Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
“That’s good, right?” Thierry asked. “He’s a good-looking guy.”
I nodded, still feeling strange about it for some reason. “Yeah, it’s just…” I glanced over to see Jake busy pouring drinks and talking to the woman who was helping serve food and drink at the tables. “I don’t know. What’s my hesitation?”
I was thinking out loud, really. I didn’t expect them to have any more answers about my sex life than I did. And they didn’t know my history. That I was trying to get over someone and also terrified of rejection again.
Thierry glanced over at the bar again. “He looks at you…” He glanced at his husband again.
Armand leaned in and lowered his voice. “He looks at you when you’re not looking. A lot.”
It took me a minute to process that. And then I felt a swell of relief. “Oh.” I forced myself not to look Jake’s way again, as if searching for clues. “Well, that’s good, right?”
Thierry reached for my hand and squeezed it. “Yes, but we like Brennan for you.”
“But Brennan’s in love with Val,” I said absently. Also, he was too… something. Sweet, maybe? Hopeful? Young.
Thierry did a very French pfft sound before grabbing his wineglass and sitting back. “That will never happen. Val is a hundred percent into the ladies. When we were in Moab, he took two different women back to his van at the same time.”
Armand ignored him. “Listen. See how it goes with this Jake, and if you want to stay, stay. You can always call us to come back and get you if you need to.”
I was touched by his offer. “I don’t think I’m ready to stay the night,” I admitted. “If that’s what you mean.”
Armand shrugged. “See how it goes. Who knows?”
Thierry pursed his lips. “Try the sexy bartender for a good time, and if it’s no good, we can get out of here tomorrow and find somewhere else to camp.”
“Nah. I don’t think I’ll need to make a great escape, regardless,” I said with a laugh. “Besides, we have plans to hike that wildflower trail, remember?”
We spent the next few songs watching Shay and talking about the other hikes we wanted to check out in the area. Shay finished her set to strong applause.
By the time she made it to our table, she was babbling with excitement and yanking a friend along behind her. “Will! This is Teeny. I told her about the stuff you were showing me earlier. She said she wanted to meet you.”
I shook her friend’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Shay, you were great up there. Good job. How did it feel?”
While she and her friend talked excitedly about the performance, I glanced over at the bar several times. Thierry and Armand were right. I caught Jake glancing my way more than once, which made my stomach jangle with nerves each time. I couldn’t deny how sexy he was. His arm muscles bunched as he reached for glasses and the long wooden handle of the beer tap. His grin punched out a dimple on his cheek, and his thick blond hair was damp at his temples from all the racing around he’d done tonight.
Thierry bumped my shoulder. “We’re heading out now, okay?”
I swallowed and glanced back at the bar one last time. The crowd was already thinning out now that the live music was over. As soon as my eyes landed on Jake, he glanced back and lifted his eyebrows in question. I nodded and smiled, ignoring my misgivings.
“I’m staying, but will you take my guitar back for me?” I didn’t want to add, In case I need to walk back, but I was pretty sure they understood.
Brennan caught my eye from somewhere behind Thierry and flashed me a cheeky thumbs-up. I rolled my eyes and moved to the edge of the stage, where Shay had already put the guitar back in its case.
“Thanks for letting me use it,” she said, stroking a hand over the case. “I can’t believe you did that. I looked it up online, and it’s a really expensive one, isn’t it?”
My new guitar was a Fiddleback mahogany Lowden I’d been drawn to at the music store in Los Angeles after I’d bought the van. It wasn’t as expensive as the 1969 Martin D-28 I had at home, but was probably ten times more expensive than anything she’d ever played.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “It’s a nice one.”
She glanced at the case and hesitated. “Any chance I can convince you to show me some more tricks on it before you leave town?”
I forced myself not to make specific promises, since that depended on what happened with her brother. “If I’m around.”
She squealed and lurched forward for a quick hug, as if I’d made those promises anyway. “Thank you, thank you!”
After handing the case off to the guys and thanking them again, I moved to the bar to close out my tab.