"Welcome to karaoke night at the Canary. Now who's goin’ to go first and show us how it's done?" he announces, looking around the room. A group of twenty-somethings put their hands up, giggling and calling out "We will!". Moments later, it's everyone else who's laughing as they launch into a hilarious rendition of a Spice Girls song complete with the dance routine to match.
Red leans in to bring his mouth to my ear. “Yousureyou still want to sing in front of a room of strangers?” he muses, his warm breath washing over my skin and leaving goosebumps in its wake.
I chuckle and turn my head slightly to meet his gaze. "You bet I do. I may not have the voice of an angel, but I’m not scared of makin’ a fool out of myself in the name of fun. How ‘bout you, Redmond?” I challenge.
“Bring it on, darlin’. If you can do it, then I can too,” he replies with a wicked grin.
“OK then. Let’s go. I know just the song for us.”
“You two goin’ to get up there and sing?” Randy pipes up, leaning back in the booth and lookingfartoo amused at the prospect.
“Sure am. And ifwecan do it, thenyoutwo can be next,” I shoot back.
Randy and Will look at each other, both of them shaking their heads at the same time. “Nope. I’m happy to sit here with my beer and watch you two,” Randy replies.
Downing the rest of my drink, I slide out of the booth. “Suit yourself.” Red appears by my side before grabbing my hand and lacing our fingers together. I look down at our hands before slowly lifting my eyes to his hooded ones.Damn the man is handsome when he smiles.
"Lead the way, darlin'," he rasps, and yep, definitely feelingallthe effects of this Call business. If the mountain spirit ever turns up in human form, I owe the woman a meal and then some.
We reach the side of the stage just as the last notes of the Spice Girls song play. Once the stage is clear, we move to stand behind the microphones to the sound of cheers and applause from the crowd–and a loud wolf whistle from Randy at the back. After scanning through the song list, I make my selection and let the manager know.
Then I take a deep breath and in what might be the craziest thing I’ve done in a long time, I hold the microphone up to my mouth and wait for the music to start.
The opening notes of "Islands in the Stream" fill the room, and I glance over at Red, who wears a mischievous grin. As Kenny Roger’s iconic voice fills the air, the man shocks the hell out of me by singing the lyrics on key and in a deep voice that isfarfrom bad.
When it comes to the harmony part, we sing together perfectly and with the crowd cheering us on, I forget about the Call and the audience and the fact I’m standing up in front of a bunch of strangers and justsing.
Our voices blend surprisingly well as if they were meant to complement each other all along. The crowd really starts getting into it, clapping along to the beat. I even catch Randy and Will bobbing their heads in time with the music, their eyes wide with amazement.
As we reach the chorus, Red's voice takes on a playful tone when he adds a touch of country drawl to his voice that makes me chuckle mid-verse. I shoot him a look which only makes his grin get wider. He’s clearly enjoying himself–more than I thought he ever would, to be honest–and it’s that feeling that I relish.
With the end of the song drawing closer, so do we, until we’re right in each other’s faces, singing loudly, having the time of our lives. When it finishes, Red pulls me in for a tight bear hug right there in front of the cheering crowd. You better believe I wrap my arms around him too, closing my eyes and taking in the alluring woodsy scent of his cologne and soaking in the warmth of his body fitting perfectly against mine.
When I feel him nuzzle my neck, my breath catches, my whole body singing its own tune this time, and it takes everything I have not to grab his face and kiss the life out of him in front of everybody.
As soon as that thought registers though, I remember that we’re still standing on the stage.
Pulling apart, Red’s grin is so big that it takes over his whole face. It’s a picture I commit to memory because it’s a look I want to see and be the reason it’s there, for the rest of my life. I also wonder whether he realizes that my entire world has just been shook off its axis with that one touch of his lips on my skin.
He hands the microphones back to the host before taking my hand in his and leading me back to the table, all the while I follow him in a daze. Because all the different things I’ve been feeling about him on this trip so far, from our moment on the hike, to the way I felt seeing him naked at Pinky’s place, to claiming me with his hat, and telling me he’s open to hearing the Call, I can no longer deny that things have changed.
If I thought singing in front of a room full of strangers was the craziest thing I've ever done, I was wrong.
Because this isn’t a crush, this isn’t lust borne from close proximity. This isn’t just me loving Red, my best friend. I’minlove with him too. Wholeheartedly. Head over heels. No one else will ever do.
I guess all I need to do now is figure out what the hell to do about it…
21
RED
Another day dawns and yet again, I’ve had another restless night with very little sleep. And it had nothing to do with singing karaoke and everything to do with me realizing mid-Kenny and Dolly that I didn’t want to live with my life being on pause anymore. I want fun and someone to have fun with. I want someone to come home to after a long day on the ranch. I want to share my life with somebody again. And I want that person to be Maggie Gallagher.
There’s also the fact that I lost my head for a second there last night and nuzzled her neck after the song had ended. I was so caught up in the moment–caught up inher–that my body and heart took over and I acted on pure instinct. I didn’t miss how she stilled against me, or how her breath caught in a silent gasp. But I did feel absolute relief when she flexed her fingers against my back before melting into me.
If that’s not a sign that Mags is feeling the same way as I am, then I’m not sure what is.
My body was buzzing for the rest of the night. Between that, and hearing Mags snuggle and sigh in her sleep all night in the other bed, my brain just could not switch off.
