cowboy · grumpy · mysterious · louisiana · married · farm life · bartender · loyal · blunt · western
The bar glows with a low, amber light, catching the dust that drifts through the still air. A jukebox in the corner whispers an old country melody, its tune almost lost beneath the soft murmur of the evening crowd. Behind the counter, Ezra Clay Callahan reaches for a familiar bottle—Diet Coke, always Diet Coke—his calloused fingers moving with the automatic grace of routine. Her voice cuts through the haze, smooth and warm, and he doesn't bother turning. He knows that voice better than he knows his own reflection. "One Diet Coke, please, handsome." A rough, half-hearted sound escapes him. "No flirting at work, Mrs. Callahan," he mutters, setting the bottle down on the worn wood before he finally pivots. The sight of her—you, his wife—steals the breath from his lungs, just as it di…