Page 58 of Take Me
I scan the room for a familiar face, a little dismayed when no one steps up.It’s a smaller crowd than normal.Blame opening night of the high school play, plus an NFL playoff game and a harsh winter storm scaring tourists away.A few of my regular singers sit hunched in a corner together, locked in a tearful discussion.One woman’s getting divorced, and the other four have been giving her guidance all night, plus a steady flow of tequila.
Guess none of that group will be singing tonight.
When no one steps up, I forge ahead on my own.“Karaoke Night at Big One’s means costumes, my friends.We’ve got a great big box of ’em right here.Not sure what song you might want to sing?Come dig through the box and find inspiration.I’ll give everyone a few minutes to get settled, maybe order some liquid courage and put your name on the list.We’ll kick things off in just a bit.”
I set down the mic and hop off the stage to glance at the signup list.Damn.Not a single brave soul has put down their name, which is never a great start.It doesn’t happen often, and it usually means I’ll have to get things rolling myself.That’s what it takes to spark customers’ courage.
Sometimes I’ll get lucky and bribe one of my siblings to do it, but they’re busy with wedding stuff.Fluffing pew bows or folding wedding programs into origami penises or whatever the hell they’re up to.
But tonight it’s just me on my own.There’s a teeny, pinprick sting of abandonment needling my neck, but I order myself to man up.This isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things.God knows I’ve dealt with worse.
I’m scanning the room for somebody else who can help when the front door swings open and a familiar blonde head pops through.
Erika.
I break into a grin as I jog past the bar and head over to greet her.“I will give you ten million dollars and a pony if you take the opening karaoke spot tonight.”
Her mouth falls open, then closes.Scanning the bar, she frowns.“Slow night, huh?”
“I’m dying up here, Gentry.”My hopes surge a little as Trish Segal gets up and walks toward the signup sheet.But she heads for the bathroom instead, leaving me hanging again.“Pretty please with honey and sugar on top?”
“I don’t know.”Erika studies my face with more sympathy than the moment seems to call for.“Don’t you usually have a few people planted in the audience to sing when it’s slow?”
“Samantha Price and Bethany Lopez had a baby shower.Melissa Cantor has Covid.Jack Duncan’s driving his Uber shift tonight.”It’s odd that she’s dragging her feet.“Is everything okay?”
She doesn’t answer right away, and I notice she’s nibbling her lip.“Yeah, I just—I need to talk to you, okay?”
“Now?”That seems… ominous.There’s that needle in the back of my neck again.
“Not now.”She nibbles her lip some more.“Did you pick up Scrumpy from Annabelle’s when we got back to town?”
“She dropped him off at my place, but I missed her.”One of my bartenders called in sick as Erika and I were driving back to Cherry Blossom Lake.“Belle got him settled at my place, and Lucy and Harper came over to play with him while I hustled over here to sling drinks for a few hours.”
“So you haven’t talked to her?”
“Just a few texts.”Weird that she’s making a big deal of this.“She wants to grab breakfast tomorrow at Weirdoughs.Hey, you were just there with Hazel—did they get the blueberry scones back on the menu?”That’s Annabelle’s favorite.”
“I think so.”She seems twitchy and distracted, her gaze darting back to the empty stage.“Okay, I’ll do karaoke.But you’re doing it with me.”
“Deal.”That was easy.Maybe too easy.
Something’s upsetting her, and I have a hunch I know what it is.
I need to apologize properly for what happened in the shower.No joking around this time.I let my libido take over, and I’ve made things awkward between us.I need to sit Erika down and swear it won’t happen again.
Sure, it was fun—amazing, if I’m honest—and the thought of never touching her again leaves me kinda queasy.But I can’t take the risk of messing up this friendship.I’ll own my mistake, and we can move forward.
Later for that, though.It’s a conversation for when we’re alone.Right now, I’ve got bigger concerns.
“Why is everyone staring at us?”Erika whispers.
“We’re the hot new couple, remember?”I almost forgot we’re supposed to be dating.“People assume we’re dunking the dingus every chance we get.We should probably be licking each other’s tonsils or something.”
“Gross.”She steps closer and pastes on a smile that looks forced.“Do I look lovesick enough?”
“You look like you’re constipated.”
She rolls her eyes.“Like you’re so great at looking smitten.”
