Nicole's pen tapped rapidly on the desk, as it had all morning. She again looked down at the latest report she'd been given, still unable to comprehend even the first sentence, even though she'd been staring at it for a half hour. Despite her best efforts, she was having trouble focusing at work all week.
"Haught. Haught? Earth to Haught…"
Nicole snapped her head over, catching Agent Dolls' eyes as he leaned across the counter of the Purgatory Sheriff Department's main office.
"Oh, hey, Dolls. Sorry… what can I do for ya?" Nicole shook her head, trying to shake out the thoughts of Waverly that had her so preoccupied as she stood up and approached the agent.
"Sorry to interrupt your daydream, Haught, but I'm looking for Wynonna. Have you seen her?"
"No, no, you weren't interrupting anything. But, no, I haven't seen her yet today. Did you check the parking lot for her bike?"
"Good call. Thanks," he said, as he turned around.
"No problem! You're welcome…" Nicole mumbled to herself, Dolls already out the door and out of earshot.
Nicole shook her head and sat down back at her desk, snatching up the report, determined to get her focus back. But just like every other day this week, her determination waned and she found her mind wandering back to Waverly Earp. Since their conversation at the homestead on Monday morning, they had hardly seen each other. They'd passed each other in the halls of the municipal building, but they were both always working and surrounded by other people, so little was said beyond pleasantries and a few stolen glances. They had also texted each other periodically, but it was always light and insignificant, other than the understanding that they were thinking about the other.
Nicole looked down at her phone. It had been 32 hours since she'd last gotten a text from Waverly—not that she was counting—and she hadn't seen her all day. Of course, she ultimately found herself replaying her conversation with Waverly from Monday morning—the last real conversation they'd had.
"Just… Please… Wait for me. Please." Waverly was pleading with Nicole, eyes open and vulnerable.
Nicole had paused, thinking carefully before responding.
"Well, Waverly… Usually when I see something I like, I don't want to wait…" Waverly had looked down at her toes, hands withdrawing from the coffee mug they had both been holding, and she let out a soft "Oh…."
Nicole placed one finger under Waverly's chin, tilting her face upwards and forcing Waverly to look at her. Reluctantly, Waverly opened her eyes, focusing them on Nicole's next words, "But then again, when something is truly worth it, I don't mind it so much," and she smiled at Waverly in a way she hoped conveyed her sincerity.
Waverly exhaled and smiled wide, nodding, and looking back down.
"So," she smiled up at Nicole, "…can I still make you some breakfast?" Nicole opened her mouth to accept the invitation, but was interrupted by a loud thud and a string of expletives from Champ in the bedroom.
Waverly closed her eyes and clenched her jaw, visibly upset at Champ's tendency to interrupt. "What was that, Champ?" she called to the bedroom.
"Ugh, fuck! God damnit. I'm fine, Waves, don't worry about it. Just stubbed my toes on this fucking bed frame again."
Waverly rolled her eyes so hard, Nicole couldn't help but chuckle.
"As much as I'd like to, Waverly, I think it's best if I go ahead and get home. But…" she was quick to add, "I'm hoping I can take you up on that breakfast offer another time?"
"I'd really like that, definitely, Nicole," she hesitated and thought to herself for a moment, before looking over her shoulder at the bedroom. Seeing the door still firmly closed, she took two steps forward, closing the gap between the two of them, and gently kissing Nicole's left cheek, "I promise."
Nicole's eyes had closed, involuntarily, and she held her breath until she was sure Waverly had stepped back and put a respectable distance between the two of them. When she did open her eyes, they were met with a mischievous sparkle in Waverly's, and neither of them could contain full, unabashed grins.
"Well all right, then, Miss Earp. I'll be impatiently waiting."
Nicole was brought back into the present day by the sound of Sheriff Nedley shuffling out of his office.
"Officer Haught, I'm heading to Shorty's for lunch. You're coming with me."
