by Wilder, L.
It was just after ten when I walked through the front doors of The Smoking Gun. It was one of the hotspots on Beale Street, so I wasn’t surprised to see that it was already packed. As usual, the music was blaring, and the dance floor was covered with hoochie mommas, each of them dancing around in their revealing low-cut tops and shimmery miniskirts. I felt a little out of place in my blue jeans and boots, but there was no way in hell I was going to wear something seductive when I was just going to be hanging out with Grady. Hoping to find a relatively quiet place to sit, I started inching my way through the sea of people and headed towards the bar. It took some time, but I eventually made my way over to the counter. Unfortunately, there were no empty seats and it was far from quiet. I could literally feel the music vibrating through my chest as I searched for a place to sit, or at the very least, get out of the way. I was about to give up hope when Grady slipped up beside me and smiled, “Hey, stranger.”
“Grady!” I reached up and wrapped my arms around him as I shouted, “Man, am I glad to see you!”
“It’s good to see you, too, squirt.” I stepped back and gave him a good look. He was at least a foot taller than me with a broad, muscular build that would’ve made him look threatening if he wasn’t such a pretty boy. On that particular night, he was wearing a pair of dark-gray slacks with a white button-up dress shirt and a black leather jacket, making him look casual but professional. His blue eyes sparkled as he spoke loudly, “I’ve got us a place over in the corner.”
I nodded and followed him over to the small table. Once we were seated, I leaned towards him and said, “Looks like you’ve got yourself another busy night.”
“Yeah. Things have been going really good lately.” I still couldn’t believe that my Grady, the goofy prankster who threw a round of firecrackers into the principal’s bathroom, had become one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the area when he opened The Smoking Gun. While there were plenty of people who had their doubts that he’d pull it off, including our family, I always knew he could do it. There wasn’t anything Grady Nichols couldn’t do if he put his mind to it, and he loved proving people wrong, especially when it came to his two older brothers, Levi and Jasper. A proud smile crossed his face as he told me, “So good—that I’ve been approached by some bigwigs up in Nashville to open a place down on the strip.”
“Really? That’s incredible, Grady! You must be so excited!”
“Yes and no. It would take a lot of work, and I’m not sure I’m up for it. At least, not now.” He motioned his hand, beckoning one of the waitresses over. “You want something to drink?”
“Absolutely.”
As soon as the waitress approached the table, she asked, “What can I get ya?”
“I’ll have a long island iced tea,” I answered.
“You got it.” A seductive look crossed her face as she turned her attention to Grady. “And what can I get you, Mr. Nichols.”
“I’ll have a scotch on the rocks.”
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks, doll,” he told her with a flirty wink.
Once she was gone, I shook my head as I snickered, “You are too much.”
“What?” Feigning innocence, he added, “I was being nice.”
“Yeah, right,” I scoffed. “You and I both know better than that.”
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “So, what about you? How are you doing?”
“I’m okay. Just trying to finish up my classes.”
“You know I don’t give two flying fucks about your classes, Lee. I was asking about you,” he scolded.
“I said I was fine.”
“I’m not buying that for one second. You sounded like you were about to lose it the other night when you called,” he fussed. “I know something’s up, so why don’t you just save us both some time and tell me what’s going on.”
I’d never been able to hide anything from him. He’d always been able to read me better than anyone. He liked to think he had a sixth sense when it came to me, but that wasn’t it: I was a terrible liar and I had a bad habit of revealing my true feelings with my facial expressions. Regardless, I had to come up with something to tell him, so I said, “I’ve just been feeling a little down in the dumps lately. It’s probably just this stupid weather. It’s been rainy and cold for weeks. I don’t know if I can take another day without a little sunshine.”
“Um-hmm. I see. It’s just the weather.” The waitress brought our drinks over and placed them on the table. He picked up his scotch as he asked, “It has nothing to do with the fact that you haven’t gotten laid in over a year?”
“No, but thanks for reminding me.”
He studied me for a moment, and when he determined that I wasn’t being completely forthright, he said, “So, you aren’t going to tell me?”
“I’m just having a hard time understanding why good people have to do bad things.”
“I guess that depends on what bad things you’re talking about.”
I shrugged. “Just bad things in general.”
“You aren’t giving me much to go on here, but I’ll say this … Just because someone does something bad doesn’t make someone a bad person. Sometimes, it’s just a simple fuckup, and other times, there’s just no way around it. So, maybe it’s just a matter of you accepting that things aren’t always so black and white. Sometimes, there’s a gray area that needs to be taken into account, but I can’t really say for sure unless you tell me what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I can’t. Not this. Besides, I get what you’re saying, and you’re right. Things aren’t always black and white, and I’d be doing myself a favor if I just learned to let things go. Starting now.” I smiled as I said, “How about we have ourselves a drink or two and forget about everything else … at least until tomorrow? Can we do that?”
“Yeah. We can do that, but Lee … you know I’m here for you. No matter what.”
