Chapter Two
CHAPTER TWO
TONI
I see her as soon as she walks in the door, which is saying something with the crush of queer people crammed into the bar. She looks like a CEO on casual Friday—dark skinny jeans, Chelsea boots, a black blazer and a sky-blue silk shirt underneath. Tasteful jewelry. Hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.
I’m immediately turned on.
She catches my eye and stops for a moment, before continuing through the crowd, her gaze never leaving mine.
I don’t know her name—it starts with an A, I think—but I’ve seen her here at the Dew Drop Inn a few times with her girlfriend, Shae (with an e). Whenever she isn’t here Shae makes at least one trip to the bathroom with whatever woman in the bar has a passing resemblance to the CEO, if she didn’t bring the doppelg?nger with her.
“Audrey’s finally had enough, I see,” Max says in her bored-with-the-world deadpan voice.
“Who?” I ask.
Max scoffs. “The woman you’re tractor-beaming toward you with your fuck-me eyes.”
“I’m not looking at her like that.”
“Sure.”
Audrey. It suits her perfectly. How could I have forgotten it?
And suddenly, Audrey pops out at the front of the stage, which is a one-step platform crammed in the corner. She’s a little breathless. She lifts her chin to meet my gaze.
Of course I know she’s pretty—I might have stared at her more than a few times when I’m in town and DJ karaoke nights at Dewey’s—but I’ve never been this close to her. Her skin is pale and flawless, though her cheeks are flushed from the heat of so many bodies packed into a tiny space. Her makeup is subtle, her lips a glossy dark pink. Dark eyebrows contrast with her blond hair. Audrey had always been the quiet one at the table, laughing at her girlfriend’s jokes, blushing on more than a few occasions each night, grimacing when Shae got too tight, never giving in to her entreaties to sing on karaoke night. The Audrey standing in front of me though isn’t reserved, but fierce and determined. There’s fear in her expression, too. My gut clenches and a strange feeling of protectiveness comes over me.
She inhales deeply, as if mustering the courage to get on the stage, or maybe to speak at all.
“Can I go first?” she asks. Her voice is smooth as warm honey.
You can do anything you want , I think, but thankfully don’t say. In fact, I don’t say anything. I’ve apparently lost the ability to speak.
“Sure,” Max says.
Audrey smiles at Max. A stab of jealousy wakes me up.
“What song do you want?” I ask.
One side of Audrey’s mouth quirks up, and she looks mischievous. My stomach does a little tango.
She steps up onto the stage next to me, leans close, and purrs into my ear, “The greatest break-up song of all time, Toni D.”
Oh good lord in heaven. This woman is going to kill me.
I grin and put one headphone next to my ear. “Let me know when you’re ready.”
Her grin is full and wicked.
Audrey steps on the stage and I catch a whiff of her perfume, clean with the subtlest hint of spice. She faces the back of the stage, takes off her jacket, and drapes it over a stool, revealing a silk tank and long arms with creamy skin. She releases her honey blond hair from her ponytail, runs her hands through it to give it volume. My heartbeat is racing like a thoroughbred’s. This isn’t some half-drunk lesbian blowing off steam with a bad rendition of “I Will Survive.” This woman means business.
And I am more turned on by the second.
Max nudges me, and nods toward the crowd. “Shae with an E, two o’clock.”
Audrey’s girlfriend is hot, no doubt about it. Shae is androgynous, tall and thin, with olive skin and perfectly coiffed short dark hair. Audrey and Shae make a striking couple: two stylish, professional lesbians that ooze money. I never bothered to learn too much about Audrey because she is so obviously not my type, not to mention out of my league. I’ve noticed her watching me from time to time, but I chalked it up to her being fascinated by a dirtbag like me. Fascinated like I’m a bug under a microscope, that is.
Shae hasn’t seen Audrey, yet. Neither has the woman draped over Shae’s shoulder.
“This is going to be epic,” Max says, her usual I’m bored with everything and everyone resting bitch face morphed into as close to glee as Max will ever get.
