When I raised my brows at him, he shrugged. “People don’t heal overnight, but if it’s something you want—really want—to work out, it’ll be important to talk. Untended wounds fester.”
My mouth pinched into a thin line as I nodded. Colter understood my position probably the most out of all the guys. We all had our own demons and shit we’d gone through, but Colter had also supported Ellison through her grief and trauma from losing her dad in childhood. Everything he said was true. One day, Sierra and I would have to talk about what happened if we wanted to move forward and secure a future for ourselves.
No one said anything for a minute, all of us looking around at each other, just staring.
Jake finally clapped his hands together. “Alrighty, then. Let’s get this party started, shall we? No more sad face. Turn those frowns upside down! Everyone, go put in a song right now, or else I’ll choose one for you, and you probably won’t like it.” He pointed to the songbook right next to the DJ.
Sierra and the girls popped back to the group as he was saying this.
“No way in hell am I singing karaoke,” Ellison protested, putting one hand on her hip as the other brought her drink up to her mouth.
“Come on, Ellie girl, have a little fun!” Jake scrubbed his hand through her hair, and she swatted his hand away. “You and Colter can singGrease!”
“What are you going to sing?” Sierra nudged me with her elbow, a silly grin spread across her features.
I shook my head. “I’m going to sing nothing.”
“You party poopers can go shit on someone else’s night. The exit’s right there. It’s Juniper’s first time back since she moved! The least you can do is have some fun!” Jake flung his arms around as he gestured toward the front door. I guessed he’d had at least two or three beers already. “I’m putting in songs for all of you if you don’t get your asses up there right now.”
“All right, all right. Let’s go, Blaze.” Colter wrapped his arm around Ellison’s shoulders, leading her to the DJ booth.
“That’s the spirit! Come on now!” Jake ushered the rest of us behind them, despite a couple grumbles from me and Reid.
After Jake handed in his song request, Colter and Ellison followed. Mikey put in a song, too, but I didn’t know if it was a duet with Juniper or not. Reid wrotesomething down but stuck the card back in his pocket when Jake wasn’t looking.
“Are you going to do one?” I asked Sierra as she flipped through the book of songs.
She raised her brows at me in this inquisitive way. “Am I going to get yelled at if I don’t?”
“It’s about fifty-fifty. Hopefully by the time everyone goes up, he’ll be too drunk to notice.”
That got a laugh out of her, and I grabbed her hand, leading her back to our table without ever putting in a song.
“Did you put in a song?” Jake came up behind me and grasped my shoulders after Sierra and I sat down at our table.
“Yup.” I took a swig of my beer and nodded, lying through my teeth.
“Did you?” He turned to Sierra next.
She shrugged. “Couldn’t find one.”
Jake shook his head, wiggling his finger at her. “I’ll give you a pass this time since you’re new. But next time I’m going to sign you up!”
“Up next to sing, we’ve got Jake!” Evan, the new DJ, announced into the microphone.
“That’s me. Prepare to have your minds blown, motherfuckers.” Jake started to make his way to the DJ stand, smacking us all on the back as he passed.
After he grabbed one of the cordless microphones, giving Evan a nod, the opening notes of “Mr. Brightside” started to play.
Jake started scream-singing the first verse, and Colter shook his head. “Of fucking course he did.”
It certainly had an effect on the bar, though, because when the chorus started, everyone in the building wassinging at the top of their lungs. Jake hopped up on the bar and was leaning down over the sea of people jumping up and down. The floor shook, and the vibrations traveled up my legs.
“I had no idea he was this spirited.” Ellison chuckled as we all watched him make a spectacle of himself.
“It’s his alter ego coming out. He won’t remember any of this in the morning.” Reid laughed.
“And he expects us to follow this?” Juniper shook her head in disbelief, knocking back a shot. “I might need some more alcohol for this.”
