"That's awesome, but don't you guys want to be alone?" Rachel didn't really want to be the third wheel.
"Nope! We love karaoke. So we're going to a bar that's pretty close to you. It's like a Hawaiian vacation spot right here in Seattle! They have karaoke every day, plus awesome food and drinks. There will be a few other couples going as well. You should come along! I swear it's so much fun!"
Rachel's excitement was contagious. Grace laughed at her new friend. She'd never done anything like karaoke before, but she was a good singer in school. A night out with some new people who had no expectations of her actually sounded like a great idea to Grace.
"That sounds great. It'll be my first time, so take it easy on me," Grace said.
"What? A virgin? They're the best! We'll have a few drinks, do a duet or two, and then you'll be ready to rock on your own," Rachel giggled.
"Alright, I'm in." Grace was getting excited now.
"We'll pick you up at nine tonight." They hung up and Grace finally moved from her garden sanctuary. Now she had a reason to go out. Grace was going to find a dress that made her feel like a rock star.
****
Grace set down her drink and applauded with the rest of the crowd when Tony and Rachel left the stage after singing Leather and Lace. She feared being bored or horrified watching people sing along to well-known songs, but she was having a great time. The Polynesian themed bar had an extremely relaxed atmosphere. The food was delicious and the drinks tasty. Rachel was drinking something blue out of a fish bowl. Grace had started with a Mai Tai. Several drinks later and Rachel and Tony were called to perform on stage. The crowd was really into the singing and dancing and even if the singers were really bad, as long as they involved the audience and looked like they were having fun, the audience ate it up.
Someone tapped Grace on the shoulder and she turned to find Will, one of the guys in their group holding out his hand to her. "Would you like to dance?" he asked with a sensual smile. They'd been chatting and getting to know each other. He was flirty without being over the top. Grace was thoroughly enjoying his company. Will was a sexy, confident man with a great sense of humor. He was a chef and a friend of Tony's. She'd learned that he owned a small chain of successful fine dining establishments in cities along the west coast.
Grace took Will's hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. The song playing had a good beat and Will had moves. She was laughing as he spun her around and Grace hoped she wasn't flashing her thong to the room. On her shopping excursion earlier in the day she'd found a flirty cream colored baby doll dress with a wide turquoise ribbon under the breasts. It was cute, but a bit shorter than she liked on her long legs.
The song changed to a slower tune and Will pulled Grace close to his chest, wrapping an arm around her waist and smiling down at her. The crowd on the floor thinned out a bit as a very talented young lady began to sing Unforgettable.
"How long will you be in town, Grace?" Will brushed his check against hers. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before she answered. His hold on her body was a little too familiar for a man she just met, but Grace didn't protest. She knew if her head wasn't such a mess she'd be enjoying his attention more.
"I haven't decided. I have two weeks before I need to be back in New York, but I've done what I came here to do. I might go home and visit my family while I have the time, maybe even hit the beach for a week," she replied.
"So you've made a decision regarding Artifex?" he asked looking into her eyes. Grace raised an eyebrow. He smiled, "Tony told me Rachel is hoping you'll be her new partner in the business."
"No, I haven't made a decision yet, but I've learned enough to know Artifex is a solid company worth taking a risk on. That didn't take long to figure out. Rachel and Jack have a bright future ahead of them. All they need is a little more structure in their investment portfolio and someone to competently run the finance department. I'm just not sure if that person should be me, and if not, I have a friend in mind for them to consider for the job. I just need to work out some personal issues before I make a final decision."
That's when she saw Jack. He was standing on the edge of the dance floor staring daggers through the back of Will's head. Grace was instantly transported back in time. Jack was stunning in his casual black slacks and grey shirt open at the throat. Jack's body had matured into a broader, more substantial frame with age and the muscle he'd put on made him even more alluring. His blond hair was styled in a less orderly fashion that was reminiscent of their youth. They made eye contact and Jack's nose flared like a bull about to charge. His changeable hazel eyes were as dark as storm clouds when their eyes met and held.
Unaware of Jack's presence, Will leaned in to nuzzle her cheek and said against her ear, "I'd love to get to know you better, Grace. Give me a chance to help convince you to relocate to Seattle."
Seeing the brush of Will's lips on Grace's face, Jack stepped onto the floor just as the song ended and Grace stepped out of Will's arms. Seeing the storm brewing, Tony grabbed Jack's arm and said something Grace couldn't hear in an attempt to stop his wife's partner from pummeling his friend. Rachel rushed on to the floor and hooked her arm with Grace's and dragged her toward the stage.
"It's our turn to sing." Rachel peeked over her shoulder. "Holy shit! I've never seen Jack react to anything that way," Rachel said as she handed Grace a microphone. The song they were going to sing wasn't a duet but they were singing together since it was Grace's first time. She looked across the crowd and saw Tony talking to a stony-faced Jack. Will was on the other side of the table looking unimpressed by Jack's temper.
"Did you know he was coming?" she asked Rachel.
"Hell no! He was being an ass and avoiding you. So I didn't tell him we were going out. Apparently he went to the hotel to look for you and decided to check my place when you weren't there. My mother-in-law told him where to find us." She looked angry as she looked over to where all three of the men had finally settled to watch the girls perform.
Rachel patted Grace's shoulder. "Don't let that little bump ruin your evening, honey. You're a single woman on vacation. If he doesn't want you dancing with other men he needs to claim you. If not, fuck him. You don't need this macho shit from a man who won't step up to the plate." The announcer introduced Rachel and Grace. "Now let's have some fun."
Rachel tugged on her arm and they stepped into the spotlight. The music started and the crowd hooted and applauded wildly. This was a song everyone would get into. That was why they'd chosen it. Grace was a little nervous about standing there with a bar full of people staring at her but she was going to give it her all. Rachel was right. She was there to have fun and that's what she was going to do. Jack had ruined enough of her evening to last a lifetime.
Rachel took the first verse of the song and as expected the crowd sang along, "Blame it all on my roots. I showed up in boots. And ruined your black-tie affair." Suddenly very nervous Grace took the next verse and she was grateful for the several drinks she'd already consumed. "I was the last one to know. The last one to show. I was the last one you thought you'd see there." By the time they made it to the chorus of Friends In Low Places the entire bar was singing along.
Back at the table, Grace took the seat next to Will and did her best to ignore Jack's burning gaze. The crowd cheered as a duo on stage began to sing, Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy. How dare he sit there like he had a reason to feel possessive! It was just like when they were in school. He didn't want to be monogamous but he didn't like seeing her with other guys. Grace was sure Luke's even temper was the only reason he and Jack hadn't come to blows on several occasions. She would not tolerate his behavior after being ignored all week. The head games were over for Grace.
Jack rose from his seat and came around the table. Will turned in his chair to cock a challenging eyebrow at Jack. Grace turned her attention to Rachel instead of acknowledging Jack. Maybe he would just leave if she pretended he wasn't there.
"Rachel, could you give me a ride to the airport when I head back to New York?" Grace picked up her glass and downed its contents.
Rachel glared over her head at Jack. "Of course, I can get you to the airport. If I'm tied up at work, Tony will take you to the airport, won't you, babe?" Rachel didn't wait for Tony to answer before she continued, "Have you made a decision then? I thought you'd be here for at least two weeks, if not more." Rachel looked torn between crying and ripping Jack's head off.