A Pint Alone

By Marie S

Egan closed his eyes and took a long swallow from his pint of ale. He thought of her even with his eyes closed. A pretty long haired blond sheila tried to chat him up a few ticks ago and he’d even rebuffed her advances. He was pathetic and shouldn’t even be called a bloke.

He sighed and took another long draught off the cold ale. Egan had seen the hurt look in her eyes when he said he was driving to Coffs and he didn’t ask her to come with him. She’d wanted to get off the farm for the afternoon the same as him. What he didn’t want to tell her was he needed to be away from her to think…about her, Jessica Weston.

Everything had changed from the moment she’d whispered that she loved him when he hadn’t heard. Rather when she thought he was asleep and not supposed to hear. Bloody hell why was this making him so mental?

He sighed again, drained his pint and motioned to the bartender to fill his glass up again. How did he feel about Jessica? Egan took another swallow of the cold amber liquid when the full pint glass appeared before him.

Jessica was a hard worker. She’d made his job a lot easier by helping with the brumbies. Egan would’ve had to exercise all the brumbies with both Ashley and Marie being in one form or another of having babies. And there had been side benefits for him on a lot of the rides. For her as well, he supposed…he bloody well hoped so.

He snorted and chuckled to himself as he palmed up some nuts and tossed some in his mouth. The sex was fantastic. They couldn’t keep their hands off of one another. Except when Bud was still acting as though he was her Da and he had to protect her from him. Then Egan went out of his way to hold her hand or give her a kiss or put his arm around Jessica in front of him.

Sometimes a fool never learned. He rubbed his healed jaw. Not like he thought White would punch him in the jaw again. It was just right now Bud might not need a lot of provocation. He’d been a real moody bastard since Marie was pregnant. Egan didn’t blame him from what he’d heard from Jessica and Ashley.

Ashley was the resident matchmaker on the farm. She’d hinted that Jessica was considering staying on past the time of her original planned visit though there had never been a set date for her to leave. Ashley had winked at him with a sparkle in her eyes when she’d said it. Why didn’t she just say what she meant?

If Ashley had her way the whole world would be paired off, married and having babies while the butterflies fluttered overhead. He smiled into his glass. It sometimes was hard not to feel all the sunshine around her. When she came round with Katie Marie held to her chest the little babe would be grinning with her shock of red hair and blue eyes just like her mama. Curry didn’t have a chance around the two of them. He seemed to be the happiest bloke he’d ever seen.

Egan saw the way Jessica looked at them. Like maybe one day that was just what she wanted. Maybe one day that was just what Egan wanted. He shook his head and took another swallow of his ale. Nobody had a chance around Ashley.

Maybe one day that was just what he wanted with Jessica. His glass made a loud clunk as he set it hastily down on the wooden bar. He muttered under his breath.

"I love Jessica Weston."

"What’s that Mate?" The bartender inquired.

Egan drained his pint and stood up to throw some money on the bar. Suddenly the bar moved as he went to leave. How many had he drunk? He sat back down again.

"I’ll have a steak and potato with a coffee. Black and strong, Mate."

"Coffee coming up and I’ll put your order in to the kitchen." The bartender nodded to Egan.

"Ta, Mate." Egan took a sip of the strong black brew when it arrived. This and the food would sober him up quickly. He needed to ask Jessica on a date.

Egan realized all the time they’d been seeing one another he’d never taken her on a date. They exercised the brumbies together and made love. Had dinner at the White’s or Curry’s place and went off to his cabin and made love. Or they ate at his cabin and made love. He’d never once taken her to dinner either in The Glen or in Coffs. Jessica was most of the time at the farm helping one of her cousins or him.

He grinned. Maybe she’d even put a dress on for him. She was a looker.

And sometime in the next few months, weeks, or maybe even on their date, Egan would tell his sheila that he loved her.