“How about Ray?” Robert seemed to like that. “It almost fits with your name; Dawn and her son Ray.”
“Oh, I really like that idea!” Dawn exclaimed. “Ray it is.”
“He smells like a baby, all powdery and clean,” Tori grinned.
Tori leaned her head in close to take a larger whiff of the baby smell, but her face turned down into a frown. “Um, I think he went to the bathroom.” Tori scrunched her nose and smirked.
Scott took the boy out of her arms and handed him back to his mother. “He’s all yours, Dawn.”
Scott pulled into the underground lot downtown. The drive from the hospital had been eerily quiet. Tori seemed to do great. She was her normal witty self, charming the pants off Dawn and Robert. After what he thought was a pretty successful trip to see his nephew, he hadn’t expected for her mood to shift like it had. He figured an evening out would lift her spirits. So he’d texted Blaze and Presley, asking them to meet up for Sunday happy hour.
“A karaoke bar almost seems clichéd for Austin. I figured it would be way too mainstream for all the hipsters here,” Tori teased.
He raised his brow, killed the engine and glanced over at her. These were the first real words she’d uttered to him since they left the hospital.
“This is one of those old school places you have to know about to find it,” he replied, glad that she was speaking full sentences to him again.
“You know, we aren’t broke college kids anymore. We can afford an upscale establishment.” She sighed. “Yet you keep dragging me to these disease-ridden dives.” She grimaced.
“Don’t act like you don’t love it,” Scott teased, hoping to ease the looming tension. “I promise we won’t have to get tested for syphilis after leaving this place.” Yeah, that old dive in DC didn’t even have a sign over the door. Just a blue metal door in an alleyway in Georgetown. Even then, Scott suspected it was so the health inspectors couldn’t find the place. Then there was Mac’s in Florida. It was even worse. Tori wasn’t snooty, but she would’ve died if she saw the place.
“You don’t seem like the karaoke bar type of guy,” Tori remarked as they got out of the car, looping her arm with his. “In fact, I’m shocked you were ever in a band. You’ve always been a sit-in-the-shadows type man. There’s this entirely mysterious side to Scott Harris, I’m learning.”
He chuckled. “I don’t typically perform. Unless I’m super fucked up.”
“I’ve embarrassed myself on one too many occasions.” Their footsteps echoed across the concrete walls as they walked. “The last time was years ago, and I vowed never again.”
“Ok, spill it,” he ordered as he punched the elevator button.
She winced. “I don’t want to say,” she mumbled.
He pulled her into the elevator and hit the button for the basement. “Oh no, you have to tell me now.”
“This is like the top five most embarrassing moments of my life.” Tori’s lips tightened. “I was trying to impress a guy with my womanly ways.” She grimaced. “It backfired. Probably the song choice.”
“What song?”
My lord, her cheeks were blazing. It was adorable. He didn’t think it was possible to embarrass Tori.
“I Touch Myself, by the Divynils.” She cringed. “Let’s just say I really, really got into the song. It felt like, at the end, the record came to a screeching halt and there was silence in the club. It was almost theatrical.”
Scott doubled over laughing, clutching his belly, as they stumbled out of the elevator into the bar. “How drunk were you?”
“I was stone cold sober when I did it, which makes it that much worse.”
He couldn’t stop laughing.
Still chuckling to himself, he found them a table for four and got Tori settled. “I need to piss. I’ll be right back, ok?”
“Not like I’m gonna run off anywhere.” She let out a nervous chuckle as she folded her cane and placed it on the table.
“I don’t see Scott.” Presley said to Blaze as they walked into the crowded bar. “Did we actually beat him here?” She scanned the room for a table. Every last one of them was occupied. Surprising, for a Sunday afternoon at four.
“No fuckin way we beat Mr. Punctuality here.”
“What does Tori look like?” Presley had only seen one photo of her taken from a distance with her hair covering most of her face.
“Blonde. Hot. Blind. Dresses like Stevie Nicks.” He chuckled. “She’s hard to miss.” Blaze crossed his arms over his chest and scanned the bar. “Over there.” He pointed and nodded to the corner.
