"Let's get closer to the stage," Maggie suggested, grabbing Alisha's hand again and dragging her along, ignoring the rude comments from other women in the crowd as they pushed their way to the front.
"Jesus, Maggie," Alisha said, rolling her shoulder. "I think you nearly pulled my arm out of the socket."
"Suck it up, pal." She looked to the back of the small stage where James was and felt the giddy thrill course through her body. "God, he's so cute."
"Good kisser?" Alisha asked with a dimpled grin.
Maggie flushed hot and caught her bottom lip between her teeth, nodding slowly. "Mmm hmm!"
"Look at the bright side—at least when he sets you on fire he'll know how to put the flames out again," she said with a cheeky smile, nudging Maggie's shoulder.
He'd noticed her almost from the moment she'd walked into the bar. It was like he had some strange Spidey-sense-slash-Alisha-radar—and that weirded his shit out. Still, he was glad to see her. Besides, she looked smokin' and that was always a point in the plus column as far as he was concerned.
Big sang the last few bars of Mustang Sally and smirked behind the microphone when he saw Maggie drag Alisha to the front of the audience. They had one more song planned before the break, so he decided to play one that was sure to knock her socks off. Because even though he had zero interest in a girlfriend (totally worth repeating as often as possible) that didn't mean he didn't like making girls swoon and pant after him. He turned and exchanged a few quick words with his band mates and stepped up to the mic again. "This is our last song before the break and it's dedicated to Shorty, who decided to grace us with her presence tonight." Yeah, that's right…a dedication. He was no amateur. He was the fucking man. Big slanted his eyes in her direction and couldn't miss the shocked look in her eyes nor the tiny smile playing on her lips.
Alisha's stomach did a loopty-loop when he dedicated the song to her and she felt the goose bumps break out over her arms when he brought the harmonica to his lips and the opening notes of Thunder Road poured out in time with the piano. She was vaguely aware of Maggie digging her elbow into her ribs like OhmyGodAlisha, but everything melted away when he closed his eyes and opened his mouth. All she could see and hear was this man with his beautiful and deep voice singing one of her favorite songs in the whole world.
The screen door slams, Mary's dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey, that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again, I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside, darling, you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty but, hey, you're alright
Oh, and that's alright with me
The song began to build as Big strummed his guitar and James came in on the drums.
You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers, throw Rosemarys in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain
For a savior to rise from these streets
Well now, I ain't no hero, that's understood
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is Beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey, what else can we do now?
Alisha looked around the crowd and smiled at everyone dancing and singing along. She caught Maggie watching her and she smiled and the two joined in right along with them.
Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair
Well, the night's busting open, these two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back, heaven's waiting on down the tracks
Oh-oh, come take my hand
We're riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh-oh-oh-oh, Thunder Road
Oh, Thunder Road, oh, Thunder Road
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey, I know it's late, we can make it if we run
Oh-oh- oh- oh, Thunder Road
Sit tight, take hold, Thunder Road
His eyes met hers and she could've sworn she saw the briefest grin flash across his face as he held her gaze and sang the next verse. She didn't care or feel embarrassed. She didn't shy away from the intensity of the look between them. She just flashed him a dazzling smile and continued to sing the words of The Boss as the music swept through her.
Well, I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk
And my car's out back if you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The door's open but the ride ain't free
And I know you're lonely for words that I ain't spoken
But tonight we'll be free, all the promises'll be broken
Big broke the look and turned back to the rest of the crowd to finish out the song.
There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away
They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets
They scream your name at night in the street
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet
And in the lonely cool before dawn
You hear their engines rolling on
But when you get to the porch, they're gone on the wind
So Mary, climb in
It's a town full of losers, I'm pulling out of here to win
The band played out the instrumental end of the song and earned every last one
