20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
Grayson
LAWSON SIBLING CHAT + MACIE
HOLDEN: Ready?
REID: M and I already left.
MACIE: Pick it up, boys.
COLE: Coming!
COLE: Do we need to bring anything?
HOLDEN: Your wallet.
GRAYSON: Please. I’m not spotting you for the twentieth time this year.
SAWYER: I’m ready for practice. How did you all know?
REID: Must be part of our superhuman telepathic abilities.
COLE: Only Sawyer and Holden have that.
HOLDEN: I will hurt you, Cole.
COLE: I’d like to see you try.
SAWYER: Holden is definitely going to kick your butt, Cole.
GRAYSON: I second that.
REID: How did Mum handle all of us?
GRAYSON: Correction, how does she STILL handle us?
SAWYER: We’re not that bad.
MACIE: You are.
GRAYSON: M, you’re meant to be on our side.
MACIE: Sorry, but your mum is a saint dealing with you lot.
REID: Get out of the car.
COLE: Just letting you know, the bruise on my arm is NOT from Holden.
HOLDEN: It is.
COLE: NOT.
SAWYER: We believe Holden.
COLE: You would, twin.
SAWYER: Exactly. I would never go against my twin. We’re connected.
HOLDEN: Did you feel my eye roll in Sydney?
SAWYER: Going to have to try harder.
REID: Macie and I are here. Hurry up.
COLE: Holden, you’re driving me.
HOLDEN: Fine. Hurry up.
COLE: I’m fixing my hair.
SAWYER: Oooo for Paisley?
GRAYSON: Oooo.
REID: Oooo.
COLE: If you don’t shut up then I’m not coming.
MACIE: Leave him alone.
COLE: Thank you, Macie.
MACIE: Paisley likes men with longer hair, anyway.
COLE: Where’s the scissors?
Ashwood Afterhours always smells the same.
Like country, leather, and beer. Honestly, it’s comforting now, with the amount of time we spend here after work or on the weekends.
It’s familiar and calming, even when it’s loud and a little crammed.
The large wooden barn door has been pushed aside for people to enter.
Polished concrete flooring, wood panelled walls covered in pictures, sporting memorabilia and speakers. It’s the heartbeat of this small town.
My hand is on Laynie’s lower back, leading her through to the booth at the back where Reid and Macie are already sitting, half on top of each other.
I clear my throat and they break apart, giving us lazy smiles. “You came!” Macie chimes, getting out of the booth to squeeze Laynie.
I slip in beside my brother, who slides a beer towards me.
“Of course I did. I might not be able to drink, but I can still have fun.”
“Yes you can,” Macie giggles, pulling Laynie into the booth opposite me. I feel the flicker of sadness pinch at my heart from Laynie not sitting beside me, but it’s gone in a flash. I shouldn’t be upset about it, so I push the thought aside.
Reid speaks up, “The others will be here soon. Where is Sadie?”
“She will be coming from work. Her class ended half an hour ago, so she won’t be much longer,” Laynie explains, sipping on Macie’s lemonade.
“She might beat the boys,” Macie adds, looking around.
Paisley wanders over in tight bootleg jeans, boots, and a denim vest that covers enough of her larger chest. “You guys want something before it gets busier? We’re having an open mic night, so we’re expecting a larger crowd.”
Reid hums curiously. Macie gives her a smile. “An open mic night? That’s such a fun idea. How many people have signed up?”
“About five, but we’re hoping some more might join as the night goes on.”
I order beers for the others, another lemonade for Laynie, and some snacks to keep us going for a bit, even though we just demolished dinner before arriving.
Paisley nods, wandering over to the bar. Chris, the owner, is setting up a microphone and speakers.
“This should be fun,” Macie adds excitedly.
Laynie frowns. “Did you know that this was on tonight?”
She shakes her head. “I had no idea. I didn’t see any flyers about it on the notice board.”
“Holden told us about tonight. He said he wanted to come,” Reid adds.
Macie pulls a confused face before grabbing a hold of Laynie’s hand. “Come with me to the bathroom?”
“Sure. I have to go as well.”
The two of them leave Reid and I alone at the booth. Soft acoustic music flows through the speaker as I pick up my drink and sip. I feel Reid’s eyes on me.
