“I’m sure. Maybe eventually, but just…not tonight.” Elly pulled her car keys from her purse. “Shall we go?”
*
Even though Elly followed her in the car instead of riding on the back of her bike, Alex took it slow all the way to Parry’s. She wanted to zip through the intersections, speed up on the straightaways, but she kept carefully to the speed limit. It felt like the longest ride ever by the time she turned into the parking lot at Parry’s and pulled into a spot. She killed the engine and put down the kickstand, swinging her leg over the bike. Elly pulled up in a free spot beside her. Alex pulled off her helmet and pushed a hand through her hair as Elly got out and came up beside her. Hooking her fingers around the open gap left by the visor, she let the helmet swing by her side and held out her free hand to Elly. “Come on, let’s go. You’ll love this.”
Elly gave her a hesitant smile and Alex stifled a frown. She hadn’t thought Elly was this shy; she hadn’t been, at the farm, after their first kiss. But now, it was as if they’d only just met. But she reached out her hand and their fingers intertwined like they’d always held hands. Alex wanted to take her back to her apartment, undress her slowly, and taste the sweetness between her thighs.
“Bellerose!”
Will stood at the door of the bar, smoking a cigarette, and he waved, holding his own helmet. Alex waved back. Too late to turn around now. Maybe Elly would loosen up.
*
The man that had cried out Alex’s last name was tall, his dirty-blond hair spiked into a casual fauxhawk, hanging down over his forehead. He was cute, the sort of guy that Elly’s friends in school would have had taped to their bedroom walls if they’d come across him in their teen magazines. She felt immediately frumpy and boring next to his easy bad-boy cool. He flicked the cigarette away as she and Alex came level with him, bending to kiss Alex on the lips. It was a casual kiss between friends, but Elly felt the jealousy rise in her. She wanted Alex’s lips on hers, not his.
“Who’s your friend?” he asked, looking her over, his deep-set blue eyes seeming to take in every inch.
“Elly, this is Will. Will, Elly.”
“Nice to meet you.” The greeting came automatically to her lips.
“Likewise.” Will held out his hand, his grip surprisingly gentle, though his callused hand dwarfed hers.
“Is it the usual crowd?” Alex asked, holding her helmet under her arm.
“Same old,” Will said. “Vanessa’s being a right bitch though, as usual. But she has a new girly girl, so maybe that’ll mollify her a bit tonight.”
“Christ.” Alex turned to her. “Vanessa’s a bit of a drama queen. She acts like she owns the place. She’ll probably want to sing some Christina Aguilera, or Britney Spears, or something. All that pop crap.”
Elly didn’t know what to say to that. “Oh.” She knew the names but was more used to country songs.
“C’mon in,” Will said, pushing open the door and letting them precede him. “I’ve saved us a table.”
The bar was much like any other she’d ever been in: the carpet a bit worn where thousands of feet had tracked across it, the booths ranged along the wall, the tables in uneven rows across the floor, filled with an assortment of people, though they were mostly women. At one end, a small stage had been set up, large speakers flanking a microphone on a stand. A man with long hair tied back in a ponytail flipped through a book of songs while another man, his beer gut nearly protruding from his bowling shirt, talked animatedly. A waitress squeezed by Will as the three of them made their way to a booth in the back. The table beside them let out a whoop as the waitress set down a pitcher of beer. Elly held on to Alex’s hand, though she loosened her grasp when she realized how tight her grip had become.
Will slid into the booth, moving aside a biker jacket in blue and white. He patted the bench beside him. “I don’t bite.”
Elly sat down beside him and Will shifted over farther as Alex sat down beside her, shedding her own jacket. She passed her helmet over to Will.
“Toss that on your jacket, would you?”
“You didn’t put it with the bike?”
“No space,” Alex said. “Elly’s helmet’s in there.” Elly felt herself flush again. She’d chickened out, and she felt again that embarrassment, of being the hick among the city folk.
“Ah.” Will gave her a glance, then flagged down the waitress. “What’ll you have? The usual for you, Alex?”
“Yeah.”
