AnnaBeth walked arm in arm with Lemon into Molly's. Chili was giving a presentation for her chilled champagne bottle 'Chilleze'. Lemon thought Chili was the most ridiculous name she had ever heard but agreed to go along because AnnaBeth said it was important to support her new partner. AnnaBeth thought it was rich Lemon calling Chili a ridiculous name with some of the people they knew back in Bluebell.
"You're not going to criticize my bar, again are you?" Herrmann asked as they approached the bar.
"Christopher" Lemon said shocked "I was merely providing helpful suggestions to bring in more business, a wine and fight night was a huge success for us"
"She's actually right" She nodded smiling at her friend "There was no fight because Lemon cut the tv cable and there was no wine because Wade sabotaged her back so it was more competitive arm wrestling and cocktails, people like to drink and bet"
"Arm wrestling" Herrmann mused "I'll think about it, what can I get you ladies?"
"This rounds on me" Kelly said walking up behind them.
"Well that's one point on the pro list" Lemon said smiling up at Kelly "Just 295 to go"
"Don't worry about her" She said rolling her eyes "What she means is thank you very much"
"Well obviously thank you" Lemon said "But If I'm to be sure you are good enough for my AB then I need to know you're a real gentleman, she's special"
"No arguments here" He said putting an arm around her shoulder.
Herrmann handed them two glasses of wine and a beet for Kelly. AnnaBeth kissed him quickly before Lemon lead her over to sit by Gabby. Kelly was sitting with the rest of squad at the bar. She had warned him the night before that Lemon like to be the centre of attention, so he already knew she was out with the girls.
"Lemon, this is Chili my new partner" She said as a nervous looking Jessica Chilton walked over to their table "Chili, this is my oldest and dearest friend Lemon Breeland"
"Did you really have to say oldest?" Lemon asked under her breath before turning to Chili "It's a pleasure to meet you, as a businesswoman myself I'm very excited for your presentation"
"Really you're a businesswoman?" Gabby teased "You never mention it"
AnnaBeth bit back a smile. She could never tell if Lemon would take something as good-natured teasing or have a full-on meltdown.
"Any advice you have would be amazing" Chili told her "I am so nervous"
"You've got this" She said turning to her partner "You put everything into it, and it shows"
It was strange working with someone new after Peter and no one would replace Peter Mills in her eyes. But Chili was so nice, she really felt for her. It took a lot to go for your dreams. She remembered when Lemon and Wade had put in everything, they had to get the Rammer Jammer and then the work after that to keep it all running. Chili was like that with Chilleze.
"How did you even get into the bar industry?" Gabby asked turning to Lemon "Rammer Jammer sounds like a…"
"A dive bar?" Lemon asked
"She won a boat and sold it" She added.
"I wanted to prove I could take care of myself" Lemon replied "And I did, but Fancies is more for me, we live amongst simple people, they couldn't see my vision"
AnnaBeth just took a sip of her wine as Chili started her presentation, she did not want to get into that conversation again. The last time Lemon had through that up they are been arguing about Lemon's Lemonade and AnnaBeth's Apple Juice.
Chili's nerves were all the more obvious when she started but she managed to pull it together again as she asked everyone to come in closer, so she didn't need to shout. AnnaBeth smiled at Capp as he walked over and put his jacket on Otis's table.
"Sorry this table is truck only" Otis told him "You understand"
"When did you get so mouthy?" Capp asked.
"Oh, good lord" AnnaBeth muttered to Lemon "I can't take much more of this with them"
They had covered a lot in their catch up but not the rising tension between Squad and Truck at the firehouse. AnnaBeth did her best to stay out of it. Otis had real issues with Scott Rice who was Kelly's friend and Kelly hadn't taken kindly to the accusations. She had held off on giving any kind of opinion because she didn't feel like it was her place, but the situation was becoming unbearable. She had gotten better at standing up for herself, but she still hated any kind of conflict.
"I don't know" Otis said putting his beer down "Maybe it was around the time I got called a whiney gossip for calling Rice out for what he is…a ducker"
Kelly went for Otis without even a word of warning it really took AnnaBeth by surprise. Lemon put a hand on her arm as their friends held Kelly and Otis apart.
"I told you once to shut your mouth" Kelly told him "You don't get a second warning"
"You just keep putting your head in the sand" Otis told him "Rice was ducking and no one on squad gives a crap"
Kelly went for Otis again and they were pulled apart. He grabbed his jacket visibly angry and honestly a little upset.
"You know what there's plenty of other places are to grab a drink round here" He said.
