Elly & Kent - The Complete Story: Includes Books 1-3 (46 page)

"Well, well... fancy seeing you two here. And in the light of day. Must feel different."

Jen grabbed Dave's hand and tugged him towards the path. "You both are in desperate need of a shower. We can smell you from here." Dave let himself be tugged along but avoided eye contact with either of us.

I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled, "We'll be sure to do that. Together! Enjoy your morning stroll!" I watched Jen's shoulders freeze and I grinned to myself. The feeling of wanting to key Dave's car was very much nagging at me but I pushed it away. I was a winner. Winners didn't need to key their ex's cars. I turned to Kent, and smiled sweetly, "Well, thanks for the exercise. I need to get home and shower. My shift starts soon."

"You really know how to dig your nails in, Elly." He looked from me to our exes and then shook his head. He looked back at me and put his arm around me which I promptly shrugged off. "Since we're both sweaty it doesn't matter. You gonna have any time later?"

"It still matters!" I laughed and shook my head. "No, working the lunch shift and then I need to sleep before my gig tonight. First gig outside of a planned event, it's pretty exciting!" I grinned, I couldn't help it. It was pretty damn exciting. And it was about time. Singing at weddings and bar mitzvahs only got so good. Singing at
The Drink
tonight was a step up in our music careers.

Kent chuckled, "I'm excited for you, Elly. You'll have to let me know how it goes. I'll be waiting with baited breath!"
 

Part of me was a little let down. He never watched me sing. He never asked to come to anything, he never asked me to sing for him. It was what I loved the most in life and he didn't seem to have any interest in it. Damnit, Elly! You're a winner! It doesn't matter what he thinks.

"Okie dokie!" I smiled and started to walk away and then turned around and pointed at him. "Oh!" He turned around from his car to smile, eyebrows raised, "You're invited to my birthday party next weekend! Don't forget about that. I'll text you the details!"

He chuckled, "Well I'd hope I'd be invited. Just keep me updated and I'll be there, alright?" He winked at me and then opened his car door. "You sure you don't want a ride? I've got towels to put down on the seats."

I shook my head, "Nope. Jen wasn't lying. We stink bad. I'm just a couple minutes away." I gave him one more wave and then walked to my apartment. It was going to be a long day walking around on overtired legs but it had been worth it.

Chapter Sixty-Three

I arrived at the gig that night with a smile on my face. My band was mostly there. Bryan and James were tuning their instruments and, as usual, Rio was late. I sighed as I came up to the stage. Bryan's eyes seemed to linger a little too long on my exposed cleavage and the sex goddess inside me squeed.
 

"Where is Rio?" I asked.

Bryan's eyes met mine and he grinned his hot lopsided grin. It was the same lopsided grin that had won us this audition. The girl's dad owned the bar and shoved us to the top of the call list after he'd flashed her with it at her best friend's wedding a couple weekends ago.
 

"He had to drop his girl at her mom's house. He's on his way now."
 

I nodded and then pointed over my shoulder to the bar. "I'm going to get some water, you guys want anything?"

They both responded in unison, "Beer." They glanced at each other and grinned.
 

When I came back with the drinks, balancing them expertly in my hands, Rio had arrived and was busily setting up his drums.

"Look who made it!"
 

I teased Rio a lot. He was like my big brother. He was always, always fending off any guys who tried to drunkenly pick me up after an event. It wasn't too often but he had saved me a few times in the past five years we'd been together as a band.

He let out a gruff caveman grunt. "I'm here, dammit. It's not my fault Stacy's damn car got stuck on the damn freeway during damn rush hour."
 

I fought back a giggle and pointed at him, "Hey! Don't bad mouth my friend," I said. He grumbled something unintelligible as he warmed up his drumming arms.
 

"Our first bar gig. I'm so excited!" I squealed. The boys stared at me and I grinned proudly. I handed out the setlist and then tugged at the bottom of my dress. "Here goes nothing!" I turned around and announced us to the buzzing bar. Then we played.

