sunkissed dreams

ＴＨＥ ＳＵＮ ＷＩＬＬ ＳＥＴ 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 ❛ JUST JO ❜ JOANNA CAILAN professional racer RADIO HOST thirty four years old

[catchymemes]

[joannacailan]

NATALIE, FISHER

Natalie smiled for a moment as she found a pen and paper and wrote her number down. She smiled, “Here you go, that sounds like a fun time and I look forward to it. And I really don’t mind that, I do like to dance and make a fool of myself.” She laughed a little, she was enjoying drinking and getting to know people right now so talking this girl was fun for her. “Well I am excited to get to know people here and everyone here. I am sure it will be fun.” She laughed a little looking over at the girl and nodded, “I get that, since I am from LA and well this town is quieter its definitely different.” She smiled for a moment and nodded, “This bar definitely seems nice so far.”

Taking the piece of paper from the other, she safely tugged it into her pocket with a smile. “I’ll make sure to text you and provide you with all the opportunities to make a fool of yourself. Though you’ll have tough competition. You haven’t seen my slide across the floor in socks yet. Very majestic. A lot of ass-on-hardwood-floor action.” She joked, her hand sliding across the air to demonstrate the movement. “Oh, it’s fun. Just keep your distance from some of the senior folks. They really love to dig into your personal space. And if you run into a lady that tries to set you up with a dude named Rony - decline. Rony ain’t into the ladies and his gran doesn’t know it yet.” Funny how quickly Jo got accustomed to the town’s little quirks and its people. Even funnier how much she learned to love it. “LA, huh? That’s a big change for you. But The Swinging Door will welcome you just fine. Just wait till you see all the bartenders. Woof. And the owner. Good stuff.”

[joannacailan]

DIXON, HUNTER

When her lips came in contact with his neck and he rewarded her with a little moan, her heart backflipped in excitement. If it were up to her, she could’ve spent hours coaxing these reactions out of him, exploring, teasing a little. It wasn’t so much about having the control he had promised her earlier but much rather about letting go of it. There was a victory in giving in and letting herself linger in his presence while accepting the need for him which she developed over time, growing stronger with every witty remark they threw back and forth. However, it all turned into a fool's plan when his knuckles came in contact with the sensitive skin of her thigh, sucking in a breath that remained there for a few solid seconds. “Is that so?” An eyebrow cocked upward as she expected a kiss, even leaning toward him ever so slightly right before he slipped down and onto his knees. Letting go of his shirt, her hand instantly gripped the edge of the desk as he turned the tables on her. It truly was a game for two. Her breathing sped up ever so slightly as her eyes seemed to be unable to unlock from his. Raking her fingertips gently through his hair, it contrasted the grip on the desk which turned her knuckles pale. What a sight to behold, with her leg around his shoulder and those pretty eyes still looking at her. All it took was that kiss he pressed against her thigh and it set off a current inside of her which forced her eyes to shut. “ - Hunter.” His name came out as a nervous plea, escaping her thoughts without her control as the man in front of her seemed to cloud all of her senses with each second.

[joannacailan]

DELGADO, BERNITA

location: the swinging door with: @joannacailan​

“¡Dios mío!” The dark-haired woman called out as soon as she recognized the blonde sitting at the bar. “It’s you! The one and only Joanna Cailan.” Growing up in Malibu, she’d heard plenty about Joanna Cailan. That Cailan girl who lost her mind and ran off with her drunk of an uncle to crash some cars. As far as Bernie was concerned, Joanna Cailan was a hero. She thought any woman who could up and leave her hometown willingly, not running away like she had done herself, was a woman to be celebrated. She waved her hand at the bartender and ordered two shots, looking back to the blonde. “You’re famous back home,” she said with a smile. 

