Unexpected Rush
Page 68
They all piled into two limos. And for some reason, she ended up next to Barrett. She was tucked into the corner, with him next to her, for the ride over. Flynn was on his other side, and Tucker and Aubry sat across from them.
Drake and Mama ended up in the other limo.
Perfect.
Especially when Barrett slid his fingers under her thigh. She breathed deeply, trying to act as if his touch didn’t affect her, when all she really wanted to do was inch her fingers next to his.
Thrilling, but also frustrating.
There were spotlights in front of Just the Blues, along with a red carpet and photographers and media crews.
“Wow,” she said, then turned to Barrett. “Did you know it was going to be all this?”
He laughed. “No. But leave it to Easton Cassidy to cause a ruckus.”
They waited until Barrett’s parents got out of the limo, then they followed.
Harmony had never been involved in anything like this before. She’d seen Drake on TV surrounded by the media, but she’d never personally experienced it.
Lights flashed in her eyes, and she was more than happy to cede the spotlight to Barrett’s parents, who talked about the reopening of the club. Lydia and Easton handled it gracefully and with much enthusiasm, talking about the club’s past and hopeful future.
“We’re proud to be a part of the reopening,” Easton said. “There are so many fantastic blues bands and artists here in Austin, and elsewhere, and since Lydia and I are such fans, we were saddened when the original club closed. When our partner, DeMartin Lewis, offered us the opportunity to invest with him, we jumped at the chance to breathe new life into this club and encourage the talent who would walk through these doors.
“We hope you’ll all join us in welcoming the opening of Just the Blues and supporting the artists who play here.”
There was a round of applause from the audience behind the ropes. Easton and Lydia made their way inside. Grant stopped for an interview, as did Tucker. Then Barrett stopped to speak. Harmony brushed past him but someone stuck a microphone in her face.
“Are you Barrett’s date for the evening?”
She smiled. “No. I’m Drake Evans’s sister, Harmony.”
“Oh. And what brings you here tonight, Harmony?”
She played it cool. “I’m a friend of the Cassidy family, and a big supporter of the blues.”
Since she wasn’t famous and didn’t give them any gossip fodder, the media moved on to someone else, allowing her to step inside the cool, dark club.
It was beautiful inside. Dark and moody, like a blues club should be. There was ample seating with tables spread all around, but still plenty of dance floor space and a large stage. There were bars at either corner, and she headed toward one of them.
Aubry was there, taking a glass of champagne the bartender handed her.
“I’ll have what she’s having,” Harmony said.
“Well, that was intense outside,” Aubry said, then took a long swallow of champagne.
“I’ll say. Have you ever had to deal with media?”
Aubry nodded. “My father owns the St. Louis Rivers baseball team, so I’ve been involved in the media spotlight a time or two. Not my favorite thing.”
Harmony’s eyes widened. “I don’t know why I didn’t make that connection, Aubry, since Tucker plays for them.”
Aubry laughed. “No reason that you should.”
Harmony looked around, watching everyone spill in from outside. It was going to be crowded in here tonight. She hoped the club was a rousing success.
“I guess we should find everyone—and our table,” Aubry said. “Lydia told me we have a couple reserved tables up front.”
“Okay.”
The guys had found the bar, and she and Aubry spotted the other women at their tables. Harmony set her clutch down at a chair, then looked around for her mother.
A band had already started playing, something soft and appropriately bluesy.
And her mother was off in a dark corner, cozying up to Elijah, who also looked handsome in his suit, a perfect complement to her mother. Her mother was smiling, leaning against Elijah, and looking extremely happy.
She intended to leave her mother be, since it appeared as if she was in good hands. At least she hoped so. Drake was relaxing at the bar with Barrett, and didn’t seem to be interested in what Mama was doing, and if Drake’s radar wasn’t up about Elijah, then Harmony shouldn’t worry about him, either.
She took her seat and chatted with Mia about college, boys and what it was like growing up with overprotective brothers. That was something they definitely had in common.
“What was it like trying to date?” Harmony asked.
Mia rolled her eyes. “In high school? Impossible. Of course some of my brothers were off to college by then, but it’s like they had radar, or maybe Mom reported to them, because whenever I tried to date a guy, I’d get text messages and phone calls asking probing questions about the boy. And talk about intimidation. Trying to have a relationship was nearly impossible. It was bad enough that Dad was intimidating as hell, but try bringing a boy to a family barbecue in the summer when all four of your brothers are giving him death looks.”
Harmony nodded. “I’m familiar with the death look. I think my brother, Drake, has a patent on it.”