"Oh? I am? Since when?"
"Since now. Don't think I haven't noticed this funk you've been in all week. I'm determined to shake it out of you, so let's go. Plus, lunch there is buy-one get-one-free on Thursdays, so you won't cost me anything more." He chuckled at himself as his affixed his Stetson to his head and pulled his keys out of his pocket.
"Well, alright. If you insist."
"I do."
As Nicole unbuckled herself from the Sheriff's patrol car in the Shorty's parking lot, her stomach started doing flips. She knew Waverly was working today, and she knew Nedley preferred to sit at the bar. There was going to be no avoiding Waverly, not that Nicole really wanted to. She subconsciously adjusted her Stetson and her belt buckle, and licked her lips as she followed Nedley through the front door. The second the door opened, she heard the honey-sweet sound of Waverly's voice.
"Afternoon, Sheriff! I was about to pull the alarm—you're four minutes late for lunch!"
Nicole could hear the smile in Waverly's words, even before she laid eyes on the lips that were speaking them. But she most certainly saw the surprise and genuine glee cross over Waverly's features when she saw Nicole cross the threshold into the bar behind Nedley.
Nicole was so relieved. She was worried Waverly wouldn't want to see her, but that clearly was not the case.
"Off-Officer Haught… I'm surprised to see you here during the middle of the day. Normally the Sheriff rides solo," she smiled wide and locked eyes with Nicole as she greeted her.
"Fancy that," Nicole said, with a smile that mirrored the one shining at her.
"This one's been in a pissy mood all week. I'm hoping a 'working lunch' will shake loose whatever crawled up her ass over the weekend," Nedley offered.
Nicole looked down, a bit bashful, but thoroughly aware that Waverly would put the pieces together.
"Oh, is that so?" Waverly asked Nicole, directly, with concern.
"Naw, he's just overreacting," Nicole replied. "Not used to having a woman around that does more than giggle."
Nedley grunted before letting out a slow, brief, laugh. "You're not wrong, Haught, but you still can't tell me that you haven't been in the dumps and distracted all week."
Nicole couldn't look at Waverly—she didn't want to give anything away, and she certainly didn't want to make Waverly feel bad about anything. She needed to deflect.
"Awww, shucks, Sheriff. I didn't know you cared so much," she said, jokingly punching him in the shoulder. She caught Waverly's worried eye, then, and winked.
Waverly, of course, immediately blushed and gasped slightly, turning around to wipe the bar with her back to the two officers.
Within a few minutes, Waverly had already presented Nedley and Nicole with two beers, Waverly immensely familiar with what Nedley meant by a "working lunch." So she left them alone with their menus while she let that conversation turn around in her head.
"Nicole has been distracted and upset at work all week—all week since… since I told her to wait for me," Waverly distressed over Sheriff Nedley's words. She knew she had been—at times—avoiding Nicole. Because she didn't have anything new for her, she didn't have anything new to offer her, and she didn't know if she could be around her the way she wanted to yet. She still needed her space to fully appreciate her feelings and what they meant… and what they meant she needed to do. But she also was thinking of Nicole. She knew how Nicole felt about her. It was impossible to be on the receiving end of the looks and smiles and touches she got from Nicole and not understand that, and she didn't want to put Nicole in a difficult situation until she was sure she was ready—in every way that entailed—to appreciate and reciprocate the feelings Nicole had to offer.
So now, Waverly knew Nicole was likely distressing and worrying over their last conversation, and she hated what she was doing to her.
"Waverly? Can we order, dear?" Nedley's voice brought her back to reality.
"Of course, Sheriff! What can I getcha today?" she tried to be as bright and bubbly as she could, despite knowing what she was doing to Nicole.
"I'll do the Black and Bleu Burger, medium, with fries, please ma'am," Nedley rattled off.
