by Amber Nation
“It was good, and sad, but he was glad to see some of his friends. He is ready to start his soccer season soon, and now he is even talking about wanting to take Karate lessons. I tell you, I can’t keep up with this child of mine.”
“Uh, girlies, we have a problem,” Toby announced, panic in his voice. That was never good. “Mikey sprained his wrist fixing a car and he won’t be able to play for two weeks! We have a set to play this Friday and next Friday at Finnegan’s, so this is a huge opportunity for us, we can’t skip out.” At this point Toby was freaking out, sounding like a wound up Chihuahua.
Toby Tessa’s husband Brock, Mikey, and Corbin were all part of The Nation’s Capital, a punk rock band trying to make it big in the Georgia area. Playing at a small town bar like Finnegan’s didn’t seem like a big deal, but Mac Finnegan had been known to make things happen for small bands. Mikey was the drummer in the band, hence needing his hand in order to play.
Nonchalantly turning around to grab another stack of books to put away, I asked over my shoulder, “So what is the plan? What are y’all going to do?” Knowing deep in my gut just exactly what they were going to suggest.
“Emmalynne, my favorite sister-in-law….”
“Toby -cut the crap with the, my favorite sister-in-law just come on out and ask,” I snapped but while wearing a smile.
I had been a pretty kick ass drummer back in high school, my confidence has never been diminished on my drumming capabilities, and up until Tucker was two, I played every chance I got. I bet you can guess why that all stopped….Bryce. Then after the accident, I had to endure numerous surgeries to repair my shattered knee, so to say it’s been awhile since I’ve played would be a serious understatement. On a positive note, it was my left leg that was left shattered, so it doesn’t hinder my ability to use the bass drum pedal.
“Emmy, please play for us, you know how big of a deal this is for us. We don’t know of anyone else who can play as good as you. So, really, it is up to you.” Toby really was laying it on thick. Way to play up the guilt trip, bud!
“You know it’s been YEARS since I’ve picked up my drum sticks, I’ll have to practice this week.”
“So, you mean you’ll do it?” Toby fluttered his long lashes at me. He knows I’m a sucker for those darn lashes. It really was unfair that his were so beautiful!
“When have I ever been able to say no to you? You know I can’t let the band down. Of course I’ll do it. But you owe me BIG!” Sighing, I began to think that this was looking to be a long week!
Chapter Two
Grady
“Now son, Friday nights are always our biggest money makers. I know this town doesn’t look like much, but we draw a crowd from several different counties.” Uncle Mac was explaining the procedures to me like I had never worked in a bar before.
“Uncle Mac, granted it’s been a few years since I’ve served, I think I’ll be ok. Besides, I’ll have Tessa to help me tonight.”
“What about me?” Tessa said as she came sauntering up behind the bar while tying her waist apron behind her back.
“Uncle Mac was just telling me about preparations and what not for tonight’s crowd and I think I’ll be ok, but I know you will be here to get my six.”
Pulling out a tin of what looked to be homemade brownies; Tessa offered one to me and Uncle Mac. “As long as six means your back, then of course Grady, tonight will be a great night! My husband’s band is playing in just a little bit and my bestie baked us her wonderful Brownies. Seriously, they are THAT good!” Pride shone in Tessa’s eyes while she boasted about her friend.
Taking a bite of said brownie, I groaned inwardly. I hadn’t had something that tasted this good, in well, EVER! “HOLY FUCK!”
“That Emmy Morgan is sweet as pie and she sure does know her way around a kitchen. She makes some of the tastiest desserts. Bakes them and brings them to her store to sell each day. You never know what she will bring in, but you are guaranteed to get something amazing.” Uncle Mac tossed back over his shoulder as he headed towards his office.
Just then three guys come out on stage to set up for tonight’s show, one of which I’m assuming was Tessa’s husband. “So, this band of your husband’s, are they any good?”
