Chapter 11
Note to self: never debut a breakup song near a football player.
Addy
I hurry into Bootlegger and make my way to the bar. I wave to Alaia. “I’m on time!”
“It’s a miracle.” She pours us shots. “You’d be on time more often if your brother Otis helped out more.”
I scowl. “He’s just a kid.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “When you were his age, you had a job and did all the housework for your mom.”
“Exactly. I want him to enjoy his childhood.”
“Except he’s not a child. He’s seventeen. He’ll be eighteen soon.”
“You don’t get it.”
She doesn’t understand how it feels to have a mom who’s checked out. The anxiety worrying about having enough food on the table. Or paying the mortgage when Mom’s paycheck isn’t enough because she took too many sick days.
Mom’s better now but I won’t let my siblings feel the way I did as a teenager .
She sighs. “Addy, you can’t continue this way. You’re going to burn yourself out before you hit thirty.”
I wave away her concern. “I’m twenty-nine. Thirty is just around the corner. And I’m perfectly fine.”
Thirty. In a few short months, I’ll be thirty and none of my dreams will have come true. I’ll still be here on the island working myself to death to care for my siblings. Showcasing my songs at Mermaid Karaoke.
I shove those depressing thoughts away. I have a good life. It might not be the life I dreamed of as a child but it’s good. And I’m happy. Mostly.
“The natives are getting restless. You ready?” Alaia asks.
“Is it okay if I sing an original song today?”
Her eyes light up. “An original Addy Price song? I can’t wait.”
“It might suck.”
She snorts. “You haven’t met the Addy Price I know.”
I grab my guitar and follow her to the stage.
“Mermaids and smugglers! Are you ready for a Bootlegger exclusive! Our very own, Addy Price, is singing an original song today. Put your hands together for Addy!”
When I hear a wolf whistle, I glance around. My gaze catches on Gage. He’s standing in front of the stage with his teammates.
He’s here. I should probably be annoyed with him. Every time I turn around, he’s trying to run my life and control me. But my heart doesn’t care. It’s beating out of control at his close proximity .
“Addy!” Alaia hollers again and I tear my gaze from Gage’s to walk on the stage.
She hands me the microphone. “You got this girl.”
I settle on the stool in the middle of the stage and strum my guitar. “This is If I Asked. ”
I close my eyes and blow out a breath. I push all my worries about my family, about Gage, about my dreams not coming true away. And begin to sing.
You said you’d stay if I asked you to
But I never learned how to need the truth
I kept my hands full, my head down low
Loved you quiet so I wouldn’t owe
My gaze clashes with Gage’s as I continue to sing. The rest of the room fades as I sing this heartbreak song to the man I wish I could have. If only my life were less complicated. If only we had time. If only he wasn’t leaving at the end of the summer.
The crowd bursts into applause as I finish the final note.
“Encore! Encore! Encore!” Gage shouts.
I roll my eyes. Did he forget this is Mermaid Karaoke? I stand and wave to the crowd before jumping off the stage and making my way to the back office, where I collapse on the sofa.
My heart is pounding in my chest and my breaths are choppy. I did it. I sang an original song in front of other people. And, judging by their applause, they liked it.
Maybe I can do this. Maybe I can become a songwriter. Maybe my dreams can come true after all.
There’s a knock on the door before Gage peeks inside. “Can I come in? ”
The joy of the performance – the joy of seeing him – pours through me. But then I remember. He’s trying to control me.
“If you’re here to run my life, you can turn your tight end around and leave.”
“Whoa. I’m not a tight end. I’m a running back. Do I look like I weigh nearly 300 pounds?”
“I know you’re not a tight end. I spent last night listening to my brother go on and on about how you’re the best running back the NFL has seen in decades.”
He grins and his dimple makes an appearance. That damn dimple is going to get me in trouble.
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?”
“Impress you.”
He wants to impress me?
“I’m used to women who want diamonds and furs.”
“Fur isn’t sustainable.”
He barks out a laugh. “Naturally, my songbird doesn’t care about fur coats and diamonds.”
I enjoy shiny things as much as the next woman. But not when gifts are used to buy my affection. And, make no mistake about it, extravagant gifts given to a woman you barely know are not appropriate.
“What do you want, Gage?”
He scratches his neck. “I want you to answer my messages. I want to spend time with you. I want you to be my friend.”
“Friend? Friends don’t buy each other expensive concert tickets for a concert in New York City. ”
He cringes. “Friends make mistakes.”
“Instead of learning from your mistake, you made another mistake – a bigger one – and tried to run my life.”
“I wasn’t trying to run your life by giving you Jerry’s number. I was trying to help. Trying to be a good friend.”
I stand and march to him. For good measure, I poke him in the chest. “Good friends listen when their friend says they can’t move away from the island.”
He captures my hand and places it over his heart. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I thought you’d be excited.”
I can feel his heart beating against my hand. It’s strong and steady. Like the man.
“You need to stop with the extravagant gifts and trying to control my life.”
“I was—”
I cut him off. “Think of it from my point of view. How would you feel if I showed up in your hometown when you were in high school and gave you the number of some football scout?”
He grins. “I’d be ecstatic.”
I groan. “You’re incorrigible.”
He clears his throat. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to be an ass.”
“You just are without trying.”
He smiles and his dimple appears. He’s entirely too handsome. I retreat a step. I immediately miss his heat. Miss the reassurance of his heart beating in his chest.
“You can’t do everything on your own. Sometimes you need help. Do you think I’d be where I am today if a football coach hadn’t seen my potential? If he hadn’t found me a tutor to help improve my grades in high school so I’d be eligible for a football scholarship to college?”
I frown. Was he merely trying to help?
“You didn’t give me the producer’s number to try and control me?”
“Hell no. I would never want to control you. I love how you surprise me with your reactions. I never know what to expect from you.”
“I’m not your friend because you’re a football star.”
“Good. I don’t need another groupie. I need you.”
He needs me? Is he serious? We barely know each other.
My heart doesn’t care how we barely know each other. It wants him. It wants to explore being with Gage.
Sorry, heart. There is no time to explore more. But we can do friends. Maybe.
“Come on, songbird. Forgive me and I’ll be the best friend you’ve ever had. I’ll braid your hair, help you wax your legs. Whatever you need.”
An idea starts to form in my head. A way for Gage to ‘help’ me and also learn I’m not to be messed with.
“I’ll forgive you.”
He reaches for me. But I hold up my hand.
“On one condition.”
“Name it. Whatever you want, it’s yours. Although, I draw the line at naked pictures on the internet. My agent loses his mind whenever those appear. ”
I giggle. “You have naked images posted online more often?”
“Forget I said anything.”
Forget, he mentioned being naked? I wish I could forget. I need to forget. Because I am never witnessing Gage in person in the nude. We are friends. Nothing more.
“What’s your condition?”
“Meet me tomorrow evening. And wear clothes you don’t mind getting ruined.”
“What are we doing?”
“You’ll find out. Tomorrow. Black clothes would be good.”
His eyes narrow. “We’re not doing anything illegal, are we?”
“Why? Are you afraid to break the law?”
“I’ll break the law with you. It’s what good friends do. But I need to prepare.”
“No worries. What we’re doing isn’t illegal.” Not exactly. Maybe it would be illegal somewhere else. But not on Smuggler’s Hideaway. Here, the activity is expected. Especially in the summer.
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, friend.” He kisses my cheek before leaving the office.
I’m playing with fire. Keeping our relationship strictly platonic is not going to be easy. Not when a kiss on my cheek lights up my entire body.
But friendship is all I have to offer.