He froze as he realized he still hadn’t technically broken up with Emily. Though, was there really a need since they weren’t labeled or anything?
He shook his head and tossed his phone on the bed. Today had been a weird one. His wildest dream had come true with Bailey, and he couldn’t even enjoy it. He really needed to talk to someone, but Jax was gone—he found the note when he came home telling him that Jax was surprising Karlie with a weekend away in Charleston—and he couldn’t think of someone else that he could just call up to shoot the breeze and have him pull his head out of his ass.
Though he came home with the intention of trying to relax, it was apparent this wouldn’t happen and he needed to figure out fast what he could do to remedy this.
Go to a bar? That certainly wouldn’t help him and he’d probably run into someone he knew. A restaurant ran the same risk. Could he play his guitar? The thought of picking that guitar up after the disaster that was practice earlier certainly didn’t appeal to him either, but maybe that was the best way to overcome his anxiety.
He tapped his foot before springing into action. He grabbed his phone, hard case with his acoustic guitar, and keys. A few minutes later found him cruising through downtown Gunner Falls. It was later in the evening, so most places were closed, even the restaurants, since this was an area that rolled the sidewalks up at dusk.
He parked on Main Street and gathered his things before walking to the fountain that was in the middle of the traffic circle that intersected Main Street and Center Street. There were benches surrounding it and in the summer you would find people sitting on the edge of the fountain dipping their feet into the cool water.
This time of night meant that it was empty, perfect for him to get some solitude.
Even though he was sitting in the middle of town, there were almost no sounds to be heard, not even cars. Besides the singing of the cicadas, the hum of the streetlights, and the splashing of the water, he was alone.
He unpacked his guitar and idly tuned it while he thought about the events of the last few hours. As he finished, he started plucking the strings, picking out a few notes here and there, letting the sound guide him.
He chuckled to himself as he remembered the first song he learned to play on the guitar: “Take on Me” by A Ha. His parents were obsessed with music from that era, so he learned how to play the psychedelic tune for them. Once he mastered that, he learned more complex songs and even figured out how to put his own spin on things.
He remembered one of the first redone versions of “Take on Me” he did and it sounded nothing like the original. Instead of peppy and upbeat, it took a more somber tone, in minor key, that bespoke the sadness the words of the song evoked. He started picking that version out, humming to himself as the song progressed.
As the last note of the song faded, he paused, letting the silence settle around him again. He hadn’t played that song in years, so he was surprised he remembered the chord progression so well. It was funny how the mind worked, remembering things with such clarity when he could barely remember where he placed his keys five minutes before.
He licked his lips as he considered the next song to play. As he decided, he watched the running water. The fountain was fairly simple with large scalloped dishes, stacked with each level getting progressively smaller as it ascended. The water cascaded from the top to the next level until it reached the bottom where the water fell into a large pool.
At night, it was lit by spotlights around the perimeter and lights inside the pool. He idly picked a few random chords, his mind turning to the events of the day. The hope blooming in his chest stole his breath. The thought of finally being with Bailey again, really being with her, made him giddy. He didn’t show it though. He didn’t want her to get gun shy and run the other way like she had in the past.
“What are you doing here?” Veronica asked from behind him, making him jump and fumble with his guitar until he was able to wrap his hands around the neck to keep it from falling to the ground.
He turned on the bench and saw her standing on the curb watching him. He shrugged as he turned around, looping his strap around himself so he didn’t have another near incident of almost dropping his guitar. “I just needed to not be in the house.”
Veronica stepped around the edge of the bench and nodded as she sat next to him. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and noticed she was wearing a zip-up hoodie even though it was still pretty warm outside, even for late summer. She was also wearing jeans, though that wasn’t uncommon.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, picking a few notes out of the guitar.
She shrugged. “Just wanted to walk I guess.”
He hummed low in his throat, not saying anything, though he certainly had questions for her. The main question was why she was walking around Gunner Falls this late at night when he knew she lived in Greenville, but he wasn’t going to pry.
“I heard your song,” Veronica continued.
He nodded. “Yeah, I guess I’ve got my mojo back.”
Veronica laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. What’d you do?”
“Had dinner and talked to Bailey.”
“Oh?” He looked at her and she was looking at him expectantly. “How did that go? I hope well, since you’re playing again.”
He nodded. “Yeah, it went really well. We’re having dinner together tomorrow night.”
Her brows rose. “Dinner? As friends? Or…”
“I’ll take the or.” He grinned at her.
She laughed. “That’s great! So you’re…dating?”
He considered how to answer. “Well, I wouldn’t say we’re not dating, but we haven’t defined anything. I guess we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
Veronica nodded and looked toward the fountain. He watched her for several more seconds before turning his attention to his guitar again. He picked out the opening notes for “The Chain,” one of the more popular songs they sang together. He snuck a glance at Veronica and saw her small smile. He sang the first words, hoping she’d join in to get her out of this weird funk she seemed to be in.
