Twisted Perfection (Perfection #1)(24)

Tripp? He’d had that kind of ultimatum too? But he’d left. He’d run. He hadn’t sacrificed his happiness. He was living. There was no cage holding him in. Cages were suffocating. I hated the idea of Woods living in one.

“I’m just passing through. While I’m here I think we can be friends. I like him. I want to get to know him. When I have his memory to pull out one day and think about I don’t want it to be just the sex. I want to know the man. Is that wrong?”

Bethy picked up my lemon drop and handed it to me. “No. It’s not. Now, drink up. I need someone to get the karaoke going and- tag you’re it.”

I shook my head. “Oh, no. Not me.”

Bethy nodded. “Yes, you. I’ve heard about your amazing vocal skills. It’s time I heard them. Come on, do it for me. Please.”

I took the shot glass and quickly downed the tangy drink.

Woods

Grant took Della’s seat when she walked away.

“I take it that means you two made amends,” Grant said as he put his beer down on the table.

“We’re friends,” I replied. Not real sure how that was going to work but I was going to make sure it did.

“Friends,” Grant replied and nodded his head as if he agreed. The look on his face though was amused though. “Good luck with that.”

His comment pissed me off, but he was right. I needed all the luck I could get. Keeping a straight head around her was going to be hard.

“Thanks.”

Grant chuckled. “Looks like you think that’s as impossible as I do.”

I started to respond when Bethy walked up on the stage. “It’s time for some karaoke. Now that you’ve all had some free liquor you can sing for your drinks. Don’t worry I won’t make you come up here, yet. You have an entire song to drink enough until coming up here sounds like a good idea. Della has agreed to sing first because she doesn’t have to be drunk to sound badass.”

I shifted my eyes to Della who was looking up at Bethy like she wanted to crawl under a table. I wanted to go save her from this but I sure as hell wasn’t about to go sing. I’d never live it down.

“I got this,” Grant said and jumped up. I watched him saunter over to Della and say something that made her beam up at him. Stupid f**ker. What was he doing?

Della slid her hand into his and they walked up to the stage together. He was gonna sing with her. He hadn’t sung in front of a crowd since high school.

Della looked relieved not to be up there alone.

The lyrics to “Picture” by Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock came up on the screen. He was going with a Kid song. Not surprising; he always liked singing Kid Rock songs.

The familiar sound began pouring through the speakers. Grant’s voice joined it and I let myself watch Della. She was impressed with his singing. Most people were. Until they heard Rush Finlay sing. Rush and Grant were step-brothers once for a few short years. But it had been enough to bond them. I never understood why Rush didn’t sing anymore because it had drawn the girls for miles when he was younger. Maybe it was the fact he didn’t want to be his father. He didn’t want to be compared to him. Rush’s father was the famous drummer from Slack Demon.

Grant hadn’t minded using his vocal skills to attract the girls though.

Della began her part of the song and the room went quiet. She was amazing. I’d been completely floored when she’d opened her mouth to sing at the Delamar Ball. This was one of the things I wanted to know more about. She had to have been singing for a long time.

“I’m just throwing this out there. I’m making a move on her. Your ass is engaged. So, you can get all pissed and shit but I’m still making a move. She’s hot and completely worth the ass kicking.” Thad informed me. I glared at him as he sat down across from me and shrugged before looking back up at the stage.

She was too smart to get mixed up with Thad. He wasn’t her type.

“If she doesn’t end up in Grant’s bed tonight. He’s looking like he’s ready to move in on her.”

I watched Grant as they finished the song and he pulled her into a hug. My hands clenched tightly into fists. What was he doing?

“Bud, you look like you need reminding you got your stupid ass engaged,” Thad said standing back up.

Della’s hands were resting on Grant’s arms just a little too comfortably and long. Della’s gaze left Grant’s face and her eyes found me. Immediately her hands fell away and she stepped away from Grant after flashing him one more smile. Then she turned and left the stage.

I watched her as she made her way through the crowd. She was headed for the back hallway that led to the restrooms. I didn’t think about it too hard. I just went with it. Standing up, I followed her.

She had already disappeared into the restroom when I got back there so I waited. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. We’d just agreed to become friends so pushing her back into that small one stall bathroom and taking her up against the wall again wasn’t a good idea. I was positive she wouldn’t be so willing anymore. Which burned like acid down my throat. I’d had her. I could have had more.

Staring at the door, I decided this was a bad move. Another mistake. I shouldn’t be back here. I wanted to get to know Della and this wasn’t the way to do it. She’d push me away if I even attempted anything.