“Yes, Grady, I know, and I really appreciate it.” As I picked up my drink and took a quick sip, I noticed a couple of women were gawking at Grady from across the bar. It was clear from their wanton expressions that they were interested in him, and from the “come hither” look he was sporting, he was equally interested in them. I didn’t try and hide my annoyance as I huffed, “Can you turn that off … just for a little while?”
“Turn what off?”
“I don’t even know what it is,” I grumbled. “It’s whatever you do that makes women throw themselves at you.”
Clearly amused, he chuckled. “I’m not so sure that I can just turn it off, but I’ll do my best.”
“Much appreciated.” I reached for my long island and took a long sip. “These are really good. I think I might need another.”
“You got it.” He called the waitress back over and ordered us another round of drinks. “I hired a new bartender.”
“Oh, really?” I glanced over at the bar and became immediately intrigued when I spotted a smoking hot guy standing behind the counter. To say he was tall, dark, and handsome wouldn’t do him justice. He looked like a model with his jet-black hair and crystal-blue eyes. “Are you talking about him?”
“Yep. That’s Earl. He’s pretty cool. Works his ass off on busy nights.”
“Wait—” I started laughing. “Did you say his name is Earl?”
“Yeah,” he sighed, “but don’t let the name fool ya. He’s a really great guy. I’m sure he would show you a good time.”
“I’m sure he’s perfectly wonderful, but I don’t need him to show me a good time. That’s what I have you for.”
“I’m not talking about that kind of good time, Lee,” he fussed.
“I know, but Earl? I don’t think I could say his name with a straight face.”
I shook my head, and just as I was about to continue, I noticed several bikers sitting across from us. I was about to turn my attention back to Grady when, for reasons I may never understand, one of them caught my eye. He was beyond hot in his tightly fitted white t-shirt and black
leather vest. His muscular arms were covered in tattoos, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there were more scrolled across his broad chest. He had a thick, unruly beard, and his long, shaggy blond hair was brushed away from his face, revealing the most beautiful eyes. Every inch of him was wickedly sexy, and I longed to reach out and touch him. Unfortunately, that was never going to happen. There was no way in hell I’d ever have the courage to speak to a man like him, much less get close enough to touch him. He was too far out of my reach, but that didn’t stop my heart from racing at the thought of spending a night wrapped in his arms. I was in the midst of imagining his mouth on mine when Grady’s voice brought me back to reality. “Okay, I get it. You aren’t interested.”
Shaking off my overactive hormones, I let out a deep breath and said, “No, I’m not interested in Earl. Besides, it’s been ages since we’ve had a chance to catch up. If it’s okay with you, I’d rather just finish my drink and relax here with you.”
With a look of pity, he mumbled, “You know it’s fine with me. I was just trying to help out.”
“I don’t need any help getting a guy, Grady. I can find one on my own.” My eyes drifted over to the biker across the room, and a warmth washed over me when I found him staring in my direction. The second our eyes met, I panicked and quickly turned my attention back to Grady. “I’m … uh … just taking some time to find the right guy.”
“Taking some time?” he argued. “It’s been over a year since you broke it off with Lance. You’re twenty-four years old, and all you do is work out at the farm and study for your classes. One of these days you’re going to have to get back out there and start seeing people again. You don’t have to jump into anything serious. You just need to learn to cut loose and have a good time.”
At the mention of having a good time, I found myself looking across the room, gazing once again at the hot biker. Maybe it was the slight buzz from the alcohol, but he looked even hotter than he had two seconds earlier. As I sat there gawking at him, I considered what Grady had said. “So, you’re saying that I should be more like you?”
He cocked his eyebrow as he replied, “I would say yes, but your tone tells me I should say no.”
“I just don’t think you’re the one who should be giving me advice on guys and relationships. I mean, let’s be honest here … When was the last time you were actually interested in spending more than one night with a girl?”
“I’m busy. I don’t have time for a relationship right now, besides, how did this conversation get to be about me? It was you who came here looking for an escape from whatever the hell is going on with you.” He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled. “I’m good. I’ve got nothing to complain about.”
“And so am I … at least for the most part.” Hoping to change the subject, I asked, “What about Levi and Jasper? How are they doing these days?”
“You know Jasper. He’s not one for keeping in touch, but the last I heard, my big brother was still locked away in his cabin in the woods, hiding from life as we know it.” He took a tug off his drink and sighed. “As for Levi, he’s been busting his ass to get his new garage up and running. He’s always had a gift for fixing engines, so it won’t take him long to make a name for himself.”
I giggled as I said, “I have no doubt … he’s a Nichols after all.”
“Exactly.”
My stomach started to growl, so I asked, “Do you think we could get a bite to eat? I’m starving.”
“How about a burger or something?”
“A burger would be great … and some fries too.”
“You got it.”
He ordered us a couple of cheeseburgers and fries, and we talked and laughed the entire time we were eating. Just as I’d hoped, Grady had helped me forget about my troubles on the farm—at least for the time being. When it got close to closing time, I leaned over to Grady and said, “I’m going to run to the bathroom before we go.”
“I need to check in with our night manager and make sure he has everything covered, so just meet me up front when you’re done.”
“Okay.”
