Page 42 of Armed ’N’ Ready

He grabbed enough money from his tip jar to cover a round of beers, then stuffed the money into the register. When he turned around, Andi caught his attention. Her cell phone was glued to her ear.

Nick’s heart rate kicked up.

She said something to Tess, then her eyes locked with his. She hastily made her way through the thickening crowd and came behind the bar. As she got closer, he glimpsed the sheer terror on her face.

This had to be the call they’d been waiting for.

Myer.

As she drew nearer, his pulse thrummed faster. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Chapter Ten

Andi clenched the phone tighter. This was awful.

Her anxiety ratcheted up as she wended her way through the crowd. Odd how Nick was the first person she sought for help.

“What is it?” he asked when she reached him. Concern was evident in his eyes. The crowd was so loud he had to lean down to be heard. “Is it Myer?”

She shook her head, trying not to let panic consume her as she listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. “Okay,” she said into her cell. “I understand completely. No worries. We’ll be fine.” No, they wouldn’t be. There was no way out of this mess. She ended the call and reclipped the phone to her waist, looking around the room. Most of the dining tables were full. The front door was jammed with more people trying to get in. She wanted to scream.

Nick clasped her upper arms. “Andi. Talk to me. What’s wrong, baby?”

Baby?

She didn’t know why he’d called her that, but she liked it, and his touch was a soothing balm to her frenzied nerves.

“I’m in trouble.” Six-foot-deep trouble.

He cupped her chin. “Tell me what’s wrong?”

“It’s my musician,” she cried. “His car broke down somewhere in Pennsylvania. He didn’t have his phone with him, so he wasn’t able to call sooner. He won’t be coming tonight.” She took an unsteady breath, her mind racing with entertainment alternatives, but there were none. None that could possibly justify the cover charge all these people had paid. “I’ve got a restaurant full of customers expecting entertainment, and he’s not coming. This is the first live performance here. If word gets out that my singer didn’t show, it could mean disaster for the DPC’s reputation.” Something she couldn’t afford, especially now.

She looked around the dining room again, her panic growing. The crowd was getting antsy. Voices were getting louder. “I’m screwed.” She looked first into Nick’s eyes, then at Tess, who’d joined them. “What am I going to do?”

“Don’t look at me.” Tess held up her hands. “I can’t play the piano, or the guitar, and I can’t hold a tune to save my life.”

“Nick?” Nick’s friend, Matt, looked at him with raised brows, giving her the impression he was waiting for something.

“Nick,” Eric repeated, banging his pint glass on the bar.

Each of Nick’s other friends began banging their fists on the bar in unison, chanting, “Nick, Nick, Nick!”

Customers all around the bar started clapping and cheering, though they had no idea what they were cheering about. Heck, even she didn’t know.

He narrowed his eyes, glaring at his friends. She didn’t understand why, but he didn’t seem happy.

“You can’t leave a damsel in distress,” Matt shouted over the chanting.

Nick took a deep breath, rolling his eyes to the ceiling as if he were sending a prayer—or, a curse—to the heavens.

“Cover the bar with Mark,” he said to Tess.

“Yes, sir.” She gave him a jaunty salute as she took over at the beer taps.

His face softened, then he touched his fingers to Andi’s cheek. “Give me a minute. I’ve got this.” Then he slipped past her and disappeared into the kitchen.

Over the din, she barely heard the kitchen’s side door bang shut. Great. First my singer abandons me. Now, my bartender, too. And what did “I’ve got this” mean?