Just One, Maybe [OPEN]

[Christopher Reed/ Mia Reed]

Thoughts flew around in his head as he drove to the local club. It really couldn't be classified as a bar because students were allowed there. Putting the truck in park he killed the Ford's engine and hopped out. He left Mia asleep as it was ten o'clock, Chris had told his daughter where he was going and that she had Bleu there to protect her. Pulling open the door the twenty-two year old entered the Boot Scootin' Boogie. Taking a seat at the bar he order a beer. Showing the bartender his ID, he hardly looked under twenty-one but he guessed it was something that was a must here. Pressing the bottle up to his lips Chris took a long drink. Cupping his face in his hands, the stress was getting to him. Although he had only had Mia for two years it was getting harder and harder everyday, or at least that was what it seemed like. Another long swig left the glass bottle half full. A song by Brooks & Dunn boomed out of the speakers. Multiple adults danced happily, Chris chuckled quietly to himself as he saw the carelessness in their faces. At this age most would think he would have that look played out upon his face all the time, well those most were wrong. Looking down at his beer he still hadn't decided how many he would have downed by the end of the night. So far it was only one, but then again he had only been there for ten minutes.

[Hope Warner]

Hope Warner

"Goodnight Grace honey," Hope whispered softly to her pretty paint mare, massaging her neck with sure fingers. "I know it's new, but it will be nice here I promise. We can go for a ride tomorrow, but right now I need to relax a little bit baby," Stepping softly out of Grace's new stall,the young blonde smiled and scratched the mares head once more as her dark head followed her out, before shooting the bolt on the door home. Moving to the stall just down the isle, she repeated the ritual with her big chestnut mare, promising that Blue Ridge would be a nice place for all of them.

With almost a heavy heart, Hope left the barn, she loved spending time with her horses. Both Lucy and Grace had heard her deepest secrets and kept them faithfully. The eventer did have to have some down time however, and she fully planned on having a drink or two before going to bed.

Exiting the large building into the rapidly darkening world, Hope shivered, she hated winter. It was too cold and too dark, the only storms that came through were snow storms, not fun. A loud yip jerked her from her thoughts as she approached her pickup.

Inside the dark Chevy, Joker had her red front paws on the dashboard, watching Hope come closer with excitement. She hated being left in the truck alone, but with the strict no dogs rule at the barn, Hope had no other choice but to leave the heeler in a safe place.

Pushing the riled up dog back into the passenger seat Hope shivered again and blasted the hot air into the old tuck. Granted Jasper, her affectionate name for it, was getting on in years, and pulled to the right any time the speedometer went over sixty, but she loved it. It was her home away from home and Hope was pretty sure that Joker felt that way too. "You're staying home tonight," she said sternly to the dog. She couldn't keep a straight face though and ruffled her red freckled ears, "Come on then,"

---

Nearly an hour later, Jasper gasped and choked out a cloud of black smoke in front of the town bar, making Hope cringe. She would have to get a new transmission most likely. Just one more thing to add to the To-Do list.

Jumping out, the neon lights of the bar caught on her horse head earrings and shiny belt. Her prim, proper barn clothes had been replaced with Wranglers, a plaid shirt and a pair of scuffed up cowboy boots she got for her eighteenth birthday. She might have been an Eventer, but her Western roots had a way of sowing through.

The room was packed when she opened the door, and for a moment, a wave of fear flickered over her. What was she doing?! It passed on however as she recognized some people from the barn there. She had no clue who they were, but seeing even a slightly familiar face helped.

Walking up to the bar, she pulled up a stool and showed the bar tender her ID, "Whiskey, neat" she called over the Brooks & Dunn song.

Glancing across the table, she saw a guy she thought was vaguely familiar sitting just a few stools away. She smiled shyly and looked away, taking a sip of the fiery drink that had been deposited in front of her.