Page 56 of Touchdowns and Temptations

“None of your business,” Emily defends me.

“It's okay,” I say, giving Emily credit for stepping into the breach for me. “My parents are very wealthy,” I reply evasively. “Is that enough of an answer?”

Daisy blushes and averts her eyes. And I'm glad the waitress comes over with our drinks and sets them down in front of us.

“Thank you,” I say politely and she nods. She probably doesn't like me very much and still thinks I'm sleeping with Noah for a Chanel bag.

“Okay, guys!” The bar gets awfully loud, and we turn our heads towards the stage. A man about our age is standing there with a microphone in his hand. “Welcome to tonight's free stage. Are y’all enjoying your evening?” There's clapping and cheering all around me. The guy introduces the first act, and we fall back into our conversations.

“You should perform, Noah,” Daisy says, putting her hand on his upper arm. I look at him questioningly and then at her. What does she mean? Does he have some talent I don't know about?

“No,” he says, waving her off. “Not today.”

“Come on,” Jamie encourages him. “You really have what it takes.”

“No, and I don't have a guitar.”

“I think that's the least of your problems,” Emily giggles next to me, but I don't hear her. I look at Noah and he rolls his eyes. Then I look at Alex and Jamie who are grinning.

“Noah can sing incredibly well,” Emily finally tells me.

“I can't,” he says, giving Emily a reproachful look.

“You can,” she argues. “You almost had a record deal when you were sixteen.”

“What?” I squeal. “Is that true?”

“She's exaggerating,” he mumbles. “I was in a musical at school because I needed another class. Apparently, I was okay...”

“Uh-huh.” My eyebrows shoot up. “There's a world of difference between doing okay in a school musical and getting a record deal.”

“I ...”

“And apparently you can play guitar too. So ... what's that all about?”

“Yeah, well,” he grumbles. “I can sing. Happy?”

I look at him and smile.

“I'd love to hear it,” I whisper and squeeze his hand. “Please, Noah.”

He squeezes his eyes shut and sighs after a few moments. He pushes back his chair noisily. The others clap when he raises his hands.

“Hey, Fred!” Noah calls out. “You got a guitar for me?”

“Noah, dude! I got every guitar in the world for you!” Fred yells back and disappears backstage.

Noah gives me a meaningful look that goes right through me and then heads for the stage. I turn around in my chair so I can see him clearly. He climbs on stage and the guests in the bar clap again. Fred hands him a guitar and places a stool for him to sit on. I watch him with fascination. I would never have expected him to be able to sing. This man is full of surprises.

Noah takes a seat on the stool and bends his right leg to rest the guitar on his thigh, wrapping the strap around his body. He looks incredibly sexy. And looking around, I'm not the only one who thinks so. Daisy is hanging on his lips, and he hasn't even made a sound yet. Emily is smiling too. The other young women in the bar are pining for Noah, too.

“Hi,” he says, putting the microphone in front of his mouth. “Why do I always end up on this stage?” A collective laugh goes through the bar. “I'm just going to start. If you like it, you know that your donations are for Fred's bar, to which I'll add a zero as usual.”

The bar goes quiet, as if everyone is waiting for him to start playing. And he does. Noah's fingers glide over the guitar strings, and I form my mouth into a silent “Wow” - even though he hasn't sung a note yet.

When he sings the first few lines of a song I don't know, I can't stop marveling.

Noah has a beautiful voice.

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