“Gin and tonics?” Emma suggested. Nadine nodded.
Zane ordered and the drinks appeared a moment later, followed by three shots.
Zane smiled at Emma’s confused expression. “Kamikazes. See, karaoke is usually where you end the night, not start it, so we’ve got some catching up to do.”
Emma was not a shot person. She usually pulled the throw-it-over-your-shoulder trick when forced to participate, but he was right. Karaoke required some liquid courage.
“If you insist,” Emma said, forcing a smile as she grabbed her shot and tossed it back. Nadine promptly followed, wrinkling her nose.
A table opened up near the stage and they grabbed it, along with a song book. Zane began looking through the long list as a man dressed in a cowboy hat and chaps sang Garth Brooks.
“I’ve got friends in low places!” he crooned, dancing to the beat.
“This is Marty’s favorite song!” Nadine exclaimed, clapping along and swaying to the beat.
Oh no.
“You and Zane should do a duet!” Emma blurted out, grabbing the song book from Zane and fanning through it. “I’ll go first while you both decide.”
She jotted down the number next to her song pick and gave it to the very bored-looking DJ running the karaoke machine. He took it and nodded without bothering to look up from his phone.
Emma made her way back to the table, smiling to herself at how Zane and Nadine leaned in together over the song list.
“Any decision yet?” Emma asked, taking her seat again.
“Okay, okay. We’ve got it.” Nadine giggled, looking at Zane. He winked and then got up and walked over to drop off their choice to the DJ.
When he was out of earshot, Emma turned to her friend. “Oh my God, he’s so into you!”
“I know! I mean, I think I know? Ugh, he’s so hot!”
“Do you think—” Emma cut herself off when she saw Zane coming back to the table. She smiled at Nadine as he took the seat next to her.
“So, what did you two choose?” she asked.
“Oh, it’s a surprise,” Zane said, shooting Emma a lazy grin.
Garth Brooks ended and the next song appeared on the television screen above the stage: “Pour Some Sugar on Me” by Def Leppard. And below it, the performer: Emma W.
Emma downed the last of her drink and hopped up to the stage, grabbing the mic as the lyrics appeared before her.
“Step inside! Walk this way!” she sang, her voice echoing through the speakers around the bar. Nadine was out of her seat, jumping up and down and cheering her on. Zane was still seated beside her, watching Emma with a smirk on his face. Then he reached over and put his arm over the back of Nadine’s chair.
Yes!
Emma smiled to herself, closing her eyes and losing herself in the timeless words of Def Leppard until the final note rang out and a few patrons clapped. She gave a bow before stepping down from the stage and returning to their table.
“That was amazing!” Nadine exclaimed.
“It was… something,” Zane concurred, then he leaned over and put his hand on Emma’s knee. “I’m going to get us some more drinks. You in?”
Emma smiled as she politely moved her knee away from his hand. “Sure.”
As he disappeared into the crowd lining the bar, Nadine squealed.
“Oh my God, Emma!” she breathed. “He had his hands all over me while you were singing!”
Emma blinked. She hadn’t seen that. “Really?”