Tori sat with her chin resting lazily on one hand, fingernails strumming the table in boredom. Presley snickered. Yeah, she did look like a bit of a hippie, wearing a crop top with a flowing, paisley kimono.
Presley raised her brow. “Damn. Harris sure knows how to pick them.” Presley eyed the beautiful, little thing that was Tori. “She’s hot.”
“Told ya.”
Presley’s eagle-eyes homed in on her and she noted two black eyes as they moved closer.
Hmmm. That’s interesting.
“Check out those two shiners she’s got.” Presley lowered her voice as they weaved through the tables.
“Damn.” He whistled. “Bets on if it was rough sex between the two of them, if she got into a brawl, or if she smacked into something?” Blaze snorted. “I’ll put twenty on she smacked into something.”
Presley shot him a glare. So crass.
“Oh, come on, she’s blind. It’s a no-brainer.” He shrugged unapologetically.
“I’ve slept in the hotel room next to Scott. I’ll take that bet and raise you twenty. I’m going with rough sex.” Presley flashed a wicked grin, playing his game. She cracked her knuckles and twisted her neck. “Ok, get us some whiskey.” She nodded to the bar. “Time to see what this girl is made of. I’m going in.”
Blaze patted her on the back. “Good luck with that.” He headed to the bar while Presley sauntered over to Tori. “Hey, gorgeous,” she purred. “Quite a big table for a party of one.”
“Just waiting on some friends.” Tori crossed her arms over her chest.
“Mind if I keep you company till they arrive?” Presley cooed.
“Knock yourself out.” Tori carelessly waved her hand to the vacant spot.
Presley pulled the chair out, slumping into the seat next to Tori.
“I take it you aren’t from around here.” Tori asked.
“What makes you think that?” Presley raised a brow.
“Your accent. It’s not Texan. It’s Midwestern mixed with a hint of Baltimore.” Tori fiddled with her earring.
“Nice guess.” Presley’s eyes narrowed. “What’s your name?”
Tori cocked her head to the side, a smug grin tugging at her lips. Tori rested her chin on her hand and leaned in closer to Presley. “I’ll tell you, but only if you buy me a drink first.”
Presley caught Blaze’s eye as he finished weaving his way through the crowded tables with two drinks in hand. Presley placed her finger to her lips motioning for him to stay silent. “Actually, I’ve got two drinks in hand.” Presley took the drinks from Blaze, took a sip of one, and pushed the other to Tori.
Blaze gave her a fuck-you glare for stealing his drink, but stood next to the table and stifled a laugh, watching their exchange.
Tori slid her hand across the table until it met the glass, picked it up, and took a sip. “Whiskey and Coke.” Her brow went up almost to her forehead. “Interesting choice.”
“So, you come here often?” Presley asked.
Tori laughed. “Come here often? That’s the best you’ve got?” Her giggles grew so loud she snorted. Tori had a loud, contagious laugh, borderline obnoxious. She drew a few stares from the table nearby. “Oh, come on, Presley, you gotta do better than that if you’re gonna pick up a chick.”
Presley practically spewed out her drink as her jaw dropped.
Tori lifted her chin in pride. “Blaze, you may want
to go grab another drink.” She took another sip. “You aren’t getting this one back.”
“Damn you, Blondie. Nothing gets past you.” He bent down, threw his arm around her shoulder, and ruffled her hair.
“Nice to see you again, Blaze.” She patted him on the right cheek and planted a friendly kiss on his left. “Now be a good boy and run off and get us some more drinks.” She shooed him away with a wave of the hand then took another swig from the glass before setting it down on the table. “Nice to meet you, Presley. I’m Tori.” Tori extended her hand and Presley shook it with a grin.
“And I’m impressed.”
“I’m blind, not stupid.” Tori wagged a finger in her direction. “I’ve heard that throaty, little purr of yours on speaker phone with Scott like ten times this past week.” Tori lazily leaned back in the chair.
Scott came waltzing over to the table and sat in the empty chair next to Tori. “I see you two have met.” He slung his arm around her.
