Spring River Valley: The Spring Collection (Boxed Set) (20 page)

* * * *

“I’m sorry about before,” Evie said as soon as she and Bailey reached the ladies’ room. “I’m not trying to screw things up. I just looked at the two of you together, and…it’s pretty clear to me there’s a lot going on between you.”

Bailey leaned against the cool tile wall and sighed. “A lot. He’s amazing, and I don’t want to screw anything up either, but as soon as I say that or think it, I think to myself, why am I the one so worried about screwing things up? Maybe it’s time the guy was worried about screwing things up. Dan messed me up big time, and I still can’t get my head on straight. I don’t want to compare every guy I date from now on to him. Matt is nothing like Dan. He’s a million times better, so why am I so scared of how much I want him?”

“I saw the way he looked at you out there. He wants you just as much.”

“For now.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Just enjoy this.”

Bailey ran cool water over her hands and patted her face. “I want to. You have no idea how much. But I’m really terrified of turning into that paranoid girl who thought every woman in the world was sleeping with her boyfriend.”

Evie patted her shoulder. “Honey, it’s not paranoia if they really are out to get you. Dan
was
sleeping with everyone…at least everyone who could stand to be near him. Matt is a different species all together. He’s human, whereas Dan was a reptile.”

“I know. I see that, but…”

The door to the bathroom swung open then, and Claudia came in, oddly enough with Owen, the guitar player, two steps behind her.

“I told you I don’t want to talk about it,” the pretty brunette said through clenched teeth.

Evie and Bailey stared, jaws practically on the floor.

Owen caught their shocked looks and blushed bright red as though he hadn’t even realized he’d followed the singer into the ladies’ room. “I’m…sorry…uh…”

“Go. Will you just go? I’ll be out in a minute, and I’ll be ready for the next set.” Claudia pointed at the door, and Owen spun on his heel and slouched out of the room. “I’m sorry about that…” She said, turning to Bailey and Evie.

“No problem,” Bailey said. “Uh…are you okay?” Clearly Claudia had been crying. She moved to the row of sinks and started dabbing under her eyes. Tears glistened on her long lashes.

“Yeah…I’m…do you ever just want to shake some sense into a guy?”

Evie laughed. “God, yes. What did he do? Or not do?”

“He’s…and he’s not even my boyfriend. He’s just…a complete idiot, clueless, head up his own ass.”

Bailey offered Claudia a tissue. “And he’s
not
your boyfriend? The way you two sing together I would have thought…”

Claudia let out a sound that was half giggle, half sob. “You’d think, wouldn’t you? When he sings to me… God, I’m so stupid.”

“There’s someone else?” Evie asked.

“No…I don’t even know. He’s…one minute he’s acting like I mean the whole world to him, and the next minute, I have to wonder if he even knows I exist. Listen to me, I sound like I’m sixteen, crying in the bathroom over a guy.” She sniffled and blew her nose, then straightened her shoulders and eyed herself in the mirror. “Time to pull myself together. I’ve got a set to do. I’m sorry. Thanks for the tissue.”

As quickly as she’d breezed in, Claudia left, and once again Evie and Bailey exchanged a glance. “I feel for her,” Evie said.

“My God, I
was
her.” Bailey said. “Poor girl. I hope they get it together. Have you seen them sing? They’re perfect together.”

“Like you and Matt.”

Before Bailey could respond, the door swung open again and the blonde from the bar walked in, talking loudly, a sequined cell phone plastered to her ear. “I just picked up the bartender…yeah, the really cute one I had lunch with the other day. His name is Matt…uh-huh. He said he’s with someone, but he told me he’d blow her off and hook up with me later tonight. Yeah, gotta go. Bye.”

Evie’s deadly stare followed the blonde who flounced into one of the stalls and shut the door. She made wide eyes at Bailey whose face was on fire, not because she believed the act she’d just seen, but because she couldn’t believe the woman’s audacity.

Evie raised her fist to knock on the stall door, but Bailey caught her hand and shook her head.
No
, she mouthed and jerked her head toward the door.
Let’s go.

Once
they reached the alcove outside of the rest rooms, Evie whirled around. “Why didn’t you say something to that…b—”

“Because I don’t believe a word of it. Remember, I’m not that girl anymore. Old Bailey would have left here in tears. New Bailey trusts Matt, and I know she’s not his type. I’m going to go lay a lipsmack on him, and I’ll meet you back at the table.”

“I’m gonna stay here and kick her butt when she—”

“No, you’re not. Go sit with your guy. He looks lonely, and half a dozen women are eyeing him like he’s raw meat.” Bailey shoved Evie toward their table and marched off to the bar to lay claim to her man.

Fortunately, Selene didn’t return to her seat right away, but Bailey appeared and made her way around the bar to Matt’s station. The intensity of her stare held him enthralled for a moment, and when she licked her lips, he could have sworn the temperature in the whole place shot up by ten degrees.

“Can I get you something?” He had to concentrate on not stammering. This woman had him in her sights, and he loved it.

“Yes, you can. I’ll tell you all about it later when we’re alone.” She leaned over the bar, grabbed his tie and pulled him toward her for a kiss that stopped conversation for three or four seats in each direction.

When she let him go he actually stumbled back a step. Before he could think of a cool response, she was gone, on her way back to join Evie and Tanner. He stared after her, his lips tingling from the intensity of her kiss.

A couple of the men at the bar gave him the thumbs up, which he acknowledged with a wry grin. The women ignored him, and he figured he’d just dealt his tips for the evening a crushing blow. He didn’t care.

Selene returned not long afterward and gave him a come-hither smile. “I’d like another drink,” she said, tapping a long fingernail on a folded twenty.

“Sure, but regular strength this time, or I’ll get in trouble with management.”