“Hey, hey, hey!” I say to the crowd, not having to force excitement into my voice for once. “Time to prime the pump for the midnight drag show! You aren’t going to want to miss this singer, who I have a feeling is about to blow our minds. I know I wouldn’t want to break her heart. I feel sorry for the poor soul who has. She’s about to sing the greatest break-up song ever written. If you don’t know what song I’m talking about, you oughta know!”
Audrey steps forward into the spotlight, holding the microphone. Shae looks away from Betty Bimbo and her face goes white. One of her friends mouths, “Holy shit,” and starts laughing. Audrey sports the biggest you’re goddamned right it’s me, bitch grin I’ve ever seen. My stomach is somersaulting with excitement. I’m halfway in love with this woman already. The familiar song starts and the entire bar erupts in a cheer.
Audrey’s voice is low, sultry, and sexy as she sings the first two lines. She inhales for the next verse and her voice changes from sexy to gravelly and angry and goddamn if she isn’t the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Shit.” Max laughs.
Shae’s new girlfriend bristles. Shae with an E looks as turned on as I am, until Audrey changes the words to the song so there is no doubt who she’s singing about. The crowd loves it; amid the cheers and claps I hear some Yas girl! and Tell her, sister and Preach!
Audrey is feeling it now. She isn’t looking at her ex anymore, but is doing one of the best nineties rocker chick impressions I’ve ever seen. Eyes closed, bent over rocking to the beat of the music, long hair whipping around her, obscuring her face. I glance at Shae and want to mess up her hair. I’ve always thought she was a douche and the expression on her face proves it.
“You sing it, baby!” a drag queen calls out. Cheers, hoots, whistles, and more words of encouragement are thrown toward the stage.
Audrey grins and straightens, her voice shifting down to a sultry level. The bar has quieted in anticipation, knowing that in a few seconds the sexy rocker chick is going to be unleashed again. If every pair of panties in this bar aren’t soaking, I’m not a lesbian.
“If you don’t fuck her tonight, I’m going to,” Max says.
“Don’t be crude, Max.”
At the bridge, Audrey turns around, eyes closed, and sways to the music. She is absolutely lost in it, and the expression of joy on her face is something to behold. When the music starts to change, she opens her eyes and they meet mine. She winks at me, turns around, and brings the song home.
When she finishes, the bar is silent for a couple of beats, before every person in the place, save Shae and the new girlfriend, goes crazy. Audrey lifts her arms and takes in the adulation, a smile on her face, her eyes shining. She’s free. Her gaze lands on her ex, who’s moving toward the stage. Audrey puts the mic up to her mouth.
“Stop right there. You’ve had your way, now I’ve had my say. Fuck you.” She holds the mic out and drops it, turns on her heel, and exits through the back door next to the stage.
The bar erupts into the biggest cacophony of cheers I’ve ever heard at Dewey’s, with plenty of jeers for Shae with an E thrown in. A quick glance at the crowd and I grin. The new girlfriend is gone.
I see Audrey’s jacket on the stool and grab it. I turn to Max. “I’m going to try to catch her. Whatever you do, don’t let Shae follow her outside,” I tell Max.
“Are you coming back?”
“Hopefully not,” I say, grinning. “You good?”
“Sure, no problem,” Max says. “I’ll just DJ on top of everything else I have to do tonight.”
“Thanks, Max. I owe you one.”
“I’ll add it to the list.”
I rush out into the chill November night. Hell, I would have followed her even if she hadn’t left the coat. I spot her walking around the corner of the bar toward the street, her arms wrapped around herself against the cold. I call out and she stops by a black Mercedes.
When I reach her, I’m breathless. “You forgot this.”
She takes it from me and steps back. “Thank you.” Her voice is small, and she sniffs at the end. All of her bravado from moments ago is gone. I step closer. The need to comfort her is overwhelming, and I’m not the comforting type. At least I never have been. It stops me in my tracks.
“Are you OK?”
“Am I OK? Good question.” She puts on the jacket and sniffs again.
“You were amazing in there.”
She looks away. “I just made a complete fool of myself, but thank you.”
