

There would always be a part of her that would wonder what might’ve happened if the two of them had communicated more and not been so stubborn. There was a lot about their relationship that felt unresolved and she told herself that was why it stung slightly when he mentioned the date he had for the wedding. “I’m glad. Going to weddings alone is no fun. I mean, who wants to sit at the singles table?” Not that anyone who looked like Clay would ever end up at the singles table. Or stay single very long if it got to that point. “Don’t worry, I won’t blame you if I don’t get an invite. I haven’t seen Weston in forever. This little babe keeps me busy. I haven’t seen much of anyone, honestly.”

...

Clayton turns his head to look over at her, nodding his head a little. “Well, the slutty wedding sex that single people usually get is a good reason to go to a wedding without a date.” He smirks slightly, dropping his gaze to the little infant in her arms before pulling his gaze over towards water, pressing his lips together as she lets his arms hang over his knees. “I always thought I would have taken you.” He whispers the words, letting them out into the open before he has a chance to really think them over.

Ivy glanced up quickly, flashing a smile as she accepted his apology with a “Forgiven.” It was always nice when someone would own their mistakes and slipups; she tried to do just that when her mouth got away from her. Besides, sporadic as her hangouts with Clayton might be, she always had a good time, leaving more serious concerns at the door. “Yeah, yeah, okay,” she muttered at his teasing, not actually bothered in the slightest. She watched closely as he took his first shot, and then a second, grinning as her turn came again so quickly. Leaning over the table, she might’ve thought his question a distraction tactic … if it had come from anyone else. Still, she was careful not to accidentally tap the cue ball before she was ready as she adjusted her position, then managed to nudge a striped ball into one of the side pockets. “Things with Gabe are great,” she answered truthfully. “I moved in with him this spring, actually, it’s been—it’s exactly what we needed.” Not that there had been anything wrong between her and her boyfriend, but seeing more of him was something she’d never complain about. She lined up a second shot, and, like Clayton, missed. Leaning against the wall, she added, “I finally met his mom, too. Quite something, to be surrounded by the Alvarez family.”

...

Florence smiled proudly when he argued to her terms, her hand tracing gently circle on Rory’s back as her tiny eyelids fluttered. A long walk, the salt air and a warm breeze always put her right to sleep, which was why she was out that late. “I wonder if I’ll get an invite. I haven’t been to a wedding in forever and, honestly, I’d kind of like the opportunity to put on a nice dress and do my makeup. It’s been awhile,” she said with a chuckle, glancing at him knowingly. She barely left home these days and didn’t bother much with her appearance when she did. There was no hiding the dark circles she had going on at the moment. “You got a plus one?”

...

Clayton turned his head to look over towards her, swallowing as she began to explain how she wondered if she would get an invite to the wedding since it’s been a while since she’s gone out. God, the urge to ask her to go with him was on the tip of his tongue until his gaze dropped towards the baby in her arms and remembered that the both of them weren’t together... that she had a family now and a man waiting for her at home. He turned his head to look over his shoulder in the direction of where the blonde had come from as if he would see the man walking out to find his girls. He brushed his tongue along his lower lip before drifting his gaze back towards her. “Uh, yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Asked some girl I’ve been on a couple dates with.” He turned his head back towards the ocean. “I’m not sure who Weston is inviting by the way, I’m strictly on bachelor party duties.”

“Only a little?  Then I’m gonna have to try harder.  Gotta give you the full education,” Finn grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief.  “That’s the plan, stay until all the jilted lovers and cons run me out of town,” he joked, taking another shot, his intended shot falling just short and resulting in him unable to pocket the ball, officially ending his turn.  “Nah, nah,” he started, amending his last statement, “I only use my powers for good, now.  You know, unless i’m short on rent, then all bets are off.” he laughed, loud and bright.  “I can show you a lot of tricks, Baker.”  

...

