Music of the Heart (27 page)

fantastic, son. We can’t thank you enough for making this night so special for Allie.”

“You’re welcome. You know I’d do anything for her.”

He nodded. His lips twitched as if he wanted to say something else but was afraid to. Finally, he

drew in a ragged breath. “Jake, I’m so very sorry about your mother.”

I instantly tensed. “Yeah, it fucking blows when bad things happen to good people.”

Dad’s expression paled a little. “She’s one of the strongest and bravest women I know. I talk to her

often, you know. She has the most forgiving of hearts.”

I knew Dad was talking about how I couldn’t forgive him for the fact he walked out on Mama and

me for a piece of ass. Sure, he paid his child support and saw me every other weekend and during the

summers. On the surface he was the most attentive and supportive father. But everything changed with

us the moment he chose to leave.

“Yes, it’s probably one of her only faults.”

Seeing he wasn’t getting anywhere with me, Dad sighed. “Well, just know I’m here for you, son.

Always.” His gaze left mine to hone in on Abby who had sought me out. “And who is this lovely

young lady?”

“This is my girlfriend, Abby Renard.” I slipped my arm around Abby’s waist. “And Abby, this is

my dad, Mark Slater.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Slater,” Abby said politely.

“Likewise, Miss Renard.” Dad’s gaze roved over Abby, and I could tell he was surprised.

Because even in her sexy little dress, Abby still looked like a good girl, and I’m sure Dad couldn’t

believe I was actually with someone like her.

As the music turned over to a slow song, I wanted to escape from my dad. Glancing down at Abby,

I asked, “Wanna dance?”

“Sure.” She smiled at my dad. “Nice meeting you.”

“Yes, very nice meeting you as well.” He patted my back. “Thanks again.”

“You’re welcome.”

I took Abby’s hand and led her out onto the dance floor. As I wrapped my arms around her waist,

she pressed against me. Damn, she felt good. I tried tuning out the myriad of disgusting sexual thoughts

swimming through my dirty mind.

“Your dad seems nice,” Abby said.

“Oh yeah, he’s a real stand-up guy.”

She pulled away to gaze up at me. “So I was right to come and try to save you?”

When I stared at her quizzically, she smiled, “You’re so easy to read sometimes, Jake. I could tell

from across the room that you were uncomfortable talking to him.”

“The bastard had the nerve to bring up my mom,” I muttered through gritted teeth.

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want to talk about him or her, okay?”

“Okay, Grumpy.”

Only she could get away with teasing me. I glanced down to find her smiling up at me. “You can be

such a little shit, did you know that?”

She laughed. “But you love it.”

“For reasons I can’t possibly understand, I do.” I pulled her tighter against me. “You smell so

damn good.”

“I have you to thank for that. The spa really helped to clean me up.”

“Oh whatever. You always look beautiful and sexy.”

“I always want to for you—you and only you,” she murmured.

Taking her chin, I tilted her head before bringing my lips to hers. Although I wanted to consume her

mouth, I held back. I’d missed her taste, the warmth of her tongue, the way she let her desire drive her

body, rather than her insecurities or doubts. When I finally pulled away, we were both breathless.

“Damn, I’ve missed you.”

She laughed. “You act like I’ve been on the other side of the world. We talk a million times a

day.”

“Yeah, but I don’t get to
kiss
you a million times.”

“Then I guess we have a lot of lost time to make up for.”

I grinned. “I think so too.”

The announcement for dinner was made, so we headed off the dance floor and to the table we had

been assigned. Just as I suspected, Lily and Abby had become fast friends, and Abby loved helping

out with Jude and Melody.

After stuffing ourselves on the three courses, Abby and I sat around talking with the guys. As I

watched her holding Melody and cooing softly, I couldn’t help the way my heart swelled with love.

I’d never thought about marriage or kids before, but something about the way Melody played with the

strands of Abby’s hair and gazed up at her made me rethink everything about my life. But I wasn’t

Bray, so I wasn’t sure I was marriage and father material.

When Abby glanced up and caught me watching her, she smiled. “Wanna go see Uncle Jake?”

I held out my arms, and Melody happily came to me. I kissed her chubby cheek. “Hey baby girl.

You gotta smile for me?”

Melody tilted her head and grinned, showing me her two, tiny bottom baby teeth. “That’s my girl.”

As I bounced her on my knee, AJ undid the first three buttons on his shirt and ripped off his tie.

“I’m ready to dance.”

“You’ve been dancing the entire time we haven’t been on stage,” I replied.

“No, I mean, I
really
want to dance.”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “You mean that Mexican shit.”

“Jake!” Abby admonished, motioning to Melody.

“Angel, do you really think she hasn’t heard worse? We cussed like sailors around Jude, and I

promise you his first word wasn’t fuck.”

She crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. “You’re terrible.”

AJ leaned his elbows on the table. “Anyway, as I was saying, I’m ready to do some dancing.” He

waggled his eyebrows at Abby. “And I know the perfect partner. Come on, Angel. Let’s show these

stiffs how it’s really done.”

Abby giggled and turned to me. “Is that okay?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Squealing with delight, she let AJ pull her up from the chair. He tugged her across the room to the

dance floor. I watched AJ lean in and talk to the DJ. After a few head shakes, AJ bobbed his head.

Once the other song ended, the DJ grabbed his microphone. “Okay, we’ve had a request for Paula

Rubio’s
Dame Otro Tequila
, and according to AJ, he and Abby are going to show you losers how to

break it down.”

A roar came through the crowd along with a symphony of high pitched female squeals at just the

mention of AJ. In his element, he bowed gallantly before the music came on. The upbeat tempo and

references to tequila got the crowd going even if they didn’t know the words. Then he and Abby

began moving effortlessly around the dance floor.

I eased Melody from my lap to my shoulder as I watched Abby dance. Although I didn’t want to, I

couldn’t help the jealousy pricking over my body at the sight of Abby getting so into the motions with

AJ. I blew out of a frustrated breath, which Melody mimicked. When I laughed, she grinned. “See that

girl,” I pointed to Abby. “I think I love her, and it’s making me act like a total idiot.”

Melody waved her tiny hand at Abby. “Yeah, even you are already in love with her, and you’ve

known her like what, five seconds. She does that to people.”

After inhaling a sharp breath of frustration, a nasty smell assaulted my senses. Leaning forward in

my seat, I tapped Brayden’s arm. “I believe your daughter has a surprise for you.”

As I passed Melody to him, he laughed. “Thanks. We’ll take care of it.”

“Trust me dude, friendship only goes so far, and it doesn’t involve shitty diapers.”

“Wow, I’m so touched,” Brayden replied before rising out of his seat. I snickered at the sight of

him with the pale pink diaper bag draped on his shoulder. He bent down and kissed Lily’s cheek

before heading to the bathroom with Melody “Now that’s love,” I murmured under my breath.

My gaze once again went to the dance floor to Abby and AJ. “I need some air,” I muttered to Rhys.

He gave me a knowing smile before bobbing his head. Grabbing two champagne flutes from a passing

waiter, I made my way out the side door of the ballroom.

***

After AJ and I finished our dance, beads of sweat were dripping down my face and back. I was so

thirsty that I gulped down a flute of champagne the moment we got back to the table and had started on

another. “Ugh, I need water.”

Easing down in a chair beside me, AJ asked, “So I assume the way you’re throwing it back you’ve

acquired a taste for champagne?”

I wrinkled my nose. “Actually, it just kinda makes me wanna burp. Now these,” I picked up a

chocolate strawberry off the dessert platter on the table and waved it at him, “These I enjoy a lot.”

“Yeah, well, just go easy on getting tipsy. You’ve got to be at the studio really early in the

morning, right?”

“Eight.” Then I squealed and dropped the strawberry.

AJ’s dark eyes widened at me. “What the hell is wrong?”

“I’m singing in the morning.”

“Yes and…” he prompted.

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been eating my weight in chocolate tonight, which has dairy in it.

You’re never supposed to do that.”

At what must’ve been the absolute horror on my face, AJ patted my leg. “You’ll be fine. Flush it

out with some water.”

“Shit,” I muttered as I flagged down a waiter. Once he brought me a glass, I downed it in three

long gulps. I then eyed the room for my noticeably absent date. Lily and Brayden were dancing while

Rhys sat beside with a sleeping Melody in his arms. I craned my neck around the room. “Where’s

Jake?”

Rhys motioned to the courtyard outside. “He said he needed some air.”

AJ nodded as he eyed Jake’s dad, Mark, dancing with Jake’s stepmom, Paula. “Even though it’s

been fifteen years, sometimes Jake still can’t take the two of them together.”

Rhys snorted. “Yeah, I don’t think
them
dancing together was the issue.”

When I got his meaning, my heart did a funny little shuddering before I rose out of my chair. “I

better go check on him.” I hurried out the side door and onto the tiled pavement. In the middle of the

courtyard was a huge, circular fountain. It had a giant swan in the middle of it that was illuminated by

light.

Jake sat on the edge of the fountain with his elbows braced on his knees. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he replied.

I eased down beside him. We sat in silence for a few seconds before I nudged him

playfully. “I was kinda thinking for a minute there that I’d been jilted.”

He glanced up at me. “Sorry. I just needed some air.”

Tilting my head, I gazed up at the stars. “It’s nice out here.”

“Without your dance partner?” he spat.

I couldn’t help the smile that curved on my lips. He was jealous of me dancing with AJ. “The only