"Surprise, surprise! I would have never guessed," Waverly jested, given that was Nedley's lunch order at least three times per week. "And for you, Officer Haught?" Waverly asked, purposely putting as much lightness in her voice as possible, and making a concerted effort to make eye contact with Nicole.
Nicole looked up, acknowledging and appreciating Waverly's efforts, "I believe I'll have the Southwest Chicken wrap, ma'am."
"You have good taste," Waverly winked.
"I definitely think so," Nicole smiled, "Oh, and maple sweet potato fries, please. I've been craving some sugar for a while now," Nicole intentionally harkened back to their conversation, hoping Waverly would pick up the cue.
Waverly, to her credit, blushed briefly, instantly registering the reference, but didn't otherwise flinch. Instead, she smiled and nodded, turned to input their order, and then disappeared in the back, to Nicole's dismay.
A few seconds later, Nicole's phone buzzed on the bar, vibrating to signal a text message. She looked around, and saw no Waverly in sight, and cautiously turned over her phone, making sure the screen wasn't in Sheriff Nedley's view, just in case.
W: I'm trying not to be presumptuous here, but I really hope your distressed week isn't because of me?
Nicole thought for a moment, before responding.
N: I told you I hate waiting. ;)
N: In all seriousness, I promise I'm good. You're just a distracting woman, Waverly Earp.
A few moments were filled with Sheriff Nedley talking about some sort of report that he thinks they focus too much on as a department, and should phase out over time or limit its uses or something of that nature. Nicole really wasn't listening to him. She was too focused on the three moving dots on her conversation with Waverly. Until the response finally came through.
W: Well, IDK if this will make you feel better or worse, but I've overflowed four beers this week and dropped two lunch plates and a bus tray. So you aren't the only one distracted. ;)
W: It'd be funny if Gus weren't at her wit's end about my "waste" this week!
Nicole snorted, laughing, and then glanced up, seeing Waverly step out from the back kitchen with two dishes in her hands as she approached the two of them, stoic look on her face.
"Black and Bleu Burger with fries for you Sheriff, and a Southwest Chicken Wrap with maple sweet potatoes, for you, Officer. Oh, and I had the chef give you an extra side of maple syrup. Since you've been craving that sugar… I'd hate to leave you wanting for too long."
Nicole's heart started racing as her smile grew, looking back at the proud, triumphant look Waverly was giving her.
"Why thank you, Miss Earp. That sure is kind of you to think of me like that."
Waverly simply nodded, picked up a few empty plates from nearby diners and then disappeared into the back while Nicole and Nedley dug into their meals. A few moments later, Nicole's phone vibrated again.
W: That's not the only way I've been thinking of you.
Nicole almost choked on her wrap as she read Waverly's text, and immediately set the phone face down, knowing that Sheriff Nedley could never see that message.
A minute or two later, Waverly again emerged from the back, avoiding eye contact with the two officers and instead making the rounds to all of the patrons at tables, bussing dishes and taking new drink orders.
Near the end of Nicole's meal, Waverly finally ended up behind the bar again, pulling a few beers and pouring shots for the resident alcoholics in the bar. Nicole's eyes tracked her the entire time, watching her flow from task to task, effortlessly. Waverly looked so comfortable behind the bar at Shorty's, and it reminded Nicole of part of their drunken conversation Sunday night, when Waverly begrudgingly told Nicole she had worked at Shorty's for almost four years.
"I've been there for almost half a decade. I feel like I started as a favor to Gus and Shorty when I was in high school because they needed a little bit of help, and now I practically run the place, and I'm never going to break free. I can't ditch them. They raised me… I can't quit. I'm just stuck." She had said.
Nicole sighed, thinking about all the ways she wanted to pull Waverly from the life she'd been stuck in for years.
Nicole's meal ended uneventfully, Waverly simply swinging by twice near the end to grab Nedley's credit card and then return the slips to sign. Their eye contact was again fleeting, and Nicole make a conscious effort to not make things more awkward than they had to be. As the two of them left, she whipped out her phone to shoot off one ill-advised text.
