The Best Man Pt. 01

Hi,

I'm having a bit of a clean out of my document folder so three parts of The Best Man are being submitted. It follows similar themes as The Wedding Crashers so if it wasn't for you it might be best to avoid it. At this stage there will be at least two and maybe three parts to come down the track. As with my most recent story I will be putting the tags at the start.

Just a reminder this is a work of fiction.

Cheers

CharlieB4

Tags. Australian, Rural, Flirting, Public Sex.

The Best Man Pt 1

After almost one hundred kilometres of dead straight road the signpost ahead said there was a right hand bend in five hundred metres. I looked at my wife sleeping in the passenger seat. I couldn't help but smile knowing I'd done pretty well for myself the second time around. The top two buttons of her blouse were undone giving me a tantalising glimpse of the tops of her breasts. A little wisp of her blonde hair flicked across her forehead as the breeze from the car's air conditioner caught it. Taking one hand off the wheel I gently nudged her leg.

"We're almost there."

Her eyes sprung open then closed again because of the afternoon sun. Her hand came up to shade them as she straightened in her seat and flicked the visor down.

"How long did I sleep?" Angelica asked in her trademark American drawl.

"About an hour I reckon."

"Wow, I passed out. Anything exciting happen?"

I waved my arm at the vast expanse of the Hay plain that stretched out either side of our car.

"Been like this most of the way. Just a few animals to break the boredom."

"Reminds me a bit of Texas."

"You're a long way from Texas honey."

We pulled around the sweeping bend and the outskirts of Belton were ahead of us. It was much as I remembered. The sparse trees on the golf course were bigger. There were some new larger houses on what had been tumble down rural blocks in my youth but nothing much else.

"Did we go past where you used to live while I was asleep?"

"No. Our farm was west of town. We could have a look out there tomorrow morning before the wedding if you want."

"Okay." Angelica replied as I turned into Main Street.

It was wide with a row of trees down the middle. It wasn't busy. I'm not sure the main thoroughfare through Belton would ever have been described as busy. Cars were parked in clumps around shops that were open. Most of the others had faded for lease or for sale signs in the windows. The street was dominated by three pubs. The Junction Hotel where Main Street met the highway. The Railway at the other end and the Victoria Hotel in the middle. All were large two storey buildings with expansive balconies providing extra space for guests upstairs and shelter for pedestrians on the footpath. Only two were still operating as pubs. The Victoria had ceased trading many years ago but had recently been partly refurbished to offer accomodation only. That was our destination.

First I had to find the Belton real estate agency. To save expenses there was no reception at The Victoria. Guests went to the real estate office and were given a key to gain entry to the building and a code for the keypad that let them get into their room. I'd found all this out from Sue the receptionist when I booked. The office was a small shopfront next to the Belton Butchery. When I walked in with Angelica the dark haired woman behind the only desk in the place looked up.

"Sue?"

"Yes that's right." She said then she tilted her head and looked me up and down. "I thought it was you on the phone but I wasn't sure." I must have looked confused so she continued. "Don't you recognise me? As soon as you walked in I knew you were Colin 'tubby' Callahan."

That was a name I hadn't heard since primary school so I assumed she must have been in my class. I racked my brain trying to think of any Sue's from all those years ago.

"Sue Withers?" I said with no certainty.

"Well, I can't believe you've forgotten the first girl you ever kissed." The woman said with mock indignation as she stood up and offered her hand to a very amused Angelica. "Suzanne Crowther, well that's what it was back then, Suzanne Reid now. Proprietor of Belton Real Estate Pty Ltd."

"Catch and kiss in first class hardly counts as my first kiss." I interrupted.

"Angelica," my wife shook her hand and moved closer as they both laughed. "You haven't got any other bits of gossip have you?"

"Oh, oh you're American." My wife's accent threw Sue momentarily before she turned to me. "You did ask me to marry you."

"I was just an old fashioned guy protecting your reputation."

"Always the gentlemen Col, always the gentlemen." Sue replied with that certain kind of longing that only childhood memories evoke. "Now, I guess you are wanting to get to your room?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to young Julia's wedding?" Sue asked as she opened a cabinet behind her desk.

