“You do? It didn’t sound that way a while ago.”
“You could be my saving grace, but it has to work both ways.”
“Which it would. Claudie asked if you were my guy, meaning the one I’ve been waiting for. I didn’t admit it to Claudie, but I knew you were my guy the day we met.”
He swallowed. What a mess he’d gotten them into. “I felt the same. You know I do, but?—”
“That’s good enough for now.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “Let’s go back to the party.”
Chapter Twenty
Jordan had said Cole habitually short-changed himself and Mila was seeing it in real time. She’d just have to derail the tendency.
Fortunately for her cause, his body wasn’t on board with that habit. Words weren’t effective, but actions were. She could employ that strategy to its fullest once they were alone.
At the Raccoon’s front door, he reached for the handle and paused. “Hang on. I meant to ask you this at the break, but then we went outside and I forgot.” He glanced at her. “Would you consider singing with the band for the last set?”
“Me? I’m not a performer.”
“But you sang with me at the wedding reception.”
“That was different. It was just family and close friends.”
“But you’ve sung in public before. I’d bet on it.”
“Yeah, back in high school, in choir and a couple of musicals, but that’s not like singing in a professional setting.”
“But you could. You have the voice for it and Sam already said it’s a great idea.”
“You talked to him?”
“I did and he’s all for it. You probably know the Christmas stuff they’ve been playing. And you said you’d help me with Feliz Navidad.”
“Well, sure, but?—”
“I’d love to have you up there with me for the last set.”
As if she could resist that comment or the eagerness in his smoke-gray eyes. Maybe she’d make a fool of herself, but at least she’d get to be with him. “Okay, we can give it a try.”
“Excellent. I promise you’ll have fun.” He opened the door and ushered her inside.
The Rooty Toots welcomed her with such enthusiasm that she felt obligated to say she’d never sung professionally. She’d performed before an audience this large during the high school musicals, but they’d rehearsed the heck out of those numbers.
The band started her off with Winter Wonderland. Sam offered to harmonize if she’d take the melody. Nerves jangling, she agreed. What had Cole gotten her into?
But after the first few lyrics, her jitters disappeared and her love of singing took over. Harmonizing with Sam was easy and the mellow notes from Cole’s fiddle blended in like a dream.
Partway through she flashed him a smile and he responded with a wink. Dancers whirled around the floor, moving to music she’d helped create. Yeah, she liked this. A lot.
The applause at the end felt damn good, too. At the reception she’d sung along with Cole’s fiddle playing mostly to flirt with him. She’d chalked up his compliments to him flirting back.
But his suggestion tonight had nothing to do with flattery. Evidently he valued her talent and liked making music with her. Heady stuff.
For the next hour she summoned her inner Faith Hill, throwing herself into Christmas classics like Jingle Bell Rock, Santa Baby and Sleigh Ride. Although she harmonized each number with Sam, she remained acutely aware of that fiddle and the man who was playing it.
As midnight grew closer, she was about to remind Luis about Tia Ezzie’s request when Sam announced a short break and approached her with more sheet music.
He held it out. “Cole said your auntie wants us to play Feliz Navidad.”