Slowly, she joined him and their voices blended together in the night, allowing them both a reprieve from what was bothering them.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Bailey
“Why the fuck did I agree to this?” Bailey muttered as she looked through her closet for what felt like the hundredth time. In agreeing to a date with Harry, she thought it would allow the two of them to reconnect and find that groove that used to be so easy for them.
Instead, she was in her bedroom, fretting over what to wear for the date. She didn’t worry about stuff like this. She dressed how she dressed and went with the flow.
Finding a nice top? If it didn’t smell, it would work.
Jeans that made her ass look good? Her ass always looked good because she did squats.
Cute shoes to elongate her legs? She didn’t need help in that department since she was a nice five feet, ten inches tall. She could rock just about anything. So, why was this so hard? Why was she freaking out so much?
She picked up her phone to call Karlie since she would be able to talk her off the ledge. As she went to her contact information, she remembered Karlie’s text from the night before. Jax surprised her with a trip to Charleston, so she wouldn’t respond to any texts or phone calls. Just her luck. She really needed her bff and couldn’t get a hold of her.
She sank onto the edge of her bed and rubbed a hand across her forehead. She was over thinking everything and she knew it, but she didn’t know how to stop it. She was just so dang worried about everything going right tonight. She needed it to go right. She needed to prove to Harry that she was serious. And if she was really honest with herself, she had to prove it to herself that she was ready for this as well.
With a deep, fortifying breath, she stood and went to her closet, determined to figure out what to wear on her own and not freak out about it anymore. As she flicked through her clothes
again, she snorted as she considered how easy it was to find something for Karlie to wear, but she couldn’t figure it out for herself to save her life. Isn’t life funny like that? After rifling through her clothes, she settled on an outfit and set about getting ready.
While she went through her routine, she found herself constantly doubting her choices with makeup, jewelry, and even her hairstyle. She worried it was too much and that she was trying too hard. She worried that Harry wouldn’t like it. She worried that she just looked plain bad.
She had to snap out of this funk. If she met Harry feeling less than her best, then she could guarantee there wouldn’t be a repeat date.
Finally dressed, she gave herself a hard look in the mirror. Though doubts still screamed at her in her head, she pushed them aside and concentrated on the fact that she looked and felt pretty. For the first time in a long time. Fake it 'till you make it.
She gathered her things together and slowly made her way down the stairs to the parking lot after locking her apartment. She opted for low sling-back wedges which looked amazing but she wasn’t comfortable wearing. As a P.E. teacher, she lived in sneakers every day. It felt odd to change that up and go for the cute shoes.
In her car, she pulled up her text exchange with Harry to double-check where they were meeting before turning her car that way.
As she pulled up in front of Hero’s Bar and Grill, she took in the familiar facade. Coming out of the front of the building was a replica ship, complete with round portholes, rigging, and a mast. The inside matched the outside with small booths that looked like berths in a ship and a tiny, winding staircase that led you to the upstairs bar. It was tiny, but it was familiar. And they served the best wings and beer in town.
Harry waved from the front door. She hadn’t seen him at first, but he was leaning against the wall to the left of the door, waiting for her in the shadows. Since the restaurant was going for an authentic look, the lighting outside left a lot to be desired and was weak at best.
“Hey,” she said as she came to stop in front of him.
“Hey, yourself. You ready to go in?”
She nodded and Harry opened the door, holding it for her to pass through. A wall of sound greeted them as they stepped inside and the door slapped shut behind them. Every stool at the downstairs bar was taken and from what she could see, it seemed like the booths were mostly full as well.
“Hey, y’all!” Serena the hostess exclaimed when she saw them.
Bailey and Harry used to come to Hero’s frequently a few years back before things started to get stilted between them. Now they stopped in every so often, usually with the group, but sometimes alone.
“Hey,” they both returned.
Harry chatted with Serena while Bailey scanned the room.
“Right this way,” Serena said, grabbing two menus and leading them to the stairs.
They fell into step behind her. As they walked, Bailey found herself waving and greeting most people they walked by.
Once upstairs, Serena sat them close to the bar, in view of the large TVs mounted behind it. She met Harry’s eyes and smiled before looking at the menu. She already knew what she was going to get—an order of their boneless wings in a honey barbecue sauce—but she wanted to check the menu anyway.
“Hey, y’all! Haven’t seen either of you in a coon’s age! How ya been?” their server greeted as she walked up.
“Good.”
“Great.”
Heidi, the server, beamed at them. “That’s just awesome! Y’all want your regular drinks?”
They normally got whatever craft beer was on tap. She glanced at Harry, who shrugged. She looked at Heidi and said, “I’ll just have a water tonight.”
Considering the downward spiral she went on with wine, she didn’t want to risk the beer setting her off.
“I’ll get my regular,” Harry said.
“Be back in a jiffy!”
“No beer?” Harry asked once Heidi was far enough away.