At some point in her life, Jo was used to strange voices calling out her name. Back then, her natural reaction was a friendly smile. These days it was mostly a look of confusion. That’s what happened when your name faded like a shooting star, forgotten by most until someone brought up an old picture that showed her ten years younger. Turning on her stool, she faced the brunette while a smile slowly took over her features. Assuming she was someone who was into racing, it wouldn’t be hard to recognize her so it was the easiest option. Extending her arms in a shrug before dropping them, she chuckled. “You’ve got the upper hand here cause you’re absolutely right.” She mused as a surprised laugh bubbled out of her when the other mention ‘home’ - a word she learned to redefine for the past half a year. “You’re from Malibu?” Giving her a once-over, her brain kicked into high caliber as she tried to place the woman. Maybe she belonged to one of the families her parents used to invite to their pretentious beach parties. “When you put it like that - ” She chuckled, her nose crinkling in the process. “- famous for all the wrong reasons, huh?” Her tone wasn’t bitter, not anymore. Putting some miles between herself and California really made it easier. “What’s a Cali girl doing all the way in Tupelo?”

[satvojihusana]

[joannacailan]

DIXON, HUNTER

The look in her eyes changed almost instantly, and Hunter knew that wherever the conversation was headed a moment ago was out the window, and that this was where the night was going now. It wasn’t his usual transition, though, not one that dismissed the serious moment but instead came leaping to life from the very moment itself. Hunter’s heart began to race almost instantly, and if he wasn’t completely convinced at her feelings, her words solidified it for him. “A do-over,” he said, pressing his lips together to fight back the urge to give her a completely stupid grin. “I can make that happen.” He followed her lead, standing up and using his free hand to grab both of their beer bottles by the neck before he pulled her toward his office.

It didn’t take much for him to catch her drift, but telling him to go with this flow was the exact kind of challenge Hunter Dixon craved. Wordlessly leading her to the door of his office, he only dropped her hand when he had to dig in his pockets for the keys, using his lips to select the right one and then unlocking the door. As soon as the door was opened, he tossed the keys inside onto the floor, not caring at all where they went so long as they weren’t in his way anymore. He didn’t grab Joanna’s hand, instead slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her with him through the door. In the time it took him to set the beer bottles down on the filing cabinet on his way in, he managed to get all of three steps inside the door, tugging Jo along the rest of the way before he reached his desk. “I don’t know why I brought the beer, you’re not goin’ to be able to get to it for a while,” he said. Hunter shifted, hands on Jo’s waist as he lifted her up and sat her on his desk. 

The amount of restraint it took her not to giggle as he tugged her away from the crowd was immeasurable. Following close behind to a part of the bar she hadn’t had the pleasure of visiting yet, Jo’s eyes kept wandering to Hunter’s profile and then back to their hands, still holding each other. If the sheer idea of him made her heart skip a couple of beats just then, it sure wanted to burst out of her chest right about now. Coming to a stop in front of the locked door where he had to let go of her, Jo immediately looked for a new little point of contact, urging her forward until she stood on her tiptoes as much as her heels would allow it, her chin gently poking his shoulder as she peered over Hunter's shoulder to see the progress. Something about the way he fiddled with the keys until he found the right one reassured her that she wasn’t the only one who was wired.

The turn of the lock was a sound of triumph that announced a whirlwind up ahead. Being pulled through the door, she watched his keys disappear somewhere on the floor as she pointed in their general direction, a mix of amusement and disbelief in her tone. “You’ll regret that as soon as you’ll need them again.” Still, she showed no signs of disobedience when he kept guiding her into the room. And when his hands found her waist to lift her onto his desk, only a little gasp gave away her surprise. “Oh, is that so? For a while, huh? Is that a promise?” She said, the grin on her face now permanent as she wiggled forward on the furniture, practically colliding with his chest as she let her one hand trace his arm, slowly moving to his shoulder while the other held him in place by the fabric of his costume. Reaching its destiny, Jo’s thumb traced one side of his jaw before her index finger lifted up his chin, a satisfied little hum of appreciation tickling her throat. “So, I don’t think I made myself clear earlier when I said you look good - .” Leaning forward, there was a high chance she was breathing in the same air as he was. “- Cause you look spectacular, Mr. Dixon. I’d say even better up close. I’d rate you - ” Brushing her lips ever so gently against the corner of his mouth, not even once did she look away.  “ - maybe a seven?” And then she left a kiss on his cheek, as delicate as it could get. “Hmmm - no. An eight.” Another butterfly soft kiss, only this time on his neck. “Nine?” She lingered for a moment before pulling back enough to meet his gaze. “Or shall we go for a ten?”