She waved a hand at him. “Whatever. I’m not driving home.”

Good, he thought. The way she was kicking back those drinks, she was determined to get herself drunk. Hopefully she had someone responsible hanging on to give her a lift. The one thing Matt hated most about this job was staying after hours to make sure the really plastered people got themselves safely into cabs. It didn’t happen often. The Spring River Valley police were very strict with their DUI policies and set up check points on the weekends, but every now and then someone tied one on and needed to be seen to a safe ride. He hoped that wouldn’t be Selene this evening.

* * * *

Bailey kept one eye on Matt for the rest of the night. The blonde from the bathroom had taken up residence in front of him at the bar, but he seemed to be ignoring her. The girl would be in for a rude awakening when she realized her little act wasn’t going to get her the man she had her sights on. She kept her other eye on Claudia and Owen, who’d belted out a couple of soulful ballads. During the intermission, the guitar player whispered something in the singer’s ear, and she’d smiled, but both Bailey and Evie could see there was still a lot of tension there. She wanted to ask if everything was okay when Taylor took a break and joined them, but he was having too much fun catching up with his brother, so she kept her questions about the other couple to herself.

Close to midnight, Evie and Tanner, who had pulled their chairs close together so they could hold hands, decided to call it a night. “You’re definitely going home with Matt, right?” Evie asked as she gathered her purse. “We can drive you home if you want.”

“Nope. I’m fine. I’m going to be a barfly now and hang on until closing.” She wished she didn’t have to. She’d have loved to leave also and go home to relax with Matt, but he still had at least an hour to go. The band was done for the evening, but the blonde was still staking her claim. It was going to be a challenging night.

Evie kissed Bailey on the cheek, and Tanner gave her a hug. “It was a great to meet you, Bailey. Have a safe trip home.”

Bailey waved to them as they headed for the door and decided to try her luck at the bar. She picked a seat a few stools down from the blonde and signaled Matt, who came right over.

“My ride cut out. I may need some big, strong, handsome man to drive me home,” she said with an exaggerated pout. “Do you know anybody?”

“Well, ma’am, I suppose I could oblige you. For a price.” He winked, and her pulse shot up.

“Oh, I’d give just about anything for a ride.”

“I’ll give you the ride of your life… God, we’ve got to stop this or I might climb over the bar and have you right here. Save that sexy look for a little bit later, okay?”

Bailey giggled. Tonight had been a true test of her endurance. Soon, she’d have her reward. She tried not to gloat when, at ten minutes to closing, Buck the manager escorted the rubbery-legged blonde to the door.

“I guess she got her man?” she said to Matt, who’d begun to clean up.

“Saw that coming a mile away. We called her a cab.”

She wanted to tell him what she’d overheard in the bathroom but decided against it. She wasn’t worried, and she didn’t want him to think she was jealous. With the other woman safely in a cab, she certainly had no reason to be.

She managed to wait patiently for another half hour until Buck closed everything up and Matt was finally ready to leave. He twined his fingers in hers, kissed her cheek, and walked her out to his car.

“Now, let’s talk about what you’re willing to do for a ride home…shall we?”

Bailey slid into his arms and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, playing with the short hair at his nape. “Well, I’d be more than willing to take you to my place and show you a good time.”

He groaned into her ear. “I’m thinking there might need to be some payment up-front.”

“Ooh…you’re going to negotiate…”

“I drive a hard bargain.”

She squeezed his ass. “Tell me how hard it is.”

Matt kissed her then, a desperate melding of their mouths. When she finally broke away, gasping, his gaze practically burned her. “Bailey, I’m so turned on right now. You’ve got to stop…at least until we get to your place.”

She bit her lower lip, enjoying the power. “I promise to behave, for a little while longer.”

“Get in, quick, and I’ll try not to break any speed limits.”

* * * *

Matt was on fire. He couldn’t even glance at Bailey without fear of losing his cool entirely. He wanted her so badly he even considered pulling over somewhere secluded and suggesting they do it in the car. Maybe one day they would, but right now he didn’t want her to think she was anything less than the most special woman he’d ever met. He wanted only the best for her. No bruises from the gear shift, no thighs sticking to vinyl upholstery. He needed to get her into a bed and give her everything she wanted tonight, and once they were both satisfied, they could talk about how this sultry side of her affected him.

He made it to her place in record time, only because he knew where all the police check points were and managed to avoid any random traffic stops. He’d just shut off the engine when his cell phone rang. “Oh…man. Not now!” He looked at the caller ID. It was Owen. At this hour?

Bailey raised a brow. “Something wrong?”

He shrugged. “I hope not. I have to get this. Why don’t you go inside. I’ll be right in.”

“Okay.” She got out of the car, and he answered the call.

“Dude, you have no idea how bad your timing is.”

“Trust me, I do. Listen, I hate to do this to you, but I really, really need a ride before I get arrested for indecent exposure.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“I’m on Lakeside Drive about a block from the hospital.”

“Car break down?”

“No. Claudia kicked me out of her car.”

“Dude?”

“Long…long…long story. And, can you come alone? I…” Owen mumbled something Matt wasn’t quite sure he heard correctly.

“Say that again?”

“I have…no pants.”

Matt held his breath for a second, not sure whether to laugh or… Well, no, there was nothing he could do but laugh, except Owen sounded so miserable. And he had every right to be. If he got picked up wandering around with no pants on… “I’ll be there in ten, buddy. Stay out of sight.”

“No, I’m going to parade down the center of the street waving my arms and doing the macarena.”

“I’ll be right there.” Matt sat for a second, contemplating what kind of story would lead to usually uptight Owen left on the side of the road with no pants, by a woman. It had to be damn good. Almost worth the interruption to his evening. Almost.