“Presley thought she could fool me enough to hit on me,” Tori informed him.
Scott’s laugh rivaled the music that played in the background as someone took the stage. “Yeah? How’d that work out for ya, Shey?”
“She figured me out in like ten seconds flat.” Presley rolled her eyes.
“That’s my girl.” Scott grinned.
“Now, tell me this, Presley.” Tori grabbed the glass and took another sip. “Are you as hot as you sound?”
“Uh… ” Presley wasn’t sure how to answer that question. She’d never been asked to describe herself before.
“Short hair?” Tori asked.
“Yes.”
“Brown?”
“Currently.” Presley nodded. She liked to switch it up.
“I’ve always had a thing for brunettes.” Tori leaned her chin on her hand and puckered her lips. “Interesting.” Tori seemed to chew on that for a moment.
“You aren’t gonna want to do that whole feel my face thing to figure it out, are you?” Presley teased, hoping she didn’t offend Tori. She didn’t know what blind-joke etiquette was appropriate. They teased Scott for his nub constantly and he seemed fine with it.
Tori slapped the table, laughing, and Presley exhaled.
Good. The girl had a sense of humor.
Tori caught her breath. “Gotta love movies for making people think that’s something blind people go around doing to everyone they meet.”
Presley grinned. She was beginning to like Tori. She was full of spunk and had this contagious laugh and a great crooked smile. “Ok, good, because that would weird me out.”
“I’d at least buy you a drink first before I tried to feel you up.” Tori slid her hand across the table and trailed her finger up Presley’s arm.
Presley’s eyes bulged for a moment and she looked at Scott who was grinning like a madman. “Oh, my lord, Shey. Are you blushing? Did my girl get to you?” Scott roared.
“What’d I miss?” Blaze asked as he sat down at the table and doled out more drinks.
“Tori’s trying to figure out what Pres looks like,” Scott answered.
“Just tell her you look and dress like Justin Bieber.” Blaze took a swig of his drink and ran his fingers through his disheveled, long, blonde mane.
“Oh my god, she does.” Scott couldn’t contain his laughter.
“Fuck you.” Presley flipped him the finger. “Jesus Christ, Blaze. I don’t look like fucking Justin Bieber.”
Tori snorted. “Don’t let these assholes get to you.” Tori patted Scott on the chest. “Scott makes fun of how I dress. Always has, even though I know he loves it. Calls me a hippie.”
Scott grinned sheepishly and nodded in agreement.
“Because you’re a freaking hippie, Blondie,” Blaze chimed.
“You’re one to talk, Blaze. I can smell the weed on you from a mile away. I smelled you two when you waltzed in—long before Presley even started her pathetic attempt at flirting.”
“Well, just for that, I’m never sharing with you again, Blondie.”
Presley laughed. Tori was adorable. Her blonde hair was carelessly pulled back into a low ponytail with a few curls trimming her heart-shaped face. Her eyes may not have stared straight on, but they were a spectacular shade of blue. Other than that, and a faint scar across the right side of her cheek, her features were flawless. Well, except for the two mysterious black eyes she was currently sporting. That was still eating Presley up, and she had a wager going on it. "Nice shiners you got there.”
“Yeah. I should stay out of fistfights. I never win. My aim is shit.” Tori smirked behind her glass, causing a few creases to appear at the corners of her blue eyes.
“A fistfight?” That couldn’t possibly be true. “What asshole got into a fistfight with you?”
Tori chuckled. “An asshole named Scott.” She nudged Scott in the side.
“Scott?" Presley practically choked on her drink. Scott would never hit a woman.
Rough sex; totally called it.
“It was totally an accident,” Scott defended. “Well, that and the suitcase that you refused to check.”
“At least my luggage didn’t get lost.” Tori shrugged, offering a faint smile. “Bumps and bruises are kinda a package deal with the blindness.”
“God that must have hurt like hell.” Presley cringed thinking about the force of Scott’s massive arm landing square in the face.
“I think it hurt my ego more than anything.” Tori curled her lips into a sour face.
Blaze held out his hand. “Pay up, Shey. Told ya it wasn’t rough sex.”