[joannacailan]

DIXON, HUNTER

Hunter’s brows furrowed only slightly when she mentioned owing him an explanation. Truthfully, Hunter wasn’t sure he’d ever get one, and the idea of it being handed over right now made him a little more aware of how badly he’d wanted one. “Mmhmm,” he practically hummed, giving her a slow nod when she referenced the other night, the night they’d shared a dance and a kiss on the hardwood floor not so far away from where they were sitting now. He’d replayed that night in his head so many times from every possible angle, trying to understand where her head was in all of it, and now he would find out.

Seeing Jo like this, somewhere between nervous and authentic, it was nice. Hunter appreciated her authenticity, especially after he’d just opened up himself. It was terrifying to do, and now she was joining him in diving right in. He didn’t know anything about her, really, not nearly as much as he’d like to, but hearing her talk about losing control felt somehow reassuring and familiar. He wanted to speak, wanted to say something to let her know he was following, but instead he kept his eyes locked on her face and chewed on his bottom lip carefully. When she was done, Hunter glanced down at where her leg was bouncing nervously before doing the only thing he could possibly think of to help her feel calmer. As soon as his hand met her knee, Hunter gave it a reassuring squeeze and looked back up to Jo with a small smile. “Well, I understand why that might be a little terrifying. I mean, I don’t like losing control either. But Joey, I don’t regret kissing you and I’m not ready to move on without seein’ where it could go.” He ran his tongue over his lips quickly before leaning in even closer, letting his lips move toward her ear before he whispered softly, “I’ll let you take control any time you want, baby.” When he pulled back, he gave her leg another reassuring squeeze before his thumb started to move back and forth across her inner thigh. The party was starting to wind down around them, but for Hunter, it felt like his entire night was laid out before him. “You can talk to me anytime, Joey. Just don’t go disappearin’ on me anymore, alright? I don’t need to know all the details, you know me, I’m pretty go-with-the-flow. I just don’t want to think you’re mad at me if you’re not.” 

Jo didn’t know what to expect but all bets were off. In her head, she already settled for the fact that she was more trouble than he had bargained for when they first started their little back-and-forth. She never expected to get this involved but now solely the idea of having to let it go made her stomach churn. Every time he had disappeared from her sight the past few days, he took some part of her rational thinking with him. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would replay that distant look she had faced after breaking up their kiss. But it came back to haunt her every evening while the world grew quiet, making her stare at the ceiling of her bedroom, thinking how she managed to mess it up so bad. However, all those troubled thoughts seemed to be worth it the second she found the warmth of his hand on her knee, squeezing it ever so gently but for her, it felt like the force of a thousand horses was trying to knock the air out of her lungs while his reassurance was the air she was so desperate for. The moment he leaned in closer, her hand twitched, instinctively wanting to wrap around him to pull him closer but instead, she let his breath tickle her ear. Mixed with his words, a little shiver traveled through her body, making her eyes flutter shut for a second before she found his gaze again, sealing her fate for the night. There was no way in hell she would slip out of this one. “Alright. I can manage that.” If she hadn’t been so caught up in him, she would’ve been embarrassed by how breathless she sounded. But instead, she looked down where his hand was caressing her skin and wrapped her own around it, making him stop the movement. “I want a do-over.” Looking back up, she squeezing his hand and slid off the stool, her heels clicking once as they hit the floor as she now stood in front of him, not letting go of his hand. “And this time I want to do it right.” A smirk slowly crept onto her features as she gently tugged him forward, trying to get him to move, not sure where the hell she wanted to go but she sure as hell needed to get him alone. “Just call this the flow and go with it.”