I peer sideways to catch him, making him grin. “What?”
“I’m just watching.”
My face stays straight. “Watching what, you creeper.”
Reid sniffs a laugh. “My younger brother is a chicken with the girl he loves.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not a chicken. I’m just not doing anything about it.”
“Why not?”
“Because,”—I take my cap off to scuff up my hair—“it’s not the right time.”
He frowns. “When is the right time?”
I shrug one shoulder. “I don’t know, but it’s not right now. I’m just being her friend, as she needs me to be.”
“But what if she wants you to be more than just her friend?”
My head shakes. “You don’t know that.” Reid’s solemn face doesn’t change, and I groan, averting my gaze to stare at my beer. “She’s pregnant.”
“Well, yeah,” Reid adds like I just said the dumbest thing in the world. I mean, I kind of did… Captain Obvious right here.
I sigh. “I mean she’s going to be a mum.
A single mum working on her own business and living with her parents.
The guy responsible just told her that he wants nothing to do with this whole situation, and she’s stressed about…
everything. It wouldn’t be right for me to add more stress by sharing my feelings with her. ”
Reid is silent for a moment, the music and chatter of the space the only thing filling my ears. He asks, “Do you think there will be a right time, though?”
My eyes find his again, cobalt blue and deep like the middle of the sea. I shrug. “I don’t know. She hasn’t indicated anything to me, and Laynie has too much on her mind right now. To add something else to her list of anxieties would be too much.”
“You don’t think she can handle you telling her about…”
I swallow, readjusting my position as Reid exhales loudly. “You’re worried she’ll turn you down.”
“Yeah,” I admit, my thumb picking at the label on the table.
Reid’s hand cups my shoulder. “Maybe it’s a risk you need to take.”
Macie and Laynie return with Sadie, Cole, and Holden. Mum and Dad walk through the room, going to their own table where Laynie’s parents are sitting. Everyone must have heard about the open mic night, which is great. Brings more people in to socialise in the middle of the week.
“Did you order anything? I’m starving,” Cole drawls, taking my drink and sipping.
I meet Laynie’s eyes across the table. She’s in a thick grey jumper, her overalls over the top, boots on, and hair in a messy bun.
She looks beautiful every time I see her, and I wish I could tell her that every morning as I make her coffee.
Leave kisses on her neck and cheeks, smelling her strawberry shampoo as she giggles and kisses me back.
The clicking of fingers in front of my eyes snaps me out of my trance.
I glare at the culprit. “What?”
Cole snickers, possibly knowing what I was daydreaming about. If he does, he doesn’t say anything. “I was asking if you wanted a top up.”
“So, you did bring your wallet this time?”
His eyebrows flicker, and we all order a drink, knowing that this is a rarity. Cole conveniently always leaves his money at home, and we all need to pay up. Smart but irresponsible guy.
Paisley floats over as soon as Cole leaves, and I wonder if she was waiting to avoid interacting with him.
Dropping our plates on the table, she gives Laynie a special mocktail with a little purple umbrella before returning behind the bar where Cole starts harassing her.
I know Paisley can handle him on her own, but I still hate how Cole argues with her any chance he gets.
Standing, I push through the crowd that’s accumulated since Laynie and I walked through the door and stand beside my youngest brother, who is tapping his fingers on the wooden bench.
“You okay?” I direct my question at Paisley.
Cole huffs. “She told me my hair looks butchered.”
I blink and look to see he really did take the scissors to his hair. It looks awful.
“You actually listened to Macie?” I question, biting back a laugh.
His tongue runs along the front of his teeth as Paisley chews on her lip. “Well, I was being generous in cutting it so that Paisley wouldn’t fall for me.”
Paisley and I roll our eyes.
“I would never stoop that low,” Paisley snips.
“I wouldn’t either,” Cole seethes.
I push him towards the booth. “Go sit down. I’ve got this.”
He gives me a look like he might fight me on this, but I shake my head, silently warning him to leave.
He does.
Sighing, I turn to Paisley’s troubled face. I frown. “Don’t let him get to you.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not. I just have something else on my mind right now, and him bothering me isn’t helping.”
