“Sometimes a person needs to let off steam.” He nods in the direction of the barn door and when we get there, opens it for me.
As I enter, I eye his warrior stance, his muscles, his tats. “I doubt you ever had someone take advantage of you.”
A derisive snort gets directed at me. “Give the man a break. When it comes to women, Andy’s a bit… slow.”
He can’t be serious.“Slow? He’s a brilliant lawyer-”
“You know what, Sienna? Since I’ve known Quinn, he’s never dated a woman more than once.” His brows raise at my surprise. “You may be a bit too intense for him to handle.”
“And just what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, really. Call it an observation. Sit.” He picks the only open bar stool and stands behind me, arms crossed, daring anyone to come close.
Whatever, when I’m ready, I’ll dance. However, the bartender passes around a clipboard and I remember the contest. When it gets close, I take it and pen in my name.
After looking over the list of country songs, I grin. “Ah hah! I got this.”
Jack grunts, totally in bodyguard zone so I ignore him as I nurse my beer.
Like with fingernails on a blackboard, I cringe as person after person picks up the mic and sings out of tune at the top of their lungs. Finally, a young man with a lot of talent singsYou Make it Easyby Jason Aldean. The lyrics about a man loving a woman makes my eyes water and throat tight. What would it be like to be loved like that?
I’m so lost in the song, I almost forget why I’m there. I’m also a bit worried. The competition just got fierce.
“Sienna Giles? Come on up here, little lady.” I curtsey to a couple wolf whistles in the audience as I walk toward the microphone. The horns play the introduction, the background singers woot-woot, and I belt, “What you want?”
I channel Aretha Franklin and when I get to the chorus, all the women jump to their feet.
“R-E-S-P-E-C-T.” I jump up and down, clapping my hands and pointing to the crowd. “What we need?”
“A little respect.” A pretty woman in jeans uses her hands as a megaphone.
“Y’all come on up here.” I point to all the girls in the audience. “Doot, doot. Sing it.” I point the mic at my backup singers and they all oblige.
“Just a little respect, now.” I picture myself as a kid, singing this song in my basement. At the time, a plastic spoon was my microphone. The whole bar claps as I hold the last note, trill it, love it, and take it home.
Yee haw!
The cheering is what I live for. For just a few minutes, I made people happy. That’s my crack, my addiction, and why I can never stop.
Another girl shakes her head at me as she takes the mic from my hand. “I don’t know why I bother. You won hands down.” She smiles. “Hey, you want to sing with me?”
I look to the bearded guy with a man-bun who seems to be in charge. “Go ahead, hun. Love to hear more.” He yells over the crowd, “What do you say, can she have another turn?”
While the audience bangs on the tables and stomps their boots, I shout over the hooting and hollering, “What song we doin’?”
“When a man loves a woman.” The young girl takes the first verse and I take the second, singing how I was played for a fool.
The lyrics are so good, it’s hard to sing, so I close my eyes and we end it. After the applause dies down, I lift my lids and suddenly, my pulse goes all crazy-like. Andy’s standing by the bar with his eyes all over me. Just like the song says, he’s my whole world and I don’t know what to do.
He gives a short nod to Jack who waves goodbye. Then he walks to the plywood stage and takes my hand. “Can we please talk? Alone?”
When I nod, he winks at the crowd. “Don’t worry folks, I’ll bring my girlfriend right back. I just need a moment in private.”
I grab the mic. “Countin’ on your votes. I sure could use the money. Came down here with just the shirt on my back. Anybody recognize these boots? Care of Ma’s Thrift Shop?”
I get a whole lot of applause and see why. The nice lady who gave me my cowboy hat is waving wildly. “That’s the God’s honest truth.”
Andy takes some ribbing how he’s not taking better care of me as he walks me across the dance floor. At the barn door, Man-bun says into the mic, “Don’t take her far. We’ll be announcing our winner real soon.”
