Stubborn Love.

"Are you stalking me?" He said, pulling his helmet off.

The fucking nerve. "No. What. Why would I be stalking you?"

He shrugged, a smile forming on his lips as he moved to lean against his bike. "This is the third time we've run into each other in the past two days. It's a little sketchy don't you think?"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Two of the three occasions took place at my bar. So if anything, you would be the one stalking me."

"Your bar?"

"No. Well, it's not my bar. It's Dawson's. But I live in the apartment upstairs." I explained, a hint of irritation in my voice.

"You live there?"

"Is that not what I just said?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Calm down." He laughed, putting his hands out in front of him. "I'm just surprised is all. You don't seem like the type of girl to work at a bar, much less live at one."

"Well, you don't seem like the type to partake in manslaughter so I guess we're both mistaken." I snapped.

"Manslaughter?" He shook his head in laughter. "Who is accusing me of manslaughter?"

"You don't even realize this is the second time you've almost run me over with your bike." I narrowed my eyes, gesturing toward the machine supporting his weight.

He sent me a confused expression. "I don't understand-"

"Just forget it." I said, throwing my hands into the air. I moved past him, in the direction of Dawson's car.

"Arizona!" A familiar, unaccented voice called from behind me. I spun around and saw Neil playfully pushing Gerardo so that he stumbled away from his bike. He looked up just as I caught sight of him and waved me over to where I was just standing a few minutes ago. I pulled my lips into a tight line and begrudgingly walked back over.

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor." He said, letting out a grunt as Gerardo landed a punch on his upper arm and half-heartedly swatting him away.

I hesitated, my eyes shifting to Gerardo, who was laughing and dodging Neil's attempts. "I was actually just leaving."

"Oh, come on. It will only take a minute. And you technically owe me one after our bathroom rendezvous." He smiled wide, shoving Gerardo in the process. "I'd ask Gerardo over here but his transportation death trap doesn't have a security seatbelt for beer. And he's slightly intoxicated so that's not safe for anyone."

"I don't know if-"

"Okay great!" He jumped, pushing a hundred dollar bill into the palm of my hand. "There's a liquor store around the corner and Gerardo knows what we need so please, I'm begging you, take him with you. He's getting on my fucking nerves."

He shoved Gerardo one last time before dodging a punch and jogging back to the backyard.

I turned to glare at Gerardo, a wide smile plastered onto his face. "Looks like you're stuck with me, sweetheart."

I rolled my eyes and spun around, continuing my trek toward the car with a drunk, arrogant Irish man following close behind.

---

"We need Twinkies." He smiled, throwing three packs onto the counter.

I swatted his hand away, "No we don't."

As I continued to place the cases of beer and bottles of liquor onto the counter, Gerardo leaned over the counter, invading the personal space of the check-out girl.

"Your eyes are a beautiful shade of blue. Has anyone told you how beautiful your eyes are? It reminds me of this lake I once visited in Dublin. The water is so blue, and I can't stop looking at your eyes because I swear it is the exact same shade of beautiful blue."

The blonde behind the check-out stand blushed a deep shade of red, dropping her eyes down to the counter as she continued to scan our merchandise. "Are you from Dublin originally?"

"Oh, no." Gerardo smiled, proceeding to charm the girl. "I'm from a much smaller town. It's very charming, and there are geese everywhere. Do you know a lot about geese?"

She shook her head, no.

"They're these beautiful birds, gorgeous really. Much like yourself. And they are much smaller than swans but larger than ducks and the way they float on top of water is the most elegant, graceful motion I have ever personally witnessed."

I watched the way he charmed the cashier, how he leaned into her frame and spoke softly, like it was a conversation just between the two of them. He was skilled, I'd give him that. And from the looks of it, Gerardo had the cashier in the palm of his hand. Literally, he was stroking the palm of her hand and she was intertwining their fingers like they were a teenage couple on a date at the movies.

I cleared my throat from beside them, an amused smile on my face as I watched the cashier quickly avert her eyes. "That'll be 87.40" she stuttered, her eyes shifting from Gerardo to the computer in front of her.

I paid the cashier, not without noticing how when she gave the change back to Gerardo, a ripped slip of paper was hidden beneath the ten dollar bill. He sent her a wink before pocketing the change and grabbing the bags of groceries.

"Unbelievable." I whistled, letting out a laugh as I pulled away from the curb and onto the road.

"What?" He mused, fiddling with the radio.

I threw my head back in laughter. "You had her in the palm of your hand. I've never seen anything like that."