“Pitcher of Keith’s,” Will told the waitress, “and a…?”
He looked over at her and Elly tried to think of a drink. “Vodka cran?” she said.
“Sure, honey,” the waitress said. “Be right back.”
“Not beer?” Alex asked.
Elly shrugged. She’d never much liked beer, though Jack had tried to convince her, time after time.
“She’s a pretty girl, Alex,” Will said, reaching over and tugging on a lock of Alex’s long black hair. “Not a crazy biker like us.”
Alex chuckled. “Don’t scare her away.” She squeezed Elly’s hand. “I’ve known Will for years.”
“I’m like a brother to her.” Will rolled his eyes.
“Some brother,” Alex quipped.
“Says the girl who called me when she ran out of gas on the highway last weekend,” Will replied.
“I misjudged the distance between here and Longview. It happens.” Alex flicked his arm.
Watching their back and forth, their easy teasing, Elly didn’t know what to say. When the waitress brought their drinks, it gave her something to do with her hands. Will poured two pints of beer and slid one across the table to Alex.
“Cheers,” he said, lifting his pint. Alex lifted hers, and Elly echoed their toast.
Alex laid an arm over Elly’s shoulder and pulled her close, her perfume, a jasmine scent that Elly thought might be Chanel, tickling her nose. “I’m so glad I saw you again,” Alex said, her voice low, intimate.
Elly leaned in, turning her face toward Alex. “Me too.”
Their kiss was sweet, gentle; Alex tasted of the beer she’d just drunk, but Elly didn’t mind at all. Her mouth was soft, with just enough pressure that Elly parted her lips, letting Alex flick her tongue inside. A shiver raced through her and she wished for more.
“You’ll become a biker though, I’ll bet,” Will remarked when they broke apart.
“Oh no.” Elly shook her head.
“Never?” Will looked doubtful and Alex turned a puzzled glance on Elly.
“I don’t think so. It reminds me of Jack, a guy I know back home—he was a great trick roper, and one day, just for fun while he was riding, he saw a porcupine, figured he could rope it.”
“And?” Will took a gulp of his beer.
“He did it, but he ended up with porcupine quills in his best rope and in his hands.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Will sounded annoyed, but Elly mastered her courage.
“Sometimes things that start out a good idea don’t end up that way. Just like riding a motorcycle.”
“There aren’t any porcupines when you ride with me,” Alex said. She glanced at Will and chuckled. “Unless Will rides with us, of course.”
“Smart-ass,” he said, making a face at her. Elly tried not to smile. With his hair the way it was, she could imagine Will as a porcupine.
“Good evening, everyone!” The bellowed greeting, amplified by the speakers, startled her. The man in the bowling shirt grinned at the crowd. “Who’s the first to get up here?”
A buxom blond woman, her hair teased in a style reminiscent of Dolly Parton, flounced up to the stage. “Y’all know I always go first, Bruce,” she drawled, and the man handed over the microphone good-naturedly. “This is something I’ve been working on.”
The man with the ponytail tapped a few keys, and Elly heard the beat of insistent percussion. Beside her, under her breath, Alex groaned. Will took a deep swig of his beer.
Elly didn�
��t recognize the song, but the woman onstage clearly knew it, belting out the words with confidence, sashaying across the stage, winking suggestively to a woman who sat nearby, sipping a froufrou cocktail.
“That’s Vanessa,” Alex said, her warm breath brushing Elly’s ear. “The first song of many.”
“Do you sing?” Elly asked.
“Sometimes. You?”
Elly shuddered. “Never.”
Will leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “Never?” he repeated, grinning. “You have to on your first time. Everyone does.”
“No.”
“Everyone does. It’s a rule.”
“She doesn’t have to if she doesn’t want to.” Alex stuck her tongue out at Will and Elly felt relieved.
“Whatever.” Will refilled his pint.
Alex dropped her hand onto Elly’s thigh, and she relaxed back into her seat. The song ended and Vanessa stepped down from the stage to applause. Another woman took her spot, flicking her hair back over her shoulder, planting her feet firmly on the stage, her legs wrapped in slim-fitting leather pants.
