Aww… apparently a few days into his tenure as the official Dimefront drummer had given Tanner a burst of confidence and a dose of attitude. Adorable, really.
“I amfuckingserious.” Becca made wide eyes at him.
He made wide eyes at her.
Then he mumbled something about the things he agreed to for the cause and stomped off. He may not have been happy about her song choice, but he went straight to the stage to do a mic check.
She wasn’t working that night, so she’d foregone her Brek’s Bar tee for a low-cut red blouse that fit tight at the waist and her bust, with flared sleeves.
Courtney wandered to Becca, staring at her phone. “Bax said they got hung up, but they’re coming.”
Good. That was good.Deep breaths, Becca.
“You and Bax are okay?” Becca asked, deflecting her attention from her own problems to those of her new friend.
Courtney glanced to her belly then back to Becca. A ghost of a storm passed across her eyes. “I wouldn’t say we’re good. Speaking, yes. Good.” She lifted a shoulder. “Debatable.” She shivered. “This isn’t about me, though. Tonight is about you and my brother.”
Her brother. Becca swallowed the lump lodged in her throat since she’d decided to do this. To take the risk. To live life as a permanent vacation.
That was the moment Linx strode through the door of the bar, the neon Budweiser sign casting a blue halo around him.
Oh, man, the universe really had done a fantastic job with him. Becca’s mouth went dry at the sight, just like it did the first time she saw him standing there.
Bax came in behind him and stood blocking the door, arms crossed. His gaze flitted to Courtney then to his boots.
Linx didn’t pause when he walked in. One look at Becca, and his shoulders dropped. He turned to leave.
Bax, however, got lead singer points for refusing to budge. He shook his head and pointed to the stage. Linx turned to see what he was pointing at.
Becca hurried to the microphone onstage.
“Excuse me,” she said. Her breath puffed over the sound system. She moved her mouth away a few centimeters. “I… uh…”Do it. Come on.“There’s been a dare. Uh, Cedric, if you’d hold a second.” Her throat worked against the fear he’d walk out the door anyway.
Linx had a look of utter shock on his face—eyes wide, mouth parted, jaw slack. He didn’t continue his forward momentum to the exit. Instead, he paused, apparently waiting to see where she was going with this.
Knox immediately dove into the opening piano bars for “Baby One More Time.”Bah bum, bum, bum.Tanner was right behind him with the beat. And Becca? Becca dove in, pulling the microphone from the stand and strutting to the edge of the stage, facing Linx. Then, as she sang about how she shouldn’t have let him go à la Queen Britney circa 1999, Linx’s hard edges softened. The edges of his lips twitched. He covered his mouth with his palm. Shook his head, but kept his gaze locked on her. She waggled her finger, indicating he should come up on stage with her.
The rest of what she had planned required his participation.
Perma-grin back in place, he strode to her, up the steps of the stage. She pointed to the chair she’d placed for this very reason, directing him to it. He looked to her and looked to the guys on stage, but moved in the direction she showed.
She sashayed to him, pushed him to a chair, and began a PG-ish version of the lap dance she’d given him there on that very spot while she sang her exceptionally off-key version of Britney’s song.
The elderly crew in the front row let out a whole slew of catcalls and whistles. And when the song ended, Linx pulled her to his lap and kissed the stuffing out of her.
That got more catcalls and whistles.
Then Bax took the stage with the rest of the band, jumping into one of the Dimefront favorites, effectively taking all attention away from Linx and Becca.
She made a mental note to thank him later.
“Is that the sign I’ve been waiting for?” Linx asked, his voice gravelly.
She nodded.
“Thank fuck.” He pressed his forehead to hers.
“Do you think I have any promise in the industry?” she asked.