Mia shook her head. “I doubt that, because my brothers had perfected the art of getting a guy to run for the hills before I could even get a first kiss, let alone get laid. I was starting to fear I’d die a virgin.”
Drake and Mama ended up in the other limo.
Perfect.
Especially when Barrett slid his fingers under her thigh. She breathed deeply, trying to act as if his touch didn’t affect her, when all she really wanted to do was inch her fingers next to his.
Thrilling, but also frustrating.
There were spotlights in front of Just the Blues, along with a red carpet and photographers and media crews.
“Wow,” she said, then turned to Barrett. “Did you know it was going to be all this?”
He laughed. “No. But leave it to Easton Cassidy to cause a ruckus.”
They waited until Barrett’s parents got out of the limo, then they followed.
Harmony had never been involved in anything like this before. She’d seen Drake on TV surrounded by the media, but she’d never personally experienced it.
Lights flashed in her eyes, and she was more than happy to cede the spotlight to Barrett’s parents, who talked about the reopening of the club. Lydia and Easton handled it gracefully and with much enthusiasm, talking about the club’s past and hopeful future.
“We’re proud to be a part of the reopening,” Easton said. “There are so many fantastic blues bands and artists here in Austin, and elsewhere, and since Lydia and I are such fans, we were saddened when the original club closed. When our partner, DeMartin Lewis, offered us the opportunity to invest with him, we jumped at the chance to breathe new life into this club and encourage the talent who would walk through these doors.
“We hope you’ll all join us in welcoming the opening of Just the Blues and supporting the artists who play here.”
There was a round of applause from the audience behind the ropes. Easton and Lydia made their way inside. Grant stopped for an interview, as did Tucker. Then Barrett stopped to speak. Harmony brushed past him but someone stuck a microphone in her face.
“Are you Barrett’s date for the evening?”
She smiled. “No. I’m Drake Evans’s sister, Harmony.”
“Oh. And what brings you here tonight, Harmony?”
She played it cool. “I’m a friend of the Cassidy family, and a big supporter of the blues.”
Since she wasn’t famous and didn’t give them any gossip fodder, the media moved on to someone else, allowing her to step inside the cool, dark club.
It was beautiful inside. Dark and moody, like a blues club should be. There was ample seating with tables spread all around, but still plenty of dance floor space and a large stage. There were bars at either corner, and she headed toward one of them.
Aubry was there, taking a glass of champagne the bartender handed her.
“I’ll have what she’s having,” Harmony said.
“Well, that was intense outside,” Aubry said, then took a long swallow of champagne.
“I’ll say. Have you ever had to deal with media?”
Aubry nodded. “My father owns the St. Louis Rivers baseball team, so I’ve been involved in the media spotlight a time or two. Not my favorite thing.”
Harmony’s eyes widened. “I don’t know why I didn’t make that connection, Aubry, since Tucker plays for them.”
Aubry laughed. “No reason that you should.”
Harmony looked around, watching everyone spill in from outside. It was going to be crowded in here tonight. She hoped the club was a rousing success.
“I guess we should find everyone—and our table,” Aubry said. “Lydia told me we have a couple reserved tables up front.”
“Okay.”
The guys had found the bar, and she and Aubry spotted the other women at their tables. Harmony set her clutch down at a chair, then looked around for her mother.
A band had already started playing, something soft and appropriately bluesy.
And her mother was off in a dark corner, cozying up to Elijah, who also looked handsome in his suit, a perfect complement to her mother. Her mother was smiling, leaning against Elijah, and looking extremely happy.
She intended to leave her mother be, since it appeared as if she was in good hands. At least she hoped so. Drake was relaxing at the bar with Barrett, and didn’t seem to be interested in what Mama was doing, and if Drake’s radar wasn’t up about Elijah, then Harmony shouldn’t worry about him, either.
She took her seat and chatted with Mia about college, boys and what it was like growing up with overprotective brothers. That was something they definitely had in common.
“What was it like trying to date?” Harmony asked.
Mia rolled her eyes. “In high school? Impossible. Of course some of my brothers were off to college by then, but it’s like they had radar, or maybe Mom reported to them, because whenever I tried to date a guy, I’d get text messages and phone calls asking probing questions about the boy. And talk about intimidation. Trying to have a relationship was nearly impossible. It was bad enough that Dad was intimidating as hell, but try bringing a boy to a family barbecue in the summer when all four of your brothers are giving him death looks.”
Harmony nodded. “I’m familiar with the death look. I think my brother, Drake, has a patent on it.”
Mia shook her head. “I doubt that, because my brothers had perfected the art of getting a guy to run for the hills before I could even get a first kiss, let alone get laid. I was starting to fear I’d die a virgin.”
