2. Spooked

Waverly startled awake by the sound of a key spazzing around on the doorknob outside. She snapped her eyes around and realized she must have fallen asleep on the couch at some point. She let out a grunt, reaching back and grabbing her phone off the table to check the time, unknowingly knocking Nicole’s card on the floor. “Wynonna, it's 1 AM!” She shouted, hauling herself to her feet to let her in. She gasped when she saw a wasted Wynonna with two bloody hands. “For fuck’s sake! What happened?”  

“I’m alright, Babygirl. Y’r boy toy n’ his friends on the other hand, not so much,” she slurred out with a grin.

Waverly grabbed her arm and cautiously walked her to the kitchen sink to wash her hands off and treat her wounds. “What'd they do this time?” She turned the water on so it was just drizzling out of the tap and stuck one of Wynonna’s hands under the water.

She let out a small wince. “They decided t’ each pick some random lady t’ flirt with. Apparently they were havin’ a competition t’ see who could round the most bases or somethin’ . . . Let's jus’ say when one of the whore-hounds came up to me, Doc ‘n I made sure they all went home empty-handed.”

Waverly’s jaw clenched and she let out a heavy breath. She finished cleaning off Wynonna’s first hand and started on the other. “I can’t believe him! . . .I swear to God, I am done with that douchebag. All he wants is to get in my pants, and when he can’t get in mine, he tries someone else’s!" Wynonna was staring at her incredulously, trying to figure out if she was actually hearing her sister talking about breaking it off with her shithead boy-toy. "Why have I been putting up with him for so long?” Waverly mumbled, finishing rinsing off her other hand and pulling her along to the bathroom to get some bandaging supplies.

“Wave. He’s Chump Hardy. It's what he does. He’s been doin’ this type of shit for years. How’re you just realizin’ it?”

She let out a huff, “I knew he was doing all of that stuff, Wynonna. I just . . . I think I’ve finally decided that this kind of relationship isn’t what I want anymore.” She slowly wrapped gauze around Wynonna’s fist, taping it down.

“See, Waves, you really are smart,” Wynonna cooed, giving her a big, toothy smile.

“Yea, mhm,” she sighed. “Let’s get you to bed before you hurt yourself even more.” She slowly walked Wynonna up to her room and helped her change into her pajamas. “Night, Wy. Sleep well.” She kissed her on the forehead and walked out of the room, deciding that the next few hours of sleep were going to be in her bed.

.  .  .

Waverly woke back up at around 5:30 at the sound of some strange noises coming from downstairs. She got up and stretched with a yawn, walking downstairs to find the older brunette struggling to open the cap on the Advil bottle with her bandaged hands. “Need some help?" She questioned with another yawn.

“Yea, maybe a little bit,” she mumbled. Waverly grabbed the bottle and opened it. She poured a few pills out and handed them to her sister.

“Thanks, Babygirl,” Wynonna sighed, gulping the pills down. “I guess I had a pretty fun night.”

“You sure did, ya know, beating the pulp out of my shitty boyfriend and his hooligans . . . again.”

“Oh boy,” she muttered, rubbing her head as she leaned back against the kitchen counter.

Waverly grabbed a banana from the counter and began to peel it. “I’m really gonna do it Wy.”

“Do what?” She questioned.

“I'm gonna dump him,” she answered, meeting her eyes.

Wynonna’s eyes popped out of her head. “WHAT?!?  

“I don’t deserve all the shit he’s put me through over the past few years . . . And I know I can do better. Way better.” She smirked a little as she looked down at her banana, thinking about Nicole for a few moments. She shook her head, coming back to reality and looking back towards her sister.

Wynonna narrowed her eyes at her for a few seconds before she let out a gasp. “Oooooooooooo, you have a crush!” 

“I do not,” she scoffed. “I was just . . . thinking about how happy I’ll be to be free from him.”

“Ooook, whatever you say, Babygirl,” Wynonna sighed with a chuckle. She took another sip of her coffee and walked upstairs to get ready for the day. Waverly watched her go, swallowing her nerves as she finished off the rest of her banana. Maybe she did have a little crush.

Just a little one.

.  .  .

Waverly walked into Shorty’s and was greeted by the man himself. “Good mornin’, youngin’. Ready to start?”

“I sure am,” she smiled, setting her things down behind the counter. “Thanks for letting me off last night. I really appreciate it . . . And I, uh, I’m sorry about Wynonna. It wasn’t too bad, was it?"

Shorty let out a heavy sigh, “Well . . . I had to close early due to safety concerns and then spent an hour scrubbing blood off random places around the bar. But it's ok. She was just trying to make sure the ladies of this fine town stayed safe, so I understand.” He gave her a tired smile as he handed her a crate of assorted liquor bottles and Waverly began to place them in their specified spots.

