“Harry, dude, come on. You’ve been hung up on that girl for years. Showing interest in another woman doesn’t mean shit. It just means you’re seeing what’s out there.” Exasperation colored Jax’s voice, belying his true feelings about Harry’s dilemma.
Harry felt a little bit of anger stir at Jax’s words. Not too long ago, Jax was sampling what was out there, so was he hinting at something?
“What do you mean? Something wrong with you and Karlie?” Harry glared at Jax as his face heated.
Jax held his hands up in a placating gesture. “Dude, chill out. Things are fine with us. I’m just saying that you’ve spent years hung up on this chick and you haven’t seen what’s out there. Why not at least explore the possibilities? I’m not saying take her out and fuck her. I’m just saying talk to her and see what happens.”
Harry’s anger subsided at Jax’s words. They certainly made sense and if he considered it more in the realm of just getting to know Emily, it didn’t make him break into a cold sweat. The only hang up he had was whether he should be relying on Jax for dating advice. Admittedly, until recently, Jax had been a manwhore and struggled to commit to one person. Should he trust his advice?
The two of them stared at each other for several moments before Jax nodded and stood, clapping his hands together in front of himself. “Right, well I can see your mind working. I want to disappear before the steam comes out. I’ll catch you later.”
With that, Harry was left alone. He turned back to his computer screen, but he couldn’t concentrate on the letters and numbers in front of him. It was all a blur as he thought about what Jax said. He was right: talking to another woman and seeing what was out there wouldn’t mean anything. He owed it to himself to see what happened.
Harry slipped his phone from his pocket before he lost his nerve. A few moments later and he had Emily’s information up and he was typing a quick text asking how her day was going. Once it sent, he checked the ringer and placed it face up on his desk.
He turned back to his computer but was still unable to concentrate on the words in front of him. Instead, he kept glancing at his phone, willing it to ring or indicate that he had a text message from Emily to look at.
Thirty unproductive minutes later, Harry wondered why he ever took Jax’s advice. Nothing from Emily and there was definitely nothing from Bailey, so he sat at his desk disgruntled in general.
He clenched his jaw as his phone dinged, indicating yet another email. He was frustrated and had absolutely no reason to be. Emily didn’t owe him anything and if he was just going to get worked up by her lack of immediate response, he needed to distract himself.
He checked the time and saw that it was almost noon. Lunch was a definite way to distract himself from his thoughts. He’d normally ask Jax if he wanted to join, but Harry felt like being alone. He slipped out the front, waving to Trinity as the door banged shut behind him.
He was just pulling onto the main road when his phone dinged, indicating he had a text. His eyes flicked to his phone, which was sitting in a cradle on the dash, but he didn’t move to read whatever it was.
He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter as he slowly drove to downtown and parked in front of Common Ground. Once the car was in park, he grabbed his phone, eagerly opening his text app.
The smile that started to spread dropped when he saw that it was just Jax texting him, bitching about not being invited to join him for lunch. Harry decided he wouldn’t reply and let Jax think about why Harry read it without replying. With a sigh, Harry got out of the car and slid his phone into his pocket.
It was late summer now, but still warm. When he left the confines of his car, Harry’s suit stuck to him. He hadn’t noticed it earlier since he was able to park so close to the door of their warehouse. Now, he felt like he was being smothered in a wet blanket and wished he wasn’t wearing so many layers.
He glanced down the street and saw that it was empty. Few cars lined the street and only a couple pedestrians graced the sidewalks. He could see the heat rising from the pavement, shimmering in the light. Sweat broke out across his brow and he reconsidered his initial idea to eat at the park. It was much too hot for that.
He walked briskly to the door of the restaurant and pushed inside, breathing a sigh of relief as the air conditioning blew over his body. His skin prickled with gooseflesh as he tried to adjust to the temperature drop.
He glanced around the interior and saw that it was still fairly empty. He claimed a seat by the window and when the waitress greeted him, he ordered an iced coffee and sandwich. As she walked off, his phone dinged again.
He sighed as he pulled it from his pocket, wondering what nonsense Jax was texting him now. He paused when he saw that Emily had responded. His finger hovered over her name as he worked up the nerve to click on it. It was so simple, opening a text, but it was fraught with implications. She would either be receptive and a conversation would ensue or she’d ask him why he was being a creep. He didn’t think he’d done anything to have her ask that, but there was no way of knowing for sure. He felt at odds with his normal self as he debated reading the text now or later. He was normally so decisive, yet here he was trying to decide what to do.
He glanced at the waitress when she plonked his iced coffee in front of him, a little sloshing over the side and down the glass. He opened his mouth to say something, but she was already walking away.
He shook his head as he mopped up the mess she'd made. After taking a fortifying sip, he took life by the horns and clicked on her text. She’d replied that her day was going well with a small gif showing a cartoon character running frantically around. He assumed that meant she was also frantically trying to get things done. He could relate.
He typed out a quick reply and waited for his phone to ding again, excited to continue talking to her.
He smiled to himself as they chatted throughout his lunch. She was so easy to talk to and seemed excited to converse with him, though it was hard to tell for sure since it was through text. But he got the definite feeling that she was enjoying their conversation as well.
