goddamn, man child

“I take it back, I’m fine without a juicy scandal. A book of everyone’s wrongdoings is terrifying, it’d tear people apart. And as entertaining as it’d be for a bystander, I get the feeling both of us would be in it quite a bit. Can’t have that.” Half of the reason they were such good friends was because of their shared histories. That and football. “Settin’ you up, huh? Any worthy candidates or are you just out there breaking hearts? Heard you listened to Usher on your basket date with some blonde.” He raised his brows suggestively, humming a bit of the classic hit U Got It Bad. “You’re as bad as your brother. He’s setting you up, you’re trying to marry me off…” He shook his head, letting out a long overdramatic sigh. “Find me a cougar who isn’t the same age as my mama, and I might consider it. Only because the town deserves to see you drunk off your ass in a tuxedo, and I’d be a cute sugar baby. And for the record, the open bar is for you and me, everyone else can pay. The way people drink in this town, they don’t need me supplyin’ any more.”

One thing was for sure it there was some book out there about the town, it was that Waylon and Tuck probably had a few chapters full of the things they’d gotten themselves into. “Think we’re better off not seeing such a thing come to fruition.” At the mention of the basket, he almost rolled his eyes but the more he thought about it, a half smile spread on his lips. “That night was fun, but I don’t think it was really anything other than just that. The set up had been a lot more interesting to tell you the truth,” he shrugged not wanting to give too much away. “The date was with Brooke Parker though — who I had kinda already kissed at the Watering Can a few nights before that. Surprised you weren’t there cause apparently half the damn town saw it.” Tapping his chin with his index finger, he thought about the options for Waylon knowing that there wouldn’t be anyone good enough for Frostford’s favorite waste collector. “Pretty sure Ms. Murphy is like two years younger than your mama. I hear she’s got a small fortune just ready to sign away,” Tuck laughed. “If you marry rich enough I’m sure the woman can afford to supply the entire town for booze through the entire night. Gotta aim high, Waylie.”

“That I am,” he chuckled, “Some damage but hangin’ in there.” He admitted, lifting the arm in a sling as gently as he could. Kiran’s lips twitched in a small grimace. It was still healing - more than he would even admit to himself. Kiran laughed, “Elle’s got me hostage in the house, thinks I won’t take it easy if she doesn’t keep me in the house.” Not that Elle was wrong and he knew it. He laughed at his own words, shaking his head. “She’s a good woman, knowin’ me better than I know myself.” Kiran had a habit of not doing anything half ass so, Elle had every right to keep him on a short leash, so to speak. “I’m nervous,” he chuckled, nodding his head. “I don’t want to mess anythin’ up. But I’m workin’ on it. Got her a puppy, thinkin’ about working with Lockhart and Hannah and Tanner are going to help me flip a house for her.” Kiran was no stranger to large gestures at the end of the day. 

“Nothin’ is ever enough to take you out, You don’t have the muscle and face for nothin’.” One thing Tuck had always been happy about was his friend’s ability to go out for what he wanted and get it. Not everyone was capable of doing that, feeling themselves too tied to their small town but Kiran had pretty much done as much as he could to separate himself from Frostford. What was interesting about it all though, was that he wanted to come back to their small town to settle down. They had shared a lot of memories here along with Nash and Ace, and it was nice to see that one of them was finally getting close to spending their life with someone they loved. “You’re pretty much checkin’ off all the boxes then. Have you told her you’re working on a house?” he asked, reaching for his drink. “Or you keeping it all a secret? Haven’t seen much of her around either, by the way. How is she?”

