Next Time

Still refusing to look up, Hunter digests Katie's words. They left a more bitter taste than the coffee he was trying to keep down. 

He'd said he wanted a drink... not that he'd just had one. And what did she really care anyway? She knew he liked a good drink and she'd never complained before. So he'd had a few too many... so what? His plan was to go to the bar, do whatever he wanted, then get back to the ranch before he was even missed. He hadn't wanted to stir up trouble or get Katie out of bed. It had just... happened. And as far as respect went... well, okay, maybe he hadn't been very respectful. But it went both ways - she hadn't exactly shown respect by ordering him around. 

Leaning back in his seat, Hunter lets out a deep, long sigh. If it were anybody else, he'd ignore them. He'd keep up his walls, square his shoulders and walk away. But this was Katie. This was someone who cared, and she already knew half his story anyway. He might not be thinking totally clearly right now, but he did know that if he didn't tell her what happened, he'd be risking a lot more than an argument. 

"I couldn't sleep." That was nothing new. Unfortunately. "I had that same stupid nightmare and I just wanted to forget about it for a while." 

He fiddles with the cup in his hands, knowing that the coffee was doing him good, but really not wanting to drink any more. He takes a sip anyway. 

"So I came to town looking for a bar." He shrugs. "Figured I'd have a couple shots and leave, but... I guess I lost count." 

That was true. He had lost count. He'd alternated between shots of bourbon and glasses of beer, getting rowdy with some of the other guys who were there. He fit right in... like always. 

Another lame shrug is all he has to offer. Why he felt so guilty telling her all this, he just didn't know. So what if he'd drank too much? What did it really matter? Why should he care about telling Katie? Even if it didn't make sense... it still brought on the guilt. 

"I got into a fight with some other guy. All I'd done was pick up a girl's empty glass she'd dropped and her boyfriend thought I was hitting on her." Hunter waves a hand in the air. "And that was that. I had four guys on top of me - if I hadn't fought back, I woulda been beaten to a pulp so..." So he'd fought back alright. With everything he had. In addition to a couple chairs and broken beer bottles. Skill was on his side though, allowing him to walk away the victor as far as injuries went. Those four guys had paid for their willingness to fight. Hunter had walked away unscathed. 

"I guess I roughed a couple of 'em up pretty good and some things in the bar got knocked around. The cops got called. When they showed up I was..." 

His eyes were still glued to the table. He was drunk is what he'd been. It took quite a bit of alcohol to get him that far - Katie was right about him handling his liquor - but once drunk, he was out of control. "I suppose I was a handful," he concludes. She didn't need to know how much he'd fought the police officers, or that it had taken three of them just to get him through the door.

Taking another sip of coffee, he grimaces. If he finished the whole thing, would Katie let him drive? 

"So that's all it was. I got pulled downtown with the others, had one phone call and you know the rest." He nods. That was it. Yes, he'd turned to the bottle. Yes, he'd gotten drunk. Yes, he'd gotten in a fight. Yes, he'd gotten himself arrested. And that's all there was to it. 

"Next time I'll know better to avoid that bar."