“What?” I step closer. “Every woman in that bar fell in love with you tonight. If you really want to make Shae with an E jealous, you should go back in there and let them fight over who takes you home.”
She narrows her eyes, and scoffs. “That’s not why I did it.”
“I know, I didn’t mean to…that was a stupid thing to say. I’m sorry. But you should have heard the crowd when you left. They were letting Shae with an E have it.” I put my hands in my pockets for warmth. I forgot my coat, too.
There is an awkward silence, and Audrey looks around nervously. “I should go. I don’t want Shae with an E coming to find me.”
“So, you call her that, too?”
Audrey laughs again. “No, but it’s perfect. It’s always annoyed me, the way she introduces herself.” She reaches for her car door.
I’m desperate to keep her here, but I have no idea what to say.
“Um, hey. Do you want to go grab a cup of coffee?” I blurt. I might be charming, but I’ve never been suave.
“Don’t you have karaoke night to DJ?”
“Max gave me the night off.” Not exactly a lie.
“When?”
“Um, earlier.” Three minutes ago is technically earlier.
Audrey tilts her head. “Are you trying to take me home, Toni D?”
“No. NO. Not at all. I just, well I saw your expression when you came up to the stage and I thought you might want to talk. Unless you have a friend to talk things out with. You probably do. Of course you do. I, um, yeah, I’m sorry. I can see how you would think I’m hitting on you. I wouldn’t do that.”
“Oh, really? Why not?” She crosses her arms over her chest as if she’s offended.
I open my mouth, then shut it. Does Audrey want me to hit on her? I decide to play it safe, turn it into a joke. “For the record, I’m not that kind of girl.”
Audrey laughs again. “I’ve seen you pick up plenty of women over the years to know that’s a lie.”
“Oh, so you’ve watched me?”
“You’re hard to miss since you’re the DJ.” Audrey studies me, then her eyes glance over my shoulder. I follow her gaze and see Shae rounding the corner. “Get in,” Audrey says.
I scramble to get into the low-slung two-door coupe. The door closes with the soft whump only luxury cars make. Shae knocks on the window, walking backward as Audrey backs out of the spot.
“Come on, Audie. Let’s talk. I’m sorry.”
Audrey stops the car, puts it in drive, and gives her ex-girlfriend the finger before she floors it. The tires squeal and the car fishtails out of the parking lot.
Audrey is grinning almost manically. “I’ve always wanted to do that. But it’s bad for your tires so I never have.”
“A-plus, Vin Diesel.” I run my hands along the leather seat and door. “Nice car.”
“Thanks.”
“It smells like you,” I say, and immediately regret it.
“I smell like a new car?”
“No, I mean, your perfume… earlier… and the… um…”
Audrey laughs, and I feel ridiculous. Why can’t I find my words?
“What perfume do you wear?” I manage.
“Essential oils. I layer them based on how I’m feeling that day. Tonight, I went for spicy. Did you like it?”
“Yes.” Maybe that’s the key. Simple words. Simple questions. “What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a business consultant.”
“Sounds exciting.”
Audrey chuckles. “Making it sound dull is easier than explaining it.”
“Maybe you’ll explain it on our second date.”
Audrey glances at me. “Is this a date? I thought you weren’t hitting on me.”
I want to knock my head against the dashboard. “No, of course not. I’m talking about the date after the date I’m going to ask you on after we get a completely platonic coffee at that little diner right there.” I point down the street at my favorite all-night diner. “I’ve drunk a lot of coffee and eaten a lot of pancakes at Annie’s. Breakfast for dinner is my favorite meal.”
“Mine, too. How did you know I was driving to Annie’s?”
“I’m a mind reader, didn’t you know?”
Audrey parks, turns off the car. Her eyes settle on mine. “You’re definitely not a mind reader.” She opens her door and steps out.
“How do you know?”
She leans back into the car and, with that sexy mischievous grin I already adore, she says, “Because if you were you’d know I’m not thinking about eating pancakes.” She shuts the door and heads to the diner door.
And now my tomboy briefs are destroyed.