If you would’ve told her years ago that she’d be going on dates with Duke Tucker Gordon. For years, the most significant connection she had to Tuck had been Kiran. And then they’d broken up, and she’d gone off to college and came back and had a series of failed relationships. And her once childhood crush had barely crossed her mind. And then her 30s came around, and she was searching for more, more than she’d been able to find. But for once in her life, Brooke was just trying to live in the moment. She wasn’t thinking about the what ifs or tomorrows, she was just thinking about him. “Maybe, I do,” she spoke softly, glancing into his eyes as their faces remained close to each other before. Nodding at his words, she glanced back in side, grabbing her purse and jacket that she’d had ready on her side table before he’d gotten there, pulling her jacket over her shoulders. “So, how far out of town are we really talkin’?” She asked with a raise of an eyebrow, turning over to lock her door as she spoke again in a teasing tone, “Do I need an escape plan if this date turns out to be worse than the first?” Brooke turned around, a grin on her face as she looked at him again with a raise of her eyebrows. Of course, she didn’t really think there was any possibility of this date being bad, if anything, it’d probably be better, seeing as one of them actually planned it this time around.

The time since he had last seen her had passed slower than he thought was possible, and truth be told Tuck absolutely hated it. He didn’t want to get too ahead of himself but he wanted to talk to someone about it, unfortunately Nash had been a bit preoccupied with his own relationship but Tuck didn’t hold it against his brother. It had been a while since he had seen his brother happy and waiting a bit longer to tell him that the blind date set up had gone well. “I wouldn’t be surprised, cause nothing really gets past you,” he said, his smile spreading a bit wider the longer that he looked at her. It had been a long time since he had looked at someone the way he was looking at her right now. He’d been in a few relationships that had ultimately ended due to bad timing or because he let them slip away from him. By the time he’d make an attempt at holding on, it was always too late but all of that needed to come to an end sooner rather than later. There were a million directions that things could go with Brooke but he would hold on as long as possible, or as long as she would let him. He’d been somewhat nervous about their date tonight but her smile gave him reassurance. “Not too far outta town. I figured we could do somethin’ not too formal, have some fun but not have everyone in town looking at us the entire time. It’s nice to have some privacy once in a while.” Taking her hand he began leading her out, “It won’t be anything too crazy really, it’s gonna be like being in town, away from town,” he shook his head, scoffing at himself knowing that hardly made sense. “You trust me right?”

Listening to what the other was saying, he then chuckled and nodded. “Oh I know exactly what you mean. That is why I try to keep an eye out for such people. I don’t need gossip to be made up about me” he said and shook his head, cringing a little as the thought alone snuck into his mind. “Who would have thought that bumping could be such a crime?”

“Good plan, cause most people just end up letting themselves get caught up in that type of drama.” Everything that happened in their town was dramatized no matter how small the inconvenience might be. “Pretty sure there have been petitions circulating to have such shenanigans be considered a crime. Wouldn’t be surprised if it actually happened.”

“Gordon.” Boone practically cheered, immediately launching into a long rant about how great he was, gathering  The team needed to know when they were in the presence of former Frostford football greatness. He rattled off a few of Tuck’s most impressive stats, he even made the players clap. “Owen’s got his guys in the gym today. Tryin’ to bulk ‘em up. Think we can still toss gatorade on him though, just might be a little messier.” He laughed, tossing a ball to the older male. “Wanna see if you’ve still got some skills?”

Tuck couldn’t remember the last time he had gotten any praise for him accomplishments as a Frostford High player, but it was nice to see what he’d done back then was still somewhat relevant. “Y’all should give that speech about me at the beginning of every year, put up a poster of me somewhere,” he joked, patting Boone on the back. “I hope Owen’s not doin’ any lifting cause I think he hasn’t been using his Life Alert.” Catching the ball he gave Boone a nod. “I’m game, I should still have some skill left in me. Alright, let’s do it.”

javisterling·:

“Didn’t you have a crush on her when we were like twenty-three?” Javi asked, vaguely remembering that time. So many things were different— he’d been married to Lemon, Owen was about to find out he was going to be a father. “Flexting is not a thing,” he shook his head. “That’s terrible. I never wanna do that.” 

“Who didn’t he have a crush on when we were twenty three,” Owen quipped, amusement etched into his features as his gaze flickered back and forth from Javi to Tuck. His eyes paused on Javi as he raised a hand. “One, it definitely is a thing. I’ve heard it myself.” He turned to Tuck then, his index finger still pointed as it went from Javi to Tuck. “Two, what kind of answer is might be? C'mon, don’t make us grovel.”

