Read Online Whisky Lullaby: Rock Star Romance, Step-brother New Adult Romance (Tennessee Romance Book 1) by Lexy Timms - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lexy Timms
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not noticed that before? “About six months after my father’s funeral, one of his buddies came ‘round. Floyd started hanging around the house. He would treat my mother real nice, helped fix up the house. He had a kid too, Charlie. He’d buy little dollies for my kid sisters and take Charlie and me to the field for a game of catch.”
He felt anger deep inside him but he didn’t let it translate to the rest of his body. His hand rested calmly inside Ashley’s.
Abruptly, the waitress re-emerged from the kitchen and made a beeline for their table carrying Ashley’s bacon cheeseburger and his Reuben special and cheddar fries.
Ashley pulled her hand free and bit into a fry. “It sounds like Floyd helped your mom out a lot.”
Logan’s gaze looked out the window. He fought over in his mind how to respond. “Let’s just say Floyd wasn’t always so nice. After he married my mother, the façade dropped. It wasn’t hard to see that he favored beer more than anything else on this earth, my mother included.”
Ashley stared at him with wide eyes.
He hated the pity in them. Hated it. Exactly why this isn’t first date material . “Floyd’s not a good man. That bastard’s as good as dead to me, but I gotta watch out for my family. My mother loves him, though I have no friggin’ clue why.”
Ashley looked over at Logan with a sincere expression on her face. “Don’t let the actions of another man or the anger in his heart tarnish your own.”
Logan smiled. “Is that a Walt Whitman quote?”
Ashley laughed loudly earning a couple of stares from patrons who sat at a booth nearby. “No. That’s an Ashley Slater original.”
“Smart girl, you are,” Logan said as he brushed a finger over the back of Ashley’s hand. Her skin was soft to the touch. The mood had changed from somber to something lighter.
“So what’s the deal with your stepbrother? You guys act like you hate each other.”
Logan let out a sigh. Back to somber. “He’s a complicated mess… Charlie and trouble always have been fast friends.” Logan scratched the stubble that ran along his jawline.
“Lisa mentioned he was in the band.”
“Oh, you met Lisa? She’s real cool.” Logan smiled. “Charlie’s actually a pretty diverse musician. He plays guitar, bass, and drums, and can handle back-up vocals no problem. Our band took a hit when we lost him. What do you think of Lisa?” Logan didn’t want to talk about Charlie. He’d said enough about family for today. For a year in fact.
“She invited me to go with her to your show on Saturday.” She picked up her burger and took a bite.
“You’re gonna give me stage fright,” Logan teased. A small drop of ketchup hung on the corner of her mouth. Logan had to fight back the urge to lean across the table and wipe it off with his finger. He swallowed hard when her soft pink tongue darted out and licked it away.
“At least you don’t have to perform at a first performance workshop tomorrow.”
“You’re signed up for that, too?!” Logan asked with a hearty laugh. “I’m enrolled, as well. This is gonna be an interesting semester.”
“Oh, hell…” Ashley complained with a mild laugh.
“My bandmates Dale and Zip are signed up, too.”
“Mortification Station – one way ticket,” Ashley said as she lowered her face into her right palm.
Logan laughed. “I’m sure a seasoned Juilliard-trained musician such as yourself will be just fine.”
Ashley ran her tongue over her teeth as she gazed at Logan. “You’re gonna give me stage fright,” she mimicked his southern accent.
They ate in comfortable silence for a bit. Logan wanted to ask Ashley a million questions but held back. Guys didn’t ask girls stuff. They just talked and told guys everything. Kinda like he’d been doing himself for the past half hour.
“So…” Ashley said as she pushed her half eaten plate toward him, offering him the fries. “Why’d you kick Charlie out of the band?”
Logan
He felt anger deep inside him but he didn’t let it translate to the rest of his body. His hand rested calmly inside Ashley’s.
Abruptly, the waitress re-emerged from the kitchen and made a beeline for their table carrying Ashley’s bacon cheeseburger and his Reuben special and cheddar fries.
Ashley pulled her hand free and bit into a fry. “It sounds like Floyd helped your mom out a lot.”
Logan’s gaze looked out the window. He fought over in his mind how to respond. “Let’s just say Floyd wasn’t always so nice. After he married my mother, the façade dropped. It wasn’t hard to see that he favored beer more than anything else on this earth, my mother included.”
Ashley stared at him with wide eyes.
He hated the pity in them. Hated it. Exactly why this isn’t first date material . “Floyd’s not a good man. That bastard’s as good as dead to me, but I gotta watch out for my family. My mother loves him, though I have no friggin’ clue why.”
Ashley looked over at Logan with a sincere expression on her face. “Don’t let the actions of another man or the anger in his heart tarnish your own.”
Logan smiled. “Is that a Walt Whitman quote?”
Ashley laughed loudly earning a couple of stares from patrons who sat at a booth nearby. “No. That’s an Ashley Slater original.”
“Smart girl, you are,” Logan said as he brushed a finger over the back of Ashley’s hand. Her skin was soft to the touch. The mood had changed from somber to something lighter.
“So what’s the deal with your stepbrother? You guys act like you hate each other.”
Logan let out a sigh. Back to somber. “He’s a complicated mess… Charlie and trouble always have been fast friends.” Logan scratched the stubble that ran along his jawline.
“Lisa mentioned he was in the band.”
“Oh, you met Lisa? She’s real cool.” Logan smiled. “Charlie’s actually a pretty diverse musician. He plays guitar, bass, and drums, and can handle back-up vocals no problem. Our band took a hit when we lost him. What do you think of Lisa?” Logan didn’t want to talk about Charlie. He’d said enough about family for today. For a year in fact.
“She invited me to go with her to your show on Saturday.” She picked up her burger and took a bite.
“You’re gonna give me stage fright,” Logan teased. A small drop of ketchup hung on the corner of her mouth. Logan had to fight back the urge to lean across the table and wipe it off with his finger. He swallowed hard when her soft pink tongue darted out and licked it away.
“At least you don’t have to perform at a first performance workshop tomorrow.”
“You’re signed up for that, too?!” Logan asked with a hearty laugh. “I’m enrolled, as well. This is gonna be an interesting semester.”
“Oh, hell…” Ashley complained with a mild laugh.
“My bandmates Dale and Zip are signed up, too.”
“Mortification Station – one way ticket,” Ashley said as she lowered her face into her right palm.
Logan laughed. “I’m sure a seasoned Juilliard-trained musician such as yourself will be just fine.”
Ashley ran her tongue over her teeth as she gazed at Logan. “You’re gonna give me stage fright,” she mimicked his southern accent.
They ate in comfortable silence for a bit. Logan wanted to ask Ashley a million questions but held back. Guys didn’t ask girls stuff. They just talked and told guys everything. Kinda like he’d been doing himself for the past half hour.
“So…” Ashley said as she pushed her half eaten plate toward him, offering him the fries. “Why’d you kick Charlie out of the band?”
Logan
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