He shrugged, turning to look out the window. "I have no idea what you're taking about."

"Oh, come on." I rolled my eyes. "Tell me she did not slip you her phone number."

"I can't do that." He said, causing more laughter to escape my lips.

"Tell me this, then." I said, causing his attention to turn to me. "Are there really geese in your hometown?"

"I have no idea." He shook his head, a smile making its way onto his lips, "but I do remember hearing somewhere that they're normally found in Canada. Who knows, maybe they migrate."

"Oh my god, you are full of crap." I laughed, pushing him with my free hand.

"Turn here," he said, gesturing to an upcoming street. "I want to pick something up."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you serious right now?"

"Oh, come on. I'll be your best friend." He flashed me the same charming smile he used on the cashier.

"That won't work on me." I shook my head, "I've seen that trick far too many times, I'm immune."

"I'll share with you." He said, flashing me the same smile, convinced I'd budge.

I let out a groan and rolled my eyes before making the turn where he asked me to. I'm a sucker for free weed, what can I say.

"Ho Ho Ho." Gerardo raised his eyebrows. "Now I know how to convince you to do anything, just offer you the old cannabis."

"Oh shut up." I said.

I parked where he said to park and waited while he disappeared into the house. I fiddled with the radio stations until settling on a Coldplay song. Gerardo hopped back into the car just as it was finishing up.

"Wow. Coldplay, really?" He said as I pulled away from the house.

I shrugged, "Look who's judging who, Casablanca."

He laughed, directing me to a nearby park and reclining his seat all the way back once we parked.

After about twenty minutes, the windows fogged up as smoke along with the mixture of fits of laughter filled the confines of Dawson's Toyota Corolla.

"No, but Geese are so weird, you know? I don't even know what Geese are." Gerardo threw his head back in laughter as he took another drag and passed it to me.

I snorted, "Geese live in Canada, you stupid fuck. You sounded like an idiot. Oh my god."

"Canada." He slapped his hand onto the middle console as he engaged in another fit of silent laughter. "Canada is such a weird name."

"I'd name a child Canada." I nodded, taking another drag.

"But we don't have a child." He turned to look at me, a look of complete seriousness displayed on his face, as if he weren't sure.

I shook my head. "No, no we do not."

"Okay." He nodded, settling back into his seat. "We should have children."

I threw my head back in laughter. "We totally should. That is the best idea."

"And then name it Canada."

"It's a name for both." I said, leaning forward and nodding.

"Both what?"

"A boy and a girl"

"It's unisex." He nodded, taking the piece from my hand.

"Unisex." I nodded in agreement, settling into my seat.

"And then the kid can have a brother and we'll name him Iceland."

"Iceland." I laughed, "A brother named Iceland. My brother's name is Peter."

"You have a brother." He said, pointing a finger at me as if realization dawned on him. "I have a brother, too. He's dead to me."

I looked at him, watching as he angrily lit the end of the piece with his lighter and took a drag. He had a brother. His brother was dead to him. But he really wasn't. My brother was dead. He really was. I opened my mouth to say it but Gerardo turned to face me at the same exact second. He pointed at me, his eyes clouded and red and droopy, his smile sloppy and altogether charming.

"I like you." He said, "We're good together. We're a good team. Like tennis."

I nodded, "I hate tennis."

"I do, too."

He then handed me his piece and all thoughts of what I was going to say went out the window.

--

I tripped over my bare feet as I climbed the stairs to my apartment, my god awful beige pumps in hand. My hands instinctively flung to the light switch as I stumbled past the wooden door and towards my room. A few minutes later, the stale, office clothing that once covered my body laid littered around my bedroom floor and was now replaced by my usual bar t-shirt and a pair of jeans. On my way out of the apartment, I slipped my feet into a pair of nearby Sperry’s. I then stumbled down the stairs, past the kitchen, and past the swinging doors of the bar where the usual drunken buzz greeted me.

“I think that was a record, Zo.” Dawson said as he moved past me to hand a tray of tequila shots to a group of intoxicated bachelorettes.

I rolled my eyes, polishing glasses and placing them onto the counter, where Dawson proceeded to fill the glass with beer and slide it to an old biker with sunglasses despite the lack of sunlight at 10 pm.

“I have to find some way to keep this job interesting, don’t I?”

He scoffed, “Oh, really. And it has nothing to do with the fact that Gerardo’s band is playing here today?”

“It is not what you think, Dawson.” I said, shoving him lightly. “We are just friends.”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “I almost believe you.”

