Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
When I went to turn and walk away, Rosie stopped me. “She has an amazing voice. And yes, that is the song she’s singing.”
“Cool. What’s your name?”
“It’s Haven Larson,” Candice answered for me as she said it with a massive grin.
Staring at my two ex-best friends, I growled. “I hope you know that after this, you’re both dead to me.”
Rosie blew me a kiss while Candice said, “Break a leg!”
They scampered away, and I turned to the DJ. “I guess I’m singing.”
He chuckled, then picked up the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first singer of the night. Ms? It is Ms., right?”
Laughing, I nodded.
“Look at that, guys, she’s single.”
A few whistles and some hollering went on for a few seconds before they calmed down.
“Ms. Haven Larson is going to be singing. Are you ready for it?”
The entire bar erupted into cheers, and I caught a glimpse of Rosie, Candice, Lizzy, and Josephine at the front of the stage. I should have stopped looking because leaning against a pillar with his arms folded over his broad chest was Nate. He was watching me, and when our eyes met, he smiled.
I looked down at my boots.
Why is he confusing me? He’s being all nice and smiling and offering up dances and buying me tires and giving me money for my business. What in the upside down is happening?
I forced myself to look up and out into the crowd. Well, one thing was for sure, this was happening, so I might as well just go with the flow.
The microphone was on a stand, so at least I didn’t have to move around. The music started, and I intended to look down at the girls, but instead, my eyes drifted directly at Nate and I started to sing.
When I got to the last sentence before the chorus, where she asked, “Do you have what it takes?” Nate’s brows rose.
I looked away and moved my gaze around the crowd. It didn’t take long before I loosened up and really got into the song. At the last chorus, I looked back to Nate.
When the song ended, the bar broke out into loud applause. I dared a peek at Nate, who had pushed off the pillar and was clapping. When our eyes met, he mouthed, “Wow, that was amazing.”
Laughing, I got off the stage and was immediately hugged by all four girls.
“Jesus, Haven, why aren’t you in Nashville singing?” Lizzy asked. “That was so good. You sounded just like her.”
“That’s sweet of you to say, Lizzy, but I don’t think I’m that good.” As I stole a glance back in Nate’s direction, he’d started to walk toward me.
“You were terrific, baby!”
Shockingly, the sound of Ted’s voice from behind caused me to turn around. He picked me up and spun me.
“Ted? Wait—what are you doing here?”
“Who is Ted?” Josephine asked.
Lizzy looked him over like a hungry wolf. “Yes, who is Ted?”
Ted smiled at my friends. “Um, this is my friend, Ted. Ted, these are my friends, Lizzy, Josephine, Candice, and Rosie.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ladies.”
I turned and saw Nate walking back to his table and my entire body deflated.
“Why don’t you join us?” Lizzy said as she hooked her arm in Ted’s.
“I don’t mind if I do,” Ted stated, walking with Lizzy back to the table.
“Where did Nate go?” Rosie asked. “I saw him walking over here.”
I blew out a breath. “He probably saw Ted. That stupid jerk, Ted. I told him I didn’t want to see him anymore. Why would he do that and make it seem like we were together still?”
When the DJ couldn’t find anyone else who wanted to sing, he played another song.
“I love this Spicy Margarita song!” Candice said, clapping. She spun around and made a beeline to Bounty.
“I think she likes him,” I said with a laugh. I scanned the table but couldn’t find Nate. Where could he have gone?
“Let’s go to the bathroom,” Rosie said as she pulled me.
“I don’t have to go to the bathroom.”
Rosie tugged. “Yes, you do.”
Laughing, I said, “What are you doing?”
Rosie looked past me, and I turned to see what she was looking at. It felt like someone threw ice-cold water onto me. My breath felt frozen in my lungs as a pain shot through my chest. You’d think I would be used to that feeling when it came to Nate Shaw. He was dancing with some girl, and it wasn’t innocent dancing. The girl had her hands all over him. Granted, he wasn’t touching her, but it still made my stomach roil.
“Haven, he probably saw you with Ted and…”
“And did exactly what he did with Callie?” I replied with a shake of my head.
Her face fell as she shouted, “I’m sorry they told you that story!”
I looked back out to the dance floor. Nate had his hands on the girl’s hips as she moved her body like a yoga instructor. Was it my imagination, or did he push her away some? I would drive myself crazy if I kept watching them.