“Really?” Maggie chuckled, her eyes moving quickly from side to side. “Who would get stuck on the water tower and have to get helped down? That’s so silly. Heh.” Oh, wait, it was her when she was a teen. Her brother having to rescue her because halfway up she remembered that she was terrified of heights. “Final Destination only really made me afraid of those trucks with logs on them and tanning beds. Which I never went to anyway, but I really won’t now.” She laughed. “Oh, it’s been pretty steady. Since it’s getting warm we have more people coming in to get their dogs heart worm checked.” Maggie remembered a talk she had with her friend Brooke the last time she saw her and raised her eyebrows, a smile spreading across her face. “Soo, I heard through the grapevine that you had a date with one of my good friends, Miss Brooke Parker? I need all the details.” She didn’t usually get involved in her friends love lives, unless she really enjoyed the idea.

“One too many times, Maggie,” he chuckled. “Just last week the Beverly twins got stuck up there ‘cause they dared each other or somethin’ like that and once they were both up there they couldn’t even figure out how to get on the ladder again so they yelled until one someone heard ‘em. Lucky for them that people are always goin’ up and down the damn tower.” Tuck remembered going up many times himself but never thought about the significant height. It helped that he and his brother would spend countless summer days with their friends up to no good around the tower. “Figured that would be keepin’ you busy a bit, I remember when Nash and my mama would always go on about how we had to go get our dog checked around this time of year.” At the mention of Brooke a smile began to form on his face, a smile he couldn’t hide very well. “Through the grapevine, is that right?” he asked, looking up at her as he brought his fork up to try the food she’d brought for him. “We did go on a date,” he nodded, “a blind date. Wasn’t expectin’ her to be the one showing up after Nash kept insisting I show up at Fox & Hare. I think it went pretty good though.” Tuck wasn’t good at giving details on these things, it wasn’t often that someone asked him for details except for his mother when she pried about everything. “I um, had a really good time, Mags.”

“The lady putsour busy lives to shame. Maybe she should run for mayor,” he joked, but thenquirked a brow at his brother. “Or maybe you should run for mayor.” Tuckwas well-liked enough, and he worked as a firefighter for heaven’s sake, he wasa perfect candidate. Then, maybe Nash was biased. “Can’t say I’m offended bythat. But dear god, Mrs. Rutherford. Remember how she kept tryin’ to set us upwith her nieces in the city? I avoid her all over town these days. I need toget married just so I can have a good cover story.” Neither of them liked todiscuss their father much, but Nash’s coping mechanism was to randomly bring itup, even if ultimately it didn’t help him all that much anyway. He took a deepbreath, slowly releasing it anxiously. “Uh….eleven years?” He couldn’ttell from Tuck’s expression how he felt about it, and in that kind ofsituation, Nash did what he always did – talk entirely too much. “Her name isBabs, she works at the drive-in. At first I was just kinda flirtin’ with her, yaknow like I always do, nothin’ serious, didn’t really think anything of it.Then she started flirtin’ back, way more aggressively, and it just kinda happened.I think I may have caught some feelins along the way. She’s just really clever,so witty, and hilarious – the girl can make me cry from laughin’ so much. She’salso so kind and thoughtful. And we have a lot in common, we can just rambleand goof around and talk about stupid stuff and serious stuff all the same. Imean, yeah, I’m attracted to her but it’s more than that, ya know? I like, likeher. Even just talkin’ to her. There isn’t another girl out there like her. Idon’t think I’ve ever felt that way about anyone and I’m just…did I mention inover my head? Because yeah, I’m in way over my head.” He sighed. Nash could trustTuck with his life and even though he may have spilled the beans to a few otherpeople, he hadn’t been as candid with them as he was with his brother. Plus, hetrusted his advice, and getting all of that off his chest was cathartic for theyounger Gordon.

