CHAPTER 14 PERFECT STORM
Song related Brad Paisley Perfect Storm
Disclaimer: I don't own the show or the song!
HOLLY
Our group occupied a rather large booth in the bar Chloe had suggested, the majority agreeing that leaving the Penny for a night would do us all some good, we needed new scenery. "A country bar Chloe!?" Gail rolled her eyes, leaning into my side. "They have a bull Gail; this is going to be amazing!" Chloe called before following Dov and Andy to the bar. The sign over the bar read cop night; they were hosting part of the Toronto Cop Appreciation Week festivities.
"Holly, why did you agree to bring me out to a country bar?" Gail asked, turning to glance at me before eyeing the bar. "Why is this my fault?" I asked, pinching her side causing her to squirm. "Might I remind you that you agreed to the new bar idea before I did, so that means it's your fault." Gail grinned quickly kissing my cheek. "I only agreed because I lost that stupid card game to Dov." I rolled my eyes at her, losing that bet to Dov had cost us more than our normal trip to the penny; it also meant that I would be agreeing with his choices for the next week.
Tracie and Steve slid into the bench across from us setting down a tray of beers and shots. "Why are we not at the penny?" Steve asked dividing the drinks and setting them in front of us. "The Penny is getting old." Tracie cut in before I could fess up to my loss. "But a country bar?" Steve made a face at Tracie before pointing to the shots he had set down. "We need to be drunk for this!" he laughed, picking up a shot in each hand and waiting for the rest of us to follow his lead. "We need to be drunk for everything Steve." Gail laughed, sitting up to pick up her shots. "Are you sure Duncan is going to DD tonight?" I asked eyeing the shots. "Yeah, he picked the short straw; if he wants to tag along he has to play by the rules." Tracie smiled raising a shot towards me. "fine." I sighed, falling to the pressure raising my shot glasses in the air.
"Here's to those who wish us well, those who don't can go to hell!" Steve and Gail shouted in unison before we downed the shots as quickly as possible. My shot glass had barely left my lips when Gail leaned in to kiss me. "Perfect chaser." She smiled, licking her lips before turning to greet the group coming back from the bar. "Starting without us?!" Dov asked, pointing to the discarded glasses on the table. "It's a country bar Dov. Gail rolled her eyes picking up her beer and smiling. "Well we grabbed shots for everyone, so one more?" Andy asked setting a tray on the table with a grin. "I'm not 22 anymore." I complained when Gail placed another shot in front of me. "We have the weekend off, we have nurse your hangover in the morning." She smiled putting the shot glass in my hand.
"Everyone have a drink?!" Sam asked before grinning. "Here's to those who've seen us at our best and have seen us at our worst and can't tell the difference." He called out and we all downed the whiskey that filled out glasses. "Not so bad." Gail laughed before kissing me again. "My liver is going to hate me tomorrow." I complained sipping my beer, I tried to limit my outings with the group, they always left me with a two-day hangover, and police officers drank more than frat guys did.
Everyone crowded into the booth once the alarming number of shot glasses had been cleared and new beers had been handed out. "Don't forget rent is due tomorrow." Dov laughed from across the table to Gail. "Have I ever forgotten!?" Gail asked, shaking her head at him. "Why are you still paying rent?" I asked, letting my lips bush over Gail's ear, over a month ago all of her clothes, books, games, and movies had migrated into my flat. Our flat considering She now lived with me, a fact that still made me giddy. "Because Chris relapsed, Chloe won't move in with him until her lease is up, and I can't leave him high and dry." Gail turned to look at me, she really only watched my lips. "You better not be planning to move back." I leaned forward and kissed her quickly.
"He does know that you moved out right?" I asked before scanning the bar, it was still early in the night, but there were a decent amount of familiar faces occupying tables. "Yes, he knows, he helped me move my stuff remember." She laughed resting her head on my shoulder, our conversation cut off by the hum of a mic being turned on.
"Hi everyone! I would like to thank you for coming out tonight, I know we aren't known as one of the police bars around town, but we are ecstatic to host the fine men and women of Toronto's police force. Hopefully we will be seeing more of you." the guy stood on a makeshift stage near the back of the bar. "We have some great bands playing for us tonight, I would like to welcome our first group to the stage!" he called motioning for the people standing by the stairs to join in. "A band, Chloe I'm going to kill you!" Gail reached across the table, coming just short of reaching Chloe. "Easy." I sighed, pulling Gail back against me, pinning her arms to her sides. "Don't act as if you don't love country." I smiled, handing her my full beer. Gail loved to sing along with her iPod when she showered; often the playlist included different top 20 country hits.
"That is beside the point Holly." Gail complained, taking a long pull from my beer before placing it back on the table in front of me. "We would like to invite everyone out here to dance." A rather burly man with a deep voice smiled into the mic before picking up a guitar. "Let's go!" Chloe laughed, grabbing Dov by his shirt sleeve and dragging him towards the stage. "Come on Gail!" Andy and Tracie grabbed Gail and dragged her out of the booth. "If I'm being dragged into this, so are you!" Gail grabbed my hand as we were both forced towards the stage. I did not complain, I loved dancing with Gail and I took every opportunity that presented itself.
