Page 98 of Touchdown, Tennessee

“I can’t sing for shit,” Luke said, shrugging. “I would have happily done bad backup vocals for you, but I’m thinking this is more of a couples’ duet type deal.”

Fuck.

I wished I could melt right through my chair into the floor right now.

I couldn’t bear to look over at Gray’s face.

My own cheeks were burning hot in an instant.

“We aren’t acouple, bro,” I muttered to Luke, reaching for my drink and tossing back the rest of it.

“He just dragged me here so that he could force me into a suit,” Gray said.

Thank God.

I was glad he was defusing the situation with humor because I’d been so caught off guard that I could barely use the English language at the moment.

“I’m going to go take a piss,” Gray said. I felt his hand come down on my forearm as he gave it a little squeeze. “Andrew, you work on convincing Luke to be your singing partner instead of me, okay?”

“Got it,” I said, and in my peripheral vision I saw him heading off for the bathroom.

“Fuck you, Luke,” I said once Gray was out of earshot. “I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t even come back.”

“You’re like a fuckin’ schoolkid on the playground, Peachel,” Luke said, waving me off.

“I told you I was taking Gray on this date as a friend,” I said.

Even I barely believed my own words, though.

“Friend who you look at with little hearts in your eyes.”

“Doesn’t matter how I look at him. He certainly doesn’t look at me that way.”

Luke let out a hearty laugh. “Wow. You’re blind, you know.”

I glared at him. “I’m not blind. I’m just not delusional. I trust Gray now, but I still think he’s mainly here for the article. I want to have fun with him, but I know none of this is going to last. So just let me have my fun, okay?”

“Have your fun up on that stage with him, then. Ifnone of this will matter, then just do it.”

Gray reappeared soon after.

I could barely make eye contact with him now, not knowing how he may have reacted to Luke calling us a couple.

“What songs do you both know?” Luke asked. “Want to sing Hey Jude or something?”

“Bit too long,” Gray said. “Peachel, you know any Sinatra?”

I furrowed my brow. “You’re not actually considering this, are you?”

“I’m not just considering it. We’re doing it.”

“Holy shit!Fuckyeah, my man!” Luke said, going in for a quick hug with Gray.

“You’re both going to kill me,” I protested.

“He’s not even drinking and he’s willing to do it,” Luke said. “Come on. Live a little, Peachel.”

“How about ‘My Way’ by Sinatra?” Gray said.