[joannacailan]

EDWARDS, MELINA

melina held back a gag because she felt as if maybe that would’ve been a bit dramatic but truthfully, the drink was that bad. she wasn’t going to blame the girl because it wasn’t like joanna had shoved it down her throat or even pressured her to drink the thing, she had made the decision all on her own but she definitely wouldn’t do it again. she really did need something to wash it down with but she didn’t know what. all she knew is that anything she ordered was sure to be way better than the thing she’d just tossed back. “i definitely want to drink something else.” she replied, shaking her head as the girl continued, “but your secret is safe with me. i don’t want anyone to think i’m being dramatic. plus, i’m pretty new in town so i don’t think i really have anyone to tell.”

“Well, pick your poison. I’m going for beer because that’s about as much as I can handle at this point. But the world’s your oyster. They serve some of the best stuff here.” She reassured, expending her arms ever so slightly to present to the bar to her. “Oh, you’ve just moved here?” Jo asked, genuinely interested before smiling. “Well, in that case - ” Moving her hands up as if to remove an invisible crown from her head, she instead placed the imagined item on top of the others. “You’ve already got the gown, time to add the newbie-crown, and release me from my duty.” She was certain there were other’s who came squashed in between their timeline but those were details. “I got here a couple of months ago and I already have a list of people I could run to so honestly, you’ll have an army of folks in no time. How do you like it so far?”

[joannacailan]

DIXON, HUNTER

It was subtle, the way her hand moved closer to his, and Hunter knew it could’ve been a gesture meaning a dozen different things. In his head, he tried to convince himself it was simply one of support, but that didn’t mean his body listened. His hand moved a little before he used the back of his finger to trace a few lines against the back of Jo’s hand. Her words were meaningful, and Hunter knew she wasn’t one to say things she didn’t mean. After she finished, he nodded a couple times before smiling softly. “I’m not,” he said, “Sorry, I mean. I’m glad it happened the way it did. I mean, it shaped me, how can I be upset about that? I wasn’t really alone, either. I had my baby sister, and my best friend, Austin. His mom took me in like her own most days, and she was part of every milestone my own mom missed. My village just looks a little different on paper, that’s all.” He straightened his back slightly, shifting his hand so that he could slide his fingers into the nonexistent space between Jo’s hand and the countertop and draw circles on her palm.

He watched her carefully, hating every part of him that itched for more of her skin on his own at this kind of tender moment. Honestly, Hunter wasn’t known for turning off his sex drive, and if anything, he was slowly learning that being authentic and open with Joanna made him want her even more. Usually, this kind of conversation was the first sign that he wanted to run for the hills or derail everything with some kind of flirty dismissal of the mood. Instead, he found himself wanting to draw closer to Joanna, to wrap himself in a bubble with her, just like this for as long as he could.  “Besides, we all have our story. Mine’s no worse than anyone else’s, it’s just mine.” 

The smile showed up on her face before she even knew it happened. Funny how the word family set such clear boundaries and at the same time was so versatile in its meaning, expanding right alongside the heart. Jo had experienced it firsthand, not the way he had but there was a certain art to picking the people who deserve to be at the top of your list - or accepting those who’d put you there. “I guess I just see all the fine lines connecting and separating it. Accepting the crap we’ve gotta accept and yet still wonder what would’ve been if you’d ended up being the lucky one.” Jo knew their situations weren’t alike, not even slightly. She grew up with a silver spoon and countless open doors. She had a choice, he didn’t. “Suppose you’re perspective is a little bit more healthy than mine.” She mused, her smile still intact as the realization hit her that Hunter had the mental bearings of solid iron. “There’s nothing wrong with an odd bunch. I’m just glad to hear you had each other.” Her eyes traveled between him and their hands, now more intertwined than before and yet still cautious. Still, his fingertips seemed to prickle her skin in the most exciting way possible.

