AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I nod. “I know.” And that’s something else I’m rediscovering. The ability to say no. Harlan helped me find that ability — that strength again. “But I do think that it would be fun — even if the music isn’t what I normally listen to.”
Harlan’s head pulls back a little bit. “You don’t like country?” he asks and I shake my head.
“Not particularly. It’s depressing.”
Duke gasps theatrically from the other side of me. “She didn’t. Harlan, please tell me that she didn’t just say what I think she said.”
Harlan smirks at me. “You’re in for it now.”
“Maisie….” Duke trails off. “I don’t know your middle name,” he says.
“Rae,” I offer before snagging another potato.
“Maisie Rae? Are you serious? You even have a country name.”
I shrug. “Doesn’t mean that I like the genre of music.”
“Oh, well then what do you like?” Rhett asks from the other side of the table.
“Rock and roll — duh.” I roll my eyes for emphasis.
“Rock and roll she says. Like that explains it all.”
“It does. It’s the only genre of music with the largest number of subgenres. You get metal, classic, thrash, emo, glam, alternative, and so on. Tell me how many subgenres country has? Depression and anxiety maybe?” I take a bite of food. “You know what you get when you play a country song backward? Your wife and house back, your truck unreposessed and your dog is still alive.”
Harlan guffaws out a laugh, and Jem cracks a smile at me. Duke pins her with a glare until she holds her hands up saying. “I’m staying out of this. Team boy bands all the way.”
“AC/DC is a boy band. The Beatles are a boy band. KISS, Alice in Chains, Aerosmith… all boy bands.” Though I’m sure she means the boy bands that we grew up with like Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.
“Harlan. Fix your woman.”
Harlan shoots a cheeky grin at his brother. “Nothing to fix. Just because she doesn’t like our music, doesn’t mean she’s wrong.”
“Wait. Can we go back to the ‘your woman’ part? When did that happen?” Boone asks from next to Jem.
“Yeah, I want to know too,” Finch says through a mouthful of chicken.
Harlan balls up his napkin and throws it at Finch. “Finish chewing first for god’s sakes. And it’s none of your business. Just keep your lips to yourself, and you’ll live to annoy another day.”
Harlan’s hand traces my thigh under the table, and I fall a little harder for the sheriff of Everette.
Chapter 25
Harlan
Idouble-check the backpack sitting on my kitchen chair to make sure that I have everything we might need for the concert today. Maisie’s getting Audra ready, and then we’ll head to the event grounds.
Instead of staying with me again last night — what I would have liked — Maisie went back up to her apartment after we got home from my dad’s place, and while I promised that I wouldn’t push, that I’d let her call the shots — I want her with me. In my bed. In my home. Under me and panting my name as an orgasm rocks her petite frame.
Slow down.
She’s in charge.
But the wait might kill me. We’ve kissed, we’ve cuddled, and with every bit of intimacy between us — I want more. More of Maisie, more of her and Audra in my life.
Baby steps, Harlan. You’ll get there.
She could still decide to leave.
