Page 105 of Need You Now

A shrug from Sal. “I have to admit. Beau’s good.”

“Yeah, onstage,” Alabama says. “Too bad he lacks manners, boundaries, social graces everywhere else.”

Emmy Lou leans over, eager to make conversation. “How long you in Tennessee, Lacey?”

Lacey, feeling Sal’s eyes on her, says, “I’m not sure. I’m pretty much jobless, so I probably should get back on the hunt as soon as I can ...”

“Shoot,” Alabama says, understanding on her face. “That’s rough.”

“But ...” Lacey swivels on her barstool, spine straight, an idea suddenly coming to her. “What if I come back to Nashville first?” she asks Sal. “Give you a baby shower while I’m out here.”

Sal’s eyes light up. “Really?” She clutches Lacey’s hand. “God, anything to keep you here a little longer.”

Lacey moves her eyes to Alabama. She takes a breath, inhaling courage. Friendliness. “I’m not from Nashville, so if you have time ...”

Alabama’s mouth falls open at the offer. Then she recovers, smiles. “Yeah. I’d love that, Lacey.”

Emmy Lou claps her hands together.

The bartender appears with three tequila shots and a pink drink that looks like a Shirley Temple. “Gentleman sent ’em over.” He nods at Griff, who’s grinning at them wickedly.

Lacey smiles, taking the shot. “Think he wants us to get in trouble.”

Alabama smirks. “With Griff, trouble is a given.” She shoots back the shot and then grins. “Oh Lord, we got one.”

Lacey follows Alabama’s finger. A woman in a cowboy hat is doing a slow sway all by herself at the front of the stage.

The women are smiling, in on some inside joke she isn’t. Sal, seeing Lacey’s confusion, speaks up. “Fans. Groupies.” She arches a brow. “Girls.”

Emmy Lou downs her tequila. “Think she’s ’bout to crawl up Luke’s boot any damn second.”

But Sal just smiles, content.

A pit grows in Lacey’s stomach.

Seth’s a country star. She always knew that, but now ... he’s hers. Soon they’ll be back in the real world, and he’ll be on the road. She should know the drill. But she never considered what she’d be in for if they did this relationship thing.

Lacey scowls. But why is she even worrying about this? They’re not permanent. They haven’t even discussed how to make this work.

If it’ll work.

She tries to ignore the pang of worry rushing through her. Are they too much too soon? Or is she just trying to talk herself out of something good because she fears losing it?

“Lace?”

She startles at the voice, turns to Sal. Her sister’s brow is wrinkled. “You okay?”

“Fine. Just ... embracing the alcohol.”

Sal chuckles.

She wishes she could talk to her sister about Seth. To see if she’s doing the right thing. Sal’s always been her voice of reason, her confidante, and not to tell her this ... it sucks.

“How do you do it?” Lacey leans in. “All those girls all over Luke? Doesn’t it bother you?”

Sal thinks on it. “I never worry. He always comes home to me.” Her lips curve up. “And I’m right there with him. On the bus. Or backstage.”

Picking up on the conversation, Emmy Lou waves a hand. “Ooo, not me, sugar. I ain’t cut out for the bus. Let me tell you, the first couple of years was awful. Jace was travelin’ all the time. The press like a mosquito, always buzzin’ ...” Her sympathetic brown eyes land on Sal and Alabama. “You either can’t do nothin’ right or you gotta play the perfect wife.”

Alabama lifts her shot. “Amen.”

Lacey looks away, undone. Emmy Lou’s words have ripped a hole of doubt in her a mile wide. Her heart pounding against her ribs, she leans back against the bar and orders another round of shots. She needs something to take the edge off. All kinds of vulnerable emotions are surfacing inside, and she doesn’t like it. Not one bit.

Lacey looks over at the stage, watching as Seth hops up in time for the finale finish. His back is to her as he talks to his band, all cool confidence and charisma.

She shoots back the shot, breathing through the sting. She aches to feel steady. But there’s nothing steady about this at all.

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