Chapter 2
Ever since that night, Hope hasn’t been able to stop thinking about that cocky grin on Kelley’s face. It’s been a few weeks since then and Hope’s brought home a handful of girls from the club, to Carli’s dismay. She doesn’t know why she does it. Maybe it makes her feel good about herself, maybe it distracts her from the pain that still lingering deep inside her gut, or maybe she just really likes hot women, but she doesn’t care about the reasoning, she just does it. They never stay for breakfast and she doesn’t remember their names.
Then one day, she has the day off of training. She made plans with Pinoe to go out and have some drinks. For whatever reason, Hope suggests The Barrel. There’s an off-chance that Kelley will be working and Hope’s willing to take that chance if it means she might see the girl again. She’s drawn to her, for some reason, in a way that she hasn’t been drawn to anyone since she met Ali. It scares the shit out of her, but she’s unable to fight against her instinct. So she and Pinoe head out to the bar at around 9 o’clock on a Tuesday night.
“Damn, is there no one here?” Pinoe asks, as she pulls into the rather empty parking lot. There’s only around 10 other cars parked in the lot. Hope shrugs, in response, before fixing her hair in the mirror and stepping out of the car. “So this bartender’s hot? Like Ali hot?” Hope shoots the blonde a light glare. Pinoe grimaces and mutters an apology. “She’s hotter than Ali.” Hope responds, easily. She’s never really compared the two because she tries to keep her ex out of her head as much as possible.
The two walk into the building and head straight for the bar, which is almost empty. There’s one couple sitting at the far end of the counter, watching a hockey game. Hope takes off her jacket and puts it on the back of her bar seat, while Pinoe elects to keep hers on. Just as they sit down, Kelley pops her head up from where she was bent down behind the counter. She gives them a professional smile, before realization floods her face and she shoots Hope a slight smirk. “Hey.” She says, her eyes falling to Hope’s.
Pinoe’s eyes flicker between the pair, before she clears her throat, dramatically. “Can I have a water, please?” She asks, breaking whatever weird vibe that was happening. Kelley’s eyes shoot to Pinoe and she nods, a slight blush flooding her face. “Of course.” She says. Hope gives her a drink order of her own and Kelley grabs them both their chosen drinks. “Let me know if you need anything else.” She says, quickly, before walking to her other customers. “What was that?” Pinoe asks, biting back a laugh. Hope smiles, amusedly. “I have no idea.” She answers, honestly. Pinoe leans in, close to Hope’s ear. “You banging her tonight?” She whispers. Hope chuckles and glances to the bartender, who’s making some sort of mixed drink for another customer. “Maybe.” She answers, shrugging her shoulders, confidently.
“Carli told me you had a hot one Saturday night.” Pinoe says, a little bit too loudly, raising her eye brows suggestively. Hope rolls her eyes. “She was alright. I tried getting her out of the house before Carli woke up but that didn’t work out, obviously.” Hope says, laughing softly at the memory of Carli walking into Hope’s room to wake her up only to find a naked stranger instead. Pinoe shakes her head. “You’re out of control.” She says, jokingly, before finishing her water in one, long, sip. Hope shrugs and opens her mouth to respond, before she’s cut off. “You guys want another round of drinks?” Kelley asks, earning nods from the duo.
By their third drink, the other couple had made their way out, leaving Hope and Pinoe the only pair left at the bar. The dining area still had plenty of customers, leaving Kelley busy making drinks. As the night slows down, however, the bartender has more free time. Just after the pair ordered another round of drinks, Pinoe’s phone begins to vibrate on the bar counter. “Sera?” Hope asks, knowingly. Pinoe nods and grabs her phone. “Be right back.” She mutters, before making her way outside. Hope sighs and glances to the flat screen TV. “You never told me your name.” Kelley mentions, as she places a drink in front of Hope, who raises an eye brow and takes a sip. “It’s Hope.” She mentions, twirling the mixing straw around in the glass.
“Well it’s nice to officially meet you, Hope.” She says, feeling the way Hope’s name fell from her lips. “You didn’t really give me a chance last time I was here.” She mentions, jokingly. Kelley nods. “You were cocky. Needed to knock you down a couple pegs.” She counters. Hope tilts her head at the blunt response. “You seem pretty cocky yourself.” Kelley rolls her eyes. “I’m a bartender, I have to have some sort of confidence to get tips around here.” She states, honestly. Hope puckers her lips and gives her a slight nod, in understanding.
“Who’s your friend?” Kelley asks, as she wipes down the counter. “Megan.” Hope responds, glancing to the door to ensure Pinoe wasn’t returning just yet. “How’d you meet her?” Kelley asks, curiously. Hope takes another sip from her drink and spins the bar stool back and forth. “We’re teammates.” She says, earning a confused look from Kelley. “I play soccer, professionally.” Hope elaborates. A look of realization covers Kelley’s face and she looks at Hope with furrowed brows. “Wait, you’re not…you’re Hope Solo?” She stutters. Hope looks at her for a second, semi-surprised that she knows who she is.