After a while of sorting bottles and chatting with Shorty, the job was done. She wiped her brow of the small gather of sweat above it and grabbed a rag to clean things off around the bar before it was time to open for the day. She continued humming along to the radio and wiping along the bar before moving to the taps. She was wiping off one by one when suddenly one started spewing beer at her. “Ah, Jesus!” She quickly tried to shut the tap off while also shielding her face from the beer spraying at her. After a few attempts, she finally got it to stop. Waverly let out a huff when she looked down at herself. “Perfect.” She began patting herself down with the already soaked rag.

“I didn't know Shorty's had wet t-shirt competitions." Waverly jumped and quickly looked up at the officer standing in the door frame. "You ok?"

“Uh, yea. Sorry, I’m a bit jumpy. I had a crazy night.” She eyed her with a smirk, continuing to try and wipe herself down. She started to feel butterflies in her stomach as the woman walked up to the bar and sat her Stetson down, revealing the tightly braided ginger hair that was hiding beneath it.

“Sorry I wasn't there to see it,” she mumbled with a sarcastic grin that slowly changed to a solemn smile. "I really hope I didn’t spook you too much last night.”

“No, no. It’s ok. I've just . . . had a long week. Things that usually don't get to me are starting to.”

“I see . . .” Nicole took a seat on the stool in front of Waverly. “Well, can I get a cappuccino to-go?”

Waverly’s eyes widened. “Uhm, I’m really sorry. We aren’t actually open yet,” she replied apologetically, regretting it instantly. 

“Ooh, my bad . . . It's just when I see something I want I don't want to wait.” Nicole smirked a little and Waverly’s mouth fell open slightly in shock. “And your door was open, so . . .”

“Right.” The butterflies in Waverly’s stomach seemed to be multiplying very rapidly, and she tore her eyes away from her for a few seconds as she looked around the bar. “Oh God, I’m sopping wet.” 

Nicole chuckled a little at her wording. She glanced down at the very wet tank top, maybe for too long, before raising her eyes back to Waverly’s.

“Gosh, I keep telling Shorty he needs to fix these darn taps-” She shook her head with a flustered sigh. “Sorry, uh, do you mind just, um . . .” She signaled for the officer to turn around so she could take the wet top off.

“Ohh, right. Yeah.” Nicole turned around and leaned back on the barstool. 

Waverly began taking her shirt off and the Earp Curse caught up to her, leaving stuck with her arms above her head, struggling to break free. She let out a whine before giving up after a few seconds. “Crap. Uhh, Officer? I’m stuck, so can you-”

Nicole turned her head to see what was going on, quickly spinning around and walking behind the bar. “Oh, yeah. Let me help ya,” she smiled. She pulled the shirt off the smaller one’s tangled arms and handed it back to her. “I got you,” she chuckled.

Waverly covered herself up with the shirt, feeling her cheeks burning fire hot. “At least you’re not some guy, right? Or this would be really awkward.” Nicole gave her a smile, shifting on her feet a little. Waverly cleared her throat, flicking her eyes down for a moment before looking back up into her eyes.I, uh, I owe you one.”

“ Alright . . . Well, how about you buy me that cup of coffee? How about tonight?” She gave Waverly a flirty look in question that she almost stumbled back from, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

She began to fumble her fingers around the hem of the tank top. “I, uh, can’t,” she mumbled quietly with guilt in her eyes.

“No?” Nicole questioned, almost looking hurt.

“No, I mean, I'd love to- uh, like to but . . . I have plans. Yeah. I'm a planner.” She began darting her eyes around the room before settling them back on the officer's. “I like to know what I'm doing at least two o- or three days in advance.” Nicole crossed her arms, not knowing what to say now. “I’m in a relationship,” Waverly blurted out, “with a boy- man.”

“A boy-man?” Nicole asked with a teasing smile, walking around to the other side of the bar.

“Well, sorta in a relationship,” she corrected in a mumble. “I'm breaking up with him after the stunt he pulled last night.”

The deputy’s eyes widened. “Oh . . . I'm gonna guess he was one of the guys fighting in here last night?” 

“Unfortunately. It was actually his smart idea to start harassing the girls in the first place.” She looked down at her feet.

“I’m sorry he is such an ass, Waves. You definitely deserve better than that.” 

Waverly was almost startled by the nickname. She looked up, finding the deputy looking at her with soft eyes. She gave her a small smile. “Yea. It took me over four years to figure that out.”

Nicole placed her hat back on her head. “Well. If you ever need anything, you have my number. Don't be afraid to use it.” She gave Waverly a huge dimpled smile as she headed towards the door. “I mean it.” 

Nicole Haught strolled out of Shorty’s, leaving Waverly Earp with her jaw dropped.

“Officer Haught, what are you doing to me?” She whispered to herself. She walked over to her bag and pulled out the shirt she left in there for situations like this. She pulled it over her head and grabbed her perfume to try to cover the stench of stale beer radiating from her body. She walked into the bathroom and washed her face and fixed her hair, already able tell it was going to be a long, long day.