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“You okay?”
If his expression had held any kindness, she’d have responded. But his face was closed. She labelled the sexy stranger for an interfering asshole. “Yeah.” Then she saw the contempt in his eyes, and something snapped. “Hey, I didn’t know the guy. He just grabbed me.”
“Not what I saw. You two were all but glued together. I say if you want to mess around, rent a hotel room.” He went to walk away, and Honey grabbed his arm, feeling the steel in his muscles. She also sensed the danger in his look. “Shut your mouth. My girlfriend and I just came in for a drink and to hear the new singer. Next thing I know, some whacko grabs me. That’s the truth.”
Honey saw the sudden glint of surprise register and then a small side grin appeared. “Okay, tiger. Sorry for the misunderstanding.” He put his hand on her back and led her to the bar, where Melanie welcomed them with a smile. Then he spoke to the waitress, winking in a nice way. “Hey, Linda. Their drinks are on me.” Grinning full now, he turned first to Melanie. But by the time he swung Honey’s way, the smile had slightly faded. “Have a good time.”
Melanie’s sigh of love made things worse. “Oh. My. God! Did you see him? He’s a dreamboat.”
“You mean a tugboat, right? The man’s so full of himself, he’s annoying.”
“Hey, he stopped that jerk from hurting you and pulled him off. I saw him jump right off the stage.”
“What do you mean from the stage?”
“He’s Luke Stone, the new singer.”
“Bloody hell.” Honey grumbled. She gathered her hair to the back of her head and groaned. “I just can’t catch a break.”
Chapter Seven
When Matt saw Luke put down his guitar and leap from the stage, he waited to start the band up again. It was only after the drunken fool had been yanked from on top of the girl that he recognized the lush.
Once Luke reappeared, he ambled closer. “Sorry about that. I told security not to let Zed back into the place. Guess he snuck in when Jake wasn’t looking.”
“Jake?”
“The guard. Oh right, you don’t know him. He’s the new guy they just hired. I met him earlier today.”
“Yeah. I was late coming in. Sorry about that. Needed new guitar strings.”
“Hey, no problem. Is the girl okay?”
“What girl?”
“The one you just saved from a bad experience. I’ve seen Zed really hurt folks when he’s in that condition. The dude blacks out and becomes freaky. It’s why we kicked him out of the band. Well that and for stealing money from the tip jar.”
Luke didn’t try to hide his shock. “That perv was your previous singer?”
“Yeah. Hey… at one time, he had talent. But the alcohol and drugs fried his voice and his brain.” Matt looked out the window behind the stage where they saw Jake getting tough… still arguing with Zed to leave. Matt’s disgust grew. “He’s so much worse. Can’t afford the good product now he’s been kicked out of the last group I heard gave him a chance. Probably buying street crap that fries the brain.”
“If it doesn’t kill you first.”
“That too. I hate to see him like this. The man always had a mean streak, but he controlled it around us. Guess some people you just can’t save.”
“Ain’t that the truth. Fuckin’ drug producers could care less who gets hurt as long as they make their money.” Luke’s attention swerved as the crowd became louder. “Oh, oh, the animals are getting restless, let’s give ‘em what they like.”
He gave the signal and played the first few chords of one of his most popular Waylon songs – Hard-headed Woman – and the band kicked in. The edgy drinking crowd filed onto the floor and happiness reigned once more.
While he performed, Luke made a mental note about this character, Zed. If he could get together with the guy and pick what was left of his brain about where to buy, he might get a lead into the people producing and selling the fentanyl-laced shit.
From day one, he’d started putting out feelers but had to keep them on the down-low, so Matt and the others didn’t catch on. No way he wanted to get his ass kicked out of this band.
Without intending to, his eyes picked out the two girls at the bar. He watched as the feisty one gathered her hair behind her head and tied it back. Only one other woman he ever knew had masses of curls that same color, and she’d saved his life. A mesmerizing voice sounded in his head, rattling him - I’m so proud of you, Luke. Her fleeting image made him lose the beat of the music he’d begun playing as backup for Matt’s song.
If he questioned himself as to why he’d instinctively interfered earlier, some might put it down to him acting like a cop, thinking about the poor girl being abused. But if the truth were known, it had been because she was the spitting image of the woman who still visited his dreams… her soft smiles and veiled winks in the school hallway letting him know he mattered.
On those restless nights, he’d luxuriate in that wonderful fantasy for as long as he possibly could. Eventually the real world would interfere, and he’d awaken only to find himself filled with that horrible loneliness of being unloved.
