I was on my third drink—trying to keep up with Barrett and failing. Joni was still upright, yet her eyes were glassy.
“That looks like fun,” Joni said, wistfully glancing at the stage.
“It’s very fun,” Barrett said. “I used to perform, back in the day.”
“Did you?” I grinned.
Barrett winked. “Nothing gets a man to admit he wants you faster than when you entice other males to stare at you.”
Joni and I exchanged a look.
“We were planning on doing karaoke,” Joni said.
“Yes, we were. I forgot to ask if you were any good?”
She smiled. “I’m decent. I can belt ‘Proud Mary’ with the best of them.”
Barrett shook her head. “You need something else, something that goes with the theme of the club.”
“I know ‘La Vie En Rose’,” Joni said after a moment. “And I think I’ve had just enough vodka not to be embarrassed if I screw it up.”
“Perfect,” Barrett said, shooing Joni out of the booth. “Come on, let’s get you a costume and tell the Emcee you’re going to perform.”
“How are we getting the boys to come down here since they’re dealing with business?” I asked.
Barrett grinned. “Easy. I text Flynn and tell him I’m thinking about performing. He’ll rush down here to try and stop me.”
“Stop you?” I laughed. “Why?”
“Because I promised him I wouldn’t perform anymore.”
An hour later, Joni was outfitted in a gorgeous gold sequined costume with fringe and a feather headband that wrapped across her forehead, her face was done up in the true flapper style, and her hair was wavy and pinned back. She waited back stage, not at all showing any signs of nerves.
“Show time,” Barrett said as we retook our booth, which had remained empty the entire time we’d been getting Joni in costume.
Barrett took out her phone and shot off a quick text to Flynn. Not ten minutes later, Flynn Campbell entered the club, followed by the entirety of the Blue Angels.
Colt’s eyes met mine and he immediately came to me while his brothers took seats at empty tables and swarmed the bar. Patrons glanced curiously at the intrusion, but quickly turned their attention back to the stage and pretended they didn’t see the leather-wearing bikers in the upscale lounge.
“Hen,” Flynn growled as he stood at our table, peering down at his wife. “You promised.”
She lifted her glass of scotch to her lips and smiled. “Do I look like I’m performing tonight?”
His eyes raked over her. “You lied.”
“Had to get you and the boys down here.”
“Why?” Flynn demanded.
With a chin nod at the stage, both Colt and Flynn turned their attention. The tuxedo wearing Emcee announced Joni and a moment later she took the stage, her hand going for the microphone.
“How much has my sister had to drink?” Colt demanded. “And she better not be performing burlesque.”
“Relax,” I said. “She’s just singing.”
Colt growled and slid into the booth next to me, crowding my space. Flynn sat down close to Barrett and I saw his hand glide under the table to rest on her thigh, but his curiosity won out and he turned his attention to the stage.
I nestled into the crook of Colt’s body, having missed his solid presence and warmth for the past few hours. Though it had been nice to be out of the house, out of Waco, I’d missed him.