“Sugar?” she retorts, rolling her eyes. “How much more cliché can you be? I mean, the jeans, boots, flannel, and hat are enough…but that nickname is so not hot”
Laughing, I turn to Easton and shrug. “She’s not wrong.”
Easton straightens his hat on his head. “Well, another lady won’t mind it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure I don’t end up going home alone tonight.” Tipping his hat at me, he says, “Always good to see you, Elodie. Let me know when you’re in town and we can grab a burger or something.”
I lunge toward him, hugging him tightly. “I will.”
He saunters off as I return to my chair and find Dilynne staring at me. “What?”
“You sure you two have never banged?”
Dry heaving dramatically, I lift my glass to my mouth. “I’m sure. Trust me. Easton is way too immature for me.”
“Most men are,” Dilynne replies.
“Agreed, but he uses it as crutch to avoid growing up. His family…” My words trail off as I take a deep breath before continuing. “Let’s just say everyone has their own way of coping with things and his is that. I know he has feelings for one of Lennon’s sisters too, but…”
“Oh, so there is someone back home he’s avoiding?” Dilynne leans forward in her seat, clearly invested.
“Yeah. They fight more than anything, but it’s clear as day that there are feelings there.”
Dilynne’s grin from before falls as she clears her throat. “Yeah, well sometimes fighting is just fighting, nothing more.”
I tilt my head at her. “You seem like you’re speaking from experience.”
“Let’s just say that people usually fight for a reason, okay?”
I take my straw between my teeth again, feeling the effects of the whiskey coating my limbs in warmth as I get to the bottom of my glass. “Care to elaborate? Is this an ex you’re referring to?”
She huffs out a laugh. “Yeah. I should have known better than to mix business and pleasure,” she says almost painfully, making me reach out for her hand again.
“God, have I learned that lesson too.”
The music cuts off at that moment, pulling everyone’s attention to the DJ booth. “All right y’all! It’s time for our first act for Open Mic Night. Put your hands together for Gregory Banks singing a Garth Brooks classic, ‘Friends in Low Places’!”
Dilynne and I turn our attention to the stage in the corner of the bar while Gregory belts out a slightly intoxicated version of the crowd pleaser. But inside, I’m squirming, waiting for my turn. I count the acts until I know I’m up next. Dilynne rubs my back as the DJ introduces me.
“You’ve got this.”
Nodding, I head toward the stage.
I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I’ve sung in front of crowds hundreds of times.
But this is the first time I’ve sung since the night when everything changed and I questioned if this is what I wanted for my life still.
“How are y’all doing tonight?” Holding the microphone between both of my hands, I cast my gaze out into the crowd of people, receiving hoots and hollers in response. “Sounds like we’re all having fun. Now, I wouldn’t be up here if it weren’t for my pushy friend in the back,” I say as Dilynne screams so everyone can see her. “But singing issomething I’ve been doing since I was very young, so I hope you guys enjoy this one. I think it’s fitting for tonight.”
I wait for the first few notes of the song to play and then I close my eyes, take a deep breath, pop my eyes back open, and let the music overtake me. Singing “Bartender“ by Lady A, I tap my toes and swing my hips as the upbeat music plays and the crowd starts singing with me.
My eyes land on Dilynne in the back of the crowd, shaking her arms around and singing along, instantly making me smile.
The energy, the music, the entire feeling of the room transports me to another place—one where instead of people watching me singing someone else’s song, there might be a day when a crowd would gather to listen to me sing songs I wrote myself.
By the time the song ends, reality gently brings me back to the present where the entire crowd is on their feet and cheering for me.
I can feel my cheeks heat as I wave goodbye, thank the crowd, and make my way off the stage and back to Dilynne.
“Holy shit!” she shouts when I get close enough to hear her. “I feel really bad for the guy that has to go after you.”
