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“Apologies, we just have a technical hitch to work through.”
The hum of voices started as she walked away.
“That’ll annoy the customers,” Maggie said.
“Why? Can’t they just put some music on?”
“Sure, but everyone loves to hear Vinnie play his honky-tonk, and come here especially for that. This place will soon be full of people who have driven from far and wide to hear him.”
“That’s a shame then.”
“Because I’m nosy, I’m going to see what’s happened.”
Bailey sat again, and ate her fries. Buzz wandered away to greet someone else. Nothing was pressing in on her here. She didn’t have her grandfather or agent in contact, demanding she return to New York, and for the first time in months, she could actually breathe. Maybe being in Ryker wasn’t so bad. She’d seen Joe twice, and if she saw him again they could be polite, and she wouldn’t feel like the rug had been pulled out from under her feet.
“So Vinnie has a stomach upset and he’s been sent home. Joe could play, but they’re short-staffed so he’s working,” Maggie said, returning.
“Joe plays?”
“Sure. He’s not a natural, but good enough. Em’s calling around trying to find a replacement, or they’ll just have to run the music through the system. However, I did tell Joe you were here, and he said to beg if I have to.”
“I could play.” Bailey said the words slowly, testing them to see how she felt about them.Okay. For the first time in many months, just like her appetite, Bailey felt her fingers itch. She wanted to play. It was Joe’s bar, but what did that matter? She wanted to play, so why not?
“Are you sure?” Maggie looked shocked and a little excited. “Can you play honky-tonk?”
“Please.” Bailey gave her friend a pitying look. “I cut my eye teeth on honky-tonk, much to my parents’ and grandfather’s horror.”
Getting to her feet, Bailey didn’t look at the faces of the people around her. Nerves had always been a problem, but she’d countered them by not making eye contact. Not that she’d have been able to do that when the audience was in the hundreds, but still, it was Bailey’s ritual to go into herself before she played. She did that now.
Seating herself at the piano, Bailey took a couple of deep breaths. Turning her hand over, she looked at the scar running up her palm and wrist. She hadn’t played a lot since the accident, but she was ready, she could feel it. The man, Vinnie, had left his music, so she went through it, selected a piece to start with, then placed her hands on the keys and began to play.
Chapter 6
Joe walked behind the bar as Bailey started playing. When Maggs had said she’d offered, he hadn’t been about to refuse. A. He was in a bind, and B. Well hell, she was Bailey Jones. So he watched and listened as he served. She was playing honky-tonk, as Vinnie had been, but there was little doubting her class. Looking around the room, he realized she had the customers fixated, and she was only on the first song.
“That’s the woman who arrived with Maggie. How come she’s playing?” Em asked as she lowered empties onto the bar.
“She’s a famous pianist, actually. Used to live here, and then went away and made it big.”
“Really?” Em looked impressed. “Fancy that.”
Joe knew how good Bailey was because he’d followed her career, and once he’d been in the audience, but he’d never expected to see her play in his bar.
“She’s good, and when you add hot to that,” Mike, his barman, said, “they’re eating out of her hands.”
Ignoring the need to glare at his staff for calling Bailey hot, Joe thought about what Maggie had told him. Bailey wanted work. What he wanted to know was why. She had to have money after the performances she’d done, so where was it?
“Hey, Joe.”
“Maggie, what can I get you? In fact, it’s on the house seeing as you brought your friend with you, and saved my ass.”
“And what a fine ass it is.”
Maggie was one of those people who were confident in their own skin. She always dressed slightly different and classy. She also liked to embarrass Joe and his brothers at any opportunity that arose.
“We’ve discussed this, Maggs. You need to get up way earlier to embarrass me. Now Luke, on the other hand, he would be beet red by now.”
“Hard-ass.” Maggie turned to look at Bailey. “So, you like your new pianist, Joe?”
