Saving The Best for Last

Friday Night Lights-Interracial Tim Riggins Love Story

I just finished binge watching Friday Night Lights on Netflix and I must say it is one of the best, most heartfelt shows I have ever watched. I think I went through a box of facial tissue with every episode. Of course one of my fave characters was Tim Riggins….I mean who would not fall for Tim? My story takes places in Season 5 after Tim is released from prision and starts work at Buddy's Bar and Grill. I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think. Constructive critisim is always welcome…however remember I am writing this just for fun and I am not trying to be the next Anne Rice or JK Rowlings..….smiles….

Chapter 1-Buddy's

Dawn looked at herself in her full length mirror. She was contemplating wearing shorts for her first day working at Buddy's as a waitress and assistant bartender. She shook her head and thought she better not. It may come across inappropriate because they were extremely short. She threw her black shorts across the room and dug in her closet for a pair of skinny jeans. She pulled them over her knees and had to lay on the bed to pull them over her ample hips and apple bottom. She sucked in her breath to button them up. She stood up and began to do squats to stretch her jeans out and then looked back in the full length mirror. The jeans were perfect as they hugged her hips and butt like second skin. She worked hard for her tone body and she was going to show it off when she could. If anything she should get good tips. Now she had to deal with the forest that was on top of her hair. Her hair had grown so much in the two years since she cut her relaxer out her hair and decided to go natural. With good care and a mom who was a hairdresser and taught her how to take care of her hair it was now long pass her shoulders. She smiled to herself as she always had other black women ask her where she got her weave done and she had to tell them no it was not a weave but her real hair. She shook her head at herself. It was amazing how people has the misconception that black girls could not grow their hair long. Well she was here to prove them wrong and she always encourage black women she meets to try to let their hair grow out natural. She sometimes even made up her special conditioner she makes herself to give to them. Dawn looked at herself one more time. She think she was ready as she would ever be and she was drove off to Buddy's.

Tim was getting a little frustrated as it was an extremely busy night at Buddy's and everywhere he turned people were demanding drinks from him. He was only one person working the bar and he was trying his best not to snap at anyone but he was getting close.

"Excuse me….Are you Tim Riggins?" a voice yelled through the loud talking of the patrons. Tim popped open a beer for customer and did not look in the direction of the voice.

"Who's asking?" he asked as he handed the customer their beer.

"Buddy's new waitress and assistant bartender." She yelled. "Looks like you could use some help."

Tim finally turned around searching for the voice and saw a black woman leaning over the bar smiling at him. She was hard to miss as she was the only black person at the bar at the time and she was absolutley beautiful. She smiled wider at Tim as he walked over to her.

"What's your name?" he asked not returning her smile.

"Dawn Mitchell." She replied. She was a little taken back at his serious look and did not understand why he looked so perturbed at her. She was not use to the look he was giving her from strangers especially after she offered her winning smile. Her smile always won people over but it seem to not work on this man.

"Come on back?" he told her. Tim vaguely remember Buddy telling him he was getting some help in for him as the business started to pick up especially with football season just starting.

Tim looked at Dawn up and down as she made her way back behind the bar.

"You ever attended bar and waited tables before?"

"Yes." She replied. Since he was being such as ass she did not offer to tell him her experience in detail. Dawn has bartend many places including some of the most popular clubs in Manhatten. How she ended up in Dillon, Texas was a long story in itself.

"Well Dawn let's see what you got."

Tim showed her the ropes real quick while he was serving customers. Dawn was a quick learner and was helping him in no time. Tim looked at her in amazement as she prepared multiple drinks at one time. He was surprise she did not start flipping and juggling the martini shakers like they did in that old movie with Tom Cruise called Cocktails. She was good at it…..very good. She did not slow down at all while waitressing and bartending. Tim was impressed but he did not show it. He was glad Buddy finally got him some help but by the way he treated her she would never had known he was thankful she was there.

They worked together mostly in silence and only spoke to each other when it was work related. While working together in silence Dawn often found herself looking over at Tim. He was very handsome, he had brown, shoulder length hair, gorgeous green eyes and she could tell he had a nice body as his t-shirt stretched against his muscles as he moved around. It was sad his personality did not match his good looks. She knew he was also looking at her because she caught him more than once eyeing her. The perturbed looked he gave her earlier was replaced by a look of curiosity and the look she received by men when they admired her body and looks. When she caught him looking at her he quickly looked away and she could see him frowning at himself as if beating himself up for admiring her physique. She did not know what Tim Riggins deal was and she hoped he did not have a problem with her skin color. In all the places she visited and lived she never had a problem with white men being rude to her….well white men around her young age of twenty-one. The older men were sometimes set in their ways but the young ones were always sweet and nice to her and some even looked past her color to flirt and asked her out at times. She did have to keep reminding herself that she was in the south and people were a little different around here. Looking at Tim again, she decided she was going to find out what his deal was and try to break down the wall he had built around himself.