N: Thanks for a great lunch—you're so good at what you do. Can't wait to see you find what comes when you break free of Shorty's.
Nicole was more than aware of what her text was implying—a future. A future seeing Waverly take on a life beyond bartending. But, given Waverly's forward texts from earlier, she believed it was okay.
But then… Nicole didn't hear anything from Waverly. She got no response, all day. And the younger woman definitely never came back by the police station. Nicole started second guessing her last text, and wondering if she should send something else, but she ultimately decided against it.
Hours later, as the clock approached 6:30, Wynonna peeked her head into the police station lobby from the hall. Nicole gave her a questioning look, but was far too familiar with Wynonna's shenanigans to really question her.
"Is Dolls in here?" she finally whisper-shouted to Nicole.
"No ma'am… it's just me. Haven't seen Dolls since this morning." Nicole thought a moment, "Actually, last I saw him he was looking for you. Been avoiding your boss, eh?"
Wynonna rolled her eyes and she sauntered into the lobby. "He was mad I was so late this morning. I told him I was in no shape to be seen in public, much less wielding a gun, but he just lectured me on responsibility and reliability and I tuned him out. Nothing exacerbates a hangover like a nag." She snorted.
"I see," Nicole said, simply, taking in the older Earp more fully, having a new appreciation for her and what she and Waverly had been through, after all Waverly had shared on Sunday.
"Well, I actually came in here to invite you out tonight with me and Dolls and Doc? Shorty's, 9:00pm."
"Aren't you avoiding Dolls for being hungover from last night? Now you're going drinking with him tonight?" Nicole asked, with a laugh.
"Yeah, well, his scolding was only half-hearted. And I'm avoiding him now because he wanted me to finish something before I leave, but he's already agreed to go out tonight. He probably thinks he'll be able to slow me down. Hah." Wynonna laughed to herself.
"Alright… well yeah, that sounds fun," Nicole said, excitedly. A social night out with friends sounded like the exact thing she needed. "Thanks for the invite!"
"Sure thing, Haught-Stuff. I know you play for a different team, but I could still use some extra estrogen to balance out those two meatheads. You're one of the only ladies I know who can hold their own around them."
"What about Waverly?" Nicole asked, trying to not seem too interested.
"Good question. I called texted her earlier, and after waiting a very patient twenty minutes and getting no reply, I called Shorty's. Gus said she asked for the rest of the day off and took off right after the lunch rush. Who knows what she's getting into. Probably heard about some new Latin book that just came in at the library two towns over." Wynonna rolled her eyes, smiling, to show that she really loved her younger sister.
"Oh, okay…" Nicole said in response, mind churning. "I sent her running from her actual job. Way to go, Haught," she thought to herself, stomach sinking to her toes
When Nicole looked up, she realized Wynonna was giving her an odd look, wondering where her head had just gone. Nicole tried to brush it off, and just said, "Okay, yeah, so I'll see you around 9 tonight!"
"Alright, Haught…" Wynonna said, dripping with skepticism as she slinked down the hallway and back towards the Black Badge Lair, as they so affectionately had begun calling it.
Nicole sat back, and looked up at the clock. It was almost seven, so she figured she should head home to change and eat dinner before meeting up with Wynonna and the guys later. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she had butterflies in her stomach, and was tangibly nervous. She had never really hung out with Wynonna and Doc and Dolls. Of course, she had spent time with them, but not intentionally at a social setting—not like they would tonight.
She tried to silence her mind on the drive home and focus on being able to have fun that night, but she of course, kept thinking of Waverly and their flirty, odd lunch.
As Nicole pulled into the Shorty's parking lot later that evening, the clock read 9:18. Her shower and dinner at home had done little to calm her nerves or anxiety over the night ahead of her, or the uncertainty surrounding her and Waverly. If there even is a "her and Waverly" to be anxious about.
