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“That’s part of what we need to talk about tonight. I explained some of it to Cody just now but he said we could work it out tonight.”
Grace looked around the club and then peered at Jayne, who was bobbing her head to the music. “Hey, Tequila-Sheila, you ready for a dance?”
Jayne giggle-snorted again and nodded. “That’s funny. I’m gonna tell Seth about that one.”
Lucy chuckled and said, “We’re gonna have to watch her margarita count tonight or Seth will have my butt in a sling.”
Grace got up from her seat and excused herself. “Stay put, I’ll be right back.”
They watched as she sauntered across the nightclub. When Ben saw her making her way over, he came out from behind the bar and hugged her and they spoke for a moment or two. He nodded and went back to work and Grace grinned back at them before she sidled over to Heath, who must’ve been watching security monitors given the focused look in his eyes. He gave Grace an easy grin when she greeted him and put a friendly arm around her shoulders. As she spoke to him, Heath’s eyes came to rest on Maizy and he smiled.
“Wonder what she’s saying to him?” Maizy said as she waved at him and then searched the club, easily spotting Spencer visiting with a couple at the back entry into the club and then Cody who was at the door, talking with a tall dark-headed woman.
The woman seemed to know him well and Maizy wondered who she was. She had an easy manner with him and treated him like an equal. As she spoke, she put her hand on his shoulder and Cody nodded at whatever she was saying.
“Who is that woman Cody is talking to?” she asked, resisting the urge to point. She’d never experienced possessiveness over a man but the feeling in her gut must be it. She needed to dial that back. He works in a nightclub for Pete’s sake. He knows lots of women.
“I see that look in your eyes, sweetie, but you don’t need to worry,” Lucy said. “That’s the nightclub manager, Sylvan Anders. They’re coworkers. She’s very cool.”
Jayne patted her shoulder encouragingly. “They had access to any number of women but it was you they were looking for all this time, Maizy. I know how you feel,” she added with a sympathetic nod. “Seth gets a lot of attention from women. Some of them are downright blatant because of the industry he’s in. He doesn’t think I know, but I’ve heard women proposition him while he’s worked on their tattoos. I didn’t mean to overhear but that’s kind of hard to walk away from, you know?”
With raised eyebrows, Maizy said, “I can’t imagine.”
Jayne crossed her arms over her chest and Maizy could see the certainty in her gaze. “But I know when I look into his eyes that he loves me more than his own life. Those women that proposition him? He doesn’t just turn them down, he tells them all about me, and how much he loves me. I’ve heard him do it. I think Cody, Heath, and Spencer could come to feel the same way about you, if they don’t already.”
Maizy looked from Jayne to Lucy and said, “I don’t know if it will work out but that’s what I want. I want someone who loves me just the way I am, not how I’d be if I lost fifty or sixty pounds, and who’s proud of me because I love to belly dance, not ashamed of me because of what it might mean to his job if anyone else found out.”
It was a fine line she walked. In essence wasn’t that her main worry—what the school board and school district would say if they found out she was entering a relationship with three men? It was happening so fast it made her head spin.
Grace returned to the table and Lucy said, “Is everything okay? What were you talking about?”
Grace sat back in her chair. “I wanted to make sure it was all right with Ben if we danced together. I knew he didn’t like it when we did that at the Pony. He said that the bears and the new guy, Ryan, would be keeping an eye on us. And evidently a certain sexy mind reader I love already called him to talk about it.”
Lucy scoffed. “Are you kidding me? Ethan called to give you permission to dance?”
Grace shook her head. “He did the opposite. He knew I wouldn’t dance because the guys aren’t here. He wanted us to have a good time.” Grace giggled. “He even made a song request. Ben told me I’d know it when I heard it.” There was no doubt that Ethan loved Grace, knew her well, and watched out for her even from a distance.
