prepared to defend myself. Now Chad’s gaze was drilling into me and I couldn’t help but blush.
“Oh, I have to hear it. Will you sing it for me?” His eyes were smoldering and I couldn’t, in that instant, deny how much I was falling for this Chad Blake game. And I didn’t give a shit.
I said nothing and started the song over again. I couldn’t tear my eyes from the guitar as I sang. I could feel Chad’s whiskey eyes, intoxicating, dark and burning as he watched me, his face close to my cheek. I was thankful that he couldn’t make me watch him from the angle we were sitting; this song would show too much.
I could hear Noah’s hum of approval on a specific verse, but kept playing.
And now we’re grown up orphans
That never knew their names
We don’t belong to no one, that’s a shame
But you could hide beside me maybe for a while
I won’t tell no one your name
I played through the song and kept my eyes on my strings. It was a party packed with professionals, so I was terrified of screwing up. I played straight through to the end, tear free, thank God. The crowd had started clapping in the bridge at the end before the song slows again. I looked at Noah then and could see that age old pride in his eyes. He was holding Ramey’s hand and for just an instant I wished he would relax and let the moment take him in and feel loved. Candy would be my choice for him, but I would take Ramey if Noah would let her in. As the song ended and everyone started cheering, Noah stood and came to me, hugging me close. “Good job, Sissy.”
I didn’t say anything because I couldn’t. Noah knew. He’d seen me watch my strings, disregard the nerves and focus. It was pride he had for me and maybe a small sense of loss. I think he was seeing in Chad what he thought I might see down the road. Good or bad, Noah knew exactly what I was in for.
*
Chad and I drove down the back roads and looked at the old farm houses and pier bars that I wished I could go to. He talked about making it big and playing in some of the more popular clubs, and I said I would love to see a show of his. He looked at me, shocked. “I know I probably sound like a fool, but are you honestly telling me you have never been to a show?”
I nodded and blushed a little. “I think if I had been to a show I would have said hi to you and the guys, don’t ya think? Noah is a little more than protective when it comes to his music. He says it’s his outlet and all that, so I respected it and stayed away. After that bull tonight though, I think he was full of it and wanted me away from the whoredom.” I trailed off. Noah was a total downer and I didn’t want to talk about him right now.
Chad gave me one of his patented killer smiles and winked at me. “Well then, it’s now my mission in life to get you to a show.”
I laughed, who did he think he was foolin’? “Look, I already find you attractive, Chad. I don’t need you all sweaty on stage to make my knees weak, so the whole ‘I’m a rockstar, baby’ vibe… you can drop it.”
He shifted gears and even that was sexy. “Carrie, it wasn’t a line. To be honest, I don’t need lines to get girls. They come willingly.”
He was cocky and arrogant for sure, but he was also honest. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he meant that comment as a fact and not bragging rights. A woman with more morals and values than I might have called him on his shit right then and there, but I had seen and done things in my twenty years that made it very hard to shock me. I took most things at face value and Chad was a legend in Gig Harbor, he was drop dead gorgeous and had the bad boy swagger thing down to a T. Just the tattoos and that face alone would bring the girls in hordes. Add in the lead singer thing, and he was a lady killer.
The night grew quiet and so did the cab of the truck. I was completely shocked when he pulled into my long dirt driveway. Our house was set far back so that our backyard faced the
“Oh, I have to hear it. Will you sing it for me?” His eyes were smoldering and I couldn’t, in that instant, deny how much I was falling for this Chad Blake game. And I didn’t give a shit.
I said nothing and started the song over again. I couldn’t tear my eyes from the guitar as I sang. I could feel Chad’s whiskey eyes, intoxicating, dark and burning as he watched me, his face close to my cheek. I was thankful that he couldn’t make me watch him from the angle we were sitting; this song would show too much.
I could hear Noah’s hum of approval on a specific verse, but kept playing.
And now we’re grown up orphans
That never knew their names
We don’t belong to no one, that’s a shame
But you could hide beside me maybe for a while
I won’t tell no one your name
I played through the song and kept my eyes on my strings. It was a party packed with professionals, so I was terrified of screwing up. I played straight through to the end, tear free, thank God. The crowd had started clapping in the bridge at the end before the song slows again. I looked at Noah then and could see that age old pride in his eyes. He was holding Ramey’s hand and for just an instant I wished he would relax and let the moment take him in and feel loved. Candy would be my choice for him, but I would take Ramey if Noah would let her in. As the song ended and everyone started cheering, Noah stood and came to me, hugging me close. “Good job, Sissy.”
I didn’t say anything because I couldn’t. Noah knew. He’d seen me watch my strings, disregard the nerves and focus. It was pride he had for me and maybe a small sense of loss. I think he was seeing in Chad what he thought I might see down the road. Good or bad, Noah knew exactly what I was in for.
*
Chad and I drove down the back roads and looked at the old farm houses and pier bars that I wished I could go to. He talked about making it big and playing in some of the more popular clubs, and I said I would love to see a show of his. He looked at me, shocked. “I know I probably sound like a fool, but are you honestly telling me you have never been to a show?”
I nodded and blushed a little. “I think if I had been to a show I would have said hi to you and the guys, don’t ya think? Noah is a little more than protective when it comes to his music. He says it’s his outlet and all that, so I respected it and stayed away. After that bull tonight though, I think he was full of it and wanted me away from the whoredom.” I trailed off. Noah was a total downer and I didn’t want to talk about him right now.
Chad gave me one of his patented killer smiles and winked at me. “Well then, it’s now my mission in life to get you to a show.”
I laughed, who did he think he was foolin’? “Look, I already find you attractive, Chad. I don’t need you all sweaty on stage to make my knees weak, so the whole ‘I’m a rockstar, baby’ vibe… you can drop it.”
He shifted gears and even that was sexy. “Carrie, it wasn’t a line. To be honest, I don’t need lines to get girls. They come willingly.”
He was cocky and arrogant for sure, but he was also honest. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he meant that comment as a fact and not bragging rights. A woman with more morals and values than I might have called him on his shit right then and there, but I had seen and done things in my twenty years that made it very hard to shock me. I took most things at face value and Chad was a legend in Gig Harbor, he was drop dead gorgeous and had the bad boy swagger thing down to a T. Just the tattoos and that face alone would bring the girls in hordes. Add in the lead singer thing, and he was a lady killer.
The night grew quiet and so did the cab of the truck. I was completely shocked when he pulled into my long dirt driveway. Our house was set far back so that our backyard faced the
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