Page 16 of Resonance

I put my hand up. “Nuh-uh, no way. Don’t even say it. Better people than you have tried and failed. I don’t double-date well. I don’t date in general well.”

“What about speed dating? Bet you could boss the shit out of that, motormouth.” He winked at me with affection and started unearthing burritos from the bag.

“I’ve actually done one of those, right after I moved here, and it was awful. I’d rather pick someone up in the bar. Speed dating is just an attempt to give legitimacy to a bar hookup. Like, don’t church that shit up. Just be honest about what it is.” I paused a beat, tapping my index finger against my lip. “Though the one time I went, there was a guy who just flat out asked if I was into fisting.”

“Guess he knew what he was looking for.”

“I wonder if he found it. ’Cuz it wasn’t with me.”

“Pretty sure if someone tried to put their fist inside you, you’d be shredded.”

“Don’t underestimate the amazing flexibility of the body, Ru.”

He fixed me with a horrified stare. “Don’t do that shit. You’re like my little brother, and now I’m all squicked out.”

I made a fist with my right hand, flexing and contracting my fingers until he shoved me with a laugh.

“Where’s the fearless leader?” Ru dug out a mound of napkins as I leaned heavily on the counter and extended my hand, waiting for him to fill it with my lunch.

“In his office, being all hot and broody.”

Ru’s smile grew as he glanced behind me.

“Temperature in here feels fine to me. Maybe you need to step outside and cool off? Suggest avoiding the dumpsters, though.” Dan’s gruff voice cut through the music, and I shot a look over my shoulder, heat rising to my cheeks, probably evident to him where he stood leaning in the doorway for a second before shouldering off it and strolling toward us.

He eyed the burritos on the counter while the flush in my cheeks decided to invade the rest of my body for good measure. Damn my sensitive capillaries. “You get me a vegetarian?”

“Sure did.” Ru dug through the stack of burritos, snickering to himself as he inspected them and then tossed Dan one.

Dan eyed the wrapper cautiously before peeling it back, taking a bite and then, after swallowing and wiping his lips, saying, “I need to go over to Arkansas next weekend, help someone value a collection.” Dan was asked to do that on a fairly regular basis. Usually he went alone, but sometimes he took Ru.

“Whose estate?” Ru glanced up from his burrito with interest.

“Ryder Preston.”

Ru ticked a look my way at the same time I shot one over at him, and my embarrassment was immediately forgotten. Our eyes met for the briefest flicker of an instant and then descended on Dan as he tore another bite from his burrito nonchalantly and glanced out into the parking lot where a car had just pulled in.

Dan didn’t talk about Ryder.

Like, ever.

Once upon a time, they’d been a powerhouse bluegrass-country duo. Dan had walked away at the height of their career, and no one really knew why, though rumors were abundant. It was the one topic we never ever touched. Ru told me he’d asked one time years ago and had gotten soundly shut down.

Studying Dan now, though, he seemed only mildly irritated. His gaze drifted back to Ru as Ru muttered, “Damn, I really wish I could, but I booked another showcase that weekend. Maybe I can get out of it, but…”

Dan shrugged. “Nah. Not a deal. I can go myself.”

I was a little stung because, well, I wasrightthere.

Ru glanced at me and before I could shake my head vehemently at him, said, “Take O. He knows Ryder’s entire catalogue. And yours.”

That stupid flush held a lively revival over my cheeks. My obsession with their music was partially what had led me to Dan’s Gatlinburg shop in the first place. I’d originally visited after miserably flubbing an interview at a restaurant and aiming to soothe myself with some classics. Instead I’d begged for a job.

“That so?” His scrupulous stare made my cheeks flame hotter.

“Yeah,” I admitted. “And a lot of others. That’s one of my favorite decades for music, especially country. The sound was…” I tried to collect my thoughts so they wouldn’t come out in a dribbling mess. “Nice.”Nice? That was too much reeling in. Now I just sounded like an imbecile.

“He’s supposedly got quite a music collection, too.” Dan squinted at me. “You get carsick?”