Page 19 of When It Reins (Three Rivers Trevors Ranch #5)

“How could I forget?” I reply, thinking of who she is talking about.

There is a local band in Denver called Heroes of Tomorrow who got launched by the label Felicity now works with.

According to Jax, who told me privately, this label is way smaller than what Felicity would normally work with, but she was looking to have more meaningful music to put out, more say in what she made, and went with someone who she felt she could trust.

“Well, they’ve asked me to perform at this benefit concert in LA. Heroes will be there, and a lot of other acts, and I showed them your stuff and…” She draws the word out, her eyes alight with her excitement, and says, “They want you to open for me!”

I freeze, my heart slowing to a dull thud as nerves immediately take hold of my body. I hear Annmarie say something exciting, based on her tone, but can’t process the words and feel her nudge me with excitement.

“Juniper? You okay?” Felicity’s concerned look snaps me out of it, and I blink, shifting back to normal, and smile at her.

“They want me to open?” I hear the words I say, but there’s something holding me back from properly processing this news.

“Yes! It’s a huge concert too! There’s going to be so many people there, and I think this could be incredible for you.”

“Wow, that’s…” I lick my lips, shock making me slow to respond. For whatever reason, I turn to find Mitch’s eyes. His brows are creased in confusion, but he doesn’t move from his perch. “Amazing.”

“Right! We’ll need to work out some details, but we fly out Thursday!”

“Thursday?” I gulp and let out a breathy laugh. “Wow.”

Felicity grabs hold of my hand again and squeezes tightly. “Everything is going to be great, just you see. You can use Phil and the band for your set too!”

“Can I bring someone?” I ask before I can process the question.

She smiles kindly at me and nods. “Of course, whoever you want.”

I nod my head, all of my feelings from the night coming to a head, and I am over feeling this way, so turned around and upside down. I need to take charge.

I take a step away from the bar and march my legs over to Mitch. I hear my sisters give encouraging words and, for once, am grateful that my sisters can read me like a book. They know exactly what I’m about to do.

Mitch tenses as he sees me coming, but that doesn’t stop me from moving toward him like a woman on a mission. He stands up straight from where he was leaning against the wall and waits for whatever I have to say.

“Hey,” I start, placing my hands on my hips.

He gives a half smile, his eyes alight with humor. “Hey.”

“I want you to come with me and play a concert this weekend.”

His expression changes and gives away his confusion. “A concert?”

“I’m opening for Felicity this weekend.”

I don’t know what I’m expecting, but it’s not for his blindingly brilliant smile to break through, giving me something that I know is rare.

Pride flashes in his eyes as he reaches out, grabbing my hand, and for the first time ever, lacing our fingers together.

It’s such a small thing, but it makes the butterflies in my stomach flutter rapidly.

“Then fuck yeah, I will. Of course I will.”

Happiness lifts my heart at his words. “Good.” Then I clear my throat and take a step back, giving him my best flirty smile and letting our hands hang out between us, slipping apart as I move away. “I need a hot date on my arm, anyway.”

His eyes jerk back to mine from where they were watching our hands, and his mouth opens in surprise.

I wink and let go of his hand, swishing my hips back and forth as I walk away, feeling like a weight has finally lifted from my shoulders.

Mitch

She thought she was winning something right now, and she wasn’t wrong, but I wasn’t about to let her just walk away like this.

I step forward, reaching out and clasping my hand around her forearm. Her skin is warm against my roughly calloused hand, but as always, she is soft to the touch. She spins, surprise lighting up her expression, and her mouth opens. “What?”

I don’t answer her. I just keep my face neutral as I lead her where I want her.

There were a thousand times that I wanted to grab her around the waist, pull her to the dance floor with me, and spin her around that floor like so many other couples do every single night.

I never had the nerve to do it and not take everything a step further. Now, my feelings are changing.

Falling into step with me as I move us to a classic two-step song, I see out of the corner of my eye as she watches me. I know she’s shocked. This isn’t something we did every day, but I couldn’t help it.

Her flirting, her putting herself in danger like she planned to, her getting a gig she more than deserved. Every ounce of it made me absolutely crazy with want for her.

“You know, you could get fired for leaving your post like that.” She teases, a glint in her eye showing me how unserious she is.

“Nah. The owner loves me.”

She hums, ignoring my obvious flirt. “Annmarie does have a certain fascination with you.”

I snort at the comment, my grip tightening around her.

“And you’re the brother-in-law to Thea, so she’d never fire you.”

I nearly roll my eyes, something completely out of habit for me, and level her with a stare. “And you? You have any reason to keep me around?”

“The eye-candy isn’t bad,” she says, following seamlessly with me around the floor. She is good for someone I never saw dancing, but then again, neither did I.

“Nice to know I’m good for something.”

She twists her lips, looking at me for a moment before she sighs. “The friendship is my favorite part, though.”

My heart twists in my chest at the comment, and I nearly get emotional at the feeling of it. The truth is Juniper is one of my greatest friends. I haven’t felt this close to someone since I was a teenager, and feeling it with her feels like something more.

It is probably why I am so terrified of being around her.

“Mine too,” I admit, pulling her just slightly closer, enough for her to notice but not to scare her off.

Though I was realizing, Juniper isn’t one that is so easily scared. As a matter of fact, she is someone who likes to look down the barrel of any challenge.

“How come you’re dancing with me?”

See, not someone who is going to back down from anything. I bite the inside of my lip, slowing down when the tempo changes, and I don’t have to focus as hard as before.

“I wanted to.”

It is such a copout, bullshit answer, but it isn’t a lie. I do want to. I have wanted to for a long time.

“Okay, why now? Because I invited you to that show?” Her question is purposefully kept light. I can tell by the way she looks away after she asks it, but the slight sweat to her palm has me well attuned to how she is truly feeling.

“Yes and no,” I admit, not wanting to go too far too fast but needing her to understand my feelings. I just wish she could read my mind, so I don’t have to say the words aloud.

Maybe I’m not ready for that, anyway.

There are plenty of reasons why we shouldn’t be together, why I should walk away right now. She is too young for me, she is my boss, she just got out of a relationship, she is my brother’s sister-in-law. The reasons go on and on.

And yet, I can’t find it in myself to walk away. Not again.

I’ve done it so many times. I’ve put everyone else’s needs ahead of my own more times than I can count, and I am feeling selfish now. Feeling like I am maybe deserving of a shot of something great.

“Why yes?”

“Because I’m happy for you.”

“Why no?”

I look back down at her, at the intensity of her gaze, and I know for a fact she isn’t going to let it go. There is no way she would.

I take a breath and shrug my shoulders, keeping my eyes trained on hers as I do, and admit, “Because I wanted to.”