Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot!
"Catherine, are you coming or not?" Nick's voice called from where the Texan man was already halfway down the hall with Greg. Catherine huffed in to the shoe she was struggling to put on while hopping on one foot. She didn't even have her heel in, let alone the laces tied, so her voice had a definite hint of annoyance as she called back.
"Just give me a minute, I'm right behind you," she requested. Merry laughter floated back to her as her two companions started walking away again.
"If you're going to take this long you can have the backseat then," Greg informed her, making her pause in her struggle to glare at the door. Well that was just the icing on the cake! She hated sitting in the back and they knew that very well! By the time Catherine had both her feet secured in their brand new sneakers she knew that her friends would already be sitting in the Tahoe waiting for her – probably impatiently.
True to that, the engine was already running and the radio was on. It was obvious before she even opened the door that the radio station would be set to country – Nick was in the driver's seat. As promised, Greg had occupied the shotgun position, and he grinned over his shoulder at her while she climbed in to the back. She did her best to death glare him and fasten her seat belt at the same time, sure that she looked slightly ridiculous in doing so. At last Nick threw the vehicle in to gear and wheeled carefully out of the underground parking lot.
Catherine sat back quietly and watched the nighttime fly by as they rolled through the depths of Las Vegas. The two men in the front chatted and joked and laughed, seeming to almost forget she was here. That may have been the only reason she witnessed what she did that night. They weren't even halfway to their crime scene, which was out in the desert somewhere, when Nick's attention slipped away from Greg and over to the radio. He smiled humorously at something, presumably the song that was already partway through, and reached over to turn it up. Greg began to protest in a joking manner, until Nick began to sing along. Then, strangely enough, he smiled too and fell silent.
Well there ain't nothing wrong
With those other kind of ladies
That sit there with their champagne
Talking girly stuff
Well my girl's just as likely
To buy a round or three
And tell a down right dirty joke
Sweet as she can be
She's my drinkin' buddy
She's got tight blue jeans
Long blond hair
And she's a cowboy's dream
She can knock em' back
Shot for shot
Like you've never seen
What's even better
Is a little bit a later
I might just get lucky
With my drinkin' buddy
Nick was raising his voice as loud as he could, competing for volume with the radio in a battle that was pretty close. There was something a little funny about the way the Texan was singing though, and Catherine didn't pinpoint it until he sang the next verse. Then she realized that he was actually changing some of the words around. She listened harder, and when she could tell what he was really singing her eyes widened.
Along about midnight
Feeling right
He'll bat those eyes at me
Plant a big one on my lips
And I'll know it's time to leave
Catherine watched as Nick looked over and gave a great big wink to Greg, who was grinning widely, then he lifted his voice even above the radio, and she could hear him as clear as day.
With my drinkin' buddy
He's got tight blue jeans, uh huh
Short blond hair
And he's a cowboy's dream
He can knock em' back
Shot for shot
Like you've never seen
What's even better
Is a little bit a later
I might just get lucky
With my
Drinkin' buddy
He's got tight blue jeans
Short blond hair
And he's a cowboy's dream
He can knock em' back
Shot for shot
Like you've never seen
What's even better
Is a little bit a later
I might just get lucky
With my drinkin' buddy
Laughing, Greg joined in for the last four lines, and from the backseat Catherine could see that they both leaned in unconsciously towards each other.
What's even better
Is a little bit a later
I might just get lucky
With my drinkin' buddy
Nick turned the radio back down to a soft volume, and both men were laughing to themselves for a little while afterwards until Catherine cleared her throat. It would have been comical the way they both jumped and whipped their heads around to look at her, if she hadn't been in a mild state of shock. Nick flushed and turned his eyes back on to the road just in time to spot a red light. He slammed on the brakes, jerking all three of them forwards in their seats and forcing Greg to face the front again as well. The Tahoe was silent as they all sat there, both men realizing that they'd forgotten she had been there and Catherine processing the meaning of what she'd just seen.
By the time she found it in herself to clear her throat a second time they were out in the desert.
"So…you two…you two are…together?" she asked in an unsure voice. She never would have suspected that, but she'd prefer that option to what the song had implied, that they were just in to each other for frequent drunken sex. The two in the front shifted in their seats, slightly uncomfortable, then Greg looked over and caught Nick's eye. They shared a shy smile, and Catherine watched Greg's hand creep over to hold on to Nick's. She was further amazed when Nick took his eyes completely off the road and leaned over to press a gentle kiss to Greg's cheek in return to the gesture.
"Not so much together as…in love," the older man replied as he contentedly returned to watching where he was going. Greg settled down in his seat with a smile and caught Catherine's eyes in the rearview mirror. He looked neither embarrassed or ashamed, nor even worried. He loved Nick, and her approval or disapproval wasn't going to change that in the slightest. So Catherine smiled too.
"That's nice," was all she said. Then she turned her eyes to the desert sand, black in the dark of night, and wished she could find something as wonderful as it was obvious that they had. Best friends with your lover, what more could you want?
AN: I would have published this a week and a half ago when I finished it...but would you believe I lost my internet? Sigh...