Tuck shook his head, the beers were already starting to get to his brother’s head and he could tell. Or maybe they were getting to his own head for thinking that he couldn’t run for mayor. Tuck couldn’t picture himself running for anything in their town unless he felt strongly about it. He could picture seeing campaign posters around the place though, but none with his picture on it. There wouldn’t be a poster big enough to fit his head. “Maybe I should run for mayor.”  Tuck contemplated it for another few seconds before he forgot about it, laughing at his brother’s reminder. “Don’t even get me started on her nieces, I’m still trying to explain to the woman why I never showed up to dinner at her house the weekend they came down to visit her.” Tuck was grateful that Nash didn’t linger on the topic of their father for too long. There were a lot of things that the man had done for them but there was always a lot of pride that got in the way from both ends of the relationship. To this day it made Tuck upset just thinking about how tough he used to be with the both of them, but he was even more upset that one of the last conversations he had with his father was an argument. “Eleven years...” he murmured to himself, thinking it over. Although there was still plenty of beer left in his bottle, he walked inside towards the kitchen after Nash spilled all the information he had been keeping from him. Babs Schaffer... Nash was dating Babs Schaffer and he was in over his head. He was in over his head and by everything he said it was obvious that Nash was more than just in over his head. If Tuck didn’t know better he would say that Nash was already in love with the girl. Tuck finally headed back towards the balcony with more beers in hand for them, remaining silent as he handed his brother another one despite still having one in his hand. Taking a deep breath, he brought up his beer for a long drink, finally finishing it off before reaching for another. “I don’t know if you realize this but you couldn’t say all of that without a hint of a smile on your face,” he said quietly. “You clearly like this girl, and I know why you’ve been hesitant to bring it all out in the open.” People would talk, but it wouldn’t be something that didn’t blow over after a week or two. “If you like her that much, don’t let anythin’ stop you from bein’ with her Nash. We’ve been through our fair share of shit with relationships. You’ve messed up, and Lord knows I’ve fucked up too. All I can say is pay no mind to people, you do whatever you gotta do to make it last if you really wanna be with Babs. You owe yourself some happiness, brother.” 

Maisie was a couple of hours into her shift and honestly starting to feel the pull of sleep after such a crazy time the day before.  Pushing through the swing door she was busy thinking about where these plates were going when she heard her name and turned with a bright grin, “Hey Tuck, give me a minute to drop these off and I’ll be with you.”  She was quickly back behind the counter and lifting the coffee pot, half wondering if it was quiet enough now that she could grab a half cup to keep herself going.  She placed two cups on the counter and began to fill them, nodding at the words.  “Sorry, I stayed with Isa last night.  When she heard about the problem she insisted I go stay there rather than deal with no water and a soaked floor.  The water is off in the apartment and I popped back before I started and it’s starting to dry up alright but I don’t really want to turn the water back on until everything has been checked.”  She slid a cup towards Tuck as she lifted her own one, covering a yawn as she did.

It was all very unacceptable and he knew that if his mother heard about this, she would likely spend an entire afternoon flooding his phone with messages about how these things shouldn’t be happening. The building was all but in his and Nash’s name, and he knew the woman would say something about how it would never happen on her watch. “I’m sorry the situation put you out like that, I really should’ve kept up with inspection on that a bit better. It’s not the first time the pipes at your place have given a tenant issues.” He shook his head, upset that he hadn’t remembered to check in on it for her. “I can try to get it all situated within the next couple of days. Is that alright?” The last thing he wanted to do was keep her out of her own apartment for much longer than she had to be. 

Really, Tuck’s approval meant the world to Babs. The way her own family reacted, whether good or not so good, she could find a way to deal with on her own and try and keep it from blowing back on Nash as much as possible. The way his family reacted, however, was something she had lost sleep over. She knew how much Tuck and his mother meant to Nash, and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if their relationship caused some kind of rift between all of them. 

“Yeah, well,” she smiles at Tuck’s words, brushing some strands of blonde hair behind her ears. 

“The feeling definitely goes both ways. Is this the first you’re hearin’ about everythin’, or…?”

“Not, it’s not the first time I’m hearin’ about it. But it hasn’t been all that long either,” he shrugged. “Nash was pretty private about the matter but he eventually came out with it.”

Tuck wasn’t sure how their mother would be reacting to Nash’s relationship with Babs but he knew that the woman wanted her son’s to be happy more than anything. It helped that she had a soft spot for Nash and it always gave Tuck peace of mind to know that Nash had support on more than one front. 

