Protecting Tessa (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Brotherhood Alliance #6)

Chapter 28

28

A fter showering and drying off, Tessa pulled her only dressy black dress from the closet. It was times like this that she wished she had brought more clothes with her, but time had been of the essence, and now she didn’t have the money, so it would have to do.

Her racing heart left her uncertain whether her emotion stemmed from anticipation of seeing her friends or from nervousness.

Joy had invited her and several of the other women to karaoke at Redfish Lounge downtown.

She’d heard rumors of Joy’s obsession with singing, even though she heard the woman couldn’t carry a tune.

It would be fun to get together with the girls for a night out and unwind, but she missed Ford something terrible. His absence made the king-size bed and the cabin feel lonely and empty. Still, she promised to stay on campus, and that was that.

Tessa slipped into the dress and caught her reflection in the mirror. She turned left, then right, and nodded. Not too shabby. Her blond hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and she looked … happy.

Now all she needed was to find a pair of black sandals and finish with some sparkle. Tessa looked on the dresser and found her gold necklace—perfect. After fixing her makeup and spritzing on some perfume, she was ready.

She called Ford, leaving a message she was out with friends. No sense in having him worry. She missed him, but he’d be back in a few days.

At seven thirty, there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Naomi standing there.

“Ready?” asked Naomi. “Joy is hyperventilating in the car. She’s so excited.”

Tessa laughed, grabbing her small purse. “I guess. Although I’m with Joy on this. I can’t carry a tune either.”

“Perfect.” Naomi smirked. “We’ll put you two front and center.”

Tessa settled into the back seat. “So who else is coming?” she asked.

“We’re meeting Isabelle, Nicki, and Jessie West there,” Joy replied, catching Tessa’s eye in the rearview mirror. “I don’t think you’ve met Jessie. She owns the Little Sprouts Nursery School in town.”

“Hmmm.” Tessa thought for a moment. “You’re right. I haven’t.”

“Oh, you’ll love her. Jessie is so much fun. I don’t know how she still has energy left after chasing toddlers all day,” said Joy. “But then, I’ve seen you in action, and you’re like the Energizer bunny. The two of you will hit it off.”

A short time later, Joy pulled into the parking lot behind the Redfish Lounge. They walked around to the front and joined a line that stretched toward the entrance.

“Wow. People get here early,” said Tessa. After watching karaoke videos online a few times, she wondered about its appeal. There were some excellent singers who engaged the audience and a few that should never have gotten up.

Joy grinned. “Karaoke night’s the place to be!”

The line surged when the doors opened, and they were soon inside. Tessa blinked, taking in the room. It wasn’t what she’d expected. On the Internet, it seemed like everyone was in a rowdy bar with people laughing and talking in the background. The upscale interior in front of her was nothing like the videos. White tablecloths covered the tables, each with a single flickering candle in the center.

Muted neon lights glowed from the ceiling, adding an unexpected touch of sophistication.

“Wow!” said Tessa, looking around.

“Wait until they finish with the stage,” said Joy with a grin.

Tessa saw the raised platform at the far end of the lounge framed by glowing purple lights that pulsed in time with the low hum of music. A thick black velvet curtain hung behind it, giving the space a theatrical vibe. They placed a microphone front and center, and a sleek karaoke machine with a digital screen above it was set up on the side.

The room buzzed with lively chatter and bursts of laughter. The women settled at a large table near the back and ordered the evening’s specialty cocktails: Blush Crush and Purple Rain. They oohed and aahed when the electric pink frozen margaritas and shimmering purple cocktails arrived and raised their glasses.

“To a night of fun,” declared Joy.

“And bad singing!” declared Isabelle.

The women laughed and clinked glasses. Tessa’s first sip of her frozen margarita slid down easily.

She glanced around the crowded restaurant, recognizing a couple of people from the shelter’s fundraiser. One woman she talked to there waved in her direction.

Tessa looked over at the bar, and her stomach plummeted.

Evan!

What was he doing here? He didn’t seem like the type to frequent karaoke night. The man buttoned his shirt up to his neck and wore a bow tie. But a dark thought took over her mind. Is he spying on me for Malina?

Her mouth went dry, and she felt a wave of panic.

Had he seen her?

As if sensing her stare, Evan casually looked in her direction. Their eyes met briefly before he turned away.

Tessa’s pulse quickened. Is he watching me?