"Yeah, should be fun."

"Pretty exclusive guest list." The comment had a hint of jealously or maybe resentment. "How did you get a bait? You haven't been around for years and you're only a first cousin aren't you?"

I glanced at Angelica and raised my eyebrows at the small town politics.

"I was surprised as well. I think we were only late inclusions after a few others couldn't make it." I offered trying to let her down gently. "But Julia did stay with me and my ex for two years while she was at uni. We've kept in touch."

"How is Bernadette?" Sue looked up and I could feel her searching my response for clues about my relationship with my ex wife.

"Great. She's in Bali at the moment with her partner and the kids." I replied keeping my tone cheerful.

"That's nice." Sue said in a way that made me think she didn't mean it as she fossicked through a box. "Ahh here it is." She held a key ring with two keys and a tag. "You were lucky you know. This room isn't usually available. It's not like the others that share a bathroom. This part was the old pub managers quarters so it's got an en-suite and a little lounge area."

"Great." I held out my hand for the keys but she was reluctant to let them go till she finished her instructions.

"You don't go in the front door like the other guests. Go around the side and up the fire stairs." Finally the keys dropped into my hand but it didn't stop her flow. "We don't normally let it out as the builder renovating the place lives there but he's away for six months doing another job."

"Perfect timing for us then. Thanks again." I said thinking she had finished.

"Which day are you leaving?"

"Um, Sunday. We only booked for two nights."

"Okay then, there won't be anyone around here on Sunday so if you could leave the keys in the drop box next to the front door." Sue explained while pointing to it.

"Great, thanks again... again."

I hustled Angelica out the door and back to the car. As I flicked the indicator on and checked to see it was clear to go back onto Main St the teasing started.

"Who'd have thought we'd run into an old girlfriend. I should have swapped numbers with her."

"Suzanne was never my girlfriend."

"She seemed quite pleased to see you."

"I reckon she saw the Audi pull up and thought her luck had changed."

"Should I be worried?" Angelica asked then laughed.

"What do you think?" I retorted as I did a u turn at the end of the street and went back towards The Victoria. "Suzanne was the sort of girl who always wanted more. In year six she had a high school boyfriend. By year 12 she was going out with a twenty five year old. He'd take her out to the river where he used to hang out with his mates."

"How old was she in year 12?"

"Eighteen."

"Wow, isn't there a law against that?"

"No, sixteen is the age of consent. Her parents didn't make a fuss about what she did so no one else did."

I slowed down and pulled into the narrow lane way beside The Victoria which led to a car park. There were a few other cars there but plenty of parking spots. I got the bags out then followed Angelica up the stairs.

"If we had have known we didn't need a code we could have bypassed the real estate agents. You could pick this lock in a minute." Angelica said when she got to the door.

"More like thirty seconds." I corrected her. I ran a locksmith and security business. "I could by-pass most passcode set ups in a minute."

"Then why are we paying for accomodation again?"

"Not much good breaking into a room if there is already someone else in there." I said as I opened the door and pushed it back so Angelica could go in first.

The room was okay. Not five star but for a small country town it was alright. It was more like a little apartment. Tiny lounge area with a kitchenette on one wall. Seperate bathroom and bedroom. Another door had a padlock on it and there was a large linen closet with looked like it held sheets, towels etcetera for the whole hotel. Angelica came out of the bathroom and walked through to the bed. She rolled back and forth before declaring it comfortable. I lay down beside her and sighed.

"You must be tired. That was a long drive."

"I'm okay." I mumbled closing my eyes.

She put her arm across my chest and I started scratching it lightly the way I know she likes.

"Hmmm, that feels nice." Angelica moved closer so she was pressed against me. "What time is it?"

"About four I think, maybe four thirty." I replied without actually opening my eyes to check anything.

"It's too late for an afternoon sleep now. We should go for a walk, get an early dinner then come back here and give this bed a workout."

"Hmmm," I hoped my ambivalence would steady her wanderlust but it didn't.

"Come on old man, time to get going."

