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“Good.” I cleared my throat. “We’re, uh, no longer casual.”
Junie grinned. “He was so gone on you the day we had the barbecue.”
“How do you figure?” I asked. She hadn’t mentioned this before.
“He was staring at you out the window. Said you were too good for him,” Junie informed me, her voice suspiciously soft.
“Well, I’m not,” I replied briskly. “He’s a good man. An incredible father. You know he’s a teacher? My George is one of his students and he’s told me such good things about him. Oh. I met his best friend. Hope. Brayleigh’s mother. She can’t say enough good things about him.”
“How’d that go?” Willa asked.
I smiled ruefully. “A little rough at first but I think we are good now.”
“Don’t take any of her shit,” Junie advised. She and Lenny had to work through their own issues with Lenny’s ex-wife.
“I think it’ll be okay. There might be some growing pains,” I conceded. “But I don’t feel like I’m moving in on her territory or taking him away from her.”
Barrett stepped up to welcome everybody to the show. Then smiling, he indicated Lucky, and continued, “This cocky son-of-a-bitch wants to kick off the show with a dedication to the hottest woman alive. He says if I say her name, she may kill him. So, I won’t. Okay, Minty?”
Oh. My. God.
Straightening my spine, I resisted the urge to hide, though I sent him devil eyes just the same.
I don’t think he saw because his happy chuckle carried over the mic. “Just officially taking myself off the market, Bear. Want my lady to know where I’m at.”
A chorus of boos sounded from the foot of the stage. When he paid them no mind, they turned their curious glances to seek me out in the crowd.
“This song will do it.” Barrett rumbled as the opening notes of the song sounded.
I listened to the lyrics, a little shocked at first not knowing the song, then it got to the chorus, and I understood.
“Oh. My. God.” I laughed, hard, reaching for both Willa and Junie at the same time. We fell together, our joy in being together mirrored by the energy of the men onstage. “He makes me laugh until my face hurts.”
I remembered what Lucky told me about being up there. I also remembered the affect it had on him and what I’d be getting treated to at the end of the night.
I looked over at Willa. “Barrett’s on fire,” I commented.
“Yes, well, Rena is six weeks old, Willa went lingerie shopping, and he’s getting back in the saddle tonight,” Junie teased.
“I’m going to feed that baby so fast when we get home,” Willa added, her eyes on her man.
At the break, Lucky broke through the crowd with ease and wrapped me up in his sweaty embrace.
I smiled into his face so close to mine. “You’re disgustingly sweaty.”
He smiled back. “You love it.” He waited for my confirmation, pressed his lips to mine, and smiled bigger. “Did you like the song I dedicated to you?”
I snorted. “To me? Or to your fan club?”
His eyes opened comically wide. “I wasn’t declaring my affections to them, I was declaring my affections to you!”
“Sounded like you were commiserating with them.”
“No. Not commiserating. Just miserating.” He grinned again, delighted with himself. His happy vibe never failed to pick me up.
“Affections?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Yeah,” his face softened. “Like. Lust.” He paused. “All those ‘L’ words.”
