*Author's Note*
This is Modern AU one shot I wrote a while back for Tolbert and Jessa. I'm FINALLY posting it now since I've finally got a break from RL & work. YAY!
Well, have fun reading this one shot. And Happy 4th of July to my American peeps.
Meeting In The Summer Hills
The 4th of July festival was full of people from both sides of the Tug. It was being held in Kentucky since it was held in West Virginia the previous year. The fairground in Blackberry Creek was full of food stalls, game booths, and rides. The festival was just one step down from a carnival or a fair. It was an event that everyone from both sides of the Tug Fork River enjoyed. Since there wasn't much to do in either Pike County, Kentucky or Logan County, West Virginia the 4th of July Festival (any festival, carnival, or fair for that matter) was the place everyone went for the day. It was the only source of entertainment in two counties that were full of nothing, but small towns and maybe a movie theater, country bar, tavern, or bowling alley. Come to think of it, only one county had a bowling alley.
One of the people roaming around the festival was Tolbert McCoy, a local moonshiner that mostly kept to himself. Well, he hung out with his brothers and cousins, but other than that he kept to himself. Eh, he was also friendly with the local country doctor's son, or was it his nephew? Anyways, ever since moving out to his own house a few years back, well, he'd mostly become a semi-hermit. He also had bad luck when it came to relationships, so that was also a factor in why he mostly kept to himself. He didn't want to get hurt.
He'd just gotten a beer from a drink stall and wasn't paying attention when he turned around, causing him to bump into a girl. She let out a 'omph' as she wobbled on her feet, causing him to balance her by grabbing her elbow with his free hand. "Sorry 'bout that." He apologized while staring at the dark-haired girl in front of him. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"It's okay, Tolbert." She assured him with a smile. "I'm Jessa, Jessa George. Your family had mine over for dinner a few Sundays back cause we just moved here." She explained to Tolbert since he had a blank and confused look on his face.
"Ah…" He nodded, causing his ginger-colored hair to rustle against jawline. His parents hated that he was growing it out and felt that he needed to keep it cut short like the rest of the men in their family (minus his Cousin Squirrel, who had a mix between a bad combover and a mullet). "Ain't your poppy a new teacher or something in town?" Tolbert asked while gesturing to Jessa to follow him if she wanted to talk.
"Yea. He's a professor at the University of Pikeville."
"Professor, teacher, same thing." Tolbert shrugged before taking a swig from his beer bottle.
"No, Tolbert's, it's not." Jessa said, causing Tolbert to roll his stormy blue eyes. "Professors teach college students and usually have PhDs or Masters. Some, like law professors or medical professors, used to be lawyers and doctors." The ark-haired girl explained, further proving her point about the difference between professors and teachers.
"Ah…" Tolbert nodded his head. Honestly, he didn't give a shit about what she was saying about college professors. Didn't do him any good. "So, where's your poppy at? Can't imagine him lettin' ya roam 'round a festival yer new at all alone."
"He's talking with your poppy and some other guys. Some lawyers, I think."
"Ah, Perry Cline and Brenton Landon." Tolbert nodded, supplying the names of the lawyers (well only one was a lawyer and the other was a legal assistant), as he sipped his beer with Jessa by his side. "Yer gonna be 'lone for a while then. 'Tween Perry and Brenton, well, they can talk yer goddamn ears off for hours."
"Oh, so I guess I'm stuck hanging out with you then."
"Reckon you can if ya want, but frankly I think I'm too old for ya." Tolbert gruffly deadpanned.
Jessa narrowed her indigo eyes at Tolbert. If she was a superhero, he'd been zapped with laser vision. Her tone was flat and tight as she snapped, "I'm not asking you out on a date, Tolbert. Hell, our parents are neighbors. We're just talking and walking around a festival."
The ginger let out a deep, long sigh, before looking at the young woman next to him and explaining, "You haven't been in the Tug long, so ya don't know how people be. Hell, bet a few of the old church bitties are gossipin' up a storm; havin' us plannin' a weddin' or some horseshit."
"Oh, gossip's that crazy here?" Jessa asked, one of her brows arched up curiously. She wasn't from a small town, so she had no idea how Pike County, Logan County, and all the counties inbetween were when it came to the local gossip mill. A mill that spread over multiple counties and states.
Tipping his beer bottle at the petite raven-haired girl, Tolbert warned, "Yep, and you just happen to be strollin' wit' the Crazy McCoy. So, prepare yerself t'hear yer name all ov'r the gossip mill t'morra."
"I think I can risk hearing my name all over the gossip mill tomorrow if it means making a new friend today." Jessa smiled at Tolbert as they passed by some people, who sure enough looked at them with wide-eyes and started to waggle their tongues.
Tolbert didn't mean to spend the day with the neighbor girl, but he reckoned he lost track of time. Despite her being around his sister Roseanna's age, he found her easy to talk to; she was easy to be around too. He felt comfortable around her, which unnerved him since he never felt that way around people let alone a girl.
Soon enough, dusk was getting ready to fall. There was still plenty of time before the fireworks would start, most likely a couple of hours, but the sky was starting to turn a smokey violet shade as the sun started to disappear in a bright glow of orangey pink. "You wanna find yer poppy? I mean I'm sure you're prolly sick an' tired of spendin' yer day with me."
"No, I don't want to find him." Jessa shook her head. "In fact, I actually enjoy spending my day with you." She revealed with a blush, taking Tolbert by surprise.
Well, that was a first for him. Usually girls complain about his company; said he was too moody, gruff, or unpleasant.
"Honestly, back in Tulsa I was always out with my best friend and her creepy ass boyfriend at downtown celebrations and fireworks. My dad was always too busy having his affairs. Him playing doting dad now's a joke."
"Ah…I see…so the 'Dad of the year' bullshit was just him puttin' on a real good show for Sunday dinner."
"Yea." Jessa nodded. "As long as I get home safely, he won't care. Hell, I bet he's probably looking for a new girlfriend right now."
"Yer mama's death wasn't as hard of a blow on him, was it?" Tolbert asked, suspecting now that half of the bullshit Mr. George said was lies. Well, Professor George told the McCoy family (or at least the ones at the adult's table) during Sunday dinner that his grief was so bad over his wife's sudden death that he decided to move out of Tulsa and the family home. That's the reason why he relocated to Pikeville and took up a job teaching at the college.
"No, it wasn't." Jessa shook her head. Not wanting to continue with the subject they were talking about, Jessa looked at Tolbert and asked, "So, where's the best spot to see the fireworks?"
"There's a ridge high up on a hill that overlooks town. You can see for miles up there; it's the best spot to see fireworks if you don't wanna be stuck in a crowd."
"Okay, then let's go."
"You sure you want to go up there with me? Folks are gonna gossip, Jessa." Tolbert asked, concern swimming in his stormy blue eyes. He didn't want her getting a bad reputation because of him. Both sides of the Tug looked down on him; said he was crazy and he didn't want that to tarnish Jessa since she was new in town.
"I'm sure." Jessa told him, only to add in with a smile, "Nothing wrong with seeing the fireworks from the best view with a new friend."
A new friend. Well, they both needed a friend in their lives. She was new in town, and he only ever hung out with family.
"Let's go." Tolbert commanded, his voice velvety smooth, as he began to led the way towards the parking lot his beat up Dodge truck was in.
Side by side, as dusk began to settle, Tolbert and Jessa headed towards his truck. Anybody who saw them quickly flagged down somebody to gossip with. Nobody could believe it, that the new girl in town who looked nice and respectable was leaving the 4th of July festival with Tolbert McCoy, the gruff moonshiner that had a fly off the handle temper.