Bailey shrugged and kept her eyes trained on her menu. “Not feeling the beer tonight.”
“You weren’t feeling the wine last night either.”
She didn’t know what to say, so she just shrugged. She didn’t want to admit what happened to Harry.
“Here y’all are.” Heidi placed their drinks in front of them. “Y’all ready to order?”
Bailey looked at Harry again who nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
“What can I get ya?”
They each ordered and were left alone again. Now that she could be somewhat sure they wouldn’t be interrupted, Bailey found herself unsure of what to say. What should they talk about? Should she ask how his day was?
She felt so out of sorts about everything and she didn’t know why. They’d always had an easy relationship that didn’t require much work. For some reason, she was sure because she was being weird more than anything, they weren’t clicking like normal.
She opened her mouth, determined to at least start some kind of conversation when Bill, the owner of Mojo—a bar that Southern Sands frequented—stepped up to their table.
He nodded to her, but turned his attention to Harry, asking about the band and dates they could come play a few sets. He complained that their sales dropped off the month the band was touring. After getting a tentative go ahead on a few dates, he nodded to her again before walking off.
“Sorry about that,” Harry said, his cheeks tinged red. “I didn’t want to be rude.”
Bailey went to reply but was cut off by someone else stepping up to the table. The rest of dinner went this way. When one person left, someone would come to take his or her place. Bailey couldn’t get a word in edgewise and that was when she realized they should have picked a different place. Coming to familiar ground was well and good, but not when you were trying to reconnect with someone.
Though they were on a date, they hadn’t actually done anything date-like. They hadn’t even talked! By the time Harry paid for dinner, at his own insistence, and they made it back outside, Bailey wished she hadn’t agreed to the date. She didn’t feel any better now than she had earlier that night. If anything, she felt worse.
“So,” Harry started, clearing his throat, “was that as awkward for you as it was for me?”
Bailey looked at him with skepticism in her eyes.
“I mean, come on. We couldn’t talk to each other. Did you even speak the entire time we were in there except to order?” Harry gestured back toward the restaurant.
She shook her head. “It was pretty bad.”
“No kidding. I don’t think I’ve ever had so many people come talk to me while eating. I’m not gonna lie, I found it to be rude.” Harry shook his head.
Bailey cocked a brow. “Really? You did?”
He nodded his head. “Yeah, totally. I’m at dinner with someone, but people kept coming up. They could have at least left us alone while we were actually eating.”
Bailey bobbed her head in agreement. “I agree. It was a little awkward trying to eat my wings and not look like a slob.”
Harry chuckled. “Same with eating my burger. I wanted to enjoy it and just dig in, not have to take small bites so I could continue a conversation.”
They lapsed into silence and stopped beside her car. Harry rocked back and forth on his feet a few times before asking, “What do you say we try this again tomorrow night, but out of town?”
She looked at him, hopeful. “Really?”
He nodded. “Hell yeah. I think if we want to really give this a go, then we owe it to ourselves to go somewhere we’re less known to the population.”
She couldn’t argue with his logic. It was certainly rough having to share Harry with everyone tonight when she really wanted to reconnect with him.
“I’ll pick you up at five-thirty tomorrow?” he asked.
She nodded and turned to unlock her car.
“Oh, and Bailey?”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “Come as yourself. As hot as you
look tonight, you don’t have to do it for me. I like you as you are.”
Bailey’s cheeks flamed in embarrassment but also desire. It was nice to know he appreciated the trouble she went to to look nice. But it was also nice to know that he liked her in her normal attire.
A weight felt like it had been lifted at his words.
“Will do.” She shot him a smile before opening her door to climb in her car.
Harry waved and ambled over to his own vehicle. She watched him crank it and back out, peeling out of the lot.
Left with her thoughts, she tried not to overanalyze the night, but it was hard not to. The date itself had been pretty terrible and no talking had actually taken place between them, but he still wanted to give them a shot, so that gave her hope.
A smile spread across her face as she backed out and drove home. The promise of a redo the next night definitely made up for it. There was no way it could be worse than what they'd just gone through, so she was looking forward to it.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Harry
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Bailey asked for what felt like the hundredth time on the short car ride to Greenville the next night.
“No, but I know you’re going to enjoy it.” Harry smirked as he answered, knowing it wouldn’t appease her.
“Hmph,” Bailey grunted from the passenger seat and crossed her arms.
Harry chuckled. “You’ll survive, though I know you don’t feel like you will.”
Something he'd discovered about Bailey very early in their relationship was that while she loved surprises, she hated not knowing something. So, while he knew she’d appreciate the surprise portion of the night, he knew she would absolutely hate the lead-up.
Bailey sighed and shifted in her seat. He bit his lip to keep from laughing. This entire drive, which was almost over, reminded him of the really good times they’d had together. This was the relationship they’d always had and had gotten away from in the last few years.
Harry (Southern Sands Book 2) Page 14