Page 1 of Spring Rayne

one

Rayne

"Freshmeat!Freshmeat!"The chant from the crowd fills the bar, making my already nervous stomach tighten even more.

I take a deep breath, reminding myself that I'm a certified trauma nurse. I have faced more nerve-racking situations before this. Standing in front of a room full of strangers while singing a Whitney Houston song should be a piece of cake.

Tell that to my pounding heart.

"Everyone, settle down and give Rayne your full attention as she sings, "I Will Always Love You," by the late, great Miss Whitney Houston." I'm frozen in place as the cowboy DJ, known as Dale, introduces me to the rowdy crowd filled with cowboys and my nurse friends from the hospital.

As a travel nurse, it's sometimes difficult to make friends when you're only in a place for such a short time. It's only been a week since I started my assignment in the emergency room in Wintervale, Montana, but I've already made friends with some wonderful people. Unless you count tonight, they aren't exactly great friends.

On my first day at work, the regular staff warned me about the playful hazing that new nurses must endure as a rite of passage for every travel nurse. Little did I know that this hazing would involve singing karaoke to one of the most challenging songs, where everyone, regardless of their vocal expertise, struggles to hit all the notes.

Luckily, I come from a large family. It takes a lot to embarrass me. I only wish that the first impression the hot bartender I've been watching all night has of me will be me murdering such an iconic song.

He hasn't even glanced in my direction all night. He seems to focus on serving drinks behind the bar and joking with the customers as they place their orders. For all I know, he could be married or have a girlfriend.

The music starts, and I take a deep breath. This is it—the moment I either pass the hazing with flying colors or embarrass myself beyond repair, just like those who came before me—all but Grace.

Grace was a travel nurse who, during her karaoke hazing, blew the roof off the bar with her rendition of "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, earning her the title of Karaoke Queen and a hot bartender of her own. Rumor has it they were in love. Then something happened, and she left on her next travel assignment, never to be seen again in Wintervale.

The first word of the song barely escapes my lips when my voice cracks, making me sound more like a thirteen-year-old boy than a twenty-four-year-old woman. I expect the audience to boo, but they seem to cheer even louder, giving me the confidence to attempt some runs in the song's vocals. It's a total disaster, but they don't seem to mind as the cheering only increases.

I immerse myself in the song, savoring the freedom to sing without being judged. I'm so glad my friend and co-worker, Sky, talked me into coming out tonight. She's been a little MIA tonight, but I've seen her sitting at the bar a lot, staring at one of the bartenders. Thankfully, not my bartender.

We met up with a few other nurses from work who believe that instigating the hazing is their life goal. Don't get me wrong—they're all sweethearts, not a group of mean girls. But when you sound like a cat caught in a blender, karaoke is the worst form of hazing.

The song's final verse is quickly approaching, and I'm almost sad it's ending. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun doing something so embarrassing. My eyes shift around the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of the hot bartender I've been lusting after tonight, just like most of the women here.

The bar is a little too dark for me to see much of anything. Add the glaring spotlight shining on me, and I might as well be blind.

With a shrug, I take a deep breath and belt out the last of the song, prolonging the ending into something almost unrecognizable. The song's final chord plays, marking the end of my time on stage. I lower my microphone as the crowd goes wild, clapping and whistling more enthusiastically than I deserve.

"Let's hear it for Rayne!" Dale yells to the crowd, pumping his arms up and down. If anything, the people in this town are good for a girl's ego.

I wave to the crowd as I hand Dale the microphone and step off the stage to find Sky waiting for me. "That was awesome!" She throws her arms around me in a big hug—something I've missed during my time away from my sisters.

"Thanks." I smile into her hair, returning the hug. "I want you to meet someone." She steps back, breaking our hug. "This is Tessa. Her family owns the bar."

"Nice to meet you." Tessa holds her hand out for me to shake. "My parents are actually retired. My brothers and I now run the bar."

"Nice to meet you, too." I shake her hand, wondering if Sky's secret crush and the hot bartender I've been crushing on are Tessa's brothers.

As if reading my mind, Tessa lists her brothers. "I have four brothers, Turner, Tanner, Travis, and Tucker. We all manage the bar together. I'm in charge of the entertainment and special events while they handle the rest." I can't help but notice how Sky's eyes light up when Tessa says Tucker's name. That must be the bartender she's been watching all night. "Oh, just so you know, Tanner is the only single one, even though I wouldn't bother with him. He has no desire to settle down. He's too busy hanging out with his friends. The rest of my brothers are either taken, in denial, or too shy to claim the woman that he loves." She glances over my shoulder. "Here come two of my brothers now."

"Hey, Tessa, you might want to save Travis from the bachelorettes." The tall, brown-haired bartender I've been drooling over nods toward the far end of the bar where a grumpy-looking guy behind the bar is hosing off a group of rowdy women all wearing penises on their heads like a unicorn horn with the bars fountain gun. The just-as-tall guy standing next to him is sneaking peeks at Sky, who is doing the same to him.

"Why do I have to save him? Where's Turner? It's his turn to deal with Travis. Just because Travis blew it with Grace doesn't mean he has to be a dick to every woman he meets."

"Turner and Hazel are too busy making out when they think no one is looking. Besides, the sooner this night is over, the sooner I can head to Derek's place for poker."

"Is that all you think about, hanging out with your stupid friends? Why don't you and Tucker save Travis?"

I zone out of the rest of the family debate since the mystery of her brothers has been solved. Turner is in a relationship. Travis is in denial and dislikes women. The way Tucker keeps looking at Sky suggests he's the brother who's too shy to act on his feelings. So, that leaves Tanner as the brother who doesn't want to get serious with anyone except his friends for poker night.

It seems I'll be passing on getting to know Tanner better. I'm looking for something real—something serious. I don't want to be second to his friends.

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