AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When the song finishes, he gets a standing ovation, and I make sure to record it until the last screaming college coed sits down again.
“I’ll be damned,” murmurs West. I glance over; as far as I can tell, he hasn’t taken his eyes off Raleigh since he walked up to the stage.
It takes Raleigh several minutes to make his way back to our table to pick up his phone, as nearly half the bar has to stop him to high-five him or shake his hand or to hand him a drink. When he gets back to us, West pulls out the chair next to him and Raleigh drops down into it, covering his face with shaking hands.
“I can’t believe I did that,” he says through his fingers. Raleigh takes a deep breath and brings his hands to his lap. “Give me just a second and I’ll give you back your table. I just need a minute.”
I push his cell phone across the table and smile widely when he looks at me.
“That was incredible,” I tell him. “If I could sing like you, you’d never get me off stage.”
“Thanks,” he says, clearly not buying it. “Did you have any trouble with the camera?”
I shake my head.
“Then thank you again,” he says. “My friend Cas is not going to believe I did this.”
“I take it you’re not in the habit of singing dive bar karaoke,” says West, his tone mild but with just a hint of menace. I frown at him.
“Not even close.” Raleigh laughs. “Stage fright gets me every time.”
“Then why’d you get up there?” West asks.
“Weston,” I say, trying to warn him telepathically not to be rude. This guy is attractive and interesting, and my night has gotten exponentially better since he stopped by our table. If West runs him off, I’m going to be annoyed.
Worse than annoyed, I might actually be mad. And when’s the last time I felt strongly enough about anything to get mad about it?
Shoving that treacherous line of thought away, I glare at West. Raleigh just laughs again.
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” he says. The waitress stops by and West orders all three of us a round without asking us if we want anything.
“I just realized recently there’s a lot I want out of life,” Raleigh continues. “And life is too short to waste on things you don’t want.”
“That’s a healthy way to look at it,” I say. I’ve got no business commenting on healthy mental attitudes, but Raleigh doesn’t know that.
“Are you here for Alex’s wedding?” I ask, crossing my arms on the edge of the table and tucking them under my breasts. Dirty pool, probably, but Raleigh notices and the little devil on my shoulder cheers. West looks furious.
The little devil on my shoulder thinks that’s awesome, too.
“I am,” says Raleigh. “I take it you are as well.”
I nod. “My brother’s the best man,” I say. “Well, one of them.”
“Oh! That explains why I thought you looked familiar,” says Raleigh. “I met Finn earlier at the welcome reception.” He smiles at me, and I smile right back.
I like this guy. He figured out what he wants, and he’s going for it. I could stand to be a little more like Raleigh.
“She’s single,” says West. My face turns red again.
“Thanks for pointing that out again, West.” I have a strong, sudden urge to kick him under the table.
Raleigh just smiles at me again.
“This day just keeps getting better,” he murmurs. It’s directed at me, but the soft statement gets West’s attention and he leans in over the table, his face only a few inches away from Raleigh’s. Raleigh flushes, probably confused by the mixed messages. West’s verbal all-clear and the obvious threat in his demeanor is certainly confusing me.
“It gets better still,” says West quietly. Nobody else in the bar can possibly hear him now. “She wants you.”
“Weston.”