“What do you like to sing?” Elly cut her gaze back to Alex.
“Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks, that sort of thing,” Alex replied. “Joan Jett, sometimes.”
“Don’t forget Marianne Faithfull,” Will added. “She does a great Marianne,” he said to Elly.
“‘Broken English’?” Elly asked. It was the only Marianne Faithfull song she remembered, picturing the blue album cover.
“And ‘Sister Morphine.’”
“You should sing that one tonight,” Will said, motioning to Bruce, who strode over.
“You going to sing?” His cologne wafted over the table, a strong scent of Old Spice.
“Not me, but she will.” Will cocked a thumb at Alex. “‘Sister Morphine’—you have it, right?”
“We sure do,” Bruce said. “I’ll get Ron to set it up next.”
“Dammit, Will, I’m not ready.”
“Sure you are,” Will said.
“You can always say no,” Elly ventured. Alex shrugged, then sighed.
“Better now, before Vanessa has her second go. She’ll hog the stage after she has a couple more drinks.” Alex stood, her leather chaps creaking.
“Break a leg.”
Alex planted a kiss on her lips. “Plug your ears.”
“Really?”
“Not really.” Alex grinned and wove her way around the tables to the stage. Catcalls followed, and Alex flashed a rude gesture to a spiky-haired woman near the bar, who whistled again.
“They dated once,” Will said. “Sort of. Jan never really got over her.”
Elly glanced at him. “Why’re you telling me?”
“Just thought you should know.” Will shrugged and leaned back, lifting his pint. Elly wanted to say something more, but the music started, and her gaze was drawn to Alex, who swayed in place, waiting for her cue. When she began to sing, Elly was entranced.
The song was softer than she’d imagined, starting with a quiet guitar, and becoming an almost country-song-like ballad. Alex didn’t even watch the screen as the words scrolled by, each phrase highlighted in garish yellow. Her hands wrapped around the chrome of the microphone stand and she leaned forward, looking up from under her lashes at the crowd. Her throaty voice caressed each word, delivering it to the audience like a gift. Elly shivered.
When the song ended, there were catcalls and applause, and Will shouted, “Go, Bellerose!” pounding his hand on the table. Alex grinned and gave a short bow before hopping down from the tiny stage and making her way back to her seat.
“What did you think?” Alex asked breathlessly, sliding into the booth next to Elly.
“Brilliant.” Will answered before Elly could say a word.
“You always say that,” Alex said to Will. “Elly?”
“You were fantastic.” Elly knew her words were weak; they didn’t come near to explaining how she really felt, how Alex had captivated her.
“Vanessa’s fuming already,” Will noted with amusement. “I’d say that’s compliment enough.”
Alex chuckled and Elly glanced over at the blonde, who sat at her table, pouting. “Does she always do that?”
“If things don’t go her way,” Alex said. “She’ll get over it, or not.”
“You should sing one,” Will said, nudging Elly’s elbow.
She shook her head. “Oh no.”
Will gestured to Bruce. “Bring us a book, my man.”
Bruce lumbered over with a well-used black binder. “Up next, Will?”
“Nope, it’ll be her turn in a few. Just need to find a song.”
Bruce set the binder in front of Elly. “Just let me know what you want to sing.”
“I really don’t,” she said as Bruce headed over to another table to take their request. Her hands and feet were cold as ice and anxiety made her stomach flutter. She was going to make a fool of herself. But at Alex’s disappointed look, Elly opened the binder.
The songs were arranged alphabetically by artist, and she browsed aimlessly, not having a clue as to what she could sing. She liked music, but she didn’t know much of it by heart, not enough to perform it. Genesis, Geri Halliwell, Madonna…She slowed, running her gaze down the list. Madonna wouldn’t be that hard, would it? She’d sung some of the songs when she was a kid and still knew them well, or better than most.
“Found one?” Alex asked, leaning closer. “Madonna, awesome. Her stuff is classic. You’ll get everyone singing along.”
“I’m not sure which one to pick,” Elly said. A fast song would be hard for her to keep up with if she lost the pace, but a slow song would mean her voice would be on full display.