My head tilts, and I want to ask what it is, since she seems a little down, but I decide not to. If she wants to talk about it, she will. I’m not going to force it out of her.
“Did he pay for everything?”
She nods.
I grab a bottle of water and some glasses to take to the table, but Paisley stops me. “Hey, Grayson, could you wait for a second.”
“What is it?”
She bites down on her lip. “Thank you for everything you’re doing with Knox. You have no idea how much he needs this right now.”
“It’s no problem, but is there something going on, Paisley? I can help you if you—”
“No, it’s nothing. Just that Knox needed a… He just really likes hanging out with you, and I appreciate it.”
The crease between my brows deepens, and I give a small nod. “Anytime.”
Giving me a small grin, Paisley tells me she’ll bring everything else over in a few minutes, so I return to the booth.
“We have the local group, Dust N’ Dirt, who will be playing a few songs for you tonight,” Chris announces into the microphone. He looks at the younger boys dressed in denim cut off and bandanas.
They start off with a catchy rock song that I nod my head to as the others continue their conversation. The next song is just as upbeat, but the third is slower and more acoustic.
Grinning, I look at Laynie, who is watching me.
I nod my head towards the middle of the bar where people are dancing.
She knows exactly what I’m asking, and she’s up a moment later.
I hold out my hand, and when she grabs a hold of it, my fingers tingle at the connection as I lead her into an open space.
Holding her waist, she clings to my shoulders as we move to the beat.
Her eyes reflect the lights, and the shininess of her skin glows under the soft warm bulbs.
She looks ethereal. Hair falling down her cheeks and temple.
I lift my hand to tuck some behind her ear.
She tracks the moment, chewing on her lip a little.
My gaze drops to watch. As soon as she stops, I blink up.
She is watching me, her face slightly tilted and eyes narrowed a fraction like she’s trying to dissect me.
I clear my throat. “Have you planned everything for this weekend?”
“Yeah, I’ll have to bake more on Friday to make up for it, but that’s all right. I’ll get it done.”
My chin dips slowly, the music surrounding us as we sway gently together in time. “Do you want some help?”
She eyes me for a moment before the tops of her cheeks darken to a soft pink shade. Laynie pink. Utterly gorgeous, like the dusk sky. “You want to help me bake?”
“I promise I won’t drop the sack of flour this time.”
“Or the carton of eggs?”
I bark a short laugh, gaining the attention of some of the people around us, but I ignore them. All I’m focused on right now is the girl in my arms. “I won’t touch the eggs.”
The grin that shows on her face is infectious, and I smile. “You can help me. I would love that.”
My stomach flutters when the song comes to a stop.
Chris is back at the mic. “That was awesome. Thank you guys so much. Our next act is one of our local boys. You all know him, but I bet you didn’t know about his singing ability. If you could all give Holden Lawson a hand, please.”
My mouth parts as Holden walks through the cheering crowd. Peering down at Laynie, I can see that she’s just as surprised as he takes centre stage and picks up the guitar.
“Thank you,” is all Holden says.
I sniff a laugh when he starts playing a song. I’ve heard him play the guitar before, it’s hard to miss in the house, but singing?
As soon as he opens his mouth, my jaw slackens.
Laynie’s hand grabs my arm, and I lean down for her to whisper in my ear, “Did you know?”
“No idea.” I mutter back, standing in awe as my younger brother floors the crowd with his singing.
Everyone seems as captivated as we are. Eyes scanning the room, they land on Reid who pulls a face. It seems as though he was equally as unaware of our brother’s skill as I was. Sawyer is grinning wide, and I’m guessing he had some sort of knowledge about his twin.
As soon as the song finishes, the applause is deafening. Nodding shyly, Holden takes his guitar and tramples back over to the booth. Taking Laynie’s hand in mine, I guide her back over to my family congratulating Holden with slaps on his back and praises.
“Thanks for coming,” Holden grumbles. My grin broadens as Macie gives him a big hug, bubbling with excitement.
“I’m so glad we didn’t miss it.” She looks back at all of us before adding, “Besides, I don’t think we would have believed it if we didn’t see it ourselves.”
Holden just smiles endearingly as Sawyer yanks him into an embrace, hand flopping over his shoulders. “All right, next round is on me.”