Chapter Four
Four
Long after the dinner rush had ended, the bar hummed with anticipation. Surrounding her, a handful of early customers lounged on the plush leather stools, nursing the Smirking Ballerina cocktail she’d created as this week’s feature.
She strode forward, a tray of beers in her hands, her heart quickening as she approached the stage where Gunner and his band were setting up for tonight’s performance. His presence still affected her, no matter how much she tried to deny it, and that just annoyed her to hell.
“Here you go, boys,” she said, distributing the drinks to the band members.
Her voice caught as she turned to Gunner, extending a cold beer.
“And for you.” She’d used to hesitate to hand him a beer, knowing his struggle with past addiction.
But his vice wasn’t booze, it was pills.
Once she knew that, she treated him like everyone else, knowing she’d want the same if it were her.
Gunner’s fingers brushed hers as he took the bottle, sending a jolt through her. “Thanks, darlin’,” he drawled, his blue eyes all but smoldering. “Appreciate it.”
Aubrey forced a smile, trying to ignore the way his low voice made her knees weak. “Just doing my job,” she told him, which only made him grin.
As she turned to leave, a man who appeared to be in his fifties approached. He had graying hair, round glasses and kind brown eyes that exuded warmth.
Gunner said, “Tom, it’s so good to see you, man.”
“Back at you,” Tom said, and the two men hugged.
When Tom leaned away, he held on to Gunner’s shoulders. “Things good?” he asked gently.
Gunner hesitated and then nodded. “Yeah, I’m good.”
Aubrey’s curiosity piqued at his long pause. She busied herself with wiping down a nearby table, straining to hear.
“I’m feeling good,” Gunner continued. “I’m staying strong and keeping up with the physical therapy to keep the pain away.”
Realization dawned on Aubrey. This must be Gunner’s substance abuse counselor.
She felt a twinge of guilt for eavesdropping but couldn’t bring herself to walk away.
She knew his past addiction must always weigh on him, but hearing the vulnerability in his voice made it all too real.
She wanted to go to him, to offer comfort, but she held back.
Getting close to Gunner was dangerous territory.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she continued to wipe down another table, her ears still attuned to Gunner’s conversation.
“I’ve been writing again,” said Gunner, his voice tinged with cautious hope. “It’s helping, you know? Channeling all those feelings into something positive.”
Tom responded warmly. “That’s fantastic, Gunner. Music has always been your lifeline.”
Aubrey’s breath caught in her throat. She’d heard Gunner’s songs before, but now she understood the depth of emotion behind them. Her eyes flickered to his strong hands as they absently strummed his guitar, wondering how many demons those fingers had battled.
“It’s hard when the past creeps up,” Gunner admitted, his shoulders sagging slightly. “Especially when I think about how I’ve let people down.”
The raw honesty in his voice made Aubrey’s heart clench. She found herself wanting to reach out, to tell him he hadn’t let her down. But the memory of their one passionate week and the complications it brought stopped her cold. She couldn’t risk being hurt at the expense of anyone else anymore.
Tom patted him on the shoulder. “You’re doing the work, Gunner. That’s what matters.”
As the conversation wound down, Aubrey retreated behind the bar, her mind a whirlwind.
She’d been so determined to keep Gunner at arm’s length, to protect herself from the intensity of her feelings for him.
But now, with more of a glimpse into the battles he fought daily, she felt her resolve weakening.
“Dammit,” she muttered, closing her eyes briefly. How could she reconcile her growing empathy for Gunner with her need for self-preservation? The urge to comfort him warred with her instinct to maintain distance.
Gunner’s rich laugh drifted across the room, and Aubrey’s eyes snapped open, drawn to him like a magnet. Their gazes locked for a moment, and she saw a flicker of vulnerability beneath his easy smile.
“Get it together, Hale,” she muttered to herself, tearing her gaze away only to have it drawn back moments later when Tom headed back to the table he sat at with two companions.
She watched Gunner from across the room as he sat on a stool on the stage, guitar cradled in his lap, those strong, calloused hands fine-tuning the strings with a tenderness that made her breath catch.
Why was this all so damn confusing?
Following Aubrey’s line of sight, Willow sidled up next to her, polishing a whiskey glass. “He’s really come a long way from that YouTube video we saw, hasn’t he?” she said, a note of pride in her voice.
Aubrey swallowed hard, nodding. “Yeah, seems like it.” The video was the very last show he’d done a couple years ago. He was out of his mind high and aggressive and smashed his guitar on the stage before storming off.
“I mean, look at him up there,” Willow continued, oblivious to Aubrey’s internal struggle. “Focused, sober, ready to perform. It’s just awesome.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Aubrey hummed, desperately searching for a change of subject. Her eyes landed on the cocktail menu. “So, about those new featured drinks we’re rolling out this weekend…”
Willow raised an eyebrow, clearly catching on to Aubrey’s deflection. “Right, the cocktails. What’ve you got in mind?”
