wrapped me up in a huge bear hug and I smiled into his shoulder.
“What? You had to come to the one bar I live at in Cali?”
“That was the biggest surprise ever to look down and see you in front of me, but you are a sight for sore eyes. How have you been, Taylor? You made it back to the one place you said you would never return to.”
“Don’t rub it in. I wish I hadn’t come.”
“Why?”
“Asking for forgiveness isn’t easy.”
“So it has to do with the guy staring daggers at me? Is he the ex?”
I sighed. “His name is Stephen, but he doesn’t want me back.”
“I’m not so sure about that darlin’.”
“I am. He told me he didn’t, but I think it was because he was upset. Now he keeps saying he does. That man is all over the place.”
“Just because a man says something doesn’t mean we actually mean it.”
I paused looking up into his electric blue eyes. He was even more handsome than I remembered. Granted I had a lot of alcohol that night, so that might have something to do with my faulty memory. Before we moved further into the bar, ‘I Feel A Sin Comin’ On’ came on, and he pushed me towards the stage. He watched me from below and smiled encouragingly. Hesitantly, I took the mike in my hands and started singing. Closing my eyes, I got into the song and forgot who was watching or listening. I sang to Rhys because he was the only one who knew this part of me.
Looking up as I finished, I realized the entire bar was screaming and whistling in appreciation. My face turned crimson. Rhys reached up and placed his hands on my hips, lifting me off the stage. When my feet hit the floor, I threw myself into his arms and gave him a huge hug.
“Come on, I’ll introduce you to my friends. And the asshole staring daggers at you.”
He laughed and followed me over to the table where I had left everyone sitting. His fingers loosely intertwined with mine as we walked. Seeing the shock on Stephen’s face was almost worth getting up in front of the entire bar to sing. Before anyone could talk about my performance, I introduced Rhys so they hopefully wouldn’t bring it up.
"Guys this is my friend, Rhys Brooks. Rhys, this is my sister, Violet, and her husband, Jax. This is Gage, Scott and Stephen.” I glanced around. "Where's Amanda?"
"She left ten minutes ago. Her flight out was tonight," Violet answered.
He held his hand out to Vi, then Jax. “It’s nice to meet you guys. Taylor, you never told me your sister was a movie star,” Rhys teased.
“You never asked. I see it as more of a hindrance than help most days.”
Everyone laughed because we had this argument at least once a month. I hated being limited to certain places when we went out, and that was if we even got to go out at all. For the first few months after my niece was born, we couldn’t go anywhere without paparazzi following us. Tonight we all made the sacrifice to get out of the house and actually spend some time together.
“I’m happy you finally let someone else hear you other than the shower tiles, Taylor,” Violet said.
“You’ve heard me sing?” I swung around to face her and she tried not to laugh at my shocked expression.
“Yeah, but only a few times. I thought you were shy, but now, I’m not so sure that’s the case.”
She pinned me with a sharp look, and I looked away. This wasn’t the time for this conversation. Stephen looked between me, Violet and Rhys, saying nothing.
“You should sing more often, Tay. I loved it,” Gage said. I blushed and tried to change the subject, but my sister beat me to it.
“So how did you guys meet?” Violet asked.
“She wandered into my bar in Vegas and sang her little heart out,” Rhys said easily. Thank goodness he brushed over the embarrassing parts from that evening.
“There might or might not have been a lot of whiskey involved before I climbed up on the stage though.”
“She was even more amazing that night. Lost inhibitions and all that
“What? You had to come to the one bar I live at in Cali?”
“That was the biggest surprise ever to look down and see you in front of me, but you are a sight for sore eyes. How have you been, Taylor? You made it back to the one place you said you would never return to.”
“Don’t rub it in. I wish I hadn’t come.”
“Why?”
“Asking for forgiveness isn’t easy.”
“So it has to do with the guy staring daggers at me? Is he the ex?”
I sighed. “His name is Stephen, but he doesn’t want me back.”
“I’m not so sure about that darlin’.”
“I am. He told me he didn’t, but I think it was because he was upset. Now he keeps saying he does. That man is all over the place.”
“Just because a man says something doesn’t mean we actually mean it.”
I paused looking up into his electric blue eyes. He was even more handsome than I remembered. Granted I had a lot of alcohol that night, so that might have something to do with my faulty memory. Before we moved further into the bar, ‘I Feel A Sin Comin’ On’ came on, and he pushed me towards the stage. He watched me from below and smiled encouragingly. Hesitantly, I took the mike in my hands and started singing. Closing my eyes, I got into the song and forgot who was watching or listening. I sang to Rhys because he was the only one who knew this part of me.
Looking up as I finished, I realized the entire bar was screaming and whistling in appreciation. My face turned crimson. Rhys reached up and placed his hands on my hips, lifting me off the stage. When my feet hit the floor, I threw myself into his arms and gave him a huge hug.
“Come on, I’ll introduce you to my friends. And the asshole staring daggers at you.”
He laughed and followed me over to the table where I had left everyone sitting. His fingers loosely intertwined with mine as we walked. Seeing the shock on Stephen’s face was almost worth getting up in front of the entire bar to sing. Before anyone could talk about my performance, I introduced Rhys so they hopefully wouldn’t bring it up.
"Guys this is my friend, Rhys Brooks. Rhys, this is my sister, Violet, and her husband, Jax. This is Gage, Scott and Stephen.” I glanced around. "Where's Amanda?"
"She left ten minutes ago. Her flight out was tonight," Violet answered.
He held his hand out to Vi, then Jax. “It’s nice to meet you guys. Taylor, you never told me your sister was a movie star,” Rhys teased.
“You never asked. I see it as more of a hindrance than help most days.”
Everyone laughed because we had this argument at least once a month. I hated being limited to certain places when we went out, and that was if we even got to go out at all. For the first few months after my niece was born, we couldn’t go anywhere without paparazzi following us. Tonight we all made the sacrifice to get out of the house and actually spend some time together.
“I’m happy you finally let someone else hear you other than the shower tiles, Taylor,” Violet said.
“You’ve heard me sing?” I swung around to face her and she tried not to laugh at my shocked expression.
“Yeah, but only a few times. I thought you were shy, but now, I’m not so sure that’s the case.”
She pinned me with a sharp look, and I looked away. This wasn’t the time for this conversation. Stephen looked between me, Violet and Rhys, saying nothing.
“You should sing more often, Tay. I loved it,” Gage said. I blushed and tried to change the subject, but my sister beat me to it.
“So how did you guys meet?” Violet asked.
“She wandered into my bar in Vegas and sang her little heart out,” Rhys said easily. Thank goodness he brushed over the embarrassing parts from that evening.
“There might or might not have been a lot of whiskey involved before I climbed up on the stage though.”
“She was even more amazing that night. Lost inhibitions and all that
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