Page 25 of Encore
That creepy, crawly sensation returned as Keegan paused to look me up and down.
Turning back to my job, I nodded at Grady.“Yeah, hey, would you grab that stand?The sooner we tear down, the sooner we can be drinking at the Sandbar.”
“You know it.”Grady laughed amiably as he helped me load the rest of my gear.
After a few minutes, the noise died down, and I waited for Grady to load the last box.But once it hit the cart, he didn’t turn and give me a nod like I expected.He stood there for a moment, one hand on the box.After a beat, he turned to me and shook his head.“I don’t know what it is about him, but I don’t like it.Has he been giving you a hard time?”
Grady didn’t have to even say who ‘he’ was.I shrugged.“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Just…keep an eye out, okay?And I will too.”
I didn’t really need the advice.I knew how to look out for myself, and he knew that too, but I liked Grady, so I didn’t give him a hard time.I just nodded.“Sure.Is Michelle coming to the party tonight?”
“Nah, she’s home with the kids.I’m going to pop in and be seen then split early.Family time and all that.”
I tipped my chin at him.“Michelle is a lucky woman.”
Grady snorted.“Yeah, maybe tell her that the next time you see her.”
That sounded like a loaded statement, but we really didn’t have the time to dive into it, and we weren’t really those kinda friends, so I just nodded.“See you at the club.”
“See you.”Grady knocked on one of the boxes then headed off.
I appreciated the fact he left me to finish on my own.So many men had to be the hero.I respected a guy who let me do my thing.Michelle really was lucky.I could only hope to find what they had.
I sighed as I pushed the cart down the crowded hallway.Lord knew I hadn’t had much luck in that area…ever.
* * *
I was too tired to even pretend to be in the party mood as I pushed my way through the crowded dance floor.The look the bouncer had given me when I’d told him my name was still seared on my brain.He’d wanted to turn me away, but my name was there so he had to let me in despite all my sweaty messiness.The fact that I was still wearing my black stage clothes probably didn’t help.But who had time to change?
Lark, as it turned out.
She was gyrating in the center of the dance floor in a sparkly gold number that would be indecent if she raised her arms over her head.
Check that, she had sparkly Underoos on, too.
Laughing, I shook my head and made for the bar.I needed a drink.
Of course the fact that I was wearing all black, barely five feet tall, and not a glamazon didn’t help me flag down a bartender.I’d almost given up when someone sidled next to me and whistled.“Yo!Barkeep!Over here!”
Everything in me froze when I recognized Keegan’s voice.Shit.This was going to be awkward.Maybe I could just creep away…
“What did you want to drink, Alice?”Keegan asked as a bartender stepped to our end of the bar.
“Ah, an espresso martini?”I don’t know why I phrased it as a question.I was just so thrown by the way he kept popping up.
“Make it two.”Keegan held up two fingers.
The bartender nodded and stepped away to make our drinks.
“I noticed you didn’t have any problem accepting help from Grady tonight.”Keegan didn’t exactly shout the statement, but he hadn’t said it quietly either.
Everything in me tightened at the awkwardness of the situation.“Yeah, well, I wanted to get out of there quick tonight, and it’s already been a long day.Hence the espresso.”
“Right.”A stern expression hardened his features.“And it had nothing to do with the fact you’re fucking him?”
I blinked in shock.“What the fuck?He’s married.”