“Does a Zebra have stripes? Duh, of course they are good! The Nation’s Capital is absolutely kick ass! Just you wait and see.” That Tessa, she seemed pretty quirky, I mean who said shit like that? Do zebras have stripes? I decided that I liked her.
Moving here from Fort Drum, New York has been a major shock to my system. Being ex-military I was used to the hustle and bustle of Army life. I figured I would be Army for the long-haul; life has a funny way of throwing you off track though. If being injured in the line of fire on a mission wasn’t a blow enough to my ego, pun intended, even though I was shot in the arm, having my so called girl send me a Dear John letter while recovering in the hospital in Germany, topped it all off. Stupid bitch said she couldn’t be with a broken man, so she found herself a new one. Fuck her. She wasn’t worth much of my time anyways. Sure she gave amazing head, but Military Hoochies were a dime a dozen.
So the day when good old Uncle Mac called me up to see if I wanted to buy into his bar, since he was retiring, couldn’t have come at a better time. It was a great opportunity, and I had several ideas to make this a better establishment. Hopefully, moving to this small Podunk town would be a good decision.
Shaking myself from my thoughts, I helped the next customer at the bar. About that time the band started playing. Taking the time to listen to them in between serving up drinks, they actually weren’t half bad. Finally glancing up towards the stage, my heart stopped dead in my chest.
Perched up on a stool, sitting behind a hot pink drum set, was the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen! She was definitely into the song, playing to her hearts content. Her eyes were hidden behind plastic framed glasses, so I couldn’t tell you the color from this far away, but I could tell that they were beautiful. She looked to be all curves, and man, did I love me some curves. Her curly auburn hair was whipping along as she bobbed her head to the beat of the music. She was in her element. Just then, she looked over my way and smiled, and lord that smile could brighten a room. My jeans suddenly felt too tight. I needed to find out who this beauty was. Adjusting myself, I reluctantly pulled my gaze away and went back to work.
“So, Tessa who is everyone in the band?” I blurted, trying to find out the starry eyed drummers name.
“Well, the lead singer is Toby, then we have Corbin on the bass guitar, he’s new, and my hubs, Brock is the other guitar player. Mikey here,” pointing to a guy nursing a beer with a brace on his wrist, “is the normal drummer, but the dumbass sprained it while working on a car, so Emmy is filling in.”
“She the one who made the brownies?” I asked with my brows raised.
“Yup the one and only, she is absolutely amazing and my bestest friend in the world. She’s had a rough life, but she is the shit.”
Rough life, I wondered what exactly that meant.
---~~~---
“Hey Tess! So, what did you think? And what about Emmy?” the lead singer was at the bar, Toby I think his name was.
“Oh Toby, y’all absolutely killed it, and Emmy was amazing, as always, I just wish she’d realize that!”
Turning to me, Toby stuck out his hand to introduce himself, “Toby Morgan, and you are Mac’s nephew right?”
Taking Toby’s outstretched hand, “Grady Finnegan, and yes sir, Mac is my uncle. He asked me to take over the bar once he retired, so here I am.”
Toby seemed to be sizing me up, as his gaze traveled up and down my body, “Well, welcome to Brown County, I’m sure you will enjoy living here.”
As long as I could meet Emmy, I would enjoy living here alright. Wait a minute, didn’t Uncle Mac say that Emmy’s last name was Morgan? Perhaps Toby was her brother? Surely he wasn’t her husband, he seemed a little too….flamboyant.
“Em get your ass over here, I�
��ve got a beer with your name on it!” Tess yelled from behind the bar.
I looked up straight into the eyes of Emmy Morgan, she was coming this way, and she was breathtaking. Fuck me. She was even more beautiful up close. I noticed her walking with a limp, but that didn’t distract me from her beauty. Being ex-Military and broken myself, I knew things could happen. Absently, feeling the dull ache in my shoulder from where I was shot, it was a reminder that I was still alive.
“Tess, I really can’t stay. I need to get home to Tucker.” Emmy blushed while looking right at me. “Hello, you must be Mac’s nephew, I’m Emmalynne Morgan, but please call me Emmy.”
