Put your game face on. Don’t melt over the man.Sure, he had a smokin’ body and a face straight from the pages ofGQ, but he also had warning signs all over him. He had been involved in a highly publicized breakup not too long ago, so he might be on the rebound. He was also her boss’s grandson.
She would have to be an idiot to fall for an athlete’s charms. They were known for playing the field. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t go out with him, did it? What would be the harm in hanging out with the new guy in town? It wasn’t as if she was going to marry him or anything. She certainly had no intention of giving her heart away. True let out a groan. She was already caving and coming up with reasons she should go out with Xavier. Not that he had asked her out yet, but she was getting interested vibes from him.
True stayed in the kitchen for as long as she possibly could. She knew it was avoidance, but just thinking about Xavier Stone made her way too giddy. And she wasn’t a giddy person at all. Just before the MC was about to take the stage, True headed back to the dining area.
“Where have you been?” Bonnie asked as soon as she arrived on the floor. With her shoulder-length hair in two high ponytails, she looked like a teenager. “They’re about to start the festivities. AJ’s in rare form tonight.”
“Well, we couldn’t ask for a better hype man,” True said.
AJ was True’s cousin. The best word to describe him waseclectic. His personality was high energy and vibrant. Hewas beloved by everyone in town. He dabbled in all types of music; there wasn’t a genre AJ didn’t like. He was determined to be the next Lenny Kravitz, but until that day came, he was content to host karaoke night at Northern Exposure and perform gigs in the Kenai Peninsula.
AJ was on the makeshift stage getting the crowd revved up by doing a sing-along of “YMCA.” If ever there was a song to pump up the audience, this was the one. Patrons were even jumping out of their seats and dancing around, forming the YMCA letters with their arms.
She casually scanned the crowd for a glimpse of Xavier. There were so many people here tonight, it was tricky finding him.
“He’s sitting at a table over by the beam. And he’s looking straight this way,” Bonnie said, practically shouting over the din. “Something tells me it’s not me he’s looking at.”
True locked eyes with Xavier, and he beckoned her over to him. He was sitting with his brothers, and as promised, there was an empty seat next to him. He patted the seat of the chair, making his invitation clear.
“What are you waiting for? YOLO,” Bonnie shouted before turning back to serve thirsty customers.
“YOLO,” True said to herself as encouragement as she walked toward Xavier.
“Hey,” he said, shouting over the din as she reached his table.
“Hey,” she answered, also trying to be heard over the loud singing.
“Take a load off,” Xavier said, pulling the chair back from the table. True sat down, her knees brushing against him as she did so. Even though there were dozens of people in the space, she was acutely aware of Xavier. A woodsy, cedar smell rose to her nostrils. When he rolled up thesleeves of his button-down shirt, she couldn’t help but notice his muscled, toned arms.
AJ began calling up performers after announcing that the winner, as determined by the crowd, would receive a cash prize and a winner’s trophy. AJ’s enthusiasm got the crowd riled up, and for a moment True wished that Red had shown up to witness the lively atmosphere. Maybe then he would understand that great things were happening at Northern Exposure and pass it on to Hattie. She wondered if Red was lying low due to the tension between him and his sons. Sooner or later, they needed to hash out their differences.
It was nice sitting with Xavier and his brothers. Their reactions to the performers were a beautiful sight to behold. Their interactions with one another showcased the tight bonds that flowed between them. They were all charming in different ways, with Caleb being a huge extrovert and Landon being the complete opposite. She loved how Xavier seemed comfortable in his own skin without flexing his athlete status.
Suddenly, Caleb jumped onstage and positioned himself at the microphone. “We did this one for my mom’s birthday, so I’d like to perform it again tonight.IfI can get my brothers up here.” Caleb motioned for them to join him onstage. “What do you say, boys?” he asked.
“I’m going to strangle you,” Xavier muttered while Landon covered his face with his hands.
“Come on. Don’t make me beg,” Caleb said into the microphone. For emphasis he put his hands in a prayer-like pose. Every single woman except True let out an “aaah” sound. True wondered if undies would soon be flying toward the stage.
Xavier and Landon let out simultaneous groans. “Oh, we should have seen this coming,” Landon said, shuddering. “Is it too late for me to slink out the back entrance?”
“It’s way too late, bro,” Xavier said. “This crowd isn’t going to let us off that easy.”
“You’re right about that. You can’t leave him hanging,” True said, jabbing Xavier in the side.
“Oh, yes, I can. I did not come here tonight to do karaoke.” He twisted his perfectly shaped lips. Then he rolled his eyes. Hard.
True laughed out loud. It was funny seeing him so upset. He was really bent out of shape about the prospect of performing. “You know what they say, Xavier. The best-laid plans often go astray.” She covered her mouth with her hand so Xavier didn’t see her grin.
“Can everyone help me get them up here? I promise it’ll be worth it,” Caleb pleaded with the crowd. He began to clap. “Get onstage!” he chanted. The audience eagerly cooperated, yelling “Get onstage! Get onstage!”
True turned to look at Xavier. He was glaring at Caleb, who was grinning back at him while still chanting along with the audience. He had them firmly in the palm of his hand, and he knew it. True got a mental image of what the dynamic must have been like between them as kids.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Xavier said, standing and motioning for Landon to do the same. Landon let out a deep breath before standing up and following Xavier toward the stage. Caleb raised his hands in a gesture of triumph. The brothers huddled up and began having an animated conversation. After a few minutes, they stood side by side facing the audience.
Caleb looked over at AJ and gave him a signal. The strains of Whitney Houston began to ring out. Within seconds the Brothers Stone began to belt out the lyrics to “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” With Caleb in the middle as lead singer, Xavier and Landon had positioned themselves on either sideof him. They began to bust out the moves, their steps synchronized as they entertained the crowd. Landon was shy at first, but after a few minutes he got into the groove along with his brothers. They dipped and turned and snapped their fingers, all in perfect sync with the music and each other.
True couldn’t take her eyes off Xavier as he moved his hips to the beat and sang his little heart out. He was hysterically funny and hot at the same time. A potent combination!