After a long busy night, the bar started to slow down. Dawn took the opportunity to start cleaning the tables and sweeping and moping the floor without Tim telling her to do so. She wanted to hurry and get out of the place and to get away from him. It was mentally exhausting working with him. Dawn was not use to such a tension between her co-workers as she got along with everyone. She would wait to see how he acted toward her in the future and chip away at his wall. Just not tonight, she just wanted her bed and a glass of wine.

Finishing up for the night Dawn wiped the last table down and asked Tim if he needed anymore help.

He did not look up at her when he said he was fine.

"Ok….well goodnight then…" she stood and waited for a response from him. He was drying glasses and took his time to look up at her. Looking her up and down slowly he finally said goodnight to her in slow drawl and look back down to finish drying his glasses. Without another word, Dawn left and drove home.

Watching her walk out the door Tim put the last of the glasses up and threw the towel in the sink. Tim had a weakness for beautiful women and he was trying to turn over a new leaf. He did not want to be the same old Tim before he went to prison for his brother. Buddy's new hire had put a strain on him tonight. The old Tim would have flirted with her and had her in the back inventory room before the night was over and all night he fought the temptation and kept her at arm's length. He felt bad for the way he had treated her but it was necessary for his sake and hers. He was hoping and praying she did not go for white guys but the way they both were looking at each other throughout the night he was thinking she didn't mind a white guy at all. He would just have to make sure he kept his distance, as he was not ready to be with anyone physically or emotionally.

Once Dawn got home, she threw off her clothes and hopped in the shower. She was so tired and the hot water cascading down her skin felt so good. After her shower, she heard her cell phone ring and she quickly wrapped a towel around her and ran dripping wet to grab her cell on her bed. She quickly looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Buddy Garrity.

"Hey Buddy!"

"Hey Dawnie! How was your first night?" he asked.

"It was good Buddy." She replied sitting on her bed.

"Good…good…I'm glad. I knew you would have a goodnight. I spoke to your dad today."

"How is he doing?" she asked.

"He is good. He misses you."

"I miss him too…Buddy what is the deal with Tim Riggins?"

"Tim? What happen did he give you any trouble?" Buddy asked concern.

"Oh…no..no..not at all. He was just really quiet."

Buddy explains to Dawn a little of Tim's history and his stint in jail. Hearing his history Dawn can see why he was so withdrawn.

"Can you get to the bar a little early tomorrow? Friday's are game night and it gets crazy."

"Sure Buddy. I will see you tomorrow." Dawn hung up the phone and laid back on her bed and thought of Tim. Buddy had a big mouth sometimes and she knew she would never tell Tim what Buddy had told her tonight. She hoped he would warm up to her soon as he seemed like a great guy to know even with the prison history. It was just a chop shop and not a violent crime she rationalized to herself. Dawn quickly dried herself off and put on her pajamas and finally got her glass of wine and crawled into bed to read a book and hopefully fall asleep soon.

Tim popped open a beer and sat down on the couch. His brother Billy sat next to him on the couch.

"How was work man?" Billy asked as he took a sip of his beer.

"It was good…busy. Got a new waitress and bartender today."

"About time Buddy got you some help. Anyone I know?"

"Na…I think she is new in town." Tim quickly drained his beer and grabbed another one from the 12 pack sitting on the coffee table in front of them.

"She? Is she cute?" Billy asked. Billy wife Mindy looked over at Billy and threw her son's Stevie empty bottle at him. Billy laughed as he caught it before it pounced off his head.

"Babe you know you are the only one for me." Billy told her. Mindy rolled her eyes at him.

Tim shook his head. "Yeah she's good looking. She's black."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Mindy asked.

Tim shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing…I was just saying…."

Billy looked at his brother. He wanted to ask him so bad was he thinking of sleeping with the new girl but he knew Mindy would have his head. He would have to talk to him later about it.

After a few more beers, Tim went to bed. A few moments later Billy snuck in Tim's room and sat on his bed.

"Hey…you thinking about hitting the new girl?"

Tim sat up and looked at his brother. "Billy what are you talking about? I don't want to become involve with anyone right now."

"Dude…it's a black chick!"

Tim shook his head not believing what his brother was saying.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Billy playfully punched Tim on the shoulder.

"One of the Riggins brothers has to experience a black chick. I've been with a Mexican girl once."

"Get out Billy." Tim told his brother as he laid down.

"Alright man." Billy walked out and Tim closed his eyes to go to sleep. He said a silent prayer that his dreams would not consist of Dawn's beautiful face.