Gerardo and I had been spending quite a bit of time together since our encounter at Sloan’s barbecue. His company wasn’t as bad as I initially thought it would be and I liked having him around as someone to talk to. Every since Dawson and Robin got engaged, they’ve both been too busy juggling work and wedding plans and spending time together that it was nice to have Gerardo around to just hang out with. And despite Dawson’s idea of what we were doing together, we really were just friends. He’d come over to the bar or meet me during my lunch break and we’d really just talk. It wasn’t weird, and it was a nice contrast to my usual relations with guys like him.

“Do you want my help or not because, you know, I can find better things to do like get my car detailed or paint a mural or something more interesting than bartend.”

“No, no.” Dawson grabbed hold of my arm in urgency, half-tripping over his feet. “Robin’s off doing wedding stuff and I need you here. I was just kidding.”

I nodded, “Say please.”

“Don’t be an asshole.” He muttered, turning away from me to tend to more customers.

I sent him a sarcastic smile and took a few orders from customers. A few opened tabs and bottles of whiskey later, Gerardo’s band hustled through the wooden doors of the bar carrying mic stands and guitar cases. At the end of the line was Neil, who was so entranced by his iPhone screen that he bumped into nearly every drunken party boy in his path.

“Neil!” I called out, causing his eyes to shoot up just in time so that he missed a husky man covered in tattoos. He smiled and made his way towards the corner of the bar where the counter ended.

“Hey, Arizona.” He said, only half-paying attention to me while half of his attention stayed on his phone. “What’s going on?”

I watched as he furrowed his eyebrows in frustration, his thumbs angrily tapping away at the screen. “Just…tending the bar,” I said.

“That’s really…cool-ah, fuck. You stupid little shit. Damn it!”

“Well, that’s rude. I don’t go degrading your job.” I smirked, causing his attention to snap back to me.

“Oh, no. I’m sorry, that wasn’t for you. It’s just, Sloan got me hooked onto this new game and I can’t pass this level and I kind of got a little obsessed.” He smiled sheepishly, slowly putting his phone into his back pocket.

“Is it the one with the flying monkeys?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He let out a deep breath of air. “Those satanic bitches from the hell.”

“Dawson got pulled into that game last week.” I said.

“It’s true!” Dawson called from behind me, a half-shaken martini in his hand. “Get out now before it ruins your life, man.”

“I might have to listen to you guys on that one.” Neil laughed. “Look, I got to go help set up on stage. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

“Hey, where’s Gerardo?”

He shrugged, “He’s outside, something about finishing up an important phone call.”

I turned around and found Dawson talking to one of the regulars. I looked around and saw that there were little to no people crowding the bar so I slipped out and made my way out the front door. Gerardo was standing a few feet away from me, leaning against the back doors of their van and in the middle what seemed to be a heated phone conversation. His back was to me but I sensed the anger in his accented tone as his tall frame stood tense against the van’s bumper. I watched him hang up and waited about a minute before making my way over. He heard my footsteps and spun around to face me, a smile making its way onto his face as I approached.

“Hey,” he said, clearing his throat.

I smiled, discreetly looking down at the phone in his hand. “Hey.”

“That was just, I was on the phone with my brother.” He explained, and I automatically realized why the conversation was so harsh. He never really liked to talk about his brother, but when he did, Gerardo made his feelings toward him very clear.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, everyting’s cool.” He nodded, stuffing his phone into the pocket of his jacket. “It’s convenient that I ran into you though, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Well, convenient is my middle name,” I said.

He smirked, “Neil, Sloan, and I are going to hear this band tomorrow night and if you’re not busy, we wanted to invite you along.”

“Sure.” I nodded, “Yeah, why not. Is it anybody I know?”

“Probably not.” He shrugged, “They’re still pretty new and this is one of the first times they’re playing in Oregon so…”

“Sounds like a jolly good time, then.”

He laughed. “A jolly good time, indeed.”

A couple entered the bar and loud chatter erupted from inside before the door slammed shut again. I pointed behind me, “You should probably get your lazy ass in there and help set up before they kick you out of the band.”

“Are you kidding me?” He smiled, “I am the band.”

I scoffed, “See, talk like that is what’s going to get you kicked out.”

He smiled, moving past me and playfully shoving me in the process. “You know, you’ll regret saying that when I’m rich and a badass rockstar.”

“Oh, badass rockstar?” I mocked, shoving him aside as he pulled the door open for me. “What are you, fifteen?”

“Ha ha ha, bitch.” He said, tripping me as I walked past him.