Glory held his gaze a moment. And then she shrugged with one shoulder. “Seemed like that kind of night. Felt like I... felt like I needed it.”
The last time he’d heard her sing that was the night they’d taken his father’s ashes down to the creek.
He often thought the only reason he hadn’t lost it that night was because that song, and the way Glory sang it, had done the crying for him.
And finally, as the three of them sat there, Eli was able to put his finger on one of the things that bothered him about Franco Francone: it was the sheer indolence of the man. As if Glory wasn’t something he needed to fight for or earn or live up to.
As if he quite simply had the right to her just by virtue of who he was.
Eli stood up from the stage abruptly, driven by some sharp knot in his gut. He took a few steps back from the two of them.
“Eli!” And to his surprise, Bethany half jogged half skipped over to him and looped a friendly arm through his.
“Hey!” He smiled down at her. “I didn’t know you were here! Are you all right?”
“I was here for the chamber of commerce thing earlier—I got an informal invitation, and I’m kind of representing the crew onThe Rush, and I stayed for Glory’s show. I was hiding behind the counter with my hands over my head.”
“Sensible,” he complimented her.
That was for Glory’s benefit.
Glory fixed him with a dark look.
“But I popped out to watch when you guys came in to break it up. That was so impressive, watching you be a cop and wrestle all the bad guys into handcuffs and stuff.”
“Yeah. Wrestling people into handcuffs is what he does best,” Glory said laconically.
Fuck it. He ignored that.
“I’ve never incited a riot,” Bethany said. “That was very rock and roll of you, Glory.”
Glory wished she could have replied “It was a first for me, too,” but she wasn’t entirely certain that was true.
“Thanks” was what she settled upon, finally.
“Franco should have gotten in there,” Bethany added. “He’s amazing at martial arts. Those fight scenes inBlood Brotherswere amazing. And didn’t you give a demonstration onEllenonce? I have a friend who helps choreograph fights for TV and movies. It’s very cool.”
“I don’t usually like to get into the middle of fights for the hell of it,” Franco said easily. “Not anymore, anyway. I pretty much reserve my fighting for the camera.”
“And then when you’re done fighting on camera someone like Bethany fixes your mascara for you?” Eli asked mildly.
Whoa!
Glory shot Eli a worried look, astounded.
And the look those two exchanged then was enough to make the hairs stand up on the back of her neck.
One fight with her in the middle of it was enough for the evening.
Bethany seemed to miss all the undertones and undercurrents, but then, she wasn’t precisely listening for them. “Well, it’s not so much mascara as it is a sort of clear gel, Eli,” she said brightly. “At least that’s what I usually use for guys. Makes their lashes more distinct. Glory, you have a little bit of...”
And then Bethany’s pretty face was right up in Glory’s face, and she was squinting her doe eyes and chummily removing a bit of schmutz from below Glory’s eyes.
She’d probably been splashed with beer. She was definitely sweating a little from trying to pull that guy off poor Wade.
Who was off to the side, holding ice to his face. Sherrie was fussing over him.
Bethany laughed. “Sorry. Force of habit. Most so-called waterproof mascara is actually only waterresistant. Not everyone knows that. But I just have to tell you... you’re so talented, Glory. It was absolutely beautiful and you made me cry, but you see? No running.” She pointed to her own eyes. “I can’t believe you haven’t been discovered yet.”
