We made our way up to the bar to put our names on the set list and grabbed another drink when a slender hand slipped her grip around my forearm, her long nails sending an unwelcome chill down my spine.
“Calvin! What a surprise to see you here!” Valerie squealed from the seat beside me. It really wasn’t a surprise to see me here, considering I came almost every Friday. Her friends gave me polite smiles. It was like they knew Valerie was overstepping, but they weren’t brave enough to say anything to her. I noticed Blaire was with her, not looking nearly as torn up as Carter had at work today while she laughed with her friends.
“Hello, ladies, hope you’re enjoying your evening.” I tried to turn and end the conversation, but Valerie’s grip on my arm only tightened.
“What are you doing afterward? Maybe you wouldn’t mind walking me home? You know how I feel about the dark and all that,” Valerie said while batting her eyelashes like she was straight out of a cartoon.
“Sorry, Valerie, my man here has plans tonight,” Garrett cut in. “Hot date nightkind of plans. And definitelywon’tbe available to walk you home. Let me show you where the phone is, though, in case you’d like to call a cab later.” He threw his arm around Valerie’s shoulder and forced her to let go of me, leadingher to the doorway where the vintage phone booth sat. I didn’t miss the daggers Valerie’s eyes shot my way, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful for Garrett’s interference.
“Her persistence will get her somewhere someday.” Patrick chuckled from beside me.
There was absolutely no denying that sentiment. “You want to join us up there tonight?”
Patrick didn’t play any instruments, but he had an incredible singing voice. Unfortunately, almost no one in our small town had had the privilege of hearing it. I wasn’t sure if he was uncomfortable or if he doubted his abilities, but if there was a chance music could make him feel the same way it made me feel, I wanted him to have that.
“No way, man. You know I don’t like being in front of all these people.”
“But you’re good. Better than good. They don’t even know the talent that’s right in front of them.” I wanted to build my friends up, I wanted them to “chase their happy,”just like my mom had told me to do. Why was it so easy for me to want it for them but not claim it for myself?
Patrick just shook his head and took a swig of his Diet Coke in response.
“Well, now that that’s dealt with, you ready?” Garrett returned to the bar with a big goofy smile on his face.
“What did you do?” Patrick and I asked at the same time. We knew him better than to think that mischievous look was for nothing.
“Nothing!” he said as he threw his hands up in the air in surrender. “I just, maybe, sort of, told Valerie that even thoughhershit may not stink, the pile of cow dung she stepped in on the way in here definitely did.”
I dropped my head into my hands but couldn’t stop the shake of my shoulders as I laughed. That was something we could always count on him for.
“She didn’t, did she?” Patrick looked mortified.
“Nope,” Garrett said with a pop of thep. “But she doesn’t need to know that.”
The laughter between us continued while Garrett and I got ourselves set up on the makeshift stage. He picked up the guitar and I grabbed my harmonica out of my pocket as we locked eyes. Words didn’t even need to be shared between us when he strummed that first note and I started singing.
The feeling of euphoria washed over me, the same way it always did, as we finished up our set and headed to some seats at the bar.
Tabitha held the mic in her hand and commanded the stage, just like she ran her business here at Heartstrings: flawlessly. “What an incredible performance by our very own Hart brothers! How lucky we are to have such exceptional talent that we get to witness every Friday night here in Love?”
The small crowd cheered as loud as a full sports stadium. If you ever felt alone, just go to a small town and see how much love there is to share.
“Now, how about we give it up for the third part of that trio, Melody Hart!”
I looked around to find Melody, surprised she was here and didn’t come join Garrett and me up on stage. As I looked around the bar, it wasn’t Melody who caught my eye, though.
It was Stella. She washere.
She had traded in her leggings and hoodie that seemed to be her protective uniform over the last few days for a floral longsleeve sundress that flowed around her legs like the canola fields swayed in the summer breeze. Her long dark hair was done in loose curls and moved with her as she laughed with Olivia.
She laughed.
It stole my breath to see her genuine happiness and only made me a little jealous that I wasn’t the reason for it. But to see her so happy eased a part of me that the music didn’t quite reach.
Her red-painted lips parted to take a sip of her drink, and when she looked up her gaze connected with mine. It was like everything else in the room stopped and all I saw was her. I thought she was gorgeous that very first night I saw her trembling in bed, but seeing her now—with clear eyes, bright skin, and a smile on her face—threatened to stop my heart completely and send me to an early grave.
“I’m going to need to get a bucket to catch all your drool, man.” Garrett’s laugh disrupted my focus on the masterpiece across the bar, and I turned to glare at him, which only made him and Patrick laugh harder.
“I don’t know what to do,” I hissed at them. This feeling was so strange to me. I had never felt such an attraction toward someone, not in this kind of way. She was like the world’s strongest magnet and my eyes were powerless to her pull.
