Page 87 of Just Business

“What?” Cassie’s looking between us, clearly confused.

I raise an eyebrow. “What have you done with Liam and can we say thank you? He usually gets annoyed when people get on him about his smoking.”

Josie snorts beside me. “Especially here. He’d just tell the person they shouldn’t come to a bar that still allows smoking.”

Cassie raises a shoulder, but she’s smiling when Liam sits with us.

We laugh and talk, and the night seems to fly by. Once again, it’s karaoke night, and Cassie heads over to sign up. Somehow, she’s convinced Liam to sing with her. Liam sings really well, but he usually prefers to be behind an instrument.

When it’s their turn, they jump up on stage, and to my shock, they absolutely own it. I’m having such a good time that I almost forget my shitty ass mood I’ve been in.

They finish their song, and the crowd erupts into cheers, clapping and wolf-whistling for them. Liam jumps off the stage, a wide grin on his face when he extends his arms, and Cassie leaps into them.

"You saw that, too, right?" I ask, turning to Josie. "Something's clearly going on there."

“Ya think?” Josie laughs. “Do you think they even realize they’re both head over heels for each other?”

They walk toward us, and something tells me they both know exactly what they’re doing.

My phone lights up and I immediately know it's him before I’ve even looked down.

Austin

See you soon. I love you.

I’m not sure I could’ve pulled this off without my brilliant sister’s help. Cassie managed to drag Penny out of the house tonight, making this whole plan possible. I hated not texting Penny back, but between tying up loose ends with my mom, getting everything ready to head here, and being in the air, it just wasn’t possible.

I’ve been watching her from the kitchen of the bar all evening, waiting for my moment to step on the stage. Having her this close, but not being able to go to her and hold her has been physically killing me. She carries loneliness the same way I do, written all over her face. We’re really just no good apart.

That whole thing between my sister and Liam didn’t slip past me either. I’ll have to talk to her about it and get to the bottom of whatever the hell they have going on. I’ll be damned if he messes around with her the way I’ve heard he’s known to do. I really like the guy, but that’s my baby sister we’re talking about.

On a whim, I pull out my phone and shoot Penny a quick text. From where I’m standing, I see her entire face light up, her teeth worrying her bottom lip as she reads my message, her cheeks tinged with the faintest blush. It’s a small thing, but it makes my chest feel full. Damn, I love her.

My phone buzzes in my hand a moment later and I glance down.

Penny

Miss you too. When will you be home?

I leave her onread, not wanting to give too much away just yet. A few more people take their turns on stage before I’m up. There’s a couple of decent pop songs and a painfully bad attempt at “Tennessee Whiskey.”

My sister picks up her phone, swiping across the screen to open TikTok. That’s my cue. It’s time to make my way toward the stage. She had the idea to scroll through some of my concert videos so Penny would already have my voice running through her head. I squint, making sure she’s on the right video, then step onto the stage. When we first came up with this plan, I considered playing one of my own songs, but there’s no better country love song than “Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis. I’ll go to my grave believing that.

Cassie tugs a very confused Penny toward the stage, and I can tell she hasn’t noticed me yet. Her eyes are still glued to her phone, completely oblivious.

“This one’s an oldie, but a good one,” I say into the microphone, my eyes laser focused on Penny. I see the moment everything registers. Her eyes snap to mine and instantly well up with tears. “There’s no point reinventing the wheel when there’s a song out there that says it perfectly. Penn, you wanna come up here, please?”

The crowd parts for her to make her way to the stage, her gaze never leaving mine. Every phone here is trained on her as she climbs the stairs and walks toward me, and I’m so damn proud of her. I can tell she doesn’t give one shit that this will be plastered all over social media within an hour.

Penny settles onto the stool beside me, and I take my seat next to her, resting my guitar on one knee. I begin to sing, my heart laid bare with everyone we love watching. Tears stream down her cheeks, and without thinking, I reach out to brush them away. The crowd goes wild at this, yelling and whistling so loudly I chuckle mid-lyric.

When the song ends, I stand, pulling her into me, my lips crashing onto hers in a kiss that lingers far longer than what’s probably considered polite in front of a crowd. But I couldn’t care less.

My sister’s voice cuts through the cheers. “Get a room, you horn dogs.”

Penny buries her head in my chest, her laugh muffled against me and I smile into her hair.

“I can’t wait to get you home,” I murmur into her ear. Her pale skin flushes the prettiest shade of pink I’ve ever seen. She rises to her tiptoes to brush a featherlight kiss to my lips.

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