She stepped out of her truck, glancing at her reflection in the side mirror and adjusting her jacket. She glanced down to give herself a once-over, finding contentment that she looked as good as she could. She had knee-high, copper brown leather boots on, over dark jeans, with a light gray t-shirt and a leather jacket that matched the boots. She straightened her hair and wore faint eyeliner and clear lipgloss—the most make-up she ever generally wears. She tugged on the bottom of the jacket one more time and walked towards the heavy door of the bar, opening it and taking a moment or two for her eyes to adjust to the slightly smoky, darkness of the bar. She looked around for a few moments before she heard "OFFICER HAUGHT-STUFF!" from the back right corner, and noticed Wynonna standing up, waving both hands up in the air with a crazy grin on her face, as if Nicole wouldn't have found them at that point.
Nicole laughed, and made her way across the bar to the trio at the corner, round booth.
"Hey y'all, sorry I'm a bit late."
"Oh, now, honey, I don't reckon I've ever been upset with a beautiful woman for making a grand entrance," Doc drawled.
Nicole couldn't help but laugh as Wynonna hit him in the chest.
"I said no creepiness, Doc!" Wynonna growled at him.
"Naw, Wynonna, it's alright. A girl could do worse than to be objectified by Doc, here," Nicole replied, winking at Doc.
"See, now that's why I like you, Haught-Stuff. You really can handle these two yokels," Wynonna patted the booth seat next to her, indicating Nicole should sit next to her. Dolls rolled his eyes, welcoming Nicole with a wide smile and a nod.
Nicole slid in as Wynonna poured a new beer from the pitcher in the middle of the table and slid it over to her.
The conversation amongst the group was light and easy, mainly consisting of Doc telling hilarious stories and Wynonna mocking Doc, Dolls, and others in the bar, too. Nicole spent most of the time laughing at the others, occasionally offering up a sarcastic jab or a follow-up question or two. The drinks went down easy, and the four of them blew through a couple rounds of shots and a few pitchers.
After almost two hours, as the clock drew closer to midnight, the soft chatter amongst the group was waning. That is, until Wynonna pierced the ambiance of the room with a drunkenly, excited, "Baby girl! You came!"
All heads in the room, Nicole's included, turned abruptly to the door, where Waverly Earp was failing to slink into Shorty's, unnoticed.
Thanks to Wynonna's outburst, virtually the entire bar—all familiar with Waverly's 'smile and wave' from behind the bar—were hootin' and hollerin' at her, offering low whistles and catcalls amidst the more modest nods and 'Hey Wave!'s from the regulars.
Notably, Nicole stayed silent, unsure of how to greet Waverly. Apparently she wasn't the only one.
"Oh! Nicole!" Waverly said, visibly surprised as she reached their table.
"Hey, Waverly," Nicole responded, slightly uncertain.
"I… I didn't know you were going to be here," Waverly paused. She looked to Wynonna, meaningfully, "Wynonna invited me to join for 'drinks with the guys,'" she finished, sighing and shaking her head with a smile, looking at Nicole apologetically.
Nicole chuckled, breaking eye contact with Waverly to glare at Wynonna. Wynonna shrugged, and Nicole redirected her gaze back to Waverly.
"You'd think the boobs would give me away," Nicole said, offering an exaggerated shrug.
Doc and Dolls both audibly laughed, and Waverly sputtered, trying to avert her eyes from Nicole, "Yeah, you'd think…"
Nicole grinned, having caught Waverly staring at her chest after her statement. Nicole and Wynonna both raised an eyebrow at Waverly… almost as if they had coordinated it.
"What?! As if any of you are going to disagree with her statement?" she said, defensively.
All occupants of the table averted their eyes, shamed and willing to drop the topic.
Waverly winked at Nicole after everyone looked away. Nicole rolled her eyes at Waverly and blushed.