“Speaking of stories, I - I owe an explanation.” She said, clearing her through but it didn’t help the nervous undertone of her words. There was no right start to this. Unlike him, she was a coward, unable to talk about her damaged parts without feeling like a failure, like she was giving him every reason to withdraw. “About the other night - .” She trailed off, studying him for a few seconds in fear he’d get agitated, as he had every right to. But then she just pushed on, knowing damn well that the moment presented itself on a silver platter and she’d curse herself all over again if she didn’t seize it. “ - I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened.” Her bottom lip got caught between her lips as she chewed on it, shaking her head in frustration. “No, that’s a lie - I got scared.” Inhaling once, her voice got lower but her words sped up, rushing out of her mouth as if she tried to get it over with. “A few years back, I lost all control over my life.” Truth be told, she didn’t know how much he knew about her previous career or what ended it. Chances are Bree even told him some of the details the press didn’t know but Jo decided not to dwell on it. “And I’ve been trying to keep it together since. Control my surroundings, control the narrative. It’s why I’ve moved here. Somewhere new where I could be in charge of my life. And I got really good at it. And then you made me want to lose it.” A little humorless chuckle vibrated through her throat. “Who am I kidding? I lost it and I enjoyed it and it freaked me out. But it was unfair to you and I’m sorry.” Somewhere between her sentences, her leg started to anxiously bounce. “What I’m trying to say is, if you regret it or you want to move on from it, I won’t make it awkward for you. I messed up, it’s my own fault. But I hated coming in here and not talking to you. I don’t want to do that again.”

[joannacailan]

DIAZ, ADRIENNE

“Noooo,” she began to whine as she pushed the drink away. She’d gotten sick on peach schnapps in high school and hadn’t been able to even smell the thing since then. “You a drug seller on the side too? Am I meant to be thankful you’re forcing me to drink this gross drink rather than snort something?” She said with a tease, despite having been pressured into doing the later a time or two while she lived in California. Nevertheless, she’d come up with a deal and was happy that the blonde had obliged. “You’re such a liar.” She groaned and tucked a strand behind her ear before leaning in to smell the thing. “Oh fuck.” Adri muttered before bringing it to her lips. “— Gross.”

“You can’t just ask stuff like that in public and expect an honest answer, first of all.” She said, wagging her finger in front of the other in mocked disapproval, a smirk on her face. “Second, I never grew a pair big enough to do any illegal side hustles. The last time I successfully pressured anyone into doing anything was in third grade and all it got me was a beanie baby for the cheap so make of it what you want. Before you ask, it was a pink poodle. But if you tell anyone, I’ll deny it.” There were the few occasions she did some illegal street racing but that wasn’t something she was about to flaunt, especially because becoming older also came with getting wiser and she now knew how stupid she had been. Though it did lead to her former career. “Well, at least I’m not a good liar so it won’t hit you by surprise. Gotta take the small victories where you can.” Pointing at the drink, her grin almost became too smug to come without a laugh. “ - or loses.”

[joannacailan]

DUNN, LOUELLA

“You’re from California? My brother lived out there for a little bit. I think I only went to visit him once, and it definitely wasn’t my scene at all.” Lou let out a slow sigh, shaking her head. “I’m much more of a Tupelo kind of girl. Home is home, y’know?” Lou rested a hand on Jo’s arm, patting it comfortingly. “It’s okay, darlin’, we can’t all be mixologists. Otherwise, we’d never need to frequent fine establishments like this one, and poor Hunter Dixon would have to go and let all these fine bartenders go. Really, terrible shots like this are what keeps us goin’ back for the good stuff, right? Speakin’ of, you want a drink? One that doesn’t taste like unicorn vomit, that is.” 

“Yeah, from Malibu. I pretty much grew up on the beach and then got the hell out as soon as I turned eighteen. I thought it was great, just a lot sometimes.” Though that wasn’t the cities fault but rather her parent’s habits and lifestyle. “So I can see how, coming from here, it might be off-putting. It is a completely different scene which is a good thing.” Jo agreed, nodding a few times as she thought about Tupelo. So far, the city had been nothing but kind to her. She met people who became important to her in the blink of an eye and to her own surprise, it became more and more apparent that this might be her final settlement after all, not just another stop on her journey. “Oh, I wouldn’t dare to intervene with local business. That would be just cruel. And that’s just too many toes to step on. I’d never get it done.” She said, already laughing again at the glass-half-full-perspective of it all. “Unicorn is giving it a positive twist, let’s not do that. I’ll just take a proper drink. Your pick this time though. And it’s on me to make up for that disaster, okay?”