It was her go to put down to get me moving. There was nine years difference in age although to some it looked like more. I was an 'old' forty three and Angelica was a 'young' thirty four. A few times at events she had been mistaken for my daughter. As usual her jib was enough to rouse me so we set off to do a lap of Main St. We went left towards the Railway hotel. Up past the post office and a coffee shop. Also a doctors surgery that was only open three days a week. The Railway Hotel was a disappointment. Up close the outside looked in need of some tender loving care. A quick glance inside its main bar wasn't any more inviting so we crossed over to the other side of the street.

We walked back past the real estate agency. Sue was just locking the door after finishing for the day. She waved at us as we got closer then got into a little car covered in Belton Real Estate signage. The supermarket was the busiest place. People buzzed in and out of the automatic doors while children eating ice creams guarded the entrance. The butchers was next then a newsagency was the last inhabited shop on that block.

As we continued further down we went past a couple of imposing buildings that I remembered as being banks. There was no signs saying they still operated as such. One looked like it had been repurposed into a residence while the other proudly declared it was the Belton art gallery. Across a side street we went past an abandoned service garage. After it a knickknack shop then a craft shop both only opened on weekends. Cars parked further down told us something was trading and it turned out to be a bottle shop. It was as busy as the supermarket with residents stocking up for the weekend. It was attached to a returned servicemen's club. This was the only modern building in the street courtesy of a fire only a few years previously. We worked that out from the faded photographs at the reflective glass entrance showing the new building rising from the ruin.

"Beer o clock I think." I said pointing to to the Junction Hotel.

"Why not here?" Angelica asked.

I took a step closer so the automatic doors opened. The first thing you could hear was the electronic burbling of poker machines. A quick glance at the bar area showed the average age of patrons to be around seventy five.

"Okay," Angelica nodded. "The Junction it is."

We walked past a park with the obligatory skateboard and children's playground on the way. Unlike the Railway there were some vehicles parked in the street in front of it. As we got closer you could see ladders and wheelbarrows in the back of utes suggesting they belonged to tradesmen. Inside you could see there had been an attempt to update the decor. To the left of the main entrance was a room with tables and chairs set up like a dining room. Across the hall two swinging doors led to the main bar. It was a strange design with the bar being an island in the middle of the room. Two barmen worked serving patrons seated around the edge. As well there were table and stools lining the walls.

I went to the bar while Angelica went and sat at one of the tables near a window looking out onto the street. As I waited to be served I noticed most of the men glancing at my wife. She had a plain skirt and blouse on but as always just the way she put herself together meant she turned heads. I got a beer and a glass of white wine for Angelica. As I put it in front of her I explained the food options available and put a couple of menus on the table.

"The kitchen doesn't start till six and for the first half hour they do bar finger food so we won't get fed before seven."

"That's okay we've haven't got a lot of other options." Angelica picked up the menu.

"No, I suppose not."

We both studied the food available and sipped the drinks. It was pretty standard pub fare. Your choice of protein with either salad and chips or roast vegetables.

"What are you having?" Angelica asked.

"Either a piece of steak or the lamb cutlets."

"What do you think about the fish?"

"You're a long way from the coast here. It will be frozen crumbed stuff from the supermarket for sure."

"Okay then I'll go the steak as well. Just make sure it's not a big chunk."

We drank and watched the world go by. I was starting to wonder whether we should go for another walk or maybe a drive to kill an hour.

"How about a game of pool?"

I looked up and Angelica was pointing to an area tucked away from my view. I stood up and lent across so I could see. The room had an L shape. Around the corner was a pool table and an old style jukebox.

"You're on." I said. "I'll get some fresh drinks while you rack em up."

I got drinks and passed on our food order. Heads turned again as Angelica walked past the bar to the pool table. I couldn't help thinking she put a bit more sway in her walk than normal. Ever since I'd known her she had always been a bit of a tease and she had these tradies lapping it up. I followed with the drinks, swapping her the glass of wine for a pool cue.

"Enjoy the boys checking out your ass?" I asked trying to pronounce ass the way she did.

"I don't know what you mean." She replied with a cheeky smile.

