Most of my ex-girlfriends—if you can even call them that since I don’t think I’ve ever been in a truly committed relationship in my life—are still good friends of mine. Something tells me it wouldn’t be that way with Jo. She’s not exactly the type of woman who goes out every weekend and fools around with a lot of different guys.
If we start something up, it could get complicated. Am I ready for complicated?
But as I walk toward her, I really don’t care. I just want to jump in head-first and enjoy the ride.
“You’re a natural on stage,” she says when I hop over the counter and join her behind the bar.
“Yes, I do believe I am,” I say. “I think now would be the perfect time to ask for a raise.”
“Don’t press your luck,” she says. She pulls a few beers from the cooler and passes them to a group of college guys.
“What if I told you I might have a band coming in next month that currently has a song on the Top 100 Country Music Charts?” I say.
“I’d say you need to lay off the booze while you’re working.”
My lips curl into a smile, and I wait, arms crossed casually.
She serves a few more people and then turns back to me. She shakes her head. “Wait a second. You’re not serious, right?”
“Serious as a heart attack.”
She eyes me. “Who? And how?”
I shrug. “I mean, if you don’t have faith in me, maybe I ought to tell them not to come,” I say, walking away.
She grabs my arm and spins me around. “Colton Tucker, you tell me right this second. Who?”
Oh, man, I love teasing her. Her cheeks get rosy and her brown eyes sparkle as if there are fireworks going off somewhere inside.
“Long Road Ahead,” I say. “But if you aren’t interested—”
She screams and throws her arms around my neck. “Are you serious right now? I mean, Long Road Ahead here at our little hole in the wall bar?”
A group of people standing at the bar applaud, and I realize they’re staring at us, not the band. I throw my hands up, pretending to be exasperated, and roll my eyes.
“Women, right?” I say.
The group laughs, and Jo pulls away and smacks my shoulder.
“Stop playing around.” But she’s laughing, and it’s music to my ears. “Long Road Ahead?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say. “Nothing’s set in stone yet, but I’ll know for sure in a couple weeks. Now, can we talk about that raise?”
Her smile is so wide, it reaches into my soul and lights me up.
“I’ll seriously think about it,” she says. Someone down at the end calls her name, and we’re starting to get a backlog of drink requests. “We need to get to work, but we’ll talk about this after, okay? Not the raise part, but the band part.”
“Or both, you know, if you’re feeling frisky.” I watch her turn and walk to the other side of the bar, a spring in her step that wasn’t there before.
Her hair is up in braids again tonight, and I find myself obsessed with the idea of taking it down and sinking my hands into it.
“Can we get some drinks over here? Or are you too busy checking out your co-worker?” My friend Mike is standing near the counter shouting so loud, I’ll be shocked if Jo didn’t hear him.
“Is that any way to treat the guy you’re hoping to get drinks from?” I say, laughing. “What can I get for you?”
“Tequila shots, all around,” he says.
His girlfriend Jenny gives me a little wave, but she’s singing along with the band.
“Just the two of you?”
“No, we’re over there with Grant and Avery,” he says, pointing to our other set of friends standing a little closer to the stage. “You should come out with us tonight when you knock off work. We’re going down to the beach to build a bonfire.”
“I’ll think about it,” I say, pouring out four shots of Tequila.
He throws a twenty on the bar and gathers up the glasses. “See you out there if you can make it,” he says. “You know the spot.”
I raise my chin. “Yep.”
I glance down at Jo, and wonder if she’d come with me. There’s probably no chance in hell, but that isn’t going to stop me from asking her.
“Rum and coke.”
I turn to the next guy in line, and stop short. “Hey, I