[joannacailan]

DIXON, HUNTER

Hunter groaned at the feeling of Joanna Cailan tugging on his hair. It was gentle and soft, but it was just present enough that he needed more, craved to know the way it’d feel in a dozen other positions. His mind was moving them forward quickly, so much so that it felt like he’d ran into a wall when she pulled away. He’d expected it a moment ago, but now? Now Hunter felt betrayed in some sense. Like he’d just given in enough to think he had a shot and there she was, yanking the rug out from under him. His body stayed frozen, fingers aching to tangle themselves into hers at her touch but knowing he couldn’t cave in. “Yeah, no problem,” he replied with as much casualness that he could possibly muster. Hunter rocked back on his heels, slipping his hands up to cross his arms over his chest as he gently created even more distance between them. “Any time you need a dance partner, or some fun, I’m your guy.” 

Her heart slipped into her throat when she saw him cross his arms, a thunderstorm of curse words attacking herself in her thoughts as her feet slowly carried her backward. All she wanted was to rewind time a few seconds back and get a grip on her own doubts but it was too late for that and frankly, in the aftermath, she simply wanted to flee. Crawl somewhere and bang her head against the wall. It was either that or throwing herself back at him and that would be just plain stupid and also cruel. “Duly noted.” Her tone matched his, doing her best to appear unbothered and after years of practice, Jo knew there was not a flicker of a chance of revealing the turmoil inside of her. Stopping her shuffle for a moment, she stood at a distance from him, looking him over. The most beautiful thing she’d seen in a while and at the same time, the person who scared her the most at that very moment. Plastering on another smile, she fingers twitched at her side into somewhat of a wave that didn’t make it through. “Have a good night, yeah? I’ll see you around.” A few more steps backward and then she turned around to head back to the bar where she gathered her things, feeling sick to her stomach with regret and need.

[joannacailan]

                     「ACCESS TO FULL PLAYLIST 」

[boykeats]

public places need to give me a heads up before they start playing fleetwood mac. i’m not ready to have a spiritual out of body experience in the cold & flu aisle of cvs

[joannacailan]

EDWARDS, MELINA

melina appreciate the fact that the girl was making conversation with her, especially since she didn’t really know anyone around town. she needed more people who were willing to pull her out of her shell. “no, it’s okay.” she laughed softly, shaking her head as if to reassure the woman some more. she took one of the glasses, focusing on the drink before the blonde spoke again. a shy grin took over her face in response, “thank you.” she breathed out, glancing down at her costume. she’d been a little afraid to step out in her costume so it was nice to hear a compliment. she nodded, lifting the one she grabbed. “cheers.” she replied before throwing hers back and scrunching her nose after setting the glass back down.

With a final nod, Jo threw back the shot and grimaced almost immediately before setting down the now empty glass. “Well, it’s not literal poison so it’s half a win?” She asked, hearing the doubt in her voice through her own ears. “Who am I kidding? This is definitely not great.” If someone had offered her a glass of water right about now to wash down that taste, she wouldn’t have said no. That was definitely no way to make new acquaintances, at least not ones that should stick. It’s not like she was out there to collect friends but it’s been half a year and given the amount of time she spent with Bree, the jury decided she needed to be more social. But it would fail if she gave costumed people food poisoning. “Okay, listen. If you want to drink something else, it’s on me. I owe you for that. It’s also bribery so you don’t tell everyone how awful that was. I’ve got a reputation to uphold. Not sure which one it is but I’m certain people are talking one way or another.”

[joannacailan]

DIXON, HUNTER

“Always,” he replied with a wink, already slipping into the natural playfulness that they’d been dancing around for so long. Hunter couldn’t help himself, flirting with Jo was too inviting. It had become something of a game, a chase he couldn’t resist, but that didn’t mean he didn’t bring is best anyway. The man’s gaze fell to where she tugged at the hem of her skirt, teeth sinking into his bottom lip with absolutely no hesitation. He was glad that it didn’t seem to want to stay in place, even if Jo was trying to keep it in line otherwise. Here in the closeness, he fought back the urge to slide his hand onto her leg and instead shifted in his seat slightly, lining himself up to face her even more than he already had been. Hunter forced himself to look up from Joanna’s thighs and cleared his throat before trying to remember exactly why he had been avoiding her. If he could just keep that in mind, maybe he wouldn’t completely make a fool of himself. 

