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As if on cue, our bubbly waitress uses this lull in conversation to take our orders. In a matter of minutes, we’ve ordered, and she leaves as quickly as she appeared.
When she disappears, I find Jax running one of his long fingers around the rim of his coffee mug. His lower lip is tucked under his teeth, and he looks as if he’s holding something back. If I hadn’t been looking, I might’ve missed it. He suddenly shakes his head and meets my gaze. “Look, I know your time is valuable, and I most certainly don’t want to waste it. The truth is, I took this meeting because I found you intriguing. But I think you’ve got the wrong guy. Last night was my first performance—ever on stage with a crowd like that.”
I blink in confusion as I sputter in disbelief. “Are you… kidding me? You’ve never performed on stage before… and you walked up there and slayed it. I knew your talent was raw, but you had me completely fooled.”
Slowly, he swallows. “Like I said, I think you’ve got the wrong guy.”
There’s no way he could perform to that caliber and have this be one of his first performances. The man’s got talent coming out his ears. Why the hell hasn’t he been using it?
“Or I’ve just met my perfect match,” I challenge. Thoughts of endless possibilities flow through my mind like a hurricane. If I have it my way, Jax won’t know what hit him.
He raises a brow of his own in challenge. “And how am I your perfect match?”
Leaning back in the booth, he crosses his arms over his broad chest, staring me down. Before I can process all that needs to be done, he smirks. “I know we just met yesterday, but I can clearly see your brain at work and frankly, I’m almost scared to know what’s swirling around in that head of yours.”
“Oh, I’m only just beginning, trust me.” I smirk at his apprehension. “Before I get too far ahead of myself, tell me, did you like performing last night?”
Jax takes a long breath and exhales slowly. “After I got past my nerves. I guess I did. But it’s not like I have any plans to do it again.”
Placing a palm on the table, I corner him. “When’s your next night off?”
Cocking his head to the side as if he’s trying to figure me out, he blurts out, “Tomorrow night, why?”
“What would you say if I told you I could book you a gig? The place my sister works at is looking for someone to draw in a Monday-night crowd. They don’t have a big stage, but it would be perfect for an act like yours. Do you think you have material to perform for an hour or two?”
The moment my words are out, he snarks out, “Are you suddenly a talent agent, too?”
“Nope. Not at all. But I think you have what it takes. I’d love to watch you play and get some clips to promote you on social media. I’m certain they’ll eat you up.”
Ignoring my compliment, he narrows his eyes at me. “Where is this place exactly?”
“Pop’s Hops.” Lanie’s working there one more summer until she starts teaching this fall. “Have you heard of the place?” It’s a bar, but they’ve recently renovated and have an outside stage. I’ll have to stay out of the bar itself, but I’ll be able to watch Jax perform from a table outside.
“Sloane,” he says in a tone that makes my stomach flutter way more than it should. “I’m a local. Of course, I know the best brew pub in town. But why on earth would they take a chance on me?”
I go with the truth. “First, I'll vouch for you and so will my boss, Tara. She’s seen the footage I’ve sent and is dying to see you perform in person. Second, she is quite interested in finding local talent. I also know they’re desperate for someone to fill in because my sister was talking about it just last night. The woman they had lined up had a family emergency and had to leave town for a few weeks.”
The confident man I watched perform last night is still there, I can sense it. But his expression is pensive and frankly, I’d almost say he looks scared, as he stares at me wordlessly.
It’s time to go big, or go home, so I lay it all on the line. “Jax, the Monday night crowd won’t even be as big as last night. What do you say? Do you think you have another performance in you?”
My thundering heart makes the seconds tick by slowly. I have no idea what he’ll say in response. But I won’t let myself say another word, until he’s had the chance to think it over.
After what seems like forever, Jax counters with a knowing smirk. “I’ll do this gig tomorrow night… under one condition.”
I’m sure I can make whatever he needs happen, so I raise my chin and refuse to back down. “And what’s that?”
“You let me take you out afterward.”
Holy shit. I was not expecting that.
As I sit on stage, singing my heart out, I’m energized like I’ve never been before. I’ve always loved music, but the way Sloane’s looking at me pushes me to take things up a notch. I’m playing a mixture of cover songs I know are crowd favorites, while sliding in some of my own to test things out.
Each time I dart my eyes to Sloane, I grow more confident that I’m not making a complete ass of myself on stage. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but now that I’m here, I’ll admit this is something I could get used to.
There’s an energy I can’t describe flowing through me. I’ve never experimented with drugs, but I’m sure it’s like someone who’s taken a hit of heroin, and I’m riding a high of pure adrenaline. With each new song I sing, the crowd gets more into it, which only drives my energy further.
When I launch into a cover of “Girls Like You” by Maroon 5, Sloane’s eyes lock onto mine. The musical intro is catchy, and thankfully, I know this song like the back of my hand. Giving her a wink, I purposely change up the first words to let her know I’m interested in getting to know her better. “It’s been twenty-four hours… I need more hours… with you.”
