Disclaimer- jtbwriter doesn't own them either.
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By the time Wren, Bug and Lilly got to the Pogue, Jordan had already enlisted Woody and Nigel to shove the tables in the back together. The entire group was soon seated with their drink of choice, toasting Garret and Woody's return to work the following Monday and Wren's new job. After a few choice comments from the two belles about the inability of the Sox to play decent baseball, the teasing began. Wren and Sarah were told that there was a need to recreate Sherman's arson at Turner Field.
"Ya'll just can't stand that the boys from 'Lanta showed you up. Face it we got the juice. Bobby Cox and the boys were just doing ya'll a favor." Wren informed the table at large.
"And how's that?" Max asked her, chuckling.
"Well darlin', they were just teaching your boys how to play some real ball, as opposed to that American League stuff you usually play." Wren grinned. "I'm in the mood for a game of pool, who's up to get skinned?"
"I'll play you." Jordan jumped up. "Ten bucks a game sound good?"
"A woman after my own heart, never shoot pool or play poker unless there's money on the table." Wren laughed as the two headed off to the pool table.
Nigel perched on a stool and watched Wren demolish Jordan twice, while Max and Garret tried to explain a sacrifice bunt to Bug. Lily, Sarah and Woody were arguing the finer points of the designated hitter rule. The cop and the counselor thought it made for better baseball while Sarah was of the opinion that it was an obvious communist plot to undermine the American way of life.
"Next victim." Wren called as she sunk the eight ball to Jordan's dismay.
"That's it for me, if I lose any more I won't be able to eat lunch this week." Jordan said.
"How 'bout it Max?" Wren stepped to the table and took a drink of her beer. "Play you for another round for the table?"
"That is a bet, my dear." Max got up and headed to the cue stand. "You win, the tab's mine. I win, and you buy it."
"You got it." Wren grinned as she racked the balls. "Hey Garret, after I skin the barkeep, you're next." She called over to the table.
Sarah looked mildly surprised. "Do you play pool?"
"I made the mistake of telling Wren that I paid for my books one semester by hustling games at a local pool hall." Garret blushed slightly.
"Doc, I didn't know you had a history as a pool shark." Woody ribbed him, grinning. "I may have to pull your rap sheet and check you out, man."
Sarah and Jordan laughed at the look on Garret's face.
"That's my Dirty Gary." Jordan teased him. "Remind me to tell you about the bar fight our guy here started and ended, Sarah."
"Was that before or after the kegger you threw in the crypt?" Sarah teased in defense of her man.
"You told her about the kegger, man?" Jordan looked at her boss incredulously.
"Oh, I've gotten all kinds of info on all of you." Sarah snuggled into the crook of Garret's arm. "One of the perks of sleeping with the boss, you know." She finished as they all laughed.
"Well now you have to tell us a secret about Sarah." Jordan looked at Garret.
Sarah turned to Garret and grinned. "Don't you dare!" She said laughing. "I know just what you're thinking." She looked over at the brunette across the table. "Besides, Jordan, you know all about the rose arbor and the tea dance, isn't that embarrassing enough?"
"Oh no, we need something juicier than that." Jordan teased. "Come on, give us some ammo on Sarah, Garret."
Sarah hid her face in her hands and everyone heard a muffled "Go ahead, I'll just sit here and be mortified."
Lily, Bug, Jordan and Woody leaned in to hear what secret could possibly embarrass the lady like ME. "Sarah was a beauty queen." Garret told them.
"Oh my sweet Lord! You mean an honest to God, crown and sash beauty queen?" Jordan laughed.
Sarah held up one hand. "Miss Memphis 1985, right here." The sight of her red face set the rest of the table off again.
"Wow, you won a beauty contest." Woody sounded impressed. "What was your talent?"
"Don't tell me, let me guess." Jordan interrupted. "You twirled a baton, right?"
"No I sang; Wren twirled the baton." Sarah told the brunette. "I won in '85, she won in '86."
"Whoa, two beauty queens. Man, I'm impressed." Lily laughed.