As I started towards the bathroom, I remembered that I hadn’t checked my messages, so I reached into my purse for my phone. I was scrolling through my texts when I saw that my class for the following day had been canceled. Relief washed over me when I realized I wouldn’t have to get up early in the morning. I rushed into the bathroom, and once I was done, I headed up front to find Grady. On my way, I found myself glancing around the bar, looking for the hot biker I’d seen earlier, and was disappointed to see that he’d already left. I don’t know why it mattered. It wasn’t like I’d ever have the nerve to just go up and talk to a guy like him, especially with his burly buddies at his side. The sexy biker was quickly forgotten as I followed Grady out of the bar and over to his loft apartment across the street. With a stunning view of the river and the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge, his place was amazing. He’d spared no expense making it exactly the way he wanted it to be with lavish furniture and expensive artwork. It was a shame he didn’t have someone special to share it with.
He didn’t have to bother showing me to my room. I’d been there enough to know my way around. As soon as I’d gotten into my pajamas, I curled into bed, and with an improved state of mind, drifted off to sleep. Unfortunately, I didn’t wake up in the best of moods and had no idea why I was feeling so grumpy. I headed into the bathroom for a shower, hoping that the hot water would help wake me up, but I had no such luck. I managed to get dressed but had no desire to put on makeup or fix my hair. Instead, I just threw on one of Grady’s baseball caps and called it a morning. I grabbed my things and headed downstairs to my car. Since Grady was already at work and my class had been canceled, I decided to just go home and take Anna Belle out for a ride.
I had it all planned out. I’d completely bypass Dad and Hunter and head straight to the stables. Once I had Anna Belle all saddled up, I’d spend the afternoon riding and try to rekindle those feelings of hope and possibilities I’d had the night before when I was with Grady. I thought I had it all planned out until I turned into my driveway and noticed four motorcycles parked by the barn. As I got closer to the house, I could see several men talking to my father. Over the years, we’d had all kinds of people come out to our farm, even bikers, so I didn’t think much about it. I just went along my merry way and pulled up next to the house. When I got out of my car, I glanced over at the men with my father and was surprised to see that they were all staring at me. I rarely made quick judgements about people, but I knew right away that these men weren’t like the bikers who typically came out here. They were big and beefy with fierce expressions on their faces, and it was highly unlikely that they had any interest in going to the stables to see the horses.
I was standing there, frozen, with a mix of fear and intrigue when my father called out to me, “Lee! What are you doing here? I thought you had class.”
“My class got canceled.”
“Well, uh … I have some business to discuss with these fellas. Why don’t you head inside, and I’ll be in when we get done?”
“Business, huh?” I asked sarcastically. If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I would’ve never known that my father was selling illegal weapons. He’d purposely never done business when I was home, but it was clear from the looks of these men that they hadn’t come to the farm to discuss buying one of our foals. Even though something told me it was a bad idea, I asked, “What kind of business?”
He didn’t answer. He simply looked at me like I’d grown a third head.
Maybe it was my ill mood, or maybe it was the animosity I felt towards him for bringing men like these to our home, but I couldn’t stop myself from pushing him further. “Are they here to see Dasher? Man, he’s a two-year-old beauty … Oh, wait. I bet they’re here to see Merrick. Am I right?”
“Lee,” he warned. “Go inside. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Being as snarky as possible, I smiled and said, “I’d be hap
py to show them around for you. I’m sure they’d love to see the stables and check out the horses, or are they here for some other reason?”
I knew I was walking on thin ice. These men were most likely dangerous, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. It was like I’d been possessed by a crazy person, and she was determined to ruin whatever business they had together. I probably would’ve kept at it if one of the bikers hadn’t taken it upon himself to get involved. As soon as he stepped forward, I realized he was the man from the bar, and it was all I could do to keep my wits about me. With his leather jacket and ass-hugging jeans, he had a rugged look about him, but that didn’t make him any less attractive. In fact, just like the night before, I found it sexy as hell. My interest in him took me by complete surprise. He and his buddies were more than likely criminals, doing God-knows-what to God-knows-who. I knew I had no business finding him or anyone like him appealing, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. I was trying to pull myself together when he removed his sunglasses and his blue eyes locked on mine. Damn, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. I was a complete mess. Thankfully, the spell was broken as soon as he opened his mouth.
“Hey, Lee. Why don’t you do us all a favor and just go inside like your father said?”
I was equally hurt and appalled by his unwarranted suggestion, and while I would’ve loved to tell him where to stick it, I wasn’t stupid. I knew I was up against a grizzly bear of a man. Choosing to play it safe, I replied, “I was just trying to be helpful.”
“I think we both know that isn’t true.” The look on his face left me as breathless as it did enraged. Damn. I had no idea why he got to me the way he did. His voice was low and menacing as he growled, “Now, if you don’t mind … we have business to discuss.”
Again, I had to fight the urge to snap back at him. Trying to play it cool, I took off my baseball cap and ran my fingers through my hair. With sarcasm dripping off of every word, I gave him a forced smile and replied, “Certainly. I wouldn’t want to interrupt.”