Sweet god almighty, that voice. Her voice was sultry and sexy, just like her. There went the tightness in my jeans again, this beauty certainly invokes a raging hard on.
Emmalynne.
Up close I can see her eyes more clearly, and even encased in those funky glasses, they are beautiful. They were the richest shade of brown, they remind me of chocolate, which was fitting since apparently she was an amazing baker. Pulling myself from my thoughts, I realized I’d been staring at her. Clearing my throat I muttered, “Grady Finnegan, and I must say Emmalynne that you’re one amazing baker.” I winked at her before moving down the bar to wipe off the counter. I needed to think of something else so I could get out of this constant state of arousal.
Baseball. Puppies. My grandma. Yup, that did it!
I then overheard Emmy talking to Toby and Tessa. “So, you will both be at the soccer field bright and early tomorrow morning, right?” They both muttered a ‘yes’ before Emmalynne sauntered outside to leave. I had to say something to her before she left.
“It was very nice meeting you. You played great tonight Emmalynne, and I hope to see more of you soon!” Giving her my sexy smolder, she blushed, smiled and turned towards the door.
Not realizing that I was still looking at the space she just occupied, Tessa snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Uh, Grady, you have a bit of drool on your chin! Seriously could you have been so blatantly obvious?”
Tessa thought she was funny. I rolled my eyes as I turned towards her and Toby. “So is Emmy your sister?” I blurted out. God, could I have been more obvious, where this pussy side of me has come from I’m not sure. I was not so sure I liked it either. I was ex-Army, tough as nails, not some whipped pussy. But something about Emmalynne drew me to her. Fuck.
“Um no, she is my sister-in-law.” Whew, saved! But hold that thought. “So, you are married to her sister?”
“Honey, I’m gay and very much single,” he winked at me. Um…….ok…..so there is only solution left and I was not liking it.
“So she’s married to your brother?” I grumbled through clenched teeth. Of course the universe would hate me. I had found the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and she was married. Fuck. That must be who Tucker is and why she had to get home to him so quickly. Where the fuck this possessive side came from, I couldn’t tell you, but I wanted Emmalynne Morgan with every fiber of my being.
“Well, not exactly.”
“Not exactly! What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I barked as he winced. I could tell I was scaring him but I was running out of patience.
Tess chimed in, “She was married to his brother, Bryce, but he died five years ago, so she’s widowed. And I say good riddance to that asshole.”
Well, that was not exactly what I wanted to hear. Sure, I’m happy for the fact that she is no longer married, but being a widow, that had to be hard. I wonder why Tess didn’t like him. Did he not treat her right? The thought of anyone mistreating Emmalynne has my growing temper flaring. I really needed to calm myself.
“I’m taking a break,” I yelled as I stormed towards the back door.
Chapter Three
Emmalynne
Sitting safely in the confines of my mini-van, I wondered what in the hell had just happened in there.
Yes, I drove a momma mini-van. What could I say, I was a soccer momma to the core. It was fit with those zombie family decals on the back windshield. That was Tucker’s doing, he was currently going through the zombie phase, thanks to Brock. I was personally hoping it didn’t last much longer.
I was completely in the zone tonight! I was enjoying every second up there on stage, well that was, once I got over my nervous jitters.
I loved the guys in the band, and felt like they were practically my brothers. All with the exception of Corbin, he was a new member, having only started a few months prior. He was an amazing guitar player but something about him just seemed…off. He screamed creeper! But who was I to judge, so I just kept that little tidbit to myself.
Corbin kept staring at me before we went on stage, hence the creeper status. He totally set me on edge. I shrugged off my uneasiness and set forth on getting myself pumped up to go onstage.
Then, while I was playing, I locked eyes with the bartender and he literally stole my breath. My beat faltered for a split second but I was able to redeem myself without anyone the wiser. I hoped…
Grady.
Mr. Hottness.