"Don't be. All you have to do is prance around in high heels and say you want world peace." Wren told her as she reached over for her beer.
"Yeah well, this one pranced well enough to win Miss Tennessee and first runner up Miss America." Sarah told everyone gesturing toward Wren.
Woody began humming the Miss America theme, then yelped as both Wren and Jordan popped him in the back of the head.
"Hey, I didn't come here to be abused." He said rubbing his head,
"Oh? Where do you usually go?" Wren stuck out her tongue at Woody and sashayed back to the pool table.
"Hey Max. Aren't you going to help me out here?" Woody called out.
"Forget it kid, any man who is fool enough to take on these girls deserves what he gets." Max laughed, then groaned as Wren sunk her last ball then lined up on the eight ball.
"Eight ball, corner pocket." Wren called and sank it easily. "You owe the table a round, darlin'." She grinned at him.
"You're a ringer aren't you, kid?" Max smiled at the violet-eyed beauty.
"Who me?" She replied innocently and turned toward Garret. "Your turn, stud. Your wallet needs lightening too."
"Nope, " Sarah piped up. "He's going to dance with me." She turned to Max. "Did the jukebox guy get the songs I wanted?"
"All of them but one." Max told her as he headed to the bar to pick up the next round.
Sarah looked at Garret. "Dance with me, honey?"
"Love to." He took her hand and led her to the jukebox.
Wren sat down across from Bug and Lily and Nigel took the seat at the
end of the table. As the first notes of a beach music song came out
of the jukebox, Wren grinned.
"Come on, let's Shag." She said to Nigel, who nearly choked on his beer and turned almost scarlet.
"Say what?" He stammered just as Wren realized her cultural faux pas.
"No, no the Shag is a dance invented in the Carolinas. You dance it to beach music." She blushed furiously, while Lily and Bug tried to smother their laughter.
"Come on. I'll teach you." She grabbed Nigel's hand and dragged him out on the floor.
As their friends cheered her on, Wren demonstrated the dance she and Sarah had gloried in during their teenage years. Nigel's face remained red as he tried to imitate her movements.
"Oh my Lord, Woody look at the poor guy!" Jordan chuckled; then squealed with laughter as he pulled her up.
"Come on, Jo, let's give them something else to look at." Woody snickered, and then led her to the far corner of the dance floor where they could dance without knocking into the others.
As Garret tried to follow the steps, Sarah demonstrated he laughed. "I guess I'm not much of a dancer."
"The Shag's not much of the dance, you're doing great." Sarah smiled up at him.
When the party began to break up, Garret offered Wren a ride home.
"Thanks, but I'm in the opposite direction from just about everyone. I'll call a cab." She refused.
"I'll drive you Wren. I live pretty close to you." Nigel offered. "If you don't mind a ride on a motorbike."
"Are you kidding, I love to ride? My brothers taught me when I was very little." Wren smiled eagerly at the thought of finally getting Nigel alone. "I'll meet you out front."
The ride to Wren's apartment was very disconcerting for Nigel. The long-legged blonde snuggled up against his back and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. The close contact made for a very pleasant distraction; Nigel had all he could do to keep his mind on the road.
Wren breathed in the scent of his cologne and plotted her strategy. She had no intention of having him go home tonight. As her father would have said, it was time to fish or cut bait.
When they pulled up in front of her apartment, Nigel shut off the bike and got off to walk her in. The elevator ride and the walk to the door were quiet. Wren unlocked her door and turned to Nigel.
"About that Shag comment…" She began.
"Not to worry, luv." Nigel reassured her.
Wren decided on a more direct approach. She stretched up, kissed him deeply then stepped back and looked up at him. "I wouldn't be averse to trying the other definition with you." A sexy grin spread across her face as she stepped into the apartment and looked back at him questioningly.
Nigel stood dumbfounded, trying to think past the feel of her lips.
"Well, are you coming or not?" She gave him a teasing look and then pulled him into the apartment.
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A/N- This is for all the Nigel fans who wanted to see he and Wren together, especially Miri.