For the first few songs everyone mostly just watched the band sawing along with the beat, I kept my arms tightly wrapped around Gail s waist, pressing into her back. A familiar drumbeat started causing me to smile; they were playing our song, the song that I had done a strip tease to the night that Gail had moved in. The song that I had first heard when Gail had belted it out in the shower, Brad Paisleys Perfect Storm.
"Dance with me." I breathed in her ear before the guy started singing, spinning her in my arms to face me. "Always." Gail smiled, wrapping her arms around my neck, resting her forehead on mine. More people started coupling up to dance when the first line came through the speakers bringing and uncontrollable smile to my lips.
If she was a drink
She'd be a single-barreled
Bourbon on ice
Smooth with a kick
A chill and a burn all
At the same time
She's Sunday drive meets
High speed chase
She ain't just a song
She's the whole mix tape
She's so complicated
That's the way God made her
Sunshine mixed with
A little hurricane
I smiled, listening to Gail singing along with the song, resting her head on my shoulder. The guy singing had nothing on Gail, but the lyrics still stood out. This song made my heart beat faster when I wasn't around Gail, remembering how much I loved her. "I love you." Gail breathed kissing just below my ear; I pulled her closer to me forgetting that we were in a crowded bar "I love you too." I muttered swaying with her.
And she destroys me in that t-shirt
And I love her so much it hurts
I never meant to fall like this
She don't just rain she pours
That girl right there's
The perfect storm
I know how to make her laugh
Or blush, or mad at me
But that's OK there ain't no one
More beautiful angry
And she loves just as deep
As she goes when she's down
The highs match the lows
Can't have one without the other
And I love her just the way
God made her
Sunshine mixed with
A little hurricane
The song ended bringing me out of my daze; still smiling I pulled away from Gail and laughed. "Country bars play our song." I leaned in to kiss her quickly before bringing her back to our booth. "I still don't want to be here." Gail laughed sliding into the corner pulling me back against her, her leg resting against the back of the bench. I caught Tracie staring at us with a smile before she followed Steve to the bar, leaving the dancing area that had quickly filled up.
Steve looked back at us and held up his hand signing something to fast for me to understand it; Gail quickly held up two fingers and nodded. "Refills." She laughed wrapping her arms around my waist. "This time last year." Gail smiled, kissing my temple. "Did you think that we would be dancing in a country bar, living together, and getting along with my friends?" Gail asked leaning down to kiss my shoulder. "I wanted this with you." I laughed only sitting up when Tracie and Steve came back to the booth. "You two are sickening, stop being so in love." Steve laughed, setting two beers in front of us. "shut up." Gail glared flicking a straw wrapper at him before moving to sit properly on the bench.
"So you're going to be there tomorrow, right?" Tracie asked, ignoring the signing battle that seemed to be taking place next to us. "I have been summoned, I don't seem to have a choice in the matter." I laughed sipping my beer trying to slow my own pace, the shots from before were slowly clouding my mind. "How have you managed to Date Gail for a year and move in together without being required at the monthly family dinners?!" Tracie huffed picking at the label on her beer bottle. "I had been on 2 official dates with Steve when my summons came in the form of an official letterhead." Tracie cringed looking back at Steve, who now reached over the table trying to slap Gail's hands.
"Luck, according to Gail, but then again, she did a full background check on me 6 months ago, she knew we were dating." I shrugged, tomorrow would be my first official Peck dinner, when I would be formally introduced to Bill and Elaine Peck. The invitation had been hand delivered to my office by Superintendent Peck's assistant, along with lunch from my favorite Italian restaurant (that I had been too afraid to eat in case it had been poisoned).
"Stop!" Steve slapped Gail's hand drawing my attention back to the pair who were glaring at each other. "Do you have to act like a 3 year-old Steve?" Tracie laughed taking his hand in hers. "What, no, I'm not a three year old, she started it!" he complained refusing to meet Tracie's eyes. "Fat chance." Gail grinned sticking her tongue out at him. "Come on; let's grab the next round before they head back to the table." I laughed, pulling Gail towards the bar and away from her brother and Tracie. "What was that about?" I asked, trying to get the bartender's attention. "Steve is planning on proposing to Tracie at tomorrow's dinner, it is the worst idea I have ever heard Holly!" Gail groaned leaning back against the bar. "Does Tracie know about this?" I asked, seeing Nick and Juliet walk into the bar with Duncan not far behind them. "Nope." Gail let the P pop before turning to wave down the Bartender who turned around instantly. "Can I have 10 beers, 10 shots and a pitcher of water and cups!?" Gail asked with a deceiving grin before turning back to me.
"So tomorrow night is going to be a disaster?" I asked pinching the bridge of my nose. "Not if we can get drunk enough tonight to stay drunk until dinner is over tomorrow." Gail grinned flagging Duncan down. "Gerald! Just the guy I wanted to see, here take this!" She quickly shoved a tray of beers into his hand before turning to grab the pitcher of water. "Why are you just standing there!" she huffed pushing him towards the booth, I prayed that he didn't drop the tray. "Tab!?" the bartender asked setting the tray of shots down and Gail quickly fished out some cash and handed it to him. "Let's go!" she laughed working her way back towards the table everyone once again crowded. Yep, my liver would definitely hurt in the morning, I thought as I downed another shot and drank the rest of my beer.