When she looked again, he was gone, leaving her unsettled.

“Tessa, you okay?” asked Isabelle. “You’re not afraid of going up, are you?”

“What?” Tessa blinked and pulled herself together. “No, I’m fine.”

Tessa shook her head, trying to let go of her tension. I bet it’s just a coincidence he’s here.

It wasn’t long before the first singer stepped onto the stage and the crowd cheered. The next two singers were also terrific.

Then a guy stood up and fumbled a few notes, drawing playful boos from the audience, and Tessa’s stomach clenched. She was going to be booed off the stage for sure. However, the man recovered, eliciting cheers from the crowd. Tessa leaned back in her chair and relaxed. It will be all right. Think positive thoughts.

The server returned to get their food order before it was their time to sing.

“Come on, Tessa,” Joy said, grabbing her hand and tugging her toward the stage. “We’re up.”

The girls trouped up to the stage. Joy excitedly picked out the song, and they waited for the first line of the lyrics. The music blared through the speakers.

Oh no! She didn’t. Tessa’s stomach nosedived.

Joy grinned and belted out the first line of the iconic ABBA hit, slightly off-key but full of enthusiasm.

Why did she pick that song?

Not only did they need to sing, but they also had to dance, something Tessa wasn’t prepared for. But ready or not…

The crowd went wild, clapping and singing along. Then Joy passed the mic to Tessa. Panic bloomed in her chest, and the spotlight fell on her.

Her voice wobbled as she sang, doing her best to channel the energy of the song.

Could the stage open up and swallow her?

Tessa had no time to be embarrassed because the other women took over to sing.

Thankfully, her time in the spotlight ended. She slipped toward the back of the group, hoping that no one could see her.

But no. There was more torture. Joy pointed at her and started twirling and swaying her hips and motioning for Tessa to follow her lead.

The women sang their hearts out. The crowd cheered and sang along. Several members of the audience got up to dance with them.

By the end of the song, Tessa was sweating, exhausted, and exhilarated. This was the most fun she ever had.

She realized karaoke wasn’t about perfection but fun and the freedom to let loose.

“Oh my,” she exclaimed after they finally arrived back at their table after getting multiple congratulations from the crowd on their way back. “That was…”

“Amazing,” Joy exclaimed.

Tessa laughed. “Yeah, it was.” She took a sip of her softening frozen margarita.

“You’re a natural,” said Isabelle. Tessa cocked an eyebrow. “Well, you have great dance moves,” she clarified.

Before she could answer, the server arrived with their appetizers of mini pulled-pork sliders. The smoky aroma of hickory filled the air. Next came a platter of golden-fried popcorn shrimp and skewers of rosy, red cherry tomato and creamy mozzarella. Tessa’s stomach rumbled.

“Yum,” exclaimed Jessie. Tessa enjoyed several small conversations with the vivacious brunette, her energy as infectious as her laugh.

They stayed for a couple of hours, eating, drinking, laughing, and only got up once more to sing. Despite her off-key voice, Tessa felt like a pro, grateful that dancing was not required for that song.

As they got ready to leave, Isabelle asked if Simone had contacted her.

“Yes, I’m going to meet her at a barn outside town to go over an event she planned for an animal shelter.”

“Ooh. I want to come,” said Joy. “You know Paws for Caring started because of my love of fostering dogs.”

Tessa didn’t know that and made a note to talk to Joy and find out more.

Nicki cleared her throat. “Don’t forget, Petals to Go can provide floral arrangements. Just let me know.”

Tessa hadn’t thought about using Nicki for arrangements. “Good to know,” she said.

“I’d love to come too,” said Isabelle. “If it’s an event where Will and I can have a farm-to-table dinner for the shelter, I’m in.”

Tessa heard about their fundraising farm-to-table dinners and made another mental note to find out more about them from Isabelle.

The women walked out into a warm evening, the murmur of voices and laughter behind them. After saying goodbye to Jessie, Isabelle, and Nicki, Joy drove them back to the campus. She was grateful for their company and volunteering to go with her the next day. But doubts began to sink in.

What if Simone didn’t want to hire her? Or thought she wasn’t capable of pulling the event off?

Tessa took a deep breath. She was being silly. Simone already said she’d hired her and had seen firsthand how capable she was.

Why was she so nervous?

It wasn’t like she hadn’t done an event multiple times. Tessa wished Ford were here. He knew how to calm her down.