“Dammit.” She dug into her pocket and pulled out a twenty, slapping it into his hand.
“You guys had a wager on me?” Tori pressed her hand to her chest. “You all really are deplorable, you know that?”
They all laughed.
“Did you guys know that Scott can sing?” Tori flashed a wicked grin.
“Yeah, yeah, they know…” Scott groaned. “Nice try, babe. I’m not getting up there.”
“We’ll see about that,” Tori said smugly and tuned back in on whoever was singing a damn good rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”. The dude finished up and Tori let out an appreciative whistle.
“Next up is Scott Harris and…” the announcer paused for a minute, “just says Blaze.”
Tori shrugged and drunkenly giggled. “I didn’t know Blaze’s name.”
“Jesus, Tori, when did you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” She feigned innocence. She’d totally dropped their names in while Scott left her alone before the others got there. All she had to do was lean over and kindly ask the table next to her for a little assistance. “Well, better get up there. Crowd’s waiting.”
The chair scraped next to her as Scott stood. His hands dug into her shoulders. “Enjoy this, because payback is a bitch,” Scott whispered in her ear.
She wasn’t worried. There was no way Scott would make her stumble up to the stage and sing. He was sure to pay her back in some other way in the future though.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Harris embarrassed in my life,” Presley leaned into her. “He’s gonna kill you.”
“Worth it.” Tori grinned smugly. Yeah, it was fun to push Scott out of his comfort zone, but selfishly she wanted to hear his voice. “You know I had no idea that he could sing until yesterday? I mean, I’d heard him in the shower and whatnot, but I didn't know that he could play the guitar and like, really sing.”
“Really?” Presley seemed shocked at that. “He played all the time overseas. I mean, nothing special. He’d pluck on his guitar in the evenings when we were just sitting around chilling.”
Tori tugged at her bottom lip. She’d known Scott for ten years, and yet he’d never shared this part of himself. Not like she expected him to divulge all his secrets, but as much as she loved music she couldn’t help but be a little hurt he shared this part of himself with them and not her.
“You ok?
” Presley asked as the beginning to Bon Jovi’s “Blaze of Glory” poured through the speakers.
Tori cleared her throat. “Yeah, fine. Totally.” It wasn’t a big deal. Definitely the booze getting to her stupid emotions. She focused her attention toward the stage and listened. Blaze wasn’t near the singer that Scott was. In fact, he was pretty terrible in comparison. Still, Blaze didn’t seem to give a shit. He still gave it all he had. Tori suspected, like her, Blaze wasn’t the type to easily embarrass.
The guys finished to thunderous applause and came back to the table. Scott slung his arm around Tori and kissed her on the cheek.
Tori pulled away from him. “How come you never sang for me before?” Tori blurted out. “How come everyone else knew that you sang, and I never did? I mean we lived together for months when you got out of the Naval hospital. You knew how much I loved the arts and yet you never sang for me?”
Scott snorted. “What, would you have hopelessly fallen in love with me? Is that what I would’ve had to do to catch your full attention back then?” He let out a dry laugh.
The surrounding air almost seemed to stand still. Suddenly the bar felt silent.
Good job in letting it go, crazy. She hated herself at the moment.
“Next up is Victoria Johnson…”
Tori snapped her head toward Scott. “You didn’t.” Her heart pounded out of her chest. “The wait list is eons long…”
“Slipping them a fifty helps.” Scott laughed. She didn’t think it was nearly as funny. Her cheeks burned. “Told you, payback is a bitch. Oh, come on, you never gave two shits before what people thought of you. I was way more out of my comfort zone than you’ll ever be. You’re my little attention whore. Come on, babe.”
Yeah, before.
Before she was blind, she’d eat up a crowd. Now she wanted to do nothing more than blend. She wasn’t the same girl she used to be. Sure, she tried to pretend but now that was biting her in the ass.
“Scott, I can’t even read the fucking words on the screen,” she hissed. “Did you ever stop to think about that?”
Smoke and Mirrors: (Fire and Fury Book Two) Page 10