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“This is going to be epic,” Max says, her usual I’m bored with everything and everyone resting bitch face morphed into as close to glee as Max will ever get.

“Hey, hey, hey!” I say to the crowd, not having to force excitement into my voice for once. “Time to prime the pump for the midnight drag show! You aren’t going to want to miss this singer, who I have a feeling is about to blow our minds. I know I wouldn’t want to break her heart. I feel sorry for the poor soul who has. She’s about to sing the greatest break-up song ever written. If you don’t know what song I’m talking about, you oughta know!”

Audrey steps forward into the spotlight, holding the microphone. Shae looks away from Betty Bimbo and her face goes white. One of her friends mouths, “Holy shit,” and starts laughing. Audrey sports the biggest you’re goddamned right it’s me, bitch grin I’ve ever seen. My stomach is somersaulting with excitement. I’m halfway in love with this woman already. The familiar song starts and the entire bar erupts in a cheer.

Audrey’s voice is low, sultry, and sexy as she sings the first two lines. She inhales for the next verse and her voice changes from sexy to gravelly and angry and goddamn if she isn’t the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen in my life.

“Shit.” Max laughs.

Shae’s new girlfriend bristles. Shae with an E looks as turned on as I am, until Audrey changes the words to the song so there is no doubt who she’s singing about. The crowd loves it; amid the cheers and claps I hear some Yas girl! and Tell her, sister and Preach!

Audrey is feeling it now. She isn’t looking at her ex anymore, but is doing one of the best nineties rocker chick impressions I’ve ever seen. Eyes closed, bent over rocking to the beat of the music, long hair whipping around her, obscuring her face. I glance at Shae and want to mess up her hair. I’ve always thought she was a douche and the expression on her face proves it.

“You sing it, baby!” a drag queen calls out. Cheers, hoots, whistles, and more words of encouragement are thrown toward the stage.

Audrey grins and straightens, her voice shifting down to a sultry level. The bar has quieted in anticipation, knowing that in a few seconds the sexy rocker chick is going to be unleashed again. If every pair of panties in this bar aren’t soaking, I’m not a lesbian.

“If you don’t fuck her tonight, I’m going to,” Max says.

“Don’t be crude, Max.”

At the bridge, Audrey turns around, eyes closed, and sways to the music. She is absolutely lost in it, and the expression of joy on her face is something to behold. When the music starts to change, she opens her eyes and they meet mine. She winks at me, turns around, and brings the song home.

When she finishes, the bar is silent for a couple of beats, before every person in the place, save Shae and the new girlfriend, goes crazy. Audrey lifts her arms and takes in the adulation, a smile on her face, her eyes shining. She’s free. Her gaze lands on her ex, who’s moving toward the stage. Audrey puts the mic up to her mouth.

“Stop right there. You’ve had your way, now I’ve had my say. Fuck you.” She holds the mic out and drops it, turns on her heel, and exits through the back door next to the stage.

The bar erupts into the biggest cacophony of cheers I’ve ever heard at Dewey’s, with plenty of jeers for Shae with an E thrown in. A quick glance at the crowd and I grin. The new girlfriend is gone.

I see Audrey’s jacket on the stool and grab it. I turn to Max. “I’m going to try to catch her. Whatever you do, don’t let Shae follow her outside,” I tell Max.

“Are you coming back?”

“Hopefully not,” I say, grinning. “You good?”

“Sure, no problem,” Max says. “I’ll just DJ on top of everything else I have to do tonight.”

“Thanks, Max. I owe you one.”

“I’ll add it to the list.”

I rush out into the chill November night. Hell, I would have followed her even if she hadn’t left the coat. I spot her walking around the corner of the bar toward the street, her arms wrapped around herself against the cold. I call out and she stops by a black Mercedes.

When I reach her, I’m breathless. “You forgot this.”

She takes it from me and steps back. “Thank you.” Her voice is small, and she sniffs at the end. All of her bravado from moments ago is gone. I step closer. The need to comfort her is overwhelming, and I’m not the comforting type. At least I never have been. It stops me in my tracks.

“Are you OK?”

“Am I OK? Good question.” She puts on the jacket and sniffs again.

“You were amazing in there.”

She looks away. “I just made a complete fool of myself, but thank you.”

“What?” I step closer. “Every woman in that bar fell in love with you tonight. If you really want to make Shae with an E jealous, you should go back in there and let them fight over who takes you home.”

She narrows her eyes, and scoffs. “That’s not why I did it.”