“The first time he told me I really wasn’t expectin’ any of it, I can tell you that much though,” he chuckled. “Please tell me you’re gonna get him to skate ‘round town with you.”

“Oh no I should have been the one watching where I was going. I am the one running into you” he said and then sighed as he looked at the other, flashing him a warm smile. “I am good. Just a little startled because.. well I didn’t expect to run into someone heads first” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “But knowing that you are okay. Well that is all that matters” he added. 

“Happens all the time, and had it been anyone else I’m sure they’d be making a pretty big deal about all of it,” he smiled. “I’m sure you have some idea of what I’m talkin’ about though. You accidentally run into someone like one of the town gossips and they won’t let you forget it for five years and claim you’ve done irreparable damage..one way or another.”

javisterling·:

“I think it’s just a game of chicken,” Javi said, thankful someone had interrupted whatever the fuck quiet game was happening. “He said something ridiculous, I told him he was right. He’s texting someone with fire emojis, though, take his phone let’s see.” 

Tuck was unresponsive for the most part, leaving Owen to turn to Javi when his friend broke the silence. “I’m not gonna take his phone,” he replied, shaking his head all while leaning over to glimpse at Tuck’s screen. The first thing he noticed was the picture. Was that— “Brooke Parker? You’re textin’ Brooke? Or are you… what do the kids call it? Flexting?” He turned to Javi for confirmation as he continued. “You know, like flirting and texting?”

The moment he heard Javi’s suggestion about taking his phone, Tuck shook his head ready to smack either one of them on the head. “Fle—” he couldn’t even finish the word as he turned to face Owen. He wasn’t sure if flexting really was a thing, one of the many Owen must’ve picked up from one of the high school kids or if he just made it up himself. He’d attempt to pass it off as something someone else said too. “Might be.”

Of course she’d been on blind dates. Her best friends had an odd hobby of setting her up on dates that almost always failed. But she had to give it to Sienna this time, even if she’d technically already been with Tuck before that. Her track record hadn’t really been the best in the past. Her 20s were full of boyfriends and hookups that never lasted too long, and her 30s had been… lonelier. There were still a few dates here and there, but nothing lasting. Nothing serious. Maybe it’s because she was always thinking about the future. If she could see herself with that person even just a year from now. And for the most part? She never saw it. It was far too early to think about those kind of things with Tuck, the kind of things she’d been longing for for years, but she saw it. Brooke wasn’t even really thinking about it, but on their recent date, she was just looking at him… and she saw it. She’d be lying if it didn’t really scare her. Because, well, it was all she wanted. She’d spent the last 25 years thinking the idea of having a family, or even anything remotely close to it was a far reach. And because Brooke had a tendency to find a way to ruin the things that were good in her life. She really didn’t want to ruin it, even if she knew she’d literally be considered insane if she said anything she was really feeling out loud. So instead, she took one last look in the mirror before hearing a knock on the door. Letting out a breathe, she opened up, a small little smile forming on her face. One of her brows raised as silence fell upon them, letting out a a little laugh at his words, “Oh really? I had no idea,” she replied, a smirk forming on her lips as she hooked one of her fingers in his shirt, pulling him forward for a kiss.

Given the life events they each went through it probably wouldn’t have crossed their minds that this was something that would end up happening. There had clearly been a crush years ago when they were much younger but they had been pulled in different directions. If it weren’t for Nash and a few other mutual friends, they probably probably would have had a lot less to do with each other during high school and their twenties. Everything before his 30s felt like a blur since the moment he stepped out of Frostford High. At one point he wasn’t even sure he’d get to his 30s being single but that was all history and the relationship he’d once had with Kinsleigh was just one of the many things that didn’t even feel real anymore. That among a few other failed attempts with others. A lot of it hadn’t felt relevant enough to dwell on now but the closer he got to the end of his 30s, the more his mother reminded him that time was “ticking away” to give her a daughter and grandchildren. The thought of it was a little alarming but it wasn’t what he was letting fuel the prospect of a relationship with Brooke. The only thing that he thought about for now was getting to kiss her and he was grateful that her reaction now had been to pull him in for one. “Hmm, I’m pretty sure you’ve got some idea,” he said in a drawl when he pulled back for a moment, lightly brushing his lips against hers. “Ready to get out of here for the night? We’re heading slightly out of town for the night.”