By the time he finished and paid for his lunch, he was telling Emily about their next gig and asking her to come. When she expressed some hesitation about going, he said he’d make sure she was put on the list and that she didn’t have to pay the cover. He’d do whatever he had to, to get her there to see them play. He wanted to see her again and this seemed like the most low-key way to do it.
She agreed and he pumped his fist. Though he already knew she enjoyed their music, he couldn’t wait for her to see him sing. It felt different knowing that she would be there for him, because of him. He wanted to impress her, which meant he needed to make sure the rest of the band was on the same page at practice later that night.
They had some songs to iron out and he wanted them to sound amazing when Emily was there.
Chapter Eight
Bailey
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Bailey grumbled as she followed Karlie across the gravel lot to the front door of Whiskey Dick’s. She had no desire to go see Harry play or interact with people. She wanted to huddle up on her couch and wallow in her misery, not slap a happy face on.
Karlie sighed and shook her head, but didn’t turn around.
“I have no desire to see Harry or anything,” she continued, not willing to stop her whining just yet.
Karlie stopped abruptly and turned to thrust her finger into Bailey’s face. Her eyes trailed up Karlie’s shaking hand to her forearm and on to her face, which was pink with suppressed anger. Her mouth, which was open, snapped shut as Karlie spoke.
“Look, I heard the entire ride here how you didn’t want to be here, that it was ridiculous, blah blah blah. Fine! You don’t want to be here, you have your phone. Call a fucking cab. But I don’t want to hear another blasted word complaining if you decide to stay.”
Karlie turned on her heel and stomped the last few steps to the door, where a bouncer wa
ited with a clipboard. He waved her in and Bailey sighed. She had a shitty attitude, that was for sure, but she shouldn’t take it out on others. Ever since the incident with Harry, she couldn’t quite shake what she was feeling. She knew she needed to snap out of it, especially based on Karlie’s reaction just then. Her friend didn’t deserve her bad attitude
Shaking herself, she pasted a smile on her face and walked to the bouncer at the front door.
“Name?”
“Bailey Kay.”
His eyes scanned the clipboard and he flipped to the next page. After scanning it, he went back to the first page.
“I’m sorry, you’re not on the list.”
Bailey was taken aback. She was always on the list. Harry made sure of that. “Can you double check? I’m usually under Harry’s name.”
The bouncer raised a brow but looked at the list again. After a few moments, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but it’s still not there. The cover is ten dollars.”
Her eyes bugged at the price. “Ten dollars? Are you serious? It’s never been that expensive!”
He just shrugged. “Sorry, I don’t make the prices, just enforce them.”
Bailey worked her jaw as she dug her wallet out, flipped it open, and handed the bouncer a twenty. He made her change, checked her ID, and stamped her hand before waving her in. She snatched the money from him, realizing she shouldn’t be angry with the bouncer, but she couldn’t help it. She’d never had to pay to see a show before.
She was still grumbling when she stepped into the bar proper and scanned the dim space for Karlie. Not seeing her, she beelined for the bar. It was still early enough that she didn’t have to wait long to order two shots and a tall beer. When the shots were in front of her, she threw them back in quick succession, grimacing at the flavor, before grabbing her beer and turning to find her best friend.
She craned her neck as she inched along the edge of the dance floor, catching sight of her at a table to the left, the side where Jax would be playing. She wove through the slowly thickening crowd and plopped in the chair next to Karlie.
“What took you so long? I thought you called a cab.” Karlie took a long sip of her beer as she watched Bailey, waiting for a reply.
Bailey sighed and shook her head. “I wasn’t on the list, so I had to pay.”
Karlie paused with her glass halfway to her mouth at Bailey’s words. She slowly lowered her drink and placed it on the table before turning to face her fully.
“You weren’t on the list?”
Bailey shook her head again and sipped her own drink. “Nope, not there. It was ten dollars to get in! Can you believe that? That’s expensive as shit!”
Karlie’s brows rose to her hairline. “Really? That is a bit expensive. I’m still caught up on you not being on the list though…”
Her nose wrinkled as she picked her beer up again. “I’m with ya there.”
Karlie rolled her bottom lip into her mouth, nibbling slightly, before releasing it. “I can ask Jax to see if he knows anything, if you want.”
Bailey briefly considered Karlie’s words but dismissed them just as quickly. As much as she loved Karlie and knew she’d do it, she didn’t need to get in the middle of whatever was going on between her and Harry. She’d try to find a time to ask him about it later. It was probably a mistake of some kind.
A burst of feedback blasted through the room, causing the talking from the crowd to die down as everyone turned to the stage. The band was already there, instruments at the ready, while Harry stood at the microphone and looked sheepish.
“Sorry ‘bout that folks. Anyways, as y’all know, we’re Southern Sands. We’re pretty local to y’all, so I don’t think we need much of an introduction.”
Cheers and clapping broke out around the room and Harry grinned and waved his hands to get people to quiet down.
“That’s great to know I was right. I won’t talk your ear off too much right now; I want you to get a bit more drink in you and then I’ll talk 'till you can’t stand it.”
