“Lose me? Are you kidding?”
“No, of course I’m not kidding. Why would you ask me that?”
“Dex, you no longer have me to lose. If you ever listened to me when I talk to you, you’d already know that.” She sat at the table he selected, folded her arms over her chest, and glared at him. “It’s more than a missed date—it’s several missed dates. It’s not being here to support me. It’s leaving me at the bottom of your priority list.”
He reached for her hand. “Come on, Bailey, I came all this way to see you. The least you could do is hear me out.”
She pulled away from him. “I don’t owe you anything. If you want to remain friends, we can do that, but I’m not looking to travel back down this road with you.”
“At least give me a chance to make things up to you. Don’t be so quick to dismiss me.”
Bailey turned to look up at Ryan as he started the next song. It was one of his originals, “All I Want.” Ryan’s eyes were still on her, but he wasn’t smiling. Did he think she’d come here with Dex? “Jesus, Dex.” She leaned forward and rested her head in her hands.
“Babe, let’s just talk. You don’t have to make any decisions right now. We’ll see where things go.”
Bailey opened her eyes and stared at him. She could see the sincerity in his features, but that didn’t change anything. “I need a drink.” She shot out of the chair and headed to the bar.
She couldn’t think—her mind was stuck on the song Ryan was playing. She’d heard it a hundred times, but listening now, she focused on the lyrics. Was he trying to tell her something? The meaning of the lyrics was pretty basic. He wanted something specific, something he couldn’t have, but it was all he wanted. Was he singing about her? He wrote that song a couple of years ago. Was she supposed to believe he’d carried a torch for her for that long?
She leaned against the bar and ordered a drink, her eyes focused on the bartop as she listened to Ryan’s voice. He was so soulful, his voice dragging emotions from her even as she fought against those emotions in an effort to be analytical about their situation.
When the song stopped, her stomach did a little flip. Was she imagining this, or was he really trying to tell her something? Why else would he play the Citizen Cope song?
Wade had the night off, but she knew Lucas would be in the kitchen. After grabbing her drink, she turned in that direction just as he stepped out. He gave her a gentle hug, trying not to spill her beer.
“Are you listening?” Lucas asked.
She tilted her head and motioned toward the stage. “Listening to Ryan? Yeah”
“To the music,” he said with an expression on his face she couldn’t quite place—like he had a secret to share.
She gave Lucas a long hard look as Ryan started the next song. It was another love song, only this one was a little more up-tempo. “So, this is for me.”
He nodded with a sly grin. “He’s having a little trouble communicating these days, so he decided to try it through music. You should pay attention.”
Heat rose in Bailey’s cheeks. “First of all, why would he have trouble communicating with me? Second, why now?”
Lucas lifted an eyebrow at her. “Those are questions you need to ask him. Not me.” He gave her a quick nod and a wink then rushed back into the kitchen.
Bailey turned and took a few steps toward the stage, listening closely. Just as the song ended, she heard Dex’s voice in her ear. “Did you find out anything new in Wisconsin?”
Bailey stopped amid the crowd and tilted her head to look up at him, annoyed he came to find her instead of waiting at the table. “No, not really.”
“Bailey, I should have been more supportive of you and of this relationship.” He wrapped his large hand around her narrow forearm, urging her to turn toward him. “I’m sorry for that…for everything. I love you, and I’m asking you to give me another chance. I’ll do whatever I can to keep you.”
Bailey’s mind stalled on I love you. Her mouth went dry for a second, and she had to swallow the tight knot in her throat. She blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to focus on Dex and pay attention to Ryan at the same time. Song after song, Ryan was telling her how he felt, pouring his feelings out with his music while Dex spilled his guts to her at the same time. She was starting to think she should have stayed home. It was far too late for Dex. Their relationship was over, and she wasn’t willing or interested in trying again with him. For Ryan, she didn’t know whether to be grateful, feel privileged, or just be pissed off.
She turned and walked back toward their table and sat down just as Ryan’s fourth song ended, Ryan stood stock-still, staring into the crowd. He brushed a hand across his forehead and readjusted his cadet hat. Bailey didn’t know how much more she could take. Just watching him up there—the talent, the emotions, the power he had over people—he had no idea just how much she cherished her relationship with him. He was special, and she’d come here tonight to tell him just how special she thought he was, which could possibly ruin everything. But all these songs, they all said the same thing to her. He needed her, and he’d do anything to fix what they’d broken. She looked up at him, and his penetrating eyes were focused solely on her again.
Every nerve in her body was on fire with the realization. Ryan didn’t need to play the next song. She understood, loud and clear. His face broke out into a wide, satisfying smile, and his eyes lit with mischief as
