“You ever goin’ to tell mewherethis tattoo of yours is?”
She stops in the doorway and looks back my way. “I think it’s more fun to keep you guessin’ Red. Now get ready, time’s a wastin’,” she says before closing the door behind her.
Now all I can think about iswhereit might be. But what I’m hopin’ is that it was her plan all along.
20
MAGS
Red locks up the motel room and leads me over to the truck, his hand resting on the small of my back making my heart flip.
While I was having my shower and cleaning up, Red went out to get supplies to see us through during the storm. It gave me time to think about how things have obviously changed between us.
What I didn’t know until I delved deeper into the new Aster book–and thinking back to the others I’ve read before now–is that the Call works in many different ways. That’s the only reason I can come up with as towhyI haven’t realized until now just how deep my feelings are for him.
They’ve likely been growing for a while. I'd never contemplated that anything would ever happen between us. He's always just been Red, my best friend, a constant presence in my life. He and Wy have always been part of my family and they made sure that I was part of theirs.
With three failed marriages under my belt, I’d shut down the possibility of thereeverbeing another man for me. When you crash and burn that many times, you come to accept the fact thatlove just isn’t for you. Somehow, I’d become blindly content with that being my lot.How wrong was I?
Now all I can think about ishowis this supposed to happen. And when?It feels like we're both being pulled toward each other, but so far–Red hasn't made a move.
I thought the unnamed book with its unnamed characters might give me a road map–or at leastsomesort of clue about whatmighthappen. To be honest, if I hadn’t clued in that this new story was the journey Red and I were destined to go on, I’d be a little freaked out about how uncannily accurate it is. I will admit though, it’s taking everything I have not to jump ahead a little to see how it ends.
So far, I'm only up to the point where the hero gives the heroine his hat at the bar, not realizing that the move was claiming her in everyone's eyes. Having experienced that moment first-hand, I had no clue that’s what he was doing. Now I do, I can't help but want him to do it again.
That’s why tonight, I put a little extra effort into dressing up, something Red didn’t miss if the flash of heat I caught in his eyes is anything to go by.
Just like the way his eyes linger on my face a little longer than usual before he closes me inside the truck and rounds the hood to get behind the wheel.
“Nowdo I get to know where we’re goin’? Because with you lookin’ like that, I’m feelin’ underdressed,” he says with a wry smile.
I drag my eyes over him, a slow-growing smile tugging at my mouth as I take in his black corduroy shirt and dark denim jeans, finished off with his ever-present black cowboy bootsand matching hat. He’s trimmed his beard back too which has accentuated his strong jaw and full lips. If I thought he was handsome before, he’s looking smoking hot now.
I must take too long checking him out because I catch his mouth twitching and it snaps me out of my daze. “You want me to get out and do a twirl for you, darlin’?”
“No,” I say, crossing my arms. “I was just checking if youwereunderdressed.”
“Don’t lie, you were checkin’ meout. It’s OK, Mags. Keep lookin’, I like it. It’s good for this old man’s ego,” he replies, his voice dropping lower and sending the good kind of shivers through my body.
Dragging my eyes away from him, I bring up my phone. "Just follow my directions, Red. Patience is a virtue, you know."
He shoots me a half salute and a knowing grin. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Trust me, it’s goin’ to be fun. Have I ever let you down before?”
“Nope,” he answers straight away, and with a wide smile that makes me feel warm inside. There was a time when I had to fight to get the man to smile, and I love that those moments come free and easy now.
“OK, let’s get this show on the road then.”
Fifteen minutes later, I direct him into a parking spot outside a bar and restaurant called the “Singing Canary.”
I wait until he’s gotten a good look at the place before glancing his way, waiting for his reaction.
“A karaoke bar?” he says incredulously.
“Yep,” I reply with a grin. “I wanted to do somethin’ that I we haven’t done together before.”
“Think a tattoo would’ve been easier,” he mutters with a laugh. He lifts his hand and rubs the back of his neck. “You really want to sing in front of strangers?”
