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He nodded. “Groupies. Even small cover bands like ours collect them. It’s crazy.”
She cleared her throat. “I know I’ve been the one insisting we are just friends and that I wanted to just make this a trial and we have to wait to be official and all,” she babbled nervously, “but in the interest of full disclosure, I can’t see that.”
“Groupies?” He raised his brow in question, not sure what he could do about that.
“You picking one,” she muttered, her face showing her discomfort at the idea.
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Willa, I don’t sleep with groupies. Ever. I have a professional image to maintain. That’s a mistake I made once and only once.”
“What happened?”
He shook his head. “For this conversation, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I haven’t ‘picked’ anyone, groupie or otherwise since the day I first laid eyes on you on the side of Highway 6. You have nothing to fear.”
For the first time since they left the office she relaxed back into her seat and allowed him to lead her back onto their comfortable track.
Chapter 20
Salt, Sweat, and Beer
Willa
Thursday afternoon, Barrett dropped by my office at the shelter to visit with my niece. Since Olivia had been coming to volunteer once a week, she had gotten quite close with Barrett, even more so after Bex and Rhys’s wedding. Olivia, having special needs, was choosier than your average thirteen-year-old girl about who she allowed into her world. Because she loved animals, and Barrett had a great affinity with all things skittish, they got along famously.
I sat back and watched the exchange of information tossed back and forth. Olivia often communicated via monologue, however, with Barrett knowing so much more than she about animals, she was learning to ask questions. It was a pleasure to see my little birdy engaged and asking questions.
“Auntie Willa, I’m done talking now,” she declared.
“No problem, birdy,” I smiled inside, “You can tell Barrett you’re done by saying ‘it was nice talking to you, I’m going to draw now’, or something like that.”
She turned toward Barrett and his kind eyes. “I’m done talking now, but it was good to talk to you.”
He gifted her with a rare smile. “Good to talk to you too, Livvy.”
He stood. “I’ve got to get back, Willa.” He bent over me then froze, remembering our audience and the secrecy I’d demanded.
His eyes lit with a combination of humor and irritation, and he stood up straight.
“Hmm, might have to shorten the waiting period,” he rumbled, looking at me seriously, the smile in his eyes only.
“Saturday still good?” I asked.
It was my turn to freeze, my eyes skittering to Olivia who sat immersed in her iPad.
“I’ll text you, curly.”
He shook his head as he turned to leave but turned back at the open door to sear me with a look.
It boded good things for Saturday.
Junie was all in for Saturday night. In fact, Lenny had already invited her. We took a cab this time as per his instructions. Junie looked shockingly good, as usual, wearing skintight blue jeans, nude stilettos, and a silky champagne tank with long silver chains and loopy silver earrings. Her hair was a mix of braids and curls and hung loose down her back.
“You look hot, Junie,” I complimented her.
“I’m tapping into my inner groupie,” she said, wagging her eyebrows, “hoping the drummer will want to tap my ass.”
I laughed. “I don’t think there’s any question he’ll want to ‘tap your ass’.”
“We’ll see,” she said, “so far he’s been holding back.” She shivered. “He’ll be all ramped up after performing. Let’s see how fast I can get him out of here. I see you pulled out all the stops again?”
