Hero Worship
Page 18
I thought of my babygirl, sexy as all get-out in her punk outfit, and the club attendees getting to watch her while I played poker. I was a selfish bastard. I hated sharing her with anyone. "Fuck, yes," I said.
Tony set his beer down and walked out to the front room. "Okay, let's clear out. Ford's got someplace to be."
Considering all the baby gear, the house emptied damn quick. But minutes later Tony was knocking on the door.
"I made the mistake of telling my wife about the concert and then she told Kelly. Denise's mom has agreed to watch the kids." He shrugged. "So it looks like you're going to have company."
I was preoccupied during the drive, wondering if this was a pattern repeating itself. Was she bored again? Dissatisfied?
The club wasn’t visible from the street. It was in a basement beneath a clothing store.
The lighting was dim in the front of the club where the bar was located, and blazing near the stage. There were only a few people in the bar area. The majority of the club goers were clustered around the stage.
Harper’s band was already nearing the end of their set. I recognized the song.
Harper was too focused on drumming to look out into the audience. Her drumsticks were flying, a look of concentration on her beautiful face.
Denise bounced on her toes, trying to get a look at the stage. "That girl is on fire on those drums," she said, shouting over the music.
The band hadn’t played a show for awhile, but they’d been together for so long that the music was still tight.
Nick raised his eyebrows at me as if to say he hadn’t expected this level of talent.
On the final song, Coco stopped singing abruptly and Lili ended after a brief run on the guitar. It was Violet, the bassist, and Harper who finished the set off with dueling solos. The audience roared their approval.
After the applause died down, there were a few minutes of relative quiet before someone started fucking around on a synthesizer.
We moved to the bar area, away from the noise and strobe lights of the stage. Tony pushed two tables together in front of a wooden bench, and then brought some chairs over.
I could see Harper's red hair. She was dancing near the stage with Lili.
Coco was making her way to the bar, when she homed in on me and started heading in my direction.
She plunked herself down on a chair beside me.
"Did Harp tell you we're going on a cross-country tour?"
I lifted the beer bottle to my lips and took a slug.
"Not a big deal, right? What's six months really in the scheme of things?"
I had a feeling I was going to remember her name this time.
"I mean she's crucial to our band. She's the beating heart."
Did Harper know I was here, but had purposely not looked in my direction, afraid to catch my eye? Had she enlisted Coco to make her case? Was this why she'd been such a whirlwind today?
Tony knuckled my arm. "Yeah, Ford, no biggie. You won't miss your woman for six months, right?"
Coco shot Tony an annoyed look.
I finally spoke. "Harper's not going."
"You wouldn't deny her an experience like that, would you?"
The blood rushed in my ears. I stood up fast. Tony caught my chair before it hit the ground. I headed toward the bar. I needed something stronger than beer.
I was still standing at the bar when Harper noticed me, her beautiful green eyes opening wide in surprise. Was she acting or had she really just realized I was here? I wanted to scoop her up and carry her out of the club so I could commence laying down the law.
She hurried to me as fast as those heavy, buckled boots would allow.
"I can't believe you came!" She was trying to kiss me and I had to bend down even with her wearing those mile-high soles.
"I didn't come alone," I said. I knew the crowd at the table was sitting back and watching.
Her cheeks pinkened and she turned around and waved at our small audience.
She clung to my arm as we walked to the table. She took a seat beside me on the bench, scooting as close to me as she could without actually being in my lap.
“You were amazing,” Kelly said.
“Thanks,” Harper said.
“Must be a blast to be up on stage like that,” Denise said.
Harper shrugged. “The first few minutes are nerve-wracking. But once I get into the swing of it, it’s really fun.”
The waitress stopped at the table.
I ordered another whiskey.
Harper eyed me curiously. “Looks like I’m the designated driver,” she said before asking the waitress for a sparkling water.
Denise put up a finger and raised her voice. “Another margarita over here.”
“Hon, don’t you think you’ve had enough,” Tony said.
She shot him an annoyed look. “And an extra shot,” she added loudly.
“Let her enjoy herself,” Kelly said to Tony.
“Yeah, don’t be such an uptight dick,” Nick said with a chuckle.
Harper put her hand around my neck and brushed her fingers along the ends of my hair. She gave me a sweet smile.
She looked innocent, not like a girl who'd been scheming. I knew I should save this argument for when we got home, but that was impossible.
"I don't care if I come off as a controlling asshole, but that is not happening."
She blinked at me. "What's not happening?"
"Going on tour for six months."
"You are definitely coming off controlling," she said, but she laughed lightly. "I told Coco months ago that she had to find another drummer." She snuggled up against my arm. "You know I can't even be away from you for a week."
The waitress delivered the drinks.
Harper took a sip of her sparkling water. I didn't miss that her hand was trembling when she set the glass down. Something was still not right. I swallowed back some of the whiskey.
"Besides, I'm going to be busy having our baby.”
Her voice had been so soft that I was sure I’d imagined what I wanted to hear. My heart began thumping.
I forgot that we were in a club, forgot that we were surrounded by people. Everything fell away. "I thought you just said you were going to be having my baby."
She smiled up at me. Her lips were trembling, too. "Actually, I said, our baby, but your baby works too."
"Congrats, man," Nick said, lifting his beer in a toast. The congratulations rippled down the table. I was too stunned to acknowledge them.
"Let's go outside," I said to Harper.
My hand around her waist, I steered her through the bar area. I got envious stares from guys who thought I'd just scored a hookup with the sizzling hot drummer. I led her up the steps. Though there was traffic, the noise was decibels less out on the sidewalk.
"How long have you known?" I asked.
"Since this morning."
"You were fighting me about going off the pill."
"Actually, I've been off it since the night of our anniversary." She gave me a coy smile. "I didn't want to make it too easy for you.
"I had that coming."
"Yep, you kind of did."
"That's why you were crying?"
She nodded. Tears were glittering in her eyes again.
"I don't deserve this. I was a total bastard." I pulled in a shaky breath. "On our wedding night, no less."
"True, you were a bit of a bastard," she said, sweetly playing it down. "But you're still the best man I've ever known."
I leaned in and gave her a long slow kiss
"We should probably go back inside." She sounded a little breathless.
I put my hands on either side of her, trapping her against the wall.
"If that concert happened today would you still choose me?"
"How can you even ask me that?"
"Babe, don't evade the question."
She reached up and ran her fingers along my jaw. I could hear the rasp of my stubble against her soft skin. "I
would always choose you. Always."
Copyright© by Emery Cross
THIS BOOK IS A WORK of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All Rights are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Also by Emery Cross:
Cade’s Property
Devotion
My Husband the Stranger
The Bodyguard
My Husband the Enemy