Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Bennett
Stepping into Sully’s I walk toward the bar and order a beer. Looking around for the rest of the crew I see the crowd forming up by the stage.
Grabbing my beer I throw a five on the bar then move toward the crowd, weeding my way through to the front.
A sweet voice with a country twang sings something about cowboys crying and I find myself wondering when Rory’s band found a girl to join them. But as the stage comes into view I stumble a little and pause, shaking my head.
“What the fuck?” I mumble, not expecting anyone to respond.
“Who knew.” I look over to find Aaron chuckling at my side. “Sophie’s always so quiet, but get some tequila in her and she becomes a clone of Kelsea Ballerini.”
“When?” I take a swing of my beer. “Who, what?” I wasn’t sure what to say or who the hell to say it to.
“Sutton said she’s heard her sing when she’s cleaning, or if there is a song she likes on the radio. But this,” he points toward the stage, “this is new.”
Everyone stands around cheering and in awe. I’m not kidding when I say, she’s good. The perfect melody, she is on point. With her eyes closed, like she is lost in her own little world, she sings along, moving to the music.
Rory is up at her side, lightly singing along with her. I am blown away.
Suddenly I am shoved aside as someone pushes past me and I catch a glimpse of red hair flowing behind a very determined woman.
Adley pauses at the bar, holds up two fingers and the bartender gets to work.
I consider letting her deal with her shit all alone, but it’s not in my nature. So instead I step back, weaving once again through the crazy crowd, leaving the sound of Sophie’s perfect voice echoing behind me.
I move into Adley’s side just as the bartender sets down two small glasses of dark liquid before her.
“Going for the whiskey are we?”
“Yep,” she says, lifting one and taking a hefty swig. Not even flinching she stares ahead with an unreadable look on her face.
“Anything I can help with?”
“Nope,” she continues with her one word answers and I fight the urge to laugh.
Adley is a tough cookie, to most anyway.
She puts off like she is unaffected. She’s got a shitty father, so that’s a heavy issue she chooses to completely ignore.
She always feels the need to run head to head with any man, which at times can be intimidating.
Adley was drug through a nasty divorce with her parents for years.
She was stuck in the middle of a lot of shit a child should never have to witness.
She uses sarcasm to hide a lot of heartache.
My honest opinion is that she has little faith in men.
“You do know I’m not going to leave you alone to sulk. I’m just going to keep digging and poking until you tell me what’s got you in a mood.”
Just then the crowd erupts and both Adley and I look toward the stage to see Rory hug Sophie, lifting her up off the ground and swinging her around. It’s all in good fun, I know this.
“A sweet little duo don’t you think,” Adley adds with a laugh and I sense her irritation.
“I had no idea Sophie could sing like that.” I ignore the sarcasm and try a different route.
Instead Adley lifts her second glass and drains half the contents.
“I need to get out of here.” She turns and I hook her waist and pull her back.
“Oh no you don’t.”
“I’m not an idiot, Bennett.” She shoves at my hands. “I’ll call an Uber.”
“What’s the rush?”
“Maybe I don’t want to sit here and listen to Faith and Tim up there singing in perfect harmony together.” I stare at her and notice the way her nostrils flare.
“When you gonna admit you feel something for Rory?”
“The only thing I feel for him is irritation,” she insists and this time I do laugh.
“Maybe right now you do, because you got some crazy notion in your mind that something is going on with Soph and him, but I think we both know that’s not true. You do not wear jealousy well, Adley Jean.”
“Stop saying my middle name like you are scolding me.” She shoves at my chest. “And I’m not jealous. Why would I be?”
“Why? Because you’ve had a thing for Rory since that first night we met you ladies and he got up onstage and sang. You’ve been fighting it, pretending it doesn’t exist but it’s not that hard to figure out if you just pay attention.”
“You have a warped mind.” She narrows her eyes at me. “Rory is just another guy.”
“Is that so?” I glance over to see him standing at our side with Marshall flanking him and Sutton and Brant a few feet behind.
“Yeah.” Adley turns to face him and I know this won’t end well. She’s hyped up, she’s buzzed, and she’s jealous. A terrible combination, then top it off with her need to rebel as usual and I see a detonation in the making.
“What did I do?” he asks, looking around at all of us.
“You and Sophie look awful cozy up on stage together.”
Rory’s eyes narrow when he realizes what she is insinuating.
I know he knows she likes him. But Rory stopped playing games with woman when he got tied up with his son’s mom.
That was a shitty night, but he ended up with Jayden so it’s a night he will never regret.
I have to give it to the guy, he’s a great dad.
He’s straightforward, and when he runs into drama he is the first to set it straight.
“Adley.” He offers her a stern fatherly look that if the situation was different I think I might laugh.
“I already have one kid at home, I don’t have room for any more toddler fits.
I’m up to here already.” He holds his hand up near his forehead as if measuring the depth of what he already deals with.
“Whenever you think you’re capable of having an adult conversation, you let me know.
Until then,” he grabs his beer and turns around walking away from her.
Saying nothing more, it actually appears as though he is dismissing her.
That triggers a reaction from Adley that I know her well enough to expect.
She lunges forward with her fists out and I catch her mid leap, dragging her toward the front door.
Whether I wanted to be or not, it looks like I’m her Uber for the night.