Chapter 2

“Hey, man. Nice pickin’ up there.” Hayden, the beach god, waved his nearly empty glass of beer at me.

“Thanks.” I never knew what to say when someone complimented me after a performance. While part of me was floating on the post-performance high, the rest of me was critiquing what I’d done and what I’d like to do over.

“Are you recorded?” Vic’s voice was low and soothing, the kind of sound that oddly created a center of calm in the middle of the barroom noise. I gladly stepped into the peace and took a deep breath.

I looked down, fleetingly taking in the scarred tabletop, and balanced momentarily on the pinpoint of serenity Vic had presented me.

“No, no recordings. I haven’t ever had the time or energy.” I shrugged. I owned and ran the historic hotel in downtown Stone Acres. When was there time to record?

“Where do you get the songs? Are they yours?” Vic was focused on me so much that the rest of the table dimmed.

“No. God, no. They’re all old tunes that have been knocking around forever, mostly by bluegrass and folk groups. I take it you don’t listen to this kind of sound?”

He smiled. “You’ve opened up a whole new door for me, and I can’t wait to explore what’s inside this new music room.”

His look caressed me enough that my dick perked, and suddenly I dared to believe my dream of finding a boyfriend and possibly a husband wasn’t as nebulous as I’d always thought. If someone this fine could look at my skinny ginger self and respond even half as much as he was, I was on the right path. I grinned at him and he at me.

Yeah, he was too hot for me with his high cheekbones and exotic hair, but I could practice on him and dream, right?

Stone cut off my wishful thinking by zooming in on our table with more glasses and another pitcher of beer. While Stone gave Jimmy a kiss, then asked if we needed anything else, I poured myself a glass and took a sip.

Around us, guys danced and drank and toasted the happy couple. The noise level had risen from active listening when I was playing to frontier barroom now that the music boomed from the old-fashioned jukebox. As the old song went, all my rowdy friends seemed to be here tonight.

While Jimmy poured, Vic leaned toward me. “Gotta ask. You related to Bandy’s Finest Hotel?”

I laughed at the aptness of the question.

“Yup, she’s my mistress and my heritage. She takes most of my time, all of my money, and gives little in return.” My retort could have been a country-western song.

Vic laughed at my answer, his eyes sliding to Hayden, then quickly away. “Yeah, Hayden and I know about living in the footsteps of family obligations.” Before I could ask for an explanation, he added, “I heard you’ve got a collection of historic photos and journals at the hotel.” He looked intent and very interested.

“Yeah, photos, journals, letters, you name it. Enough to fill the walls and the reading room shelves. Some of it is in boxes on the third floor.” I shrugged, watching his eyes narrow. His small smile spread into a full-fledged shit-eating grin, and I was hooked. My body was ready for a fling.

“Can you give me a tour?” Vic asked.

“You kidding?” Fredi broke in. “Zeke’s always trying to get people to come down to the hotel and listen to him drone on about the stuff he’s got there.”

I was used to the teasing, so I didn’t rise to the bait.

Hayden gave a light laugh. “Well, then, they’ve got something in common. My brother Vic may be a financial wizard, but his heart is buried in history.”

My eyes swung back to Vic’s. He nodded and his eyes gleamed. He raised his glass to me. “I wouldn’t say buried exactly, but yeah, history’s my passion. Well, that and musicians.”

Now I was the one being enticed. I wanted to say, “Hey, take me. I’m easy.” But I knew that wasn’t done, even at Stonewall.

Hayden’s laugh cut through the noise of the crowd. “I’m thinking you two should be real good friends, bro.”

“Sure, I’d love to give you a tour. No problem. Stop by and a personal tour is all yours.” I winked at Vic. Then I blinked in surprise. Shit. I don’t think I’d winked at another person in my life.

Hayden chuckled. “Considering we’re staying at your hotel until after the wedding, you’ll probably have trouble getting rid of us.”

“Oh? Are you guys hanging around Stone Acres after the wedding?” Someone had put a couple bowls of peanuts on the table and I grabbed a handful. The after-performance munchies had set in

“Yeah, I’m opening a branch office of a national brokerage firm here in Stone Acres. Right now Hayden’s just sightseeing.” Vic’s smile dazzled me. Hot damn. He was making all the right moves to go home with me tonight.