"What are you doin' here?" Isabella grumbled when she saw the oldest Miller son walk into the bar with a smile on his face. She was happy to see her tone had thrown him as his smile faltered and his walk had less swagger.
"I just came in to say hello," he tried to sound confident as he sat down on one of the bar stools, ignoring the curious faces of a few of the regulars.
"Okay… hello," she responded, crossing her arms in front of her chest when he gave her a smile. "Tatum ain't here, so what else d'you want?" she added when he looked like he was about to start on the weather. She hated small talk as it was, and she couldn't figure out what Aaron's deal was.
"Oh…" he stammered. "I ain't here for her…"
Isabella took him in, his blue eyes never leaving her face, almost looking at her pleadingly when she sighed. "What do you want from me, Aaron?" she asked, wondering why on earth he was being pleasant with her. She hadn't forgotten the comment he'd thrown her sister's way, or the way the redhead had questioned why he was only giving her a hard time.
"Nothin'… I mean, I just wanted to see how you were handlin' workin' at the bar, since…" his voice trailed off, not wanting to say David's name out loud.
"I'm handlin' just fine," she said. "So, if that's all…" she dismissed him, pouring old Murphy another beer when she saw him finish his third.
"Isabella…" Aaron started, but his voice got caught in his throat when she turned to him.
"You can't be a jackass to my sister and expect me to ignore that," she told him sternly, at which he, to her surprise, nodded like a kid caught with his hand in the candy jar. She fought a smile when she heard old man Murphy chuckle quietly, pretty sure he hadn't seen anyone put Aaron Miller in his place and him taking it quietly. It did make her wonder again why he wasn't being his obnoxious self.
"Yeah… sorry…" he stammered, looking startled when she suddenly laughed.
"Aaron Miller apologisin' to a Tennant, I never thought I'd see the day," she chuckled, and he couldn't help but smile, too.
His heart was racing when he once again realised how wonderful she looked smiling. "Don't get used to it," he managed to respond teasingly, making her laugh again.
"What can I getcha?" Isabella asked after a few seconds, gesturing at the bar. She didn't necessarily want him to stay long or whatever, but given how he could've responded to her lecture, she wanted to keep him on their side.
Tatum sank into her chair happily, feeling the sun on her cheeks as she watched it set behind the town. She hadn't been able to stop smiling the last few weeks, with Sean almost permanently on her mind. She couldn't wait to see him as soon as he left, and her already out of control hormones were only making that worse; more than once she'd had to stop herself from completely throwing herself at him, which was a little embarrassing to say the least. But Sean had only minimally teased her, enjoying those moments a little too much himself. She rocked herself in the chair, hoping she'd get to see him tomorrow, when she noticed that her sister had turned the radio on inside.
Every time we have to say goodbye, I'm counting down until we say hello. Every touch is like the strongest drug, I don't know how much longer I can go. I never had something that I can't walk away from.
The redhead smiled to herself again, her thoughts back on Sean, rubbing her bump when she felt the by now familiar flutter of her baby moving. She felt a tiny foot or hand push back and smiled; she still couldn't get used to that sensation or the idea that there was actually a tiny person growing inside of her. Tatum quickly took a selfie, showing off her ever-growing bump and sent it to Sean, but then she put her phone away to continue enjoying the moment, rubbing her bump again.
When it comes to you, no, I ain't got no patience. There's something 'bout you girl I just can't fight. You're like that cigarette, that shot of 100 proof. No matter how much I get, I'm always craving. That feeling when we kiss, the way your body moves. No matter how much I get, I'm always craving you.
"Hey Aaron, turn it up a little, I like the sound of this song," Sean said from the backseat. His brother glanced at him in the mirror a little suspiciously, as he'd been in a rather good mood recently. The younger Miller tapped his fingers along to the song as he looked out the window.
All the in-between is killing me. You know I come unglued from missing you. Sunset eyes, no, I don't have to try, because you know exactly what to do. I never had something that I can't walk away from (walk away from). But, girl, my self-control's so paralyzed.
Sean's thoughts immediately went to his new girlfriend and he couldn't help smiling to himself.
There's something 'bout you I just can't fight. You're like that cigarette, that shot of 100 proof. No matter how much I get, I'm always craving. That feeling when we kiss, the way your body moves.
"What are you smilin' about? You've been in such a good mood recently," Aaron commented now, thinking his brother was behaving a little odd lately and not sure what to make of it.
"I'm just in a good mood, nothin' more," came his answer from the backseat.
"Austin, you believe him?" the driver asked their friend now. The Sheriff had been sat quietly in the front seat, also listening to the song and thinking of the other Tennant sister. They'd spent increasingly more time together over the last few weeks and it was getting harder not to always have her on his mind.
Craving you. Every time we have to say goodbye, I'm counting down until we say hello. Every touch is like the strongest drug, I don't know how much longer I can go.
"Not really, but everyone's allowed a good day," Austin commented, glancing over his shoulder. Sean gave him a shrug and a conspiratorial wink before returning to thoughts of Tatum. The Sheriff made a mental note to ask him about it later.
No matter how much I get, I'm always craving. That feeling when we kiss, the way your body moves.
"Have you started seein' someone?" Aaron asked, glancing in the mirror again. The topic of the song and his brother's behaviour did match up; he looked like he was thinking of a girl.
"Nope," Sean said, his gaze still on the scenery outside so he wouldn't have to look his brother in the eye and lie to him outright. He mentally apologised to Tatum for denying their relationship, but now was not the time or place to spill the beans on them.
Isabella stopped mopping the kitchen floor when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket.
'Thinking of you x', appeared on her screen under Austin's name.
She couldn't help blushing a little. It felt weird to have reached this kind of stage with him, after she thought for all those years that that would never happen. But, the more they'd hung out in recent weeks, the more comfortable they'd become around each other again. The silly thing was, it wasn't like they were going on fancy dates or doing much; half the time they were just hanging out at his place or he'd come round here. They didn't even necessarily talk that much, not all the time anyway. It was just nice to be around him, without him wanting anything from her or pushing her. And she hadn't had anything like that in… well, ever.
'Why? What are you up to? x,' she texted back and put her phone away to continue cleaning the kitchen.
"Need any help?" Tatum asked as she came into the house to go to the toilet; after filling her with joy, the baby had started using her bladder as a punching bag.
"No, I'm good," Isabella said simply, ignoring the buzz in her pocket. She didn't want to give her sister any ammunition to teasingly sing 'Austin & Izzy, sittin' in a tree', which she'd done a couple of times now when she'd mentioned they'd been hanging out.
"Phew, I was just bein' polite," the redhead chuckled before actually going to the bathroom. Her sister laughed as well, now taking out her phone.
'Just with the guys but heard a song that reminded me of you x,' Austin sent back, as if it was that simple. She put her phone away to think about what to send back to that. 'Can I come by tonight? x,' a second text appeared.
"What are we doin' tonight?" Tatum's voice made her jump, as if she'd read the text as well, which she couldn't possibly have from over there.
"Oh, well, Austin asked if he could come by tonight," Isabella said honestly. As much as she didn't want to give her sister the wrong idea, she did want to hang out with her new old friend.
"Cool," the redhead nodded with a shrug. She padded into the kitchen, around the still wet bits that the brunette had mopped, to find something to eat.
'Yes x,' Isabella text back simply and continued mopping, ignoring her sister's humming in case she was teasing her again.