Laughter rippled through the room and Bailey even found herself smiling. Harry could certainly command a room when he was at the microphone.
Without further ado, Bentley tapped out the beat and the band launched into “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. This had to be a new song because Bailey hadn’t heard them play it before. It was a bit slow she thought to start their set, but as she looked over the crowd, she had to admit that everyone seemed into it. She noticed several people singing along with Harry and Veronica, whose voices were blending together nicely.
As the last notes faded, they immediately launched into “American Woman” by The Guess Who, which served to liven the crowd even further. The hard guitar riffs brought people onto the dance floor, some standing at the edge of the stage gazing up at the band or swaying by themselves.
The rest of the first set continued in the same vein, showing harsh intensity on some songs and slow moving beats to calm it back down. Right before the break, they wound everyone up again by bringing Waylon on stage to join them in “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” the lights on stage cutting out as the last note rang through the bar.
“Wow,” Karlie murmured beside her.
Bailey glanced at her best friend, catching her shocked face in the dim light, and had to agree with her. She was a bit shell-shocked as well. The set was different than their normal one, which featured crowd favorites that would get people singing along. Something was definitely up, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. She’d never seen them play with such intensity before.
The band members filtered out the stage door, Bentley and Grayson making their way to the bar while Veronica slid into a chair near the stage. Jax beelined toward them and Harry scanned the crowd looking for someone or something by the stage door.
She thought it might be her and was about to raise her hand, but stopped herself when she saw him wave to someone across the room. She narrowed her eyes as she watched his progress through the crowd. He joined a petite brunette at a high top across the room.
Harry smiled at the girl and slid into the chair next to her, draping an arm along the back of it as he leaned toward her. Bailey raked her eyes over the girl, taking in her long brown hair and her bright white shirt with capped sleeves. She couldn’t see her lower half, otherwise, she’d pass some judgment on that as well. She stood out like a sore thumb with her outfit and that rankled Bailey, though she couldn’t say why exactly.
The girl leaned closer to Harry and laid a hand on his arm, laughing at something he said. Harry smiled in return and leaned even closer. Any closer and they’d be attached at the hip. She was tormenting herself and she knew it, but she couldn’t force herself to look away.
“What’d you think of the set?” Jax asked, pulling Bailey’s attention from the table across the dance floor.
She forced herself to turn toward Jax and tried to push questions about Harry from her mind.
“It was good,” she said and she meant it. It was a fantastic set.
Karlie nodded and said something, but Bailey couldn’t concentrate. She found herself sneaking glances at Harry, consumed with the urge to know who the woman was and what she was to Harry.
“You okay?” Jax tapped Bailey on the arm, pulling her attention back to him.
“Who’s the chick?” she asked, jerking her head toward Harry.
Jax shifted in his seat and looked away from her, discomfort radiating from him.
“Well?” she asked, not willing to let him off the hook.
Jax wet his lips and briefly met Bailey’s eyes before looking down at the beer bottle in his hand. He eventually just shrugged and mumbled something about her being a new friend of Harry’s before slipping away from the table and toward the bathroom.
“Well, that was weird,” Bailey said, glancing at Karlie, who was watching Jax walk away.
She nodded but stayed focused on Jax. “Yeah, a bit. I’m sure there’s an explanation.” She turned her attention ba
ck to Bailey who glanced back at Harry and noticed the girl slip away toward the bathrooms as well. At this time of night, the line would be pretty long, which meant this was Bailey’s chance to talk to Harry and to try to figure out what was going on.
She drained her beer, thunking the empty glass on the table before sliding out of her seat. She stalked across the dance floor, her attention riveted on Harry as she thought of what to say. He hadn’t noticed her yet, which suited her fine. The thrill of surprise would work in her favor.
Chapter Nine
Bailey
As Bailey walked closer to Harry, his eyes met hers and shifted away. He moved in his seat and rearranged his arms and legs several times in the few moments it took her to get to him.
“Hey,” she said, leaning against the table with her arms crossed.
“Hey.” A fleeting smile tweaked Harry’s lips, but then they settled into a flat line as he glanced around. He was definitely nervous. Was it because she hadn’t responded to him?
“Great first set,” she said, watching him carefully.
“Thanks.” He still wasn’t meeting her eyes and it was starting to bother her now.
Silence surrounded them. This wasn’t normal at all. While the bar patrons around them chattered and laughed, things between her and Harry were stilted and uncomfortable. She had no idea what to do about it.
She cleared her throat and dropped her gaze to the table as she said, “I wanted to apologize for the other night. I got in my head and freaked out and…”
“You don’t have to apologize,” he interrupted.
She glanced up and saw that he still wasn’t looking at her and she grew agitated. She shifted on her feet, planting them a little farther apart and dropped her hands to her side. His lack of interaction was starting to bother her. She was trying to apologize, something she didn’t do often, and he wasn’t even giving her the time of day.
“Even still,” she tried again, watching his face closely, “I want to do it nonetheless. It was pretty shitty of me.”
Harry (Southern Sands Book 2) Page 6