Quickly, Nicole realized that Waverly needed room to sit, and she waved everyone to scoot over, offering Waverly the edge seat of the round booth, conveniently next to her. She internally smiled and warmed as Waverly sat down, side flush to the officer.
"Wait a second—you're not slinking out of this, Waverly. Where have you been all day?" Wynonna asked.
Waverly calmly reached for the pitcher, "None of your business," she said, pouring herself a beer.
Wynonna snorted and started to ask a follow-up question, but the glare from the younger Earp cut her off, promptly.
A bit of innocuous conversation passed until Wynonna turned her gaze to Nicole, bluntly asking, "What about you, Haught-y? Got any ladies in your life I should be vetting?"
There was a curious pause, where both Nicole and Waverly caught their breath. Nicole ultimately spoke, as quickly as she could.
"None you need to vet," Nicole paused, fighting off a smile, "… just one I'm waiting on. Luckily, I'm patient."
Wynonna grunted and immediately started asking follow-up questions, determined to crack the code.
Nicole deflected each question artfully, ultimately frustrating Wynonna into an irritated silence. Dolls and Doc stared on in awe, thoroughly impressed with Nicole's ability to side-step Wynonna's antics.
"I do believe I may have underestimated you, Ms. Haught," Doc said, offering Nicole a 'cheers' gesture and a tip of his head. Nicole laughed. Wynonna kept pouting.
"Okay, fine, Dolls—you're up," Wynonna finally said. "You need a wing-woman or you already got an old lady at home?"
The look on Dolls' face made clear he would not be entertaining Wynonna's questions, and Wynonna threw her hands up, feigning a stick-up.
"Fine, fine, fine. You are all terrible friends for not sharing with me," she huffed.
"Well what about you, Wynonna?" Nicole asked. "Or Docs—you got any news to spill?"
Waverly and Dolls both immediately began stifling laughter, knowing about the heretofore unspoken "arrangement" between Doc and Wynonna. Nicole—to her credit—was not trying to put them on the spot. She genuinely had no idea.
Wynonna and Doc both went ghost-white and fell totally silent, making awkward eye-contact with the other, trying to figure out a way out of the situation. Mercifully, Waverly took control of the situation.
"How about we all quit prying into each other's lives, and play a game instead?"
You could hear Wynonna exhale, relieved that her little sister had pulled her from the inevitable embarrassment. Nicole, though, was still clueless and trying to figure out what had just happened.
While Dolls and Wynonna began arguing over what game was best for five people, Nicole glanced at Waverly, hoping for an explanation. Waverly reached over, hand running Nicole's thigh as the smaller girl leaned over to whisper in her ear. Nicole froze, eyes darting to the soft hand on her leg, light blue nail polish sparkling. She closed her eyes when she felt Waverly's warm breath against her ear and her neck, a whisper of words anchoring her.
"Wynonna and Doc… are kind of… involved…" she said, softly. She squeezed Nicole's thigh, silently asking her to look at her. "With each other—but they think no one knows."
Nicole swallowed, nodding almost imperceptibly, not daring to break the fresh eye contact with Waverly. They stared at one another for what was likely an inappropriate amount of time, Waverly's thumb gently stroking the outside of Nicole's thigh, Nicole barely blinking. Finally, Wynonna broke them from their reverie with a brash, "Earth to Waves!" and the slam of an empty shot glass on the wooden table.
"Oh… yeah?" she breaks off eye contact with Nicole and turns her attention to her sister.
"I asked if you had a deck of cards in your old loft upstairs? I want to play a little poker?"
"Ummm… Yeah, I think I probably do. I'll go see."
All too quickly, Waverly gave Nicole's leg a light squeeze before pulling her hand back and moving from the booth towards the stairs. Nicole, trying to maintain her composure, took the opportunity to have a moment to herself.
"I'll go get us another round, yeah?"
"I knew I liked you," Wynonna winked at Nicole.
