Page 100 of Fresh Tracks
“Basically, yeah. If it’s a mountain town with skiing, biking or hiking, we’ve probably found a bar we like. We just add them as starred locations in our map apps.” She smirks at Grace. “I think your man, Hot Daddy Boss, is too fancy for us.”
“No. Not at all. I’ve always loved playing in these places, way more than any of the giant venues we played when we got big.”
I look out across the room, taking in the vintage, seventies charm. There’s two bars, on opposite sides of the room. On the back wall between them is a stage with a small local band playing covers of nineties and early two-thousands rock.
The most unique feature has to be the bright, nearly neon yellow stripe of carpet with a black dashed line running down the center of the room. One side reads ‘California’ and on the other, ‘Nevada’. There are a few places like this in Lake Tahoe, built right on the state line. On the Nevada side there’s even a few slot machines, right next to the bar. Just like everything Grace enjoys though, it’s cozy and authentic. The crowd is mostly locals and ski bums, having a good time after a day skiing.
“Yeah. I like this place a lot,” I say, smiling back at her.
Josie gives me a subtle nod of approval while Grace turns in my lap, wriggling her ass on my groin. I have to focus to not get a hard on in the bar, in front of her friends. She looks into my eyes and my resolve crumbles. I lean in for a hot, breathy kiss. I break it and watch her lashes flutter. “You need another drink?”
Grace slowly nods. “Yeah, I’ll take another one of these.” She holds up my empty bottle, the second one of mine she’s taken tonight, not that I would ever mind. She’s already taken my heart and soul, so what’s another beer.
“Let me go get a round.” We both turn to look at Josie, who’s eyeing us with wide, amused eyes. “You two clearly look like you’re having fun and it’s the least I can do since Daddy here booked us that sweet lakeside Airbnb.”
Grace rolls her eyes at me playfully, something she’s done every time the Airbnb was brought up. It was my other surprise to her though when we got here. I know they’re her mutual van life friends with Josie and I’m sure they’d all be happy just camping. I still wanted her to have a fun, relaxing place to spend the week with her friends. Their vans might all be nice, but they’re not exactly a great place to hang out and catch up all night with a group. She insisted it was too much, but after the fun we’ve all had here the last few days, I’m half tempted to just buy it for her.
I wave off Josie and slide my black credit card across the table. “Just start a tab for everyone on me, Josie.”
Grace sighs. “Seriously, you don’t have to take care of us all.”
“What’s the point of being rich if I can’t take care of my girlfriend and our friends?” The way she smiles at me when I say ‘our friends’ wells pride from deep in my chest. It’s the truth though. Josie and her other friends have all been beyond welcoming to me. Just like her, none of them put me up on a pedestal or act weird around me and I fucking love that. I don’t know why I’m surprised though because they’re her friends.
“Yeah, Grace.” Josie cocks a hip out. “Daddy here can spoil us, or at least me, all he wants.”
She waggles her brows at me before swiping the card off the table and heading to the bar on the Nevada side of the room where there’s a bigger selection of drinks.
“Yeah, I see it. She’s definitely a younger and feistier version of Lizzy.”
Grace laughs, shaking her head. “Yeah, I think that’s why I love them both.”
“God help the man that tries to lock her down.”
She huffs a laugh. “I’m not sure one exists who is brave enough. She’s had her fun here and there, but she’s been single for as long as I’ve known her.”
Doing the mental math, that’s almost a decade because they met in college. I would have been thirty-two then because that’s right around when I retired from music.
Holding Grace in my arms, I realize I don’t want to waste a single day that I could have with her. She’s the one that snapped me out of my funk, reminding me that I could do things just for me. She’s the one that made me feel again. Every day with her has brought up feelings and emotions that I haven’t felt in ages. It’s gotten to the point that I need to sort them out the best way I know how.
CHAPTER 42
GRACE
THOSE EYES
Tommy’s armswrap around my waist, holding me in his lap. I fiddle with my nearly empty beer and lean back into him, soaking up his warmth.
He lets out a long grunt. His grip on my waist tightens and his lips tease the skin just under my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “If you’re not careful, I’m going to take you into that bathroom and remind you that you’re mine.”
Peeking back over my shoulder, I see the look in his eyes and I know he’s not kidding. “You make it sound like that’s a punishment.” I take the last sip of my beer, letting my parted lips linger on the bottle.
“Fuck me,” he says, pressing a kiss to my neck. “I told you I’m the lucky one.”
At the bar, I see Josie struggling to flag down a bartender. I tilt my head toward her. “I’m going to go give her a hand.”
He nods. “Grab an extra beer while you’re up there. I know you’re going to end up stealing mine again.”
I shrug innocently and hop out of his lap, pecking a quick kiss to his stubbled cheek. I start to turn to head to the bar, but he grabs my wrist, bringing my eyes back to his.
