Chapter 22
Downtown Nashville wasthe place to see and be seen, but Shane hadn’t been out on Broadway since the night he met Avery. That he would be out now and run into her was just downright absurd. Though he wasn’t about to complain.
His friend Michael had invited him out. Michael was a drummer in a well-known country band, and he was always up for a night out when he wasn’t working. Feeling off because of his birthday and because Avery didn’t want what he wanted right now he had agreed to meet up with him at a bar.
He figured it would keep his mind off of Avery. But to his surprise she was out on the dance floor, doing her thing. He spotted her the minute he walked in. He stood at the end of the bar by the door keeping an eye out for Michael to show up, awestruck as he watched Avery. She was dressed in skintight jeans and a flannel, neatly tucked into her pants. The top two buttons were open, showing a flash of ivory skin. She had on boots with heels and big dangling earrings that he guessed she’d borrowed them off her friend she was dancing with. They weren’t her style. A little flashy.
He wasn’t sure why he was so confident that he knew her style that well. Arguably, he didn’t know her all that well. But everything inside him felt certain that he did know who she was.
And she was his person.
It was hard as hell not to own the right to walk up to her and kiss her in front of everyone in this bar. It made his balls tight and his dick hard and his nights sleepless. He knew that Avery wanted him, she just didn’t think she should act on that want because of her job.
She’d had an exciting but rough week. There had been tension on her face the times he’d been at Rusted Truck and he knew he wasn’t helping that just by his very presence.
The birthday text he’d sent her had been stupid. He had wanted her to understand that he had put himself way the fuck out there, but how the hell would she know that? She didn’t know his history. She didn’t know he didn’t announce to anyone it was his birthday, certainly not to a woman in a text. He didn’t like feeling uncomfortable or vulnerable, yet it confirmed that there was something special about Avery. This was different. She was different.
Her response had been what anyone would have written. It was friendly, sweet. Yet he had wanted more and he had realized something.
He had fallen in love with Avery.
The guy who didn’t want a relationship had been knocked clear on his ass by a redhead in powder blue cowboy boots with soulful eyes and a big heart.
Who hadn’t noticed him yet.
He had a feeling her reaction wasn’t going to be positive.
There was a woman eyeing him, and when he made eye contact, she smiled at him.
“Why aren’t you out there dancing?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t dance.” Though he would if Avery asked him to.
“Too bad, because I was hoping to make my ex jealous.” She tilted her head slightly to the dance floor. “He’s out there now.”
Shane couldn’t tell who she was gesturing to, but he felt her pain. “I might be in a similar predicament. The woman I’m interested in is dancing too.”
“It sounds like we have a job to do then.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
He wasn’t interested. “No can do, sorry. I’m not looking to ruffle any feathers tonight.”
“That’s a shame. We’d look good out there together.”
He just shook his head as he turned to the bar to order a drink. He was staring too hard at Avery. She was going to spot him if he didn’t stop.
“Someone wants your attention,” the blonde said, raising her eyebrows up and down when he glanced over at her. “That didn’t take long.”
He turned her a little and saw Avery and Lauren. Avery had walked right up to them. Lauren was still dancing behind her. He put on an expression of surprise. “Hey, you two.”
“What are you doing here?” Avery asked.
The blonde drifted away. Avery looked annoyed. Lauren was grinning.
“Look at you two having some Friday night fun. I hope you’re celebrating, Avery. You deserve it.” He was determined to sound casual.
She glared at him. “Who was that girl?” she asked, looking around him to where his dance partner had walked away.
Jealousy. Interesting. “Huh? I don’t know. She was just standing next to me.”
Avery held her ground though. “She was talking to you.” She started rolling her hips to the music in a way that was distracting as hell. He would not have thought Avery was the woman to tear it up on the dance floor, but she had moves that were making his mouth dry.
And she was definitely jealous. “She asked me to dance. I said no. That there is a woman I’m interested in.”
She eyed him, her shoulders relaxing. “Oh. I hope you had a good birthday.”
It had been like the last twenty-something he had tolerated and nothing more. “It was fine. What’s your drink, Lauren?” he asked the other woman. “Let me order you ladies a drink.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” she protested.
“I don’t have to do anything. I want to.”
Lauren smiled. “Great, then I’m not going to say no twice. Jack and Coke please.”
“See, now why can’t Avery be more like you?” He jerked his thumb towards her. “She must have said no to me ten times now.”
“You would think you wouldn’t need to hear it that many times,” Avery said loudly over the music. “But if you’re offering to buy drinks, I will take a beer.”
“She likes me,” he said to Lauren. “She just doesn’t want to admit it.”
“She’s admitted it to me,” Lauren said with a grin.
“Lauren!” Avery glared at her friend.
He laughed. He leaned in and murmured in Avery’s ear. “I don’t think we’re fooling anyone.”
When he glanced toward the front door he saw Michael had just arrived. He ordered drinks and then told Lauren and Avery, “I’ll be right back. My friend just got here.”
“Is your friend Michael Farmer?” Lauren asked, staring at the door.
She sounded a little breathless.
“Yes. I’ll go grab him.”
“I would love to grab him,” Lauren said emphatically. “I mean, go get him.”
“I’m sure he would love to meet you. I’ll be right back.” His phone buzzed and he frowned when he saw it was his mother calling. That was odd for this late on a Friday night.
“Hey, man, what’s up?” They shook hands and Michael clapped him on the shoulder.
“Thanks for coming out.” Michael was good looking and well known around town. He got attention from women everywhere and when they were out together it was always a party.
“I ran into two of the girls who write at Rusted Truck,” he told Michael. “They’re at the bar. I need to stop outside really quick and listen to a voicemail.”
“Point out the girls to me. I’ll go introduce myself.” Michael glanced around with interest. He had long hair and two full arm tattoo sleeves. He looked like the drummer he was and he used that to his advantage.
“The redhead in the plaid shirt by the bar and the one next to her with the hair that is half black and half white.”
“Well, that was easy,” Michael mused. “They stand out in that sea of big blonde hair.”
So he wasn’t the only one who thought Avery stood out. Shane felt both a sense of pride and jealousy.
He stepped out onto the sidewalk and listened to his voicemail.
“Hi, Baby, I hope you had a good birthday week! I hope you’re having fun with your friends tonight. Mama loves you.”
That made him smile. His mother made it sound like he was sixteen.
He texted her back.
Thanks, Mama. I love you too.
She had called him on his actual birthday too, but he knew she always worried about him.
The past was the past. Tonight he was looking to the future.