Nicole jokingly saluted towards Wynonna and then headed towards the bar. She found an opening between two sweaty older men, both of whom didn't hesitate to express their appreciation for Nicole when they saw her. She easily brushed them all off, waiting for Gus to come over to take her order.
After a moment or two, Nicole caught Gus's eye, and Gus gave her a huge smile.
"What can I get for ya, Officer?"
Nicole laughed. "Please, Gus, I'm out of uniform tonight. It's Nicole."
"Well alright, then, Nicole. I see you're here with my girls and Wynonna's two lap dogs. So lemme guess… a pitcher of cheap beer and a round of shots of good whiskey?"
"You sure do know Wynonna," Nicole said, laughing. "But I suppose you should, given how long you've looked after her."
Gus nodded and smiled, setting a full pitcher on a drink tray in the middle of a series of full shot glasses. Nicole pulled out her wallet and started counting out cash.
"Nicole, dear, these are on the house. But don't tell Wynonna, though. I never give her anything. She takes enough without me looking and when that sister of hers is working."
Nicole started to insist, but the look on Gus's face told her it would be futile, so she didn't try.
"Well thanks, Gus. I really appreciate it," she said, as she left a ten and a five as a tip before she turned back around. She heard Gus start to protest, but Nicole pretended she couldn't hear her.
By the time Nicole got back to the table, Wynonna was shuffling a deck of cards, and Waverly had scooted further into the booth, taking Nicole's prior spot. Nicole slid in, smoothly passing out the shots before pouring beers to everyone. Not surprisingly, Wynonna and Doc were bickering about whether she had sufficiently shuffled the cards after Doc was dealt a 7-2 on his first hand, to Wynonna's pair of Jacks. Dolls just chuckled between them.
As Nicole finished pouring the last beer, she realized Waverly was watching her.
"Can I help you, ma'am?" she asked, with a smile on her face, but not making eye contact.
"Looks like you already are," Waverly responded, taking the full beer from Nicole's hand—making sure to brush her fingers during the exchange—and taking a sip.
"You're just a really good person, ya know?" Waverly said, thoughtfully, to Nicole. She glanced to the others at the table, making sure they didn't overhear. They were fully engaged in the heads-up poker battle between Wynonna and Doc.
"You think so?" Nicole asked, inquisitively.
"I know so…" Waverly responded, her hand subtly finding Nicole's thigh again as a flirty smile and twinkle in her eye crossed her face. "Even now, you're just taking care of everyone, filling all our cups, making sure no one else has to do it for themselves."
Nicole was blushing, and bowing her head, avoiding eye contact with Waverly. Tonight was getting to be too much for her. She had told Waverly she would wait—and boy, would she—but she couldn't keep doing this in the mean time. She couldn't so openly and unreservedly flirt and be flirted with when she knew it was wrong. Her heart and her mind couldn't handle it. She needed to silence them.
Nicole cleared a frog she didn't even know was in her throat, and then looked around the bar—seeking any solace from the roaming fingers on her leg, or the smoldering look she could feel from Waverly.
"Do you play pool?" she asked, seemingly out of nowhere.
Waverly's confident smirk dropped, but she maintained her gaze on Nicole. "Of course… I work in a bar… in Purgatory," she laughed. "Of course I play pool."
Before Waverly could comment further, Nicole had leapt from the booth, striding to the pool table in four quick steps, and reaching for the rack to set up a game.
Waverly looked at Wynonna and shrugged when Wynonna gave her a questioning look.
She pulled herself from the booth seat and followed Nicole to the pool table, watching her meticulously rack the balls and then chalk the tip of a pool cue. Nicole gestured towards the wall of cues for Waverly to pick one, but Waverly just motioned for Nicole to go ahead and break, taking the first shot.
Nicole nodded, offering a powerful break that pocketed two solid balls.