"Yeah" Gabby nodded "there are"
Kelly looked surprised but just walked out. AnnaBeth was honestly stunned by the whole thing, she didn't know what to do. She had never seen Kelly go off like that, and not to someone who was supposed to be like family to him.
"Are you alright?" Lemon asked as Kelly, Tony and Capp left the bar.
"Alright enough of that" Herrmann said bringing the attention back to the front "Let's get back to the presentation"
"No that's alright" Chili said softly shaking her head "Some other time"
AnnaBeth and Lemon followed Chili outside, she looked about ready to cry.
"Hey" AnnaBeth said putting a hand on her shoulder "Are you alright?"
"Fine" Chili nodded "It was a stupid idea"
"No, it was not" Lemon told her "And I know what I'm talking about"
"She does" AnnaBeth said with a smile "A bit of a know it all but she is usually right, annoyingly"
"I thought 51 was supposed to be a family" Chili said with a laugh but there was no humour in it.
AnnaBeth didn't know what to say as Chili wiped a tear from her eye. She had worked so hard on that presentation. AnnaBeth was equally mad at all of them. Otis could have let Chili have her moment and Kelly never should have swung at Otis.
"Men are stupid" Lemon shrugged "Send me a copy of your presentation, maybe I can sell Chilleze at fancies, Lord knows single bottles would work for us, most of the men in town do not have the sophisticated palate to appreciate a good champagne"
Lemon glared at the people starting at them as Chili tried to stop herself from crying.
"Why don't you find another roadside accident to put your morbid gaze upon?" Lemon challenged making them quickly run along.
"Your friend's a little scary" Chili told her quietly but managing a smile.
"Crazy too" She agreed with a grin.
"Now" Lemon said turning her attention back to them "What are you going to do about those morons your work with?"
"Oh, I'm not getting involved" She said holding her hands up.
"Who crossed enemy lines to resolve the issues with Filmore and saved our town, and managed to help me stop the merger?" Lemon asked with a hand on her hip.
"I did" She sighed.
"Unless you want a giant dump in your firehouse you better get that under control" Lemon told her.
"I really didn't follow that" Chili said furrowing her brow.
"It's a long story" She told her.
"Now" Lemon said clapping her hands together "I'm going to talk to Chili about investments and talk to that knucklehead in there, you go and talk to that knucklehead you call a boyfriend"
"Yes Mam" She said giving a mock salute knowing there was no point in arguing with her, it was better to let Lemon think she was getting her way.
Besides, she did want to check on Kelly. She just had no clue what to say to him. She didn't even know where to find him, he had left without a word.
She took out her cell phone and waited to see if he would pick up the phone.
"Hey" She said when she heard up pick up "Where are you?"
"Sorry I didn't say anything" He sighed "I went home, I just got here"
"Do you want some company?" She asked, "Maybe talk about it?"
"I'm not sure I want to talk about it" He told her.
"Look, I know it's not my place and I have been trying to ignore it and trust me that has been pretty hard to do lately" She said "But you can't just pick fights in bars, besides that it was Chili's night, it was important to her and it was ruined by both of you and you both owe her an apology"
She heard Kelly sigh.
"I'll apologise to Chili" He told her "But I don't want to talk about Otis right now"
"Does that mean you want me to come over?" She asked.
"Yeah I do" He replied.
When AnnaBeth got to Kelly's place he was sat in the living room with a beer, some game highlights in the background. He'd left the door unlocked so she could let herself in.
"How are you feeling?" She asked squeezing his shoulders as she walked round to sit beside him.
"Better now that you're here" He said pulling her into his lap "I'm sorry If I made things awkward for you"
"I'm sorry you and Otis are fighting" She said resting her head on his shoulder "You don't want this thing to keep going until we end up with a goat invested dump in the firehouse"
"What the hell does that mean?" He asked with a smirk.
"Well" She explained happy that she had lightened the mood somewhat "When Bluebell and Filmore the next town over were fighting they kept going after each other. Lavon upset Mayor Gainey and then town wound up smelling of garbage because they moved their dump to the town line, then Lavon dumped garbage on his front porch, Burt Reynolds got kidnapped, it was a whole thing. But someone needs to step up and be the bigger person, so it doesn't all get out of control"
"He's still alive?" Kelly asked.
"Yes, but I was talking about Lavon's pet alligator not the actor" She told him "And you two better work it out because I am not saving anyone else from any alligators"
"You saved someone from an alligator?" He asked amused.
"I have many talents you know nothing about" She replied "My point is I guess don't let things spiral out of control"
"Do I get to find out more of these hidden talents if I agree to work things out?" He asked raising an eyebrow.
"Oh I think you might" She told him with a smile.