The gig went off without a hitch, we were perfect, and the crowd seemed to love us. The proprietor even asked us to come back next month. And to celebrate I decided we should all pack up and go get shit-faced at a different bar.

Rio grumbled. "I can't, Elly. Gotta go chauffeur my girl in the morning. We'll have to raincheck it."

James nodded and shrugged. "I got work tomorrow."
 

Bryan was looking at his guitar and I frowned, he probably wasn't going to go without the other two. He avoided being alone with me at all costs. I think it was leftover from when he was dating Siobhan. She was super jealous and made sure he called her every half an hour and if he was alone with me in any capacity she had a bitch-fit. I was glad to see him get out of that chokehold of a relationship.
 

"I'll go with you, Elly." He looked up and smiled softly.

"Really?" I grinned and then hugged him. It felt...good. I felt my cheeks flaring up and I pulled away, his hand reluctantly let me go.
 

"Yeah. Rio, cool if you give James a lift?" Bryan asked.

Rio nodded and looked between Bryan and I. He narrowed his eyes at Bryan but didn't say anything. I rolled my eyes. Bryan wasn't going to put any moves on me. Big Brother Rio had nothing to worry about.

Bryan and I arrived at
Red
, a swanky bar downtown, just when the after-dinner crowd was dying down. He insisted we sit at a booth. I scooted in and looked around, noting the stares from the other customers, the ladies were in designer dresses and the men were in suits.
 

I glanced at Bryan. "I think they realize we aren't one of them."
 

He laughed, "Yeah, we may be the help now but things can change. Especially for you, Elly. I think you're going to go places. You're too good for us."
 

I blushed and rolled my eyes to play it off. "Please. I'm average at best." He clasped his hands together loosely on his side of the table and stared at me. I felt his eyes trying to bore into mine and I shifted nervously. "What?"

"I don't understand why you don't see what everyone else can."
 

I dropped his gaze and looked down at my low cut red sequin dress. "I see a flashy waitress with a decent voice." I shrugged and looked back, meeting his gaze. It caused my body to heat.

"And I see a beautiful but insecure woman. A woman who lights up the room when she walks into it. A woman who sings like an angel. A woman who..." He stopped and then ran his hands through his hair. When his head came back up he shook it, smiling. His friend facade was back on.

"A woman who what?" I scooted closer to him and leaned forward slightly. I didn't want to miss the other wonderful thing he was going to tell me. I
was
insecure and I wanted to soak it up. Put it in my "Elly is the Best" box in my mind which was already fuller than normal due to the awesome gig we'd just had.

He avoided my gaze for a few moments and then finally met it. "A woman who I very much want to kiss."
 

I felt my core melt and stayed still, afraid he'd bolt if I made any moves. "So do it..." I whispered. This was bad, dating a bandmate was bad. If the relationship went sour, and it almost always did, it would hurt the band dynamics. But he wanted to kiss me and God help me, I wanted to kiss him too. Not because I thought he was going to be the man I married but because I needed to feel wanted. Dave had only pretended to want me. And his philandering still stung, especially because it'd been Jen that he'd chosen.
 

I forced my mind back into the present though Bryan was achingly slow, as if expecting me to stop him. He leaned forward slightly, put his hand on my cheek and then after several long seconds of staring in my eyes he touched his warm lips to mine. It was a gentle kiss at first and then it turned to a searing hot brand. His hand moved to my hair and his grip tightened there. He pulled my head closer as I put my hand on his thigh. Our lips mashed together and then broke apart, the milliseconds when they were apart made the tension that much greater and forced us to touch lips again and again.

We made out in that booth for a solid ten minutes and then he pulled away. "Want to go back to my place?" he asked, sex in his blue eyes. I nodded, I wanted a rebound and I wanted it now. He smiled and then softly kissed my nose.
 