We played one game then another. She beat me both times and that was par for the course. The pub had filled up quite a bit as locals finished work. Most crowded around the bar probably waiting for the free finger food. I was just coming back from getting another round of drinks when four guys came in the back door and walked past Angelica at the pool table. They each had blue jeans on and blue cotton shirts with Murrumbidgee Pastoral Co embroidered above the left side pocket. Beside it was a cartoon style picture of a sheep driving a tractor.

Jackaroos I thought. In town after a week on one of the big stations. Three were young and if I was the barmen I would be asking for ID. The fourth looked older but not much. He was taller than the others and had a way about him. Like he was their boss or overseer. A confidence that drew the eye. Much like when Angelica had walked past the heads turned towards him as he approached the bar.

"Hey Johnno!" One fellow called out raising his glass in salute.

There was much hand shaking and back slapping as they worked their way through the crowd to get a drink. I looked at Angelica and she raised her eyebrows.

"Want to get beaten again?"

"Still got some time to kill so why not." I said checking the time on my phone. "I was just going easy on you before anyway. I'll play for real this time."

I passed her the fresh glass of wine. She rolled her eyes and took a sip.

"Loser pays and racks em up."

The following game was hard fought. I was actually two balls up and on my last one before the black when Johnno came over and put a couple of coins on the edge of the table above the money slot.

"I'll challenge the winner."

I looked up at the clock before taking my shot and answered him.

"Our dinner will be ready soon so you can have the table."

"Nah mate. Pub rules. You've got to win it." As he said his eyes flicked towards Angelica.

I fluffed my next shot but left my wife a difficult recovery as the cue ball was half hidden behind the black. She walked around the table and checked out the angles. Johnno watched on amused leaning against the wall.

"You want me to 'ave a go?"

"No thanks sugar." She replied dialling up her accent to eleven. "Ya'll just watch and learn."

My wife was shamelessly flirting with the tall young jackeroo. She hitched her skirt up then swung one of her legs up on the table as she aimed to hit the cue ball in the opposite direction to her own. It bounced off the top cushion then onto the side of the table deflecting away to kiss one of her balls so it rolled into the pocket. When the white had come to rest directly behind another lined up for the next shot Angelica languidly twisted her leg back and stood up. Her eyes held the gaze of the spectator leaning against the wall. She held the tip of her cue inches from her mouth and blew on it like she was dispersing the smoke from the end of a recently fired gun.

I'd seen her do this sort of thing before. The first time I'd hadn't known how to take it. Now experience told me it was just her way of having fun. As she moved to take her next shot she gave me her secret smile and winked. Angelica sank the next two balls and the black in quick succession causing Johnno to let out a little whoop.

"Looks like it's me and you little lady."

"Our dinner must be..."

"Why don't we play doubles." My wife interrupted. "My and my man," Angelica looped her arm around my waist, "you and, yours."

It was a subtle dig at the young man's sexuality that appeared to fly straight over his head.

"You're on." Johnno said with renewed enthusiasm. "Davo? Get your arse over here."

A shorter skinny fellow he'd come in with left the others at the bar and came to the table. It was a tense game. My wife and Johnno were trash talking each other most of the time. We were a couple of balls down then Angelica went on another run. She strutted to the top of the table with only the black to go. It wasn't an easy shot but I'd seen her make plenty of harder ones before. Showing off she slammed the cue ball hard. The black careered towards the pocket only to shudder back and forth at the mouth and roll away. Angelica swore as Johnno and Davo high fived each other. Johnno picked up their cue to finish off the easy shot.

"Thanks for comin' folks."

"Don't get to excited. You haven't sunk it yet." My wife said and she winked at me again and turned her back to us.

"This is a gimme. So easy." Johnno was leaning over the table slowly moving the cue back and forth as he prepared to finish the game.

Angelica spun back around and bent over the pocket he was aiming for.

"Better concentrate real hard." She drawled.

"Goddamn." Davo muttered and Johnno eyes went wide like dinner plates.

My wife had undone two more buttons on her shirt. The tops of her breasts were exposed in the half cup bra. Adding to that the way she was leaning over with her arm crossed under them it looked like they might fall right out at any moment. The action had caught the attention of a few of the other patrons who drifted towards the pool table area to see what was going on. I like everyone else found it hard to tear my eyes off the pale orbs on display.