“Sure.” I smiled politely, as he placed his hand on the small of my back.
This didn't mean anything. Once we got inside he'd probably take Morgan out onto the dance floor, and forget all about me. He'd wind up making out with her, and she'd convince him to come back to the hotel, and there would be nothing I could do about it.
Owen found us a table for four near the back of the room, and pulled our chairs out for us. Morgan sat across from me, and he was in between us.
“Maybe you should sit beside me, Morgan?” I suggested, looking around the room. “You can see the band better from over here.”
“I like the view just fine from here.” She winked.
“I'm gonna go grab a drink.” I said, as I made to stand.
“I'll get it for you.” Owen said. “What's your poison?”
“She's a wine girl.” Morgan chimed in. “But don't let her drink too much, it goes straight to her head.”
Ignoring her, he placed his hand over mine. “This place has speakeasy cocktails.”
“Bee's Knees?”
He nodded. “Mary Pickford, Gin Rickey, Sidecar-”
“Yes!” I said, interrupting him excitedly.
“A sidecar it is.”
Just as he was about to stand, Morgan's sexy stranger found our little group and sat down beside her at the table. He leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek and she smiled, before pushing him away.
“Owen was just about to get us some drinks.” She said cheerily. “What exactly is a sidecar?”
“It's a brandy sour. Usually with cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice.” I said.
“I don't get it? Why the name?”
“It's from the prohibition era. All the speakeasy drinks are.”
“Bad booze, good cocktails.” Owen winked.
Morgan giggled, and I had to control myself so that I wouldn't roll my eyes. She was openly flirting with my date. Normally I wouldn't have gave a shit, because I was with Derek. I didn't mind being her wing woman, but I genuinely liked Owen.
“I'm sorry.” I said, directing my attention to Morgan's date. “I didn't catch your name earlier.”
“It's Alex.” He smiled.
“Right! My apologies, Alex. You remember Ronnie of course, and this is her date Owen.”
“Owen, why don't we go grab those drinks now?” I asked, as I stood.
“Excuse us.” He said, standing from his own chair and following me up to the bar.
When I leaned onto the counter I was finally able to breathe. Sometimes it felt like Morgan's personality could fill the entire room, and it didn't leave much for the rest of us. Owen sidled up beside me, and turned to look at me with a smirk on his face. I couldn't help but laugh, and he shot me a wink.
“That's better.” He said. “Your friend seems a bit... intense.”
“She means well.” I said, as the bartender approached us.
“Two sidecars, please.” Owen said, pulling his card from his wallet.
“Thanks.” I smiled.
“There's an empty table over there.” He said, cocking his head in the opposite direction from where Morgan sat. “What do you say we sneak away for a few minutes. Get to know each other better?”
“Really?” I asked, arching a brow.
He laughed. “Yeah, really. This is a date, remember?”
The bartender handed us our drinks, and I followed him to the other side of the room. I glanced back at Morgan, and she stuck her bottom lip out. I shrugged my shoulders in way of an apology, and continued my walk until we reached our new table.
Owen pulled my chair out for me once again, and I thanked him as I took my seat. He took a sip from his drink, and I did the same. The brandy was smooth, and the sugar rimmed glass lent just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the sour.
“Mmm.” I said, taking another sip. “This is delicious.”
“They've got the best cocktails, and the live music is great too.”
“So I take it you're into Jazz?”
“I like a little bit of everything. This place though? It used to be a mechanic's garage in the forties. The owner wanted to turn it into a restaurant with a social vibe.”
“Hence the couches near the stage.” I said, taking in the decor.
“Exactly. All the bands are local, and they play during dinner. But on the weekends, they play late into the evening. I always come here when I visit Virginia.”
“You aren't from here?”
“I'm from New York, actually.”
“No way.” I said leaning back in my chair, and crossing my arms over my chest.
“Is that.. bad?” He asked, with a smirk.
“That's where we're going. I mean, we're moving there.”
“It's a small world.” He said, draining his glass.
“So what do you do? In New York?”
“I haven't been home in a really long time. My work brought me to Nashville, and that's where I've been for the last ten years.”
I arched my brow. “How old are you?”
“I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours.”
I laughed. “Twenty-seven.”
“Thirty.”
“Why are you still single?”
He laughed this time. “Why are you?”
My face fell then, and I knew that he noticed. I quickly recovered though, by bringing my glass to my lips and draining it's contents.
“You never answered my question.” I said.
“Deflection. I'll allow it... for now.”
“Thank-you.” I said, earnestly.
“I'm a song writer.”
“Have you written anything I've heard of?”
“Ever heard of the Beatles?”
“Check please!” I said, holding my hand up in the air.
He laughed reaching for my hand, and holding it in his. I could feel the warmth spread from his hand, to mine, and my heart began to quicken in my chest. The sound of his laughter, and the way that he was looking at me throughout our entire conversation had me reeling. Not once did he look over at Morgan, come to think of it.. neither did I. It was like it was only just the two of us, and I had never felt that kind of instant connection with anyone.
“Seriously though.” He said, rubbing his thumb over my hand. “I've pitched a few songs to Luke Combs, Jason Aldean, and even Kieth
