Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Carded

CARTER

The got to Red’s Tavern a little after 8pm, and when they arrived, the crowded parking lot assured Carter they would have no trouble finding a crowd. While there were multiple bars catering to the drunk college kids who’d drive out here from the nearby college, he knew locals frequented Red’s as well. It wasn’t a chain, and the owner was a second generation local.

Carter didn’t expect there to be any parking in the actual lot, but he did a pass anyway to assure himself the place was as crowded as he hoped. No Tharon bounty hunter would be picking the two of them out of a crowd of rowdy college kids this size. He and Allison would blend right in, though, as he glanced at Allison again, he suspected she’d catch a lot of eyes.

Damn, would she. Particularly those of anyone who liked women and had a pulse. Her outfit came right up on the very liberal dress code without violating it, but she was obviously comfortable wearing it in public. Who was he to second guess?

It was always a little unnerving to know half the place would be checking out his girl the moment he stepped in, but he understood. If he was any of them, he’d look too. And no matter how much anyone else stared at Allison, he was the one going home with her.

Also, she would be far for the only attractive and lightly-dressed woman at Red’s tonight. Carter had been here several times with Rick, his drug-smoking  coworker from Subway, and actually hadn’t been back in months because of the visible temptation. He hadn’t been willing to violate his “don’t draw some poor girl into your fugitive bullshit” rule, and so he’d had nothing to do but glance at pretty women without ever buying them a drink.

Tonight was different. Tonight, he had Allison, and he was determined to show her a good time. She hadn’t traveled across the galaxy to hide in some druggie’s apartment.

In the end, they had to park almost two blocks from Red’s and on the street, but at least they managed to avoid parking in front of someone’s  house. That was always rude. Carter got as close to a streetlight as he could, just to put some light on the car, and did a reflexive check to make sure nothing valuable was visible. Not that he owned anything valuable.

After they hopped out, he belatedly realized he hadn’t brought a jacket. He wasn’t cold, but wearing as little as she was, Allison might be.  As she looked to him for direction, he hurried around to the passenger side.

“Hey, I’m an idiot. You gonna be warm enough?”

Her eyes widened in concern. “Why are you an idiot?”

“Before we left, I was too busy staring at your chest to remember you might get cold.”

She laughed and took his arm. “I will be fine, Carter. We only have a short walk, and while I am aware of cold, it does not bother me as it would another woman.”

“You’re sure.”

She patted his bicep and slipped her arm through his. “You care for my comfort is appreciated but unnecessary. Now, lead me to this bar and get me drunk while you ogle my tits.”

There was no sidewalk, unfortunately, so they skirted the edge of the line of cars on the street. Carter glanced over his shoulder from time to time to make sure no one who looked obviously drunk was driving up on them. He didn’t want either of them to get pasted to a car, though... would that even hurt Allison? As a shapeshifter, she’d probably be fine.

They were far from the only ones arriving at Red’s. Carter spotted a number of couples and a number of single folks, almost of all of them in the same age range as he and Allison. Some chatted in the lot, some smoked outside the doors, and even one particular ambitious couple was publically sucking face against a truck.

Carter hoped one of them owned that truck. He’d always been annoyed when people fooled around on or near his truck, even beat up as it was. His baby already had enough dents. It was too bad that, after he smashed his truck up in Texas, he’d never see it again.

There was a short line to get inside, and at least two guys in it visibly lost their train of thought as Allison arrived. That earned one a glare and a smack from his girlfriend, which both amused Carter and annoyed him a little. The pretty blond that guy was with was all sorts of gorgeous, so why was he checking out some other woman?

Maybe it was simply because Allison, being Allison, was impossible to ignore.

As they slipped into the line and she pressed close against him, Carter’s heart pounded with both pride and affection. Yes, Allison looked incredible tonight, and yes, she was out here on a date with him. He felt like the guy who got to take out the prom queen.

Soon enough they reached the door, where the bouncer, a tall dark-haired guy in a black shirt and jeans with a build close to Carter’s, was checking IDs. He looked younger than Carter expected, probably not too far out of college himself. Likely a local. Red hired locals.

Carter could flash his license and get in without trouble, but what about Allison? He only now realized she had no sort of ID. How had he forgotten that? Could they even get her in?

The bartender barely glanced at his ID. He did, however, look at Allison expectantly. It wasn’t lecherous. He was probably trying to decide if he should card her.

“License?” he asked pointedly.

Shit. As Carter glanced at her, Allison batted her gorgeous green eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t have it, but I am 21 years old. You see, I had nowhere to carry a license in, well... this.”

The bouncer shook his head. “Sorry, but I can’t let you in without some sort of ID. We’re 18 and up right now. Do you have a college ID you can show me?”

Of course. The bar allowed anyone 18 and up inside because it catered to college students. Yet even though Allison looked about the right age, she had no proof. And because this town did have a high school, the bouncers had to be careful who they let in.

This bouncer wasn’t being a dick. Carter fully understood why he couldn’t let them in. Even so, this unexpected yet completely avoidable setback crushed his hopes.

He’d had their whole date planned out—drink a few beers, throw a few darts, maybe have a stupidly sexy game of pool as she leaned over to hit balls and he stared at her cleavage... but none of that could happen now. Where would they go?

Allison stared plaintively. “Can you make an exception? This is a special night for us.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in without an ID. Now move, please.” The bounced waved them away. He had just looked to the next couple in line when a loud, male voice rang out.

“Oh shit!” a man yelled. “Carter? Is that you, bro? And who is that effing hottie?”

Carter clenched his fists and did his best not to turn around. This night, previously perfect, had taken a nosedive when he forgot about Allison’s ID, and it was now going to get much worse. The voice behind him, of course, belonged to his often absent Subway co-worker.