As Aubrey launched into a description of her latest concoction, which she’d named Rose Kiss, she couldn’t help but steal another glance at Gunner.
Their eyes met briefly, and she felt that familiar pull, the one she’d been fighting since that first night his eyes met hers in Atlanta.
She clenched her jaw, determination warring with desire.
But then her heart skipped a beat as a petite redhead entered the bar and sauntered up to the stage, her eyes fixed on Gunner like a lioness stalking her prey. Poppy’s form-fitting dress and stride screamed confidence.
“Well, hello there, handsome,” Poppy purred, leaning against the stage. “You must be the famous Gunner Woods I’ve heard so much about.”
Gunner’s eyes crinkled as he flashed that heart-stopping smile. “Guilty as charged,” he said, setting his guitar aside. “And you are?”
“Poppy, Charly’s wedding planner.” She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “Which means we’ll be spending a whole lot of time together soon.”
Aubrey’s grip tightened on the glass she was polishing, her knuckles turning white. She tried to look away, but her eyes kept darting back to the scene unfolding before her.
“Is that so?” Gunner replied, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down Aubrey’s spine. “I’ve heard you do some amazing work.”
Poppy gave a sensual smile. “I can do many amazing things.”
Gunner raised an eyebrow in response.
Unable to bear another second, Aubrey slammed the glass down and stormed past Willow into the kitchen. Her chest heaved as she braced herself against the cool metal countertop, trying to regain her composure.
“Get it together, Aubrey,” she muttered, closing her eyes. “He’s not yours. He was never yours.”
The kitchen door swung open, and Aubrey’s eyes snapped open to find Gunner standing there, amusement etched across his face, causing her sudden glare.
“You okay, darlin’?” he asked, taking a cautious step forward, his voice laced with concern.
Aubrey straightened, folding her arms across her chest defensively. “I’m fine. Shouldn’t you be out there entertaining your new friend?” Her words were sharp, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of something deeper.
Gunner’s eyebrows arched in amusement, a knowing smirk dancing at the corners of his lips. “Now, now. Is that jealousy I detect in your voice?” he teased, his tone light yet probing.
“You wish,” Aubrey retorted with a scoff, though even she could hear the wavering in her own voice, a lack of conviction that belied her true feelings.
He moved in closer, the space between them charged with an almost palpable tension. “There’s nothing out there I want,” he murmured softly, his voice a gentle caress. “What I want is right here.”
Aubrey’s breath hitched, caught in her throat, her resolve melting under the intensity of his steady gaze. “Gunner, I…” she started, her words faltering as the air around them crackled with an electric, fragile anticipation.
Gunner’s eyes sparkled with playful mischief as he leaned in, his proximity wrapping her in the warmth of his presence.
His voice dropped to a teasing, low drawl.
“It’s alright, sweetheart. If it bugs you to see me talkin’ to other women, you can just say so.
” He grinned, his smile turning devilish.
“Hell, I’d be lyin’ if I said it wouldn’t bother me to see you with someone else. ”
Aubrey’s cheeks flared with heat, a blush creeping across her skin. “I am not jealous,” she insisted with a hiss, even as her heart raced traitorously within her chest, betraying her words.
“Sure, darlin’.” Gunner chuckled, his gaze lingering on her face, tracing every bit of her features. “Whatever you say.”
She turned away abruptly, her fingers busying themselves with the task of organizing the bottles on the closest shelf, a futile attempt ease the emotions inside her. “Don’t you have a show to prepare for?” she mumbled, her voice a little steadier now.
The muted sounds of the bar began to seep through the kitchen door—the excited chatter of the crowd gathering for Gunner’s set.
His eyes flicked toward the noise for a brief moment before returning to Aubrey, his expression softening. “You’re right,” he said quietly, his voice filled with a promise. “But this conversation ain’t over, Aubrey. Not by a long shot.”
Once he’d left, Aubrey allowed herself a moment to breathe. She could hear the crowd growing restless, their energy palpable even from the kitchen. Steeling herself, she pushed through the swinging door, back into the main bar area.
The Naked Moose was beginning to become alive with electricity.
More people were arriving to put their workweek behind them.
Aubrey’s gaze went straight to Gunner, his presence magnetic as he adjusted his guitar strap and stepped in front of the microphone, his band ready behind him.
Then her focus went to Poppy, all but drooling on his shoes, and she rolled her eyes, heading toward Charly and Willow behind the bar.
She had work to do, and she wasn’t going to let some country singer distract her, no matter how much those sexy, smoldering blue eyes drew her in.