Page 96 of Run Away With Me

Brooke walked right over to him, unafraid and unashamed. I forced myself not to smile and look like an idiot, because I couldn’t help but adore her bold, stupid, extroverted ass.

‘I was wondering about open mic night?’

He nodded and put a folder down on the bar.

‘Sure. Everyone gets to do three songs, maximum of one original song – we get a lot of tourists here. You can use the piano, or there’s usually a few guitars floating around and some percussion.’

‘How much to enter?’

‘Nothing,’ he said, smiling. ‘You’re free entertainment for my paying customers.’

‘How many paying customers?’ I asked, leaning against the bar, attempting to look as cool and casual as Brooke.

‘A couple hundred, on a good night.’

I gulped.

The guy was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt, and he had fiery dark-red hair and freckles on his nose. I’d honed both my bullshit-detector and bastard-sensor since being on this trip, and he hadn’t registered on either.

‘You want in?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ Brooke said emphatically.

Oh my God, no, I groaned silently, already knowing that I’d go along with it, though, because it made Brooke happy.

‘Great. What’s your name?’

Brooke looked at me. ‘Uh …’

The bartender looked between us. ‘A stage name is fine. You guys need a minute?’

‘Summer … Swift Summer,’ Brooke said, a satisfied grin spreading over her face.

‘Oh, you think you’re so clever,’ I muttered, still trying to hide my smile.

She laughed brightly.

The bartender winked. ‘Thanks, Swift Summer.’ He was flirting with her, just a little, and she didn’t seem to mind.

I did.

‘I don’t suppose you have space where we could, uh … rehearse?’ Brooke asked.

‘Rehearse’ was a very nice way of describingfiguring out what the hell we were going to do in front of several hundred people.

He looked at her a little closer, then shook his head. ‘Not here. But if you go three doors down, ask for Liam. Tell him Damien sent you. He’s got some space out back.’

‘Great, thank you.’

‘Be here for eight. We start at eight thirty.’

‘We’ll be here!’ Brooke said cheerily.

‘I hate you,’ I said as we stepped out into the sunshine.

‘No, you don’t,’ she said with a smirk.

I mumbled under my breath, mocking her, and her smirk turned into a glorious laugh that made my nerves take flight.

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