Rick had spotted him.

“Dude! Over here! I’m right behind you, bro!”

Allison turned before Carter could stop her, then waved. “Hello there! Have we met?”

No choice now. Allison had already committed them to acknowledging that Rick existed. Carter gently guided her out of the line to get into Red’s—the bouncer was starting to look annoyed—and turned as well. His eyes widened involuntarily at the sight approaching.

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Rick was his usual slovenly self, dressed in an oversized souvenir football jersey, baggy khaki pants, and some beat up loafers. He was thinner and shorter than Carter, with a brown ponytail and scraggly beard.

The sight of Rick wasn’t what surprised him. It was the fact that Rick wasn’t alone.

A woman with long curls of brown hair, light brown skin, and dark eyes surrounded by smoky eyeshadow walked up to the tavern with Rick, seemingly voluntarily. She wore a low-cut red halter top and pants as tight as Allison’s shorts, but they ended halfway down her calves. She also wore red heels, which she was absolutely rocking right now.

Thankfully, she easily looked to be of college age. She was almost as slim as Allison and short even in her six inch pumps, which made her probably five feet without them. Still, the confidence she projected really worked for her. Her grin looked reckless.

As Rick and his—woman, really?—hurried over to join them, Allison stepped forward and extended her hand. “Hello there! I’m Allison. Are you two Carter’s friends?

Rick snatched Allison’s hand and, with annoying and overly dramatic theatricality, raised it to his lips. He kissed her knuckles. “An absolute pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Carter’s is a friend of mine. I am Rick, and I am here to make all your dreams come true.”

The brunette woman elbowed Rick hard enough he coughed and dropped Allison’s hand, which made Carter like her immediately. She grabbed Allison’s hand and shook it, still grinning. “I’d remember if I’d met you before, girl, because you are killing it in that top.”

“I am?” Allison asked.

“I’m Isabel, but everyone calls me Izzy unless I tell ‘em to stop.” She glanced Carter’s way. “And you’re Carter, huh? You make those awful sandwiches with Rick?”

He couldn’t help but engage with her friendly nature. “Whenever he shows up.”

Rick guffawed and shook his head. “That’s harsh, man! Real harsh. I have a condition.”

“Which is you always being high,” Izzy snarked. She lecherously eyed Carter up and down. “You didn’t tell me he was such a stud.” She grinned at Allison. “You go, girl.”

Allison laughed in obvious amusement. “Have I done well for myself?”

“Ladies, ladies!” Rick looked legitimately annoyed at the way both women were now openly ogling Carter, which pleased Carter to no end. “We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other better over beer and chips. Shall we head inside?”

Before Carter could say anything one way or the other, Allison looked crestfallen. “You intend to go into Red’s?”

Izzy’s immediately sympathetic frown made Carter’s respect for her jump another notch. “Hold up, are you two stuck out here? You get banned or something?”

“I do not have an ID,” Allison said. “I left mine at home.”

Izzy scoffed. “That’s all?” She looked to Rick. “Do your magic.”

He raised one eyebrow. “Oh, so now you appreciate me?”

Izzy walked over to slip her arms around his waist. “I always appreciate you, big man. Don’t get all huffy just ‘cause Carter’s hot. You’re still the man I’m banging tonight.”

Rick’s expression immediately softened, and Izzy reward him with a kiss. Carter was surprised by how earnest it all seemed. Rick had always seemed like a dick, especially after the way he treated the Allison they both worked with, but he seemed good enough to Izzy.

Rick looked up, a new expression of determination on his face. “Walk with me,” he said with ominous importance. He gripped Izzy’s hand and walked back the way he had come.

Izzy walked after him and beckoned. “Well, c’mon!”

Allison glanced at him hopefully. “Can we?”

While Carter really didn’t want to spend the night watching Rick drool all over Allison, Izzy seemed real nice. More importantly, was it possible Rick did have some way to get them into Red’s without Allison having an ID? It was worth checking out.

“Let’s chance it,” he agreed.

Allison hurried after Izzy, who was hurrying after Rick, which left Carter no choice but to follow. Once they’d turned the corner in the parking lot and were out of the view of the bouncer, Rick pulled a small cloth bag out of a pocket in his baggy khakis.

He dumped the bag out right there on the sidewalk, revealing a small clump of plastic cards. Carter frowned in surprise. Student IDs? Why was Rick carting so many of those around? Where had he even gotten all of these old IDs?

Rick glanced up at Allison and down at the pile. He flipped through the carsd with speed Carter couldn’t believe a guy this slow could manage. With a loud “Ah hah!” Rick grabbed an ID and rose, then offered it. “Behold, m’lady. Your new identity.”

She eagerly took the ID and glanced at it, then at him. “I am Valerie?”

“You are now,” Izzy said firmly, and smiled at Carter. “See? Magic man.”

Carter wanted to ask how Rick had pulled this off and decided it was better if he didn’t. He smiled at Izzy. “Thanks. You’re saving our asses.”

“Hey!” Rick said. “Who’s saving who here, exactly?” He gathered up the stack of plastic cards, stuffed them back into one of his many pockets, and patted it down. “A little appreciation would be nice. Aren’t we brothers-in-arms? Knights of the bread table?”

Allison clutched both hands together, facing directly toward Rick, and bowed low at the waist. “Thank you, Rick.”

The way Rick’s eyes widened at the sight of Allison’s cleavage lasted just enough for Izzy to smack him again, though she did it with a grin. “Stop staring, jackass! What happened to being subtle?”

Rick stood straight and tall. “I am never subtle,” he declared.

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