In the car after our roll in his bed I realized just how hysterical he was. It was refreshing being around someone who had no qualms about singing at the top of his lungs. Belting out a song when smiling is the funniest thing ever. He even did some mean air guitar, barely missing several parked vehicles in his passionate air solos. My sides were aching by the time he stopped in front of my rundown apartment building. He ducked to get a good look at the place and shook his head, "Good God, Elly. You need to hit the big time, you deserve better than this place."

I smiled and squeezed his knee. "I'm working on it." I leaned over to kiss him goodnight but he put his hands on my cheeks before our lips touched.
 

"Night, Elly."

"Night, Bryan." I whispered softly.
 

As I walked to the front door of my building my mind replayed all that had happened that night. I smiled to myself. I kicked Kent's ass this morning. I cleared $300 in tips at work. I had my first real gig in way too long. It had been a great day.
 

Chapter Sixty-Four

My birthday was next weekend and I still had to secure a place. I'd contacted
Bubbles
and they assured me that my guests would all be allowed VIP access for the evening. I told them the party drink had to be pink. And made sure there were peanut M&Ms, my favorite, on every table.
 

I multi-texted the guys and asked if they'd play the party and they agreed to rock the pants off all my friends. I sent out a massive evite and by the week's end I had 62 yes's and 35 maybe's.
 

My 30th birthday party was going to rock! I grabbed my phone and texted Kent. I hadn't heard from him since that day we went running together a couple of weeks ago.
 

Me: Hope you're going to be able to make it tonight. Miss you. -E

I stuffed my phone into my purse and headed out. The party was in full swing thanks to my late arrival. I slowly worked my way to the bar, greeting and thanking my friends as I moved through the crowded space. Bryan, Rio, and James were on the little stage in the corner doing an awesome job keeping everyone entertained. I was a little disappointed that I hadn't run into Kent yet but I figured he would probably show up towards the end. He didn't like parties or crowds. He usually only went when Jen or I made him go. Hers was one face I wasn't going to missing this year.
 

The boys took an intermission and the Pussycat Dolls '
Buttons
' played over the house speakers. A few ladies from the gym grabbed my hands and pulled me onto the dance floor so we could do the dance routine. It was slightly racey and fun. At the end of the song we were laughing and ready for a drink. I didn't have to go far because Bryan found me and handed me my special pink birthday drink. He leaned in close and spoke into my ear, "Happy Birthday."
 

I grinned as I took the drink and leaned back to get a look at him. He was wearing his sexy jeans and a black button down short sleeved shirt. He looked good enough to sink my teeth into. I leaned close so I could talk into his ear, "Thanks for keeping the crowd warm."

"Anything for you," Bryan said.

"How many Elly's have you had tonight?" I turned so he could talk into my ear.

"None. I only want one Elly and she's here now." He waggled his eyebrows and I chuckled. He was smooth, I had to give him that.
 

A co-worker pulled at my arm and I winked at Bryan before being whisked away. I sipped my drink as I worked the room some more.

Half an hour later I was standing by the bar when the boys took the stage again. There was a poofing sound as Bryan tapped on the mic. All eyes turned on him and slowly the crowd turned to a murmur. "Hey everybody! Thanks for coming out to celebrate the birth of our wonderful Elly..."
 

The crowd hooted and clapped. I blushed and rolled my eyes, my friends couldn't help but to praise me, especially on my big day.
 

"I um...I've had the pleasure of working with Elly for two years now and in those years I've seen her at her best, which as most of you probably know, is when she's on stage. There is an energy that flows from her when she's in her element. And I've seen her at her worst, like that time she puked all over my shoes
and
my guitar because she ate that terrible sushi at the Keller wedding." The crowd laughed and I covered my face with my hands in shame. "She's become a great friend and...well," the rest of the band was behind him and got ready to play, "This song is for her. Happy Birthday, Elly." He grabbed his guitar and strapped it on. He nodded to the drummer and the song started.