"Well, I guess we know what you'll be going for," Waverly offered, trying to lighten the mood. Nicole simply smiled and nodded, moving into position for her next shot.
Waverly exhaled to herself, growing concerned about Nicole's sudden distance. "Did I do something? Why is she acting like this?"
The two girls traded shots a few more times, neither having any success with their shots. Waverly kept watching Nicole, trying to catch her eye, to no avail. And after a few moments, Waverly moved around the pool table, trying to physically close the distance that had grown between them in such a short time. Nicole continued to ignore her.
"Did I do something?" Waverly finally blurted out when Nicole still looked away after missing a shot and diverting the turn to Waverly.
Nicole's head jerked up, looking fully at Waverly for the first time since their game had started.
"What? No…" Nicole shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, what makes you think that? No…"
Waverly shrugged, "You just… disappeared on me. I… I mean, we were talking and laughing and… I was having fun ," Waverly emphasized, "… and then you just… ghosted. And now you won't even look at me."
The two girls had gotten closer and closer to one another as Waverly spoke, Nicole's resolve dissolving as she saw the distress on Waverly's face and heard it in her voice.
Only a few feet separated the two, each casually playing with their pool cues and avoiding eye contact. Finally Nicole gathered some courage and reached out, gently touching Waverly's shoulder to get her attention without looking too obvious.
"Waves, I… I'm sorry. I'm not trying to ghost on you. I just… you asked me to wait on you, and even though we haven't really talked about exactly what that means… I'm hoping I really understand here, and I'm trying to be patient, but then you…" Waverly looked enthralled by what Nicole was saying, hanging on every word. It takes Nicole's breath away as she falls deeper into Waverly's gaze.
"I what, Nicole?"
"You…" she sighed, deeply, "… you look at me like that. And I'm just not sure I'm a strong enough woman to compose myself and wait—like you've asked—when you're touching my leg like you were and looking me like that."
Waverly nodded and took a small step closer to Nicole. She glanced around the bar, confirming that everyone—especially her sister—was too engrossed in their own conversations to notice the girls' proximity to each other.
"How am I looking at you, Nicole?" Waverly asked, low and intentionally, confidently maintaining eye contact with Nicole.
Nicole thought for a brief moment, a smile growing on her face. "Like Chloe looks at Beca in Pitch Perfect."
Waverly couldn't contain the laugh that tumbled from her lips, nodding her understanding.
"Well…" Waverly said, "… if I'm not mistaken, you're looking at me like that, too?"
"I don't think I've ever looked at you any other way," Nicole said, unequivocally.
Waverly gasped, slightly, at Nicole's admission, not expecting her to be so forthcoming.
"You do remember what you said about that, right? What you said about any woman you'd looked at like that?"
Nicole understood what Waverly was asking, and refused to allow her to break eye contact and look away, as Waverly was clearly trying to do. She mimicked her action from Monday morning, and placed a single finger under Waverly's chin, lifting her face to Nicole's so she could get her point across, clearly.
"I remember it perfectly—'I don't think I've ever looked at a woman that way if I wasn't completely into her.'" Nicole repeated, vividly remembering their conversation on Waverly's couch. There was a pause. "And?" Nicole asked, gently, but firmly trying to get a point across and intently keeping eye contact.
Waverly smiled, briefly, before turning away. "Just making sure," she said with a shrug, looking back toward the table.
Waverly lifted her pool cue and started lining up her next shot, well-aware that Nicole was still looking at her, a little dazed, but also a little still in surprised adoration.
"Oh, by the way?" Waverly asked, visual attention still focused on the cue ball.
"Yeah?" Nicole asks.
"Earlier today? When I went kind of MIA?" Waverly pulled her stick back, striking the cue ball firmly and sending the striped blue into a side pocket. She confidently brought the base of the stick to the ground, fully turning toward Nicole, who stared at her, curious and intent, with a questioning look.
"I was breaking up with Champ."