Page 106 of Hollywood
“Shit, I’m sorry. Did you want to do that together? I just wanted to get this date right for you.”
My heart swelled. Tex had taken me to a gay club. Here, we were in a safe, queer space with no one the wiser. It was a good step forward, but it wasn’t exactly jumping out of the closet. But telling our closest friends? That was a big deal. That made it real.
“Are you kidding, Tex? That’s so fucking sweet. That means so much to me.” I squeezed his hand so tightly it probably hurt. “The date is perfect.”
He grinned. “You haven’t even seen it yet.”
I held his gaze. “I’ve seen enough.”
We stood, gazing at each other like goofs, until the dooropened and we had to break apart to let the sheriff and his boyfriend squeeze out between us.
“Excuse us,” Sheriff Harvey said, tipping his hat. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
His boyfriend, a guy with a tumble of dirty blond hair who looked like a hellion, grinned. “I’m not sorry. Go ahead and kiss. Don’t mind us.”
The sheriff shoved him forward. “Ignore Axel. He just likes to rile people up.” He wrapped a handful of hair around his fingers and tugged it as they walked away. “C’mon, trouble. I’ll handcuff you if you don’t quit it.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
I laughed as I turned back to Tex. “Never a dull moment, huh?”
“Guess not.” He grinned as he opened the door and waved me inside. “Okay, let’s break the seal on this date.”
I stepped into the dim lighting of the nightclub and let my eyes adjust. Someone was on the stage, but it wasn’t a drag queen. A big guy in a hoodie was holding the microphone like he was the next star onThe Voice, belting out the lyrics to “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. He wasn’t terrible. Wasn’t terribly good, either.
We headed for an empty table and took our seats. I glanced toward the stage uncertainly. “Karaoke, huh?”
Tex shrugged a shoulder, looking a little bashful. “You love to sing, and I love it when you do. It’s something I appreciate about you.”
“Really? My ex kind of hated it.”
“Carrie’s got no taste, then.”
“Not Carrie. I didn’t sing much back then. Too consumed with work and stress, I guess. Uh…this was Derek. We met right after I got to Riverton. He always said it gave him a headache.”
Tex’s eyes hardened. “What an asshole.”
I laughed a little. “Yeah, I guess he was.” I shrugged. “It wasn’t a love connection.”
Tex picked up the drink menu. “Good.”
“Good?”
He leaned in, eyes fixed on mine. “Well, if Derek had any brains, he’d have snapped you up, but then I wouldn’t get to be here with you right now. So good, I’m glad he was an idiot.”
I smiled. “I had such bad luck I almost gave up on men. But you’re a hard man to give up on, Tex.”
His brow furrowed. “I’m so damn sorry for pushing you away. I had my head up my ass for too long. But I’m here now, and I’m all in, Hendrix.”
Whenever Tex used my real name, I knew he was serious. I’d had so many doubts about his intentions once Ruby didn’t need him anymore. But he was erasing them, one by one.
The server arrived, a perky Asian guy named Cam. He was adorable, with floppy hair highlighted with red tones, skimpy shorts and a tight low-cut tank that showed off defined pecs.
It might be karaoke night, but Glitter Balls was still very much a gay club. The crowd was a mix, though, of queer and straight couples. There was a rowdy table of women all wearing penis hats, so I was guessing a bachelorette party had stopped in.
“Hey, guys,” Cam said. “What can I get you tonight? And please,gawd, tell me one of you is a better singer than the bride up on stage.”
The song had changed to “Sweet Caroline”—always a crowd-pleaser—but the blonde belting it out was seriously drunk and about as off-key as Ruby had been in our kitchen.