“Yeah, uh,” he said with a shrug, “I don’t really talk about it a ton but Lottie and I didn’t have the best home life growin’ up. My dad died in a car accident when I was three and my mom found out she was pregnant pretty much right after that.” Hunter’s gaze shifted to his beer bottle as he continued talking. “My mom lost herself in losin’ my dad, which makes a lot of sense, but shortly after havin’ my baby sister, she started drinking. It got so bad that she had trouble keepin’ a job. I think I was eight when I realized that not everyone’s mom spent so much time in bed, or drunk, really.” His face tried to avoid any sign of the hurt that Hunter had carried, but he was only human, and it most certainly crept in subtly. “Anyway, she really had it out for me ‘cause I reminded her so much of my dad. Between tellin’ me how much she wished I was never born and gettin’ so drunk I had to get her to bed, my high school years weren’t all that pretty. We’re lucky she had dad’s life insurance money to keep us in our house, otherwise we probably would’ve ended up on the streets or in foster care.” 

Her eyes landed on him with courtesy as he started talking, every word he said revealing a little bit more of the man that was Hunter. Fully aware that it wasn’t easy to be as honest as he was right then - she certainly couldn’t do it - Jo didn’t waver in giving him her full attention, her gaze never leaving him even as his own dropped to his drink. Her hands wrapped around the bottle he brought along, gently pushing it forward until her hand bumped into his. One might guess it was accidental if it weren’t for the fact that she let it rest there, not even making an attempt to remove their point of contact. If he was willing to reveal a piece of himself, she wasn’t going to let him believe it was a casual conversation. Or even worse, let him think she didn’t appreciate it as if it meant nothing. The empathy that spread through her quickly gave way to awe. This child who was deprived of a childhood became this wonderful man sitting across from her, taking his past experience and making something of it. “They say it takes a village - and you did it by yourself.” She offered him a small smile while fighting her own anger at the idea of a parent doing this to their own child. But not just any child. To him. There was this certain need to defend Hunter spreading through her and she really didn’t know what to do with it. It was misplaced at best and at worst, well, it meant she was in deep trouble. “And you did wonderfully. And that’s not just my opinion. Look at you now. But for what it’s worth, I am sorry. You shouldn’t have had to go through that. No one should.” She shifted a little bit in her seat and took another look at the ground, her smile becoming more rueful. “This whole thing has a bit of a different meaning now.”

[joannacailan]

DUNN, LOUELLA

“Yes ma’am,” Lou replied with pride. Her ability to drink whiskey wasn’t entirely shocking when you looked at the group she ran with growing up, but that didn’t matter. She’d always found it easier to sneak a sip or two of her dad’s whiskey than it had been to pilfer bottles from the barn’s fridge. “I can drink beer like nobody’s business, but I don’t mind whiskey either. Actually, I’ll drink just about anything brown, just none of that fruity shit. My sister tried to get me drunk on a bottle of whipped cream vodka once and I ‘bout threw up on the first sip.” Lou nodded at Jo’s point, tapping her glass on the bar before knocking it back. As the drink fell back down her throat, Lou lifted her hand to her lips and shook her head. “Yeah, that was pretty terrible,” she said with a laugh after a beat. 

“I love an awfully colored fruity drink from time to time. That’s what happens when you grow up in California. Everyone has a self-approved degree in mixology and you just end up wanting to be a supportive friend. So you chug those suckers down until eventually they grow on you and you find yourself craving that sweet Piña Colada.” Jo admitted, not too proud to admit she fancied herself those funky paper umbrellas. “But whipped cream vodka sounds awful. Who would do that?” Shuttering at the idea itself, the thought of it was long forgotten when she tasted her own concoction which put all other bad drinks to shame. Staring at the bar counter for a few seconds, she shook her head before glancing at the brunette, already starting to laugh. “Thanks for softening the blow but it’s not just ‘pretty terrible’, it’s vile.”