I glanced up at the TV over my usual bartender’s head that was mocking me with the highlight reel on Sports Center.
“Can you just turn that damn thing off?” I scoffed with a forced sigh while my hands flew in the air.
Jackie popped out her hip, pointing a finger at me. “You made your bed, Hayes. Now just lie in it. It’s better you deal with it now than beat yourself up for the next week like you usually do.”
She was an Otters fan through and through and I loved her for all of the shit she gave me. Even though it stung, she was right and I needed to take my licks.
“Tonight we have a very special surprise for you. Please welcome Etta James to the stage.” Turning around, I saw the bar manager holster the mic and start clapping.
“Etta James?” I squinted over at Jackie.
She shrugged. “She’s new and yes, that is her real name.”
“Her parents had high hopes for her,” I remarked, cutting into my burger to make sure it was cooked to the perfect medium rare.
“You’re one to talk, Gret,” Jackie remarked over her shoulder as she ambled down the bar to help another patron.
Chapter 2
Etta
Right as I started singing the last song of my set my eyes locked with the most handsome, smiling face I could ever hope to see at a table right in front of the stage.
Lee Lybrink could make my knees go weak with one smirk, even after all of this time. I couldn’t believe that we had been together for five years already. Seeing him sitting there, I felt butterflies crashing in the pit of my stomach as I sangA Sunday Kind Of Loveright to him.
“Thank you.” I waved to the applauding bar flies. “I’ll be back after a quick break.”
Holding my long evening dress in one hand with my knock-off designer purse slung over my shoulder, I gripped the rail of the stairs as tightly as I could. Falling down those steps was easy to do in the heels I had on and doing a swan dive in front of a crowded bar was extremely low on my priority list.
Been there. Done that.
“To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?” I asked as I leaned down to kiss Lee’s freshly shaved cheek.
“Can’t a guy leave work early to see his girl perform?” He held out his hand. “Sit, I have some news.”
“Oh really?” I took the seat across from him before ordering a glass of brandy neat.
Lee looked downright lickable in his overpriced suit. The long nights at his law firm didn’t damper the twinkle in his eye or his radiating smile.
“I was offered a new position today with the firm,” he explained.
I sat up straighter as excitement started to take over. “That’s amazing, babe. Congratulations.”
We raised our glasses to cheers his new-found success.
“Thanks…” Lee trailed off as he smoothed out the lapels. His face twisted a bit as he swallowed hard. “It’s in San Francisco, though.” He started to thumb at the napkin under his seven and seven—he always got fidgety when he was nervous.
“When do you have to leave?” My heart started sinking. We had already moved to New York from Denver for his job. I had just started to get used to the bustling city after months of hating it. Now we were being whisked away again.
“I’m leaving on the red eye in a few hours.” His eyes locked on the table.
“I can pack up the apartment this weekend and meet you out there next week.” My mind started racing with all of the gigs I was going to have to cancel and arrangements that had to be made.
Lee is worth it.I reminded myself again and again. I loved him unconditionally and I knew from the start of our relationship that I was going to have to make sacrifices for his career. But how many more of them was I going to have to make? I had already dropped out of the University of Colorado, had taken joke gigs over the years, put my dreams of making it big as a singer on hold—indefinitely.
“Etta, that’s not it. You’re not coming with me,” he muttered before chugging down the rest of his cocktail.
“Excuse me? What in the hell does that mean?” There was no way in fucking hell that he was doing this to me.