Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Howdy ma'am."

Isabella almost jumped out of her skin when she looked over her shoulder and saw Aaron making his way over to her. 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Miller," she said a little over the top, "but I don't have time right now." It wasn't even a lie; Sue had caught a bug and had called in sick, leaving her and Tatum to manage the bar themselves. Unfortunately, after yesterday's shopping trip, the redhead was feeling a little lacklustre and struggling to keep up properly.

"Sorry, I won't take up much of your time," Aaron said quickly. "David told me 'bout the silly thing yesterday with Tatum, somethin' 'bout shoppin'. He feels bad for what he said," he got round to why he was there. David hadn't actually told him what he'd said about thinking his girlfriend would quickly grow out of the new clothes, just that he thought he'd upset her when he hadn't been overly enthusiastic about them.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's any of your business," Isabella said, throwing the rubbish bag away and letting the lid fall down hard, taking him by surprise. If she had to be honest, it annoyed her she was able to stand up to him, but not her own boyfriend. And it annoyed her even more that David had given him a half-truth, designed to make him look like the good guy.

"Come on, I'm just helpin' out my buddy," he said with a charming 'what can I do?' gesture.

"Never mind, I need to get back to work and non-employees are not allowed back here," Isabella told him now and headed back in through the bar's back door, not caring if she annoyed him; there wasn't much else for him to do to them that he hadn't tried before.

Isabella was starting to take last orders when the second Miller of the day came in, this time in the form of the wicked cousin. "We're on last orders," she told the brunette as she tottered over in her ridiculous four-inch heels. Everything about this girl screamed spoilt, mean rich kid and she wasn't sure she had the patience for it tonight.

"I ain't here to give you more business," Vivian snorted. "But I will give you some marchin' orders," she added, getting a confused look back.

"What marching orders do you think you can give me in my own bar?" Isabella asked with an eye roll, as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"To stay away from Austin," the Miller girl told her as she leaned in threateningly. "And to leave this town as soon as possible, but I'll settle for just the first," she almost added as an afterthought to the feud.

The Colombian looked at her, not sure whether to laugh or protest. "I don't know what you think you know, but I'm not interested in Austin," she settled for a mixture as she gave the girl a chuckle. What the hell does he see in this girl? she asked herself, taking her in a bit better. It was obvious the Miller girl had never had to work a day in her life, for anything; clothes, money, and even men.

"Yeah right," Vivian snorted, raising her voice and threatening to cause a scene. "Then how do you explain him comin' round this dive all the time?"

"Doing his job?" Isabella offered the truth, trying not to snort in response herself. She couldn't honestly say she understood his reasons either, but she was sure it had nothing to do with her.

"Don't treat me like I'm dumb, coz I ain't," the Miller snapped as she pointed her finger at her strictly, inches away from jabbing her.

"Could've fooled me," the brunette muttered to herself, starting to get annoyed with everyone, well David and now Vivian, insinuating that she was sleeping around with the Sheriff even though she was in a relationship.

"Just stay away from him," she reiterated now, getting closer to jabbing her.

"Look, I'm getting pretty sick of people accusing me of cheating or wanting to cheat with Austin. And I sure as hell don't need to hear it from you, in my own establishment," Isabella felt her patience snap.

"What's goin' on?" Tatum's voice interrupted them now.

"I'm warnin' your sister to stay away from the Sheriff, and you especially," Vivian caught her up quickly.

The redhead gave her a frown. "Why me, especially? I'm not…" she started to say she was in no way attracted to the Sheriff, aside from maybe enjoying looking at him in his uniform, especially with her hormones stepping up a gear.

"Please, I know the stories about you. And I ain't havin' you come anywhere near my man!"

"What stories?" Tatum asked her sister now, getting an equally confused look back.

"It doesn't matter, just leave him alone!" Vivian almost shrieked beside herself now. These two girls were being deliberately obstructive and dim, and she wasn't going to tolerate that.

"Well… I don't know what you're on about but…." the redhead started answering her as she walked over to the jukebox and selected a song.

You better stay, stay on your side of town, because I'm done, done… sounded out.

"I think it's time for you to leave," Tatum informed her.

You better stay, stay on your side of town. Don't want your headlights on my road. 

"What?" Vivian asked incredulous.

If you can hear that train running down the tracks, you're way too close. There's a no-trespass sign on the county line and it reads your name. You better just pretend there's a barbwire fence and a barricade. Stay on your side of town, stay on your side of town. Stay off my stomping grounds, stay on your side of town. 

"I think I'm bein' pretty clear to be honest," the redhead said as she turned to her sister with a wink and prepared to put up a united front. "Get out of our bar."

"And take your insecure fantasies with you," Isabella added gleefully.

"This place ain't big enough, baby, for the both of us," the sisters sang in time with the song, getting a few chuckles from their clientele.

"It's time for you to go," the brunette said as they started walking towards her, making her involuntarily take a few steps back.

"You're such freaks!" Vivian shrieked, not understanding how they weren't cowering in front of her, like everyone else always did.

There's a no-trespass sign on the county line and it reads your name. You better just pretend there's a barbwire fence and a barricade. Stay on your side of town, stay on your side of town. Stay off my stomping grounds, stay on your side of town. Don't want your headlights on my road. 

"Buh-bye," Tatum gave a wave now, at which the Miller huffed and gave a stomp in frustration before storming out of the bar, cursing both of them as she went. "That was fun," the redhead chuckled as she turned to her sister and held her hand up for a high-five.

"We might come to regret it though," Isabella pointed out realistically, after slapping her hand to her sister's. She knew Aaron wasn't going to take this lying down.

"She'll live," her sister chuckled and headed back towards the office where she'd been doing work before. "You better just pretend there's a barbwire fence and a barricade. Stay on your side of town, stay on your side of town. Stay off my stompin' grounds, stay on your side of town," she sang along softly, making the Colombian and some of their clientele chuckle again.