Wow, neither Toby nor Tessa gave him enough credit. He was gorgeous. There were simply no words to describe his level of gorgeousness. Standing at I would say, six foot two, broad shoulders, a body to kill for. He had sandy blonde hair cut in a military style with a jaw so square I wanted to lick it. Desperately. And his eyes were the deepest shade of blue I have ever seen, so dark they reminded me of sapphires.
I can’t believe I was sitting here thinking about licking some man’s jaw, especially a man I had just met. I’m a fat girl. That would happen only in my wildest dreams, but what dreams those would be. No way would a man who looked like that want something to do with a girl who looked like me.
I knew I had to haul ass out of there before I said something stupid, or worse, before I fell flat on my face. So I made up the excuse about having to get home to Tucker, when in all actuality he was at a friends’ house for the night. Just the way he looked at me, gosh I must have been imagining it. But he had the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.
I found myself, sitting in my car, close to hyperventilating. Gosh, I was starting to sound like those clichéd heroines from one of those romance novels I sell in my store, I thought to myself.
A knock on my window startled me out of my reverie. I turned to see Corbin standing there. I rolled down my window with an exasperating sigh. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with the creeper, not when I was reminiscing about my short interlude with Grady.
“What’s up Corbin?” I asked, trying to sound a little enthusiastic, but failing.
“I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You kinda hightailed it outta the bar before I got a chance to talk to you after the show. By the way you did great!” He looked at me with a gleam in his eye.
“Thanks Corbin, you too. I’m just heading out to go relieve my babysitter, so I wasn’t able to stay,” I replied, grabbing my necklace and twirling it in between my fingers. This was my tell, my go to twitch, if you will, that I use whenever I was lying. Luckily, Corbin didn’t know me well enough to know that information.
“So, uh, Emmy,” he started stammering. Uh oh, not good… “Would you like to go out with me sometime?”
Crap, how can I turn him down gently? I didn’t date, not ever since Bryce broke my heart. I didn’t think I could fully trust another man on an intimate level ever again. I would always be a single mother. That was what was in my cards.
“Corbin, I’m flattered but, I just don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m way too busy, what with my store and Tucker. I almost need three of me to keep up with Tucker and all of his sports and whatnot,” I chuckled, trying to sounds upbeat.
“Oh, ok, well I’ll just see you next Friday. You are playing again, aren’t you?” He looked sad, defeated, and I felt bad for turning him down. Even if I didn’t feel like he was a creeper, I still wouldn’t have said yes. I wasn’t lying when I said I needed three of me to keep up with
my life. I almost never had downtime, and I preferred it that way.
“Yup, next week will be my last week though. The Doctor said Mikey’s wrist should be healed enough to play by then. See ya!” I quickly rolled my window up before he was able to say anything more. Whew! Crisis averted!
Now I could get back to daydreaming about Mr. Hottness.
---~~~---
Saturday morning brought me to the soccer field, my other home away from home, well besides the bookstore. I headed over towards Mrs. Williams, who had brought her son Tyler, as well as Tucker, to the field since they had a sleepover last night.
“Hey Tuck! I missed you last night, were you good for the Williams’?” I asked while kissing him on the top of his head. He was nine and hated the idea of public affection from his mother. But I told him that I will always be his mother and I would continue to kiss him on his head so to get over it. He got over it.
“Yes mom, I was good! We played video games and ate chili for dinner,” Tucker said. Then he pulled me down, which wasn’t very far since he was creeping up on me on height, to where he could whisper in my ear, “Mrs. Williams’ chili is nowhere near as good as yours, but I didn’t tell her that.”
I threw my head back and laughed. This kid could seriously crack me up. “That’s good Tucker, I’m so glad you had fun. I see your coach out on the field, why don’t you run out there and start getting warmed up?”
“Bye mom,” he said running towards his team. “Try not to yell so loud today!”
“Your mother yelling at a soccer game? No way!” I turned to see Tessa and Brock coming towards me.
“Well, Brock what can I say? I am a proud momma and I like to encourage him out on the field! I guess I can get a little rowdy from time to time,” I explained.