“That’s me.” She says, simply. Kelley raises her eye brows. She leans forward against the counter. “Hmmm.” She hums, in thought. Hope panics, internally. Normally the girls she brings home don’t have any idea of who she is. The team got a little bit of popularity after last year’s Olympics, but she’s nowhere near a household name. Hope knows she’s gay, she’s only ever been attracted to girls, but with everything that’s happening, she’s not ready for the world to know it, just yet. The fact that Kelley knows who she is and knows that she’s taken an interest in her is alarming. The woman could easily out her to the media. “Whatever you’re freaking out about, you can stop.” Kelley says. Hope glances at her for a second. She must have been more animate about her thought process than she originally thought.
“I’m not gonna tell anyone, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Kelley mentions. Hope locks eyes with Kelley, who’s turned out to be much more insightful than Hope had planned for. The goalkeeper nods after finding no lie behind Kelley’s words. “Do you wanna grab a drink with me after your shift?” Hope asks. “You know, without blondie here to dampen the mood.” She jokes, giving Kelley a soft smile. Kelley makes a face and Hope immediately knows she about to be turned down. “I can’t.” She says. Hope looks at her, expectantly. “I have plans. You’re gonna have to find another girl to bring home.” She finishes, shrugging a shoulder and sauntering away.
Pinoe returns minutes later and the two finish their drinks, before paying. “I’ll meet you outside.” Hope says, giving Pinoe a look. The blonde understands, immediately, and waves a ‘goodbye’ to Kelley before making her way out. Hope leans against the bar and waits for Kelley to give her the time of day. The woman’s been avoiding her as much as possible since she made the rather snide comment to Hope. “When are you free?” Hope calls out, softly. The bartender freezes, before glancing over her shoulder at the brunette. “I’m not.” She answers, simply.
Hope narrows her eyes. “What do you mean, you’re not?” She asks, slightly baffled. Kelley looks at her, not backing down in the slightest. “I mean, I’m not free. I don’t do one night stands.” She motions with her hands, walking closer to Hope so she’s on the other side of the counter that Hope’s leaning on. “I’m not some girl you can take home and then kick out before the sun rises, I’m not gonna fall for the pretty blue eyes and the stupid grin on your face. If that’s what you want then go somewhere else, because you’re not finding it here.” She states, seriously, leaning in close to Hope so she can keep her voice down. Hope is taken aback, slightly, at the woman’s response. Kelley must have heard her bantering with Pinoe earlier. She raises her eye brows and leans back so she’s standing up straight.
“Okay.” The goalkeeper concedes. She shrugs her shoulders and looks into the hazel eyes in front of her. She turns to leave when she hears Kelley scoff at her. She turns to look at the woman, who has her arms crossed in front of her and a baffled look on her face. “What?” Hope asks, confusedly. The bartender sure knows how to send mixed signals. “So that’s what you came here for? You wanted a one-night thing? Now that I’m not willing to throw myself at you you’re leaving?” Kelley fires off questions. Hope raises her arms, before letting them fall back to her sides. “What do you want? A romantic date? Long walks on the beach? Because you’re not gonna find that here.” She counters, repeating Kelley’s earlier statement, before turning and walking out of the bar without looking back.
Pinoe’s waiting for her in the car, typing out a text when Hope plops herself into the seat and pulls the seat belt over her lap, abruptly. “Rejected?” Pinoe asks, slightly surprised. Of all the times she and Hope have gone out together, Hope’s never been turned down. It’s always perplexed the blonde midfielder how someone who’s usually so introverted can become a womanizer in two seconds flat. “She said, ‘I don’t do one night stands’. We all know I’m not getting into another relationship any time soon, so…” She trails off, scrolling through the unread texts she’s received from other girls. Pinoe nods, slightly, before putting the car in reverse and backing out of the spot.
“Don’t be mad at me, but, I mean, it’s been almost a year. Don’t you think a relationship is worth another try?” Pinoe asks, as she drives down the relatively empty roadway. Hope snaps her eyes to the side of Pinoe’s head. “You’re one to talk.” Hope shoots back. Pinoe shrugs, glancing to Hope before settling her eyes on the road in front of her. “Sera and I are getting serious.” She says. Hope furrows her eye brows. “I thought you said she was temporary?” She asks. Pinoe had always said she didn’t want to be in a relationship for a while. It’s what originally made the two become so close. Neither of them wanted to commit and it was fun being around someone who didn’t have strings attached. Pinoe shrugs. “She’s great. I mean, I could fall in love with the girl.” Hope’s eyes widen and she gapes at the blonde. “Fall in love?” She asks. Pinoe rolls her eyes.
“Hate to break it to yah, Solo, but we’re getting old. I know you were hurt, or whatever, but you’re not helping yourself by fucking every girl you meet and then kicking them out before you learn their first name.” Pinoe says, in a serious tone. Pinoe’s almost never serious, but when she is, you know she means what she’s saying. “Up to you, but that girl’s a catch, if I do say so myself.” The blonde finishes, waggling her eyebrows at the glaring goalkeeper. Hope sighs and looks out the window, choosing not to respond to her friend. She knows Megan’s right, but even the thought of dating, like actually dating, someone again scares the shit out of her.