“‘Material Girl’? It’s a bit silly, and fun.” Alex tapped the page.
“I don’t know. Maybe ‘Crazy for You’ instead?”
“That was a good movie,” Will commented.
“Movie?” Alex voiced the question Elly only thought.
“Yeah, Vision Quest. Didn’t you ever see it?”
“You saw a movie with Madonna in it?”
“It’s a wrestling movie.” Will sighed. “Now I know what to subject you to next weekend.”
“Have you seen it, El?” Alex asked.
“No, hadn’t even heard of it,” she replied, giving a regretful shrug, looking at Will.
“We’ll all have to watch it next weekend, then,” Alex decreed. She waved Bruce over. “Elly wants to sing ‘Crazy for You.’”
Bruce scribbled it onto his list. “That’s a good one. You’re up four—no, five—songs from now.”
Elly picked up her glass and downed the rest of her drink. Oh God. What had she gotten into?
Chapter Two
“I don’t think I can do it.”
Alex heard the quaver in Elly’s voice. “It’s a three-minute song, it’ll be over before you know it. Don’t worry.” She clasped Elly’s hand, feeling her cold fingers. “I’ll get you another drink.” She rose from the table and went to the bar. The bartender, Eric, gave her an appreciative glance.
“Good song,” he said. “What can I get you?”
“Vodka cran,” Alex said, leaning on the bar.
“Who’s the new girl?” Jan said from behind her. Alex turned. Jan’s cheeks were flushed, her pixie cut emphasizing her thin face. A dozen silver hoops glinted on each ear.
“Elly.” Alex knew Jan was pushing for gossip, as she always did. That had been why they’d broken up a few years back, that and the neediness Jan exuded. Even now, she edged closer, her arm brushing against Alex’s.
“Never seen her around,” Jan said. “She new in town too?”
“Pretty new.” Alex didn’t really know, but she assumed as much. Elly had seemed too at home on the farm to really be a city girl.
“I don’t know what you see in her.”
Eric put the drink on the bar. “Five fifty.”
Alex took seven dollars from the zipped pocket of her chaps a
nd handed it over. “Keep the change.” She picked up the glass. “See you later.” She heard Jan make an irritated hmmph as she left.
Vanessa’s girlfriend passed her and got up on the stage as Alex returned to her seat. She placed the drink in front of Elly, who swapped out her empty glass for the full one.
“I don’t think this will help,” Elly said, but she took a long drink anyway. Her cheeks were pink, and Alex thought she was cuter with that flush. It made her eyes bright and reminded Alex of the way Elly had looked in bed.
The opening bars of Avril Lavigne’s “I’m With You” played over the speakers, and Alex turned her attention to the woman onstage. She was young, how Vanessa liked them, looking soft and fairylike in a pale pink dress and delicate sandals. Her blond hair was back in a braid, but when she began to sing, her voice caught everyone by surprise. Strong, confident, completely unlike her image.
“Wow,” Elly said.
“Yeah,” Alex agreed. She glanced over at Vanessa, who grinned triumphantly at her girlfriend’s stunning performance. The cheers and catcalls were loud when the woman stepped down from the stage.
“I bet Vanessa picked her just for her voice,” Will remarked, draining his pint and pouring another.
Alex laughed. It sounded ridiculous, but it was just the sort of thing Vanessa might do.
“Would she really?” Elly sounded incredulous.
“She might have,” Alex answered.
“You’re up next,” Will said to Elly as Metric blared from the speakers.
“Already?” Elly gulped her drink.
“You’ll be awesome,” Alex said. It was just Parry’s, just the usual crowd. Elly would be fine. She rose to let Elly out of the booth as the Metric song finished.
Elly looked up at her. “Do I have to?”
“You’ll be all right,” Alex assured her. Elly slid over on the bench seat and stood, running her hands down her thighs. She looked pale as the polka dots on her shirt.
“Break a leg,” Will said, raising his pint. Alex slipped her arm around Elly’s waist and gave her a squeeze.
Betting on Love Page 2