Page 80 of Time Out

She was mine. We’d be talking about this dream of hers to sing and why she was hesitating, why she was singing at karaoke clubs instead of open mic nights on Broadway. Why she hadn’t yet taken up Belle on her offer to help. Independence was one thing, refusing to take the steps necessary to make her dream come true a completely different one. I’d do everything possible to help make this dream of hers a reality. After everything she’d already survived and fought for, there wasn’t anyone who deserved it more.

My own hands were clapping and I brought them to my mouth, cheered her on as the bar called for more.

“Thank you,” Maggie said, laughing into the microphone.

“More. More. More. More!” The entire bar rang out in a chant, calling for an encore even though there had to be a list of people who had wanted to go next. Fists pounded the table tops, and drinks were lifted into the air.

Even the bartender was clapping for her, swinging a towel around in the air.

My guess… no way was anyone in there stepping up onto that stage after her.

No one could compare.

“Okay, okay.” Maggie laughed again, tucked a piece of dark hair behind her hair before dragging her fingers through the length of it. She went to the DJ and spoke with the man in charge of the music and the words on the screen prompter. Maggie hadn’t once looked at those lyrics last time. Probably wouldn’t again.

Four songs later, I was proven correct. Maggie sang “Walking On Sunshine,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Dolly Parton’s “9-5,” and sang every single song without once looking at the screen, but she had the entire bar on their feet, dancing and jamming to her singing like they’d paid for a live concert of popular cover songs.

She was on fire. Undeniably, incredibly talented, and even as her voice turned husky and thick from the use of it, she still managed to power through Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine” before finally thanking the crowd, the entire bar.

“Thanks for this tonight.”

She slipped the microphone into the stand, grabbed the last glass of water I’d taken to her before the song and ducked her head as everyone cheered and clapped for her, seemingly nervous or embarrassed as she made her way straight to me.

The smile on her face couldn’t be hidden though, nor could the tiredness soaking into the skin beneath her eyes.

“Hey,” she said, in that raspy, tired voice, and tilted her head to look at me.

I wanted to tell her how incredible she was. How absolutely gorgeous and sexy as hell she’d been up on that stage, instead, nothing came out.

I bent down, sealed my lips to hers, and tasted the sweetness of her lips as well as the hint of salt and coolness from the water. She gasped in surprise before melting into me, a hand at my chest she had to feel the racing of my heart and I hadn’t done anything but stand still in complete awe of her and her talent for the last hour.

“You… there are no words that can describe how blown away I am by you,” I said and cupped her jaw with my palms. My thumbs went to her cheeks, and I brushed them along her skin, forcing her to meet my eyes. “You were so damn incredible, Maggie. Absolutely amazing.”

“Thanks.” Her teeth dug into her lower lip and I tugged it free with my thumb before swiping my thumb along that bottom absurd lip.

“Let’s get home.”

I’d shared her long enough. “Feel better?”

She nodded and slipped her hand down my arm until she laced our fingers together.

“Sometimes, whenever I have too much on my mind or too much emotion, the singing helps, so yeah.”

“Well, I’d say you released a lot of that, and every person in this bar is a better person for being here to hear it.”

“That’s not…”

“It’s true.”

It absolutely was. I glanced at the stage, now empty and dark. The crowd was still talking about her. Women with jaws opened in surprise and men glancing at the back of Maggie like they wanted her for their own. Made me want to slam my mouth to hers again and carry her ass out of there.

I restrained myself.

Barely.

“Thanks, Chuck,” Maggie called out to the bartender.

“You know you’re always welcome here.”

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