With protestations and much complaining, we finally get out the door, but only because Ian explains I have to work tomorrow night for a couple hours and Rachel promises she'll come by and tell more stories.
I'm going to give that girl a stern talking to before I let her back in this pub!
******
The next morning dawns a little too brightly. I'm not used to drinking that much and I'm feeling it. Rachel, however, is bright and chipper and ready for her deposition. She sets off and I promise to figure out something fun for us to do this afternoon. I had been looking into a few options and finally settle on a sunset horseback ride to the Hollywood sign. It is super touristy, and looks perfect. It finishes by 6pm, so that should give us enough time to get back to the West Side for my 8pm shift.
It takes nearly an hour to drive to the start of the ride and we get there just in time to jump on a horse before the group sets off. I've always enjoyed horses and horseback riding, although I've never done that much of it. I took lessons for about a year, but pulled a muscle in my thigh and had to stop to let it heal. Then I got busy and never went back.
Any skill I had gained in my class is really lost on a trail horse like this. They walk this route day in and day out, and they usually do it with highly unskilled riders. These horses know damn well that they are smarter than whoever is on their back. One time when I was on a ride in Hawaii I tried to show the horse who was boss - and we ended up back in the barn at her stall. Turns out I was the one learning a lesson and now I give the horse its head.
The ride starts well. There are about 12 of us total, with two guides. The ascent is steep and we go up roughly two by two. We stop for pictures about two-thirds of the way to the top. Rachel and I are having trouble riding side by side because our horses don't seem to like each other much. Now that we are going to take a pic, we are forcing our horses to do our bidding. Or so we think.
With quite a bit of clucking, foot tapping, and general cajoling, we finally manage to get into relatively close proximity. My horse is facing one way, and Rachel's the other, but we can both be captured in the frame with the Hollywood sign, so we are happy. No sooner does the guide take our photo than my horse gives a toss of its head and the next minute Rachel lets out a very loud, "OWWWWWW!"
At this, her horse starts forward and there are a few moments of confusion before both of our horses are stilled again and I can say, "What happened?"
Rachel's exclamation also alarmed the two guides, and they ride up to either side of her.
"Your horse bit my leg, Kelli!" She says accusingly, like I had something to do with it.
We all glance down at her leg and there is no blood and her jeans are in tact. She looks like she's in pain, and I feel for her, but it's also kinda hilarious. She was bitten by a horse! Who does that happen to? People who ride a lot - maybe. But casual riders? And in the thigh? Ah, not so much.
Sympathy and a desire to burst out laughing war within me, and finally the laughter wins. I start laughing hysterically and she gives me a death glare.
"Come on," I say, gasping for breath. "How can you not see the humor in this? You just got bitten by a horse. A horse!"
I can see she's trying to stay angry, but it is a rather absurd situation and she wants to laugh too. Fighting a smile, she says, "It hurts," and gives me a little pout.
"Oh Sweetie, I'm sorry," I say as I begin to move my horse toward her so I can comfort her.
"NO! Stay back! That thing is evil!"
I laugh again, but refrain from moving any closer.
We finish the ride without any further drama. I made sure to keep my distance and we manage to have a good time.
Grabbing a quick meal at Versailles, a great Cuban place I had discovered, we head for the pub. Rachel is eager to have a drink. I, on the other hand, am hoping no more embarrassing stories will be revealed. Rachel and I had been joined at the hip for our entire college experience, as well as after we graduated, so she knows way too many stories.
In order to minimize the chances of embarrassment, I have us enter through the kitchen. Ian said he wanted me on stew duty, so I figured I'd get Rachel set up in the back with me.
We walk in to find Pappy stirring a pot on the stove.
"Hey Pappy," I greet him affectionately. "This is my best friend, Rachel."
"Ah, there she is, we've heard a lot about ye, darlin'. Very nice to finally meet ye." Pappy shakes Rachel's hand and then goes in for a quick kiss.
"It's nice to meet you too," Rachel says. "Kelli is really grateful that you gave her this opportunity. She loves working for you."
Yep, that's my girl. She can drive me crazy embarrassing the shit out of me one night, and then kiss ass for me the next night.
"Well, we love havin' her. O' course, ‘twas me lad Ian hired her," Pappy says.
"And the one who'll fire her if she doesn't get her ass out front and help with the frat that just rolled in," Ian says, bringing a tray of dirty glasses back to the dishwasher. His biceps bulging because of the weight of the tray, with tousled hair and a bright glint in his eye, he leaves both me and Rachel speechless for a moment.
"Earth to Kelli," he says after I don't move. "I need you out front. Comprende?"
"Yes. Right." I say, blinking my eyes and starting towards the door. "Wait!" I say, turning around. "I thought you said I was going to work the kitchen tonight."
"I did, and I'm sorry, Rachel, for taking her away from you, but it's a madhouse out there. I called Pappy in to cover the kitchen and you can serve and bus." Ian finishes. He looks wary, like he's waiting for me to get upset.
Shit happens, and I know it, so I don't put up a fuss. "Well, Rae needs a drink. A horse bit her." I can't say it without laughing, although I'm trying hard. I press my lips together tightly but a few snorts escape me. I throw my hand over my mouth, but it is too late. She's glaring at me again.
"A horse bit you?" Ian asks incredulously.
"Yes. And not just any horse, Kelli's horse!" Rachel says.
"It's not MY horse," I defend myself. "It was the horse I was riding. I didn't train it or anything. I can't help that it thought your thigh looked like a tasty treat!" I start to giggle again, and when I look at Ian he is smiling at me, looking as though he is enjoying my mirth.
"Shut up!" Rachel says. "Pappy, it really hurts!" She knows I'm a lost cause, and from my stories knows Ian isn't the sympathetic sort, so Pappy's her best bet for a little compassion.
"Poor, poor lassie," Pappy says. He pulls the pot off the stove, and goes over to pat Rachel on the shoulder. "Let's get ye a seat up front and somethin' to drink. A nice shot o' whiskey will set ye right," Pappy says as he leads her out of the kitchen.
"Oh, no, not whiskey," Rachel says. "I got so drunk off that one night … " They disappear into the bar, leaving me and Ian alone.
He's still standing with the tray in his arms, so I walk over to the dishwasher and pull it open for him. He moves to it, placing the tray inside.
"Thanks," he says.
"Sure," I say, then look down at my feet.
"Listen, Kelli, about the other night," he begins.
I look up at him and although I've been waiting days for him to talk about it, suddenly I don't want him to speak. Whatever it is he could say, I don't want to hear it. He's going to say it was a mistake, or that he can't date employees so obviously it can never happen again. Or maybe he'll say he was tipsy and I'm really not his type and he had no idea what he was thinking.
"Look, don't worry about it Ian, alright? I'm over it. It happened - it won't happen again. I got it. Let's get to work," I say and move to grab an apron before heading into the pub. He stays there a minute longer, looking at me, before following me slowly out of the kitchen.
******
The night flies by. After the first wave of frat boys, another shows up and then another. Clearly the Greek system is doing some sort of pub crawl and while they are obnoxious, they eat a ton of stew and drink their weight in beer. They are a little light on the tips, typical for college kids, but since I hadn't expected to earn any tonight, what I do earn is welcomed.
By about 1am the crowd has thinned, but Pappy had long since headed home so I can't leave. Since Rachel was still on D.C. time, I sent her home in an Uber a couple hours ago. Now it was just me, Ian, Sean and Hal. I head into the back to clean up the kitchen and get things situated for closing time.