“Well, that depends.” I put my hands in my pockets, and she holds onto my elbow. “What do you think that is?”
“It’s the Gallagher house from Shameless!” she shrieks when we step in front of it. The shades on the inside are closed. “Do you think we can go in?” She walks toward the chain-link fence in the front of the property. The red no trespassing sign and the lock on the fence show you that you cannot go in. “I think I could call someone.”
I shake my head and try to hide my laughter. “Who are you going to call, baby?” Her eyes fly to mine as baby slips out again.
“I’m going to call Warner Brothers,” she says matter-of-factly, folding her arms over her chest. “I know people.”
“I’m sure you do, but for now, we just get to take a picture of you in front of the house,” I tell her, and she looks to the side.
“Is that Vi and Kevin’s house?” She points at the house right next door with another chain-link fence and no trespassing sign. “This is bullshit. They should have tours and stuff.”
“You know that they don’t film in the house, right?” I tell her, and she looks at me almost as though she’s in shock. “It’s filmed in LA.”
“You ruin everything, Brian,” she growls and tries to push me. “Don’t tell me this.”
“You know how it is in Hollywood.” I grab her hand, and we continue walking down the street. “Now, let’s go and see if we can find the Alibi.”
We walk down a couple of streets and then finally spot a hole in the wall. I open the door, and the smell of beer hits me right away. Stepping in, I see that it’s not the Alibi, not even close. The bar sits to the left-hand side, but the man behind it is not exactly Kevin. He is short and balding. In front of him are barstools that look like they were made in the sixties along with the décor of the bar. In front of the bar are five high tables with four wooden stools each. In the far back is a pool table with a lamp hanging over the middle of it, but the lamp is missing two bulbs.
“We start serving in ten minutes,” he says, looking over at us. I look at my watch and see that it’s almost six. “You can sit and wait if you want.”
“What do you want to do?” I ask her, not sure this is a good idea. “We can maybe grab a couple of beers at the hotel.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I don’t want to go back yet.” She walks into the bar and grabs a barstool and sits on it.
“Whatcha want, sweetheart?” he asks her, and I look at him, then at my watch, and he just shrugs. “She’s a pretty face. Gotta keep those happy.”
I shake my head and sit next to her on the stool. “What is the house specialty?” she asks, and the bartender throws his head back and laughs.
“Sweetheart, the most expensive thing we have is the bottle of vodka,” he says to her, and then he looks at me. “You need to take your woman to a nicer place.”
“She’s not my woman,” I say at the same time as Kellie laughs and says, “I’m not his woman.” His eyebrows shoot up.
“Then this just became my best day ever.” He turns and walks to grab a bottle on the counter in the back and comes back with two shot glasses. He pours the clear liquid in each glass and then picks up his glass and motions to Kellie to pick up hers.
“What is that?” I ask, blocking her hand from going to her mouth.
“Moonshine.” He smiles at me, and the door opens, and two other people walk in. “Made it myself.”
“Are you going to let me drink?” she asks me with a twinkle in her eye.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I tell her honestly and then she leans in, her mouth going to my ear.
“I’m safe if you’re here,” she whispers, and I’m stuck with the smell of her and the way she smiles at me. I’m stuck in her beauty, and I’m stuck wishing that, at this moment, I can just let go with her.
Chapter Seventeen
Kellie
“I’m safe if you’re here,” I whisper in his ear, and it’s like I’m already drunk on him. This whole day has been hands down the best day ever. I walked around a city just being me. I walked around and explored and was just regular old Kellie today. And it was fantastic. I look at the bartender and take the shot, swallowing before I can even think about it. The burn kills me, and I start coughing. The bartender walks away and comes back with a glass of water.