Rian laughed before shaking their head, “I make game night more fun for sure, but Adam still falls asleep on that couch of his.” Maybe if he could stay awake, he’d be able to win a game. But he was quick to fall asleep on the couch, with his arm crossed over his chest; a typical old dad move. “I have a few pictures – for reasons,” they paused before waving their hand, “not important, but the only way he would win is we start the game night before his bedtime. But, me on his team?  When I could go against him and take him down? ”

Rian rolled their eyes before looking off to the side, “It’s quite easy if you make yourself forget,” they back at him with a shrug of their shoulder. The town was home, they cannot deny that, but they have always hated the gossip. People talking about their family situation as if they had a right to. Alway saying whatever came to mind about them when they were with their mama. It was as if no one in this town had their own lives to worry about. “Frostford is just a small version of New York, the little town that doesn’t sleep with the southern twist and a lot more white people.”

“He’s really making the fire department work for there money, huh? ” they laughed. Purposely letting out that they, too, burn their food. But it wasn’t about them right now. No one needs to know about that. 

“I’ve back for almost a year,” they ran their fingers through their hair, “keeping myself busy and all.” It has been quite that past year since they came back. They liked being back home, they were closer to their family. Enjoying the chaos of game night. But sometimes they wonder where they would’ve settled down if they didn’t decide to come back to town. 

He had heard about the McDowell family game nights many times and knew well that as soon as the games were out of the box, things got really intense. “Does he knew that you’ve got those pictures of him?” he asked knowing that they probably used the photos against him day in and day out. Adam never got a day of rest from shenanigans. “I think a takedown would be a lot more fun so I’ll give you that one.”

Frostford wasn’t anything like New York but it felt like New York didn’t have anything on their small town. Frostford never slept even when it seemed like the gossips were recharging their batteries for a new day of spreading every bit of information around faster than the speed of sound. “New York is an entirely different beast but I think it doesn’t hold a candle to everything that goes down here.”

“Well..” she started off as she placed her glass down, pushing her iPad off to the side, voice modulated as the next words came out of her mouth. “If I’m being honest, no one is good enough for my Brooke but.. if anyone can treat a woman well, it’s definitely a Gordon man.” Her tone jocular as she lifted a polished hand to be placed under her chin, elbows resting on the table top. “Thank you. I had a lot to do with the interior design of my own personal hell when we renovated last year.”

Tuck knew that Angelina meant well with her words, and he shared similar thoughts when it came to Brooke. Was anyone really good enough for her? No, probably not. “We haven’t all had the best track records...” he offered a small smile, considering her previous relationship with his brother. Tuck didn’t have a good record either though but playing games with anyone he was seeing had never crossed his mind. “But thanks, I’d like to think that I can do that and I like her,” he shrugged, getting candid with her. “Brooke doesn’t easily leave a person’s mind.” It was easy to tell that the room had her touch, very different from the way her father would’ve had the place. “My mama’s been harassin’ me and Nash to think about renovating the apartment building but I probably wouldn’t be able to pull it off.”

javisterling·:

This again. Javi raised his eyebrows, gaze dropping to Tuck’s phone. Frostfords baddest. Fire emojis. He pulled out his own phone, confused, and texted his ex-wife. ‘At the bar with Tuck. He’s not talking to me, but he is talking to an arsonist.’

Silence. Complete and utter silence was what Owen was met with when he approached the two men at the bar, the wide smile that was settled on his lips faltering in the slightest. He waited for either of them to say something, confusion sweeping across his features when they didn’t. Damn, was that a tumbleweed? “Are you two fighting or somethin’?”

Tuck heard someone approaching but didn’t move his eyes away from his phone until he realized It was Owen. The words his friend said hardly registering in his mind as he was still distracted on his text. “Hmm?” He didn’t know if Owen was referring to the person next to him or someone else entirely.