Carly snorts. “Good thing you moved to Nashville, then.”
“Not everyone here is a musician.”
“Damn near everyone.”
“Well, I’ll just have to find someone tone-deaf.”
“Best of luck with that.” She shakes her head, eyes still locked on the stage. “They play here at least twice a month. Their lead singer, Lacey, is talented, but she’s a total flake. She used to work here, actually, but she’s pursuing a singing career now. Or… shewas. Half the time she doesn’t show up, so Ryder takes over.”
“I’m surprised they keep giving her gigs. Isaac mentioned there’s quite the waitlist to perform here.”
Carly laughs. “Yeah, well, I suppose Lacey has worked out some kind ofspecial arrangementwith Wade, because he keeps booking her.”
My brows go up in question, but she doesn’t elaborate further. She’s too busy watching the stage — or, the man on it. “You have to admit, he’s pretty damn sexy.”
I shrug.
“Seriously?” Her nose crinkles. “Look at him!”
“Sorry. Musicians just… don’t do it for me.”
“Why?” Her gaze turns curious. “Bad breakup?”
My eyes rove over Ryder, who’s hyping up the crowd with an expression of pure exhilaration on his face. I shake myself so I’ll stop looking and turn my back to the stage.
“Anyone who needs that much validation isn’t ever going to be satisfied in a relationship,” I say, staring down at my drink tray. “Musicians and monogamy don’t mix well. And I’ve never seen the point in diving into something doomed to fail.”
“Do my ears deceive me, or did we finally hire an employee with taste?” Adam walks up and joins our conversation, his eyes scanning me with new appreciation. “Most girls are falling over themselves for a chance to get close to any poser who can strum a guitar and sing a few half-decent cover songs.”
I give him a wan smile, curbing the impulse to roll my eyes. Despite his big talk, it’s clear from the way he’s glaring enviously at the stage that Adam would love to be up there with them, the subject of several dozen female sexual fantasies.
Carly snorts indelicately. “Jeeze, Adam. Jealous much?”
“Jealous? Trypissed off.” He grits his teeth. “This is un-fucking-believable. Third time Lacey has pulled this no-show shit.”
Carly tucks a short strand of platinum blonde hair behind her ear. “Talk to Wade. He’s the one who keeps giving her time slots.”
“Wade is too busy thinking with his dick to actually do his job.” Adam’s scowl intensifies as Ryder launches into a popular Sam Hunt song. “For fuck’s sake, this is The Nightingale, not a karaoke bar.”
“Lacey has never been the most reliable. Isn’t that why you fired her?”
“She was a shit waitress, but she can sing.” His tone is begrudging. “Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem to have much interest in actuallysingingthese days, seeing as she keeps leaving us high and dry with a lead guitarist who can hardly string a melody together…”
“I don’t think the girls in the audience are complaining,” Carly says wryly, looking around at the nearly rabid crowd. Every woman in the bar has her eyes fixed on Ryder like he’s a piece of Grade A beef as he belts out the verses.
Adam makes a sound of disgust. “Yeah, well do me a favor. Tell the boy-toy to swing by my office after their set. We need to have a discussion about their future here. If Wade isn’t going to handle this Lacey situation, I’ll do it my damn self.”
“Will do, boss.” Carly salutes him mockingly as he walks away. Her voice drops to an amused murmur once he’s out of earshot. “God, that stick is shovedextrafar up his ass today, isn’t it?”
I snort. “I don’t have any other days to compare it to — it’s my first shift.”
“Oh! Right, sorry. Feel like I’ve known you forever.”
“Can I ask you about something?”
“I’m an open book.”
“Isaac is the owner… but it seems like Adam is the one who makes all the decisions…”