Clayton laughed, gesturing towards the table. “Show me, Obi-Wan.” He held the pool stick between his hands as he leaned against it slightly as his eyes dropped towards the table, watching as Finn made another shot. He raised his eyes back up towards the other, nodding his head at his words as another chuckle left him. “I don’t know, might happen sooner than you think... This town is not that big.” He smirked. “We all have to make money somehow, right?” He laughed again, shaking his head a little. “Wow me, Murray.”

Ivy bit her lip; it would be churlish to demur again, and so she didn’t even bother. “Fine, fine. But you don’t need to do the whole tutorial, I have played before. Just because I lost the touch doesn’t mean I forgot how it’s supposed to go.” Or, the goal in breaking the balls. “Hey, I know better than to bring my purse along to play pool!” she protested, knowing she was just stalling for time, even engaging with this particular tease. It was obvious that she wasn’t wearing a purse. What was less obvious was where she’d stashed the essentials: apartment keys in the front pocket of her jeans, and her phone in the back pocket, with her ID and a few folded twenties inside the case. She took a breath, and leaned over the table, focusing on the cue stick in her hand, and where she wanted to hit the ball. Somehow, she managed to avoid repeating her earlier mistakes, and had a nice, solid break, though none of the balls actually landed in the pockets. “See? Now that’s more like it.”

...

Clayton chuckled lowly, raising his hands. “I’m sorry,” he mused. Hanging out with Ivy was always amusing and full of fun. She always knew how to make him laugh and forget everything outside of the walls they always found themselves in. He shoved his hands into his pockets as he took a few steps back from the table, lifting his eyes up towards the raven-haired woman. He nodded his head as he pulled his own hand out of the pocket, reaching out for the pool stick leaning up against the wall. “You put your purse down,” he teased as he moved towards the table, leaning down to hit the cue ball against one of the solids and hitting it in. He walked around to line up another shot, missing the pocket. He exhaled as he stood up, holding the stick between his hands. “How are things going with you and Gabe.”

Weston: How about we shoot for first weekend of august, gives me time to clear my schedule.

Weston: Alright, you got a good point there and honestly Vegas seems like the perfect place to celebrate the end of singledom

Weston: Let's do it

Weston: I think Kevin would be down, gotta check in with Isaac since he'll have to get a babysitter for the kid.

Weston: So where we traveling to?

Clayton: You'll have to let me know. It would probably be a for a weekend since we all have things to do during the week day.

Clayton: It's the one place everyone goes to for their last weekend as a single man, Vegas, baby.

Rory’s little outstretched fingers reached for Florence’s hair, a content sigh escaping her lips as she rested against her chest. This was paradise, there was no other way to put it. Her life was almost exactly where she wanted it to be. One thing she felt was missing was the man sitting next to her. Their entire relationship felt unfinished, which she thought explained why it was on her mind so often. Noël made her happy, there was no question about that, but her love for him didn’t dim her love for Clay. “Of course it is, you’re the best in town.” She smiled at the mention of Wes and his upcoming wedding. “To think that you weren’t even on speaking terms before I came along. I take full credit for your reunion and expect a mention in your best man speech.”

...

If there was one thing Clayton was sure of and it was despite the fact the blonde was a mom now with someone waiting for her at home, a part of him would always remain hers. He settled his arms over his knees, holding onto them as his head turned to look over at the woman sitting next to him. She had been the reason he moved on past the ex-girlfriend who decided that she needed to know what it was like to be with his best friend and was even the one who pushed him to make things better with the man. He hummed a little when she mentioned he was the best in town, nodding his head. “Thanks,” he said as he looked over towards the water, laughing a little. “I’ll make sure to mention you in the speech.”

Weston: Hey, a massive hangover isn't welcomed but better than being dead. What's on the itinerary anyway?

Weston: Yeah, she's definitely a girl capable of double homicide lol

Weston: Alright but no strippers. Jade will murder me. Like straight up homicide.