Ford rises from his seat, hugging first Sutton and then Jesse with a smile to match theirs across his own face. “It's great seeing you two. Grab a seat and sit with us. The more, the merrier.”
Jesse grabs two chairs from neighboring tables as Sutton drops his hat onto the table between us.
“I’d like y’all to meet two very good friends of mine. Sutton?—”
Sutton holds up a hand, his dark eyes moving over each individual present with a kind smile.
“And Jesse North.”
“Good to meet you all.”
Everyone murmurs their welcome as the singer on stage wraps up their version of “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash to raucous applause.
Jesse shoots me a wink as he lowers himself into his chair on the other side of Ford. “Still waiting on that call, sweetheart.”
I can feel my cheeks heat even as I shake my head before Ford elbows the younger man playfully. “Ain’t you too young to be here? Don’t make me call your mom, kid.”
Jesse raises his hands in a surrender motion, his eyes widening hilariously. “Christ, Holloway, there's no need to take it to the extreme. I was just kidding.”
Sutton leans across the table from his place on the other side of Lissie, quirking a bushy salt-and-pepper brow. “My daughter-in-law wears the pants, too.”
I’m still chuckling when Ford slips his hand into mine just as the host announces, “And next up, we have Felicity Holloway.”
Lissie stiffens beside me before shaking her head as she raises terrified eyes to Ford, whispering in a choked voice, “I can’t do it.”
The host speaks again, louder this time, as her eyes scan the crowd. “Where are you, Felicity Holloway? Come on up!”
I can see a cold sweat beading Lissie’s brow, and my own stomach churns with anxiety on her behalf. I’m on the cusp of speaking up, still unsure of what I can say to encourage her to face her fears, when Sutton pats Lissie’s knee.
“I have an idea.” His tone is cajoling, and his eyes twinkle when Lissie meets his gaze. After a beat, she nods hesitantly for him to continue. "How about one of us go up there and show you how it’s done? Would that help?”
She shrugs subtly, tucking her long, poker-straight blonde hair behind her ear. “I dunno…you guys are used to being in the spotlight…”
As she trails off, Sutton looks at me, mischievousness dancing in his eyes before he proclaims, “Ford, go on up there and show your sister she’s got nothing to be afraid of.”
Jesse sniggers when Ford arches a skeptical brow, and Sully bursts out laughing as Law slips into the spare seat beside Sutton.
“What did I miss?”
No one acknowledges him, though, as Ford and Sutton continue to stare at one another. A seemingly silent exchange happens right before our eyes until Ford slowly rises from his seat and shifts his gaze to an open-mouthed Lissie.
“I can encourage you to chase that dream, Lissie. And I can keep sayin’ those things…tellin’ you the truth of the matter until I’m blue in the face. Because they’re just words untilyoubelieve them. So the only thing I can do now is lead by example…because actions speak louder’n words.”
He pivots to face me, leaning down to press a kiss to my brow before drawing back enough to spear me with his gaze. I blink owlishly several times, barely managing to squeeze out a question. “But, you don’t sing, do you?”
His mouth quirks upward, devilment dancing in his eyes as he winks. “I might just have a few surprises up my sleeves, baby.”
Without another word, he strides toward the stage, his broad steps covering the ground with ease as the surrounding crowd cheers loudly.
Lissie and I exchange a look as Sully whistles through his teeth. “I amsodamn happy I came tonight.” He shrugs when everyone looks at him. “I mean, I havenever, in my twenty-some years of knowin’ that man, seen him willingly step into the limelight. So yeah…I wouldn’t have believed it had I not seen it with my own two eyes.”
His words apparently resonate with Lissie, and with a slight determined tilt of her chin, she looks back up at the stage.
“Ah…change of plan, folks…” The host exchanges a handful of words with Ford before announcing, “We’ll hear from Felicity in a little bit, y’all. This is Ford. Give him a warm Rebels welcome.”
As the gathered crowd claps and catcalls, Ford snags an acoustic guitar from one of the band members. They converse lowly for a moment as he loops it over his head with practiced ease before settling on a stool while the rest of the band take their places.
Ford leans closer to the microphone before him, strumming a couple of notes as he tunes the strings to his liking. He looks out over the audience, a smirk on his handsome face that’s entirely reminiscent of the cat who got the cream.
