The opening act, a band I’ve never heard of, comes out and immediately starts to play. No fanfare or hyping up the crowd, just a woman and her guitar. Alyssa and Kennedy are on their feet swaying to the beat and even sing along to a few of the songs, none of which I’ve ever heard. Not that it matters. Kennedy’s having a good time, and that’s all that matters.
By the end of the first act, they’ve finished their drinks and need refills and a bathroom break. Sterling and I go with them, not because we don’t trust them. We’re just protective assholes. At least I am. Hell, so is my brother. Alyssa might not be his, but that doesn’t make him any less protective over her. We pick a beer booth right outside of the ladies' restroom. I grab this round while Sterling waits outside the door for them.
Conner Smith is next on stage. I’ve heard a few of his songs, and I’m a fan. I sing along to the ones that I know. The crowd is starting to fill in as we get closer to Brett Young coming on. Alyssa and Kennedy pull us to our feet when he starts to sing “I Hate Alabama.” This one plays in the shop all the time. It’s a slow beat, which makes it easy for me to draw Kennedy into my arms. Her back is to my chest as we sway to the beat, and she sings along at the top of her lungs.
My eyes seek out my brother. He has his arm around Alyssa, and they’re singing and laughing too. I watch as he smiles down at his best friend, and he can keep denying it all he wants. They both can. There’s something there. I just hope one day they’re both brave enough to have that conversation. They’re missing out on something, that from the outside looking in, could be epic.
Another bathroom break and a refill for the ladies, we’ve just gotten back to our seats, and Alyssa pulls her phone out of Sterling’s pocket. She hands it to Kennedy, who knows to take a couple of different poses of Alyssa and Sterling.
“My turn.” Kennedy looks over her shoulder at me. I smile and pull her phone out of my pocket and hand it to her. Apparently, her dress has pockets, but they’re worthless. Her words, not mine. Alyssa agreed wholeheartedly, which is how Sterling and I ended up holding their phones for them. I’ve passed it to her multiple times for her to take pictures tonight, but I don’t mind.
Alyssa takes our picture a few times, just as the lights go down. The crowd goes wild, including the four of us. We sing every word at the top of our lungs, dancing in our small space. When Brett slows things down, and I hear the beginning strings of “In Case You Didn’t Know,” I pull Kennedy into my arms once again.
I hold her tightly as I sing the words to her. I am crazy about this woman, and I don’t want to hide that from her, from my family, from her grandma, not even from my daughter. That’s the thought that knocks the breath from my lungs. I would never let Blakely get involved if I didn’t think it was more.
Kennedy is more.
We have obstacles to face. The biggest is that she lives in Florida, but that won’t stop me from pursuing her. The other isn’t really an obstacle for us. Not anymore. I know she was worried about getting involved so soon after her divorce, but that kiss earlier told me she’s smashed that concern.
As the song ends, she turns in my arms and places her hand on my cheek. The lights are low, but there is enough from the stage that I can see the intensity in her eyes. This time it’s Kennedy who stands on her tippy-toes and kisses me. It’s soft and slow but no less fierce than our first.
That kiss sets the tone for the rest of the night. We dance and steal kisses, and sing our hearts out. It’s the best night I’ve had in a long damn time.
“Thank you for today and tonight,” Kennedy tells Alyssa. She’s looking over her shoulder into the back seat. “Are you sure you don’t want anything for the tickets?” she asks.
“Nah, it’s all good,” Sterling tells her. “Thanks for driving,” he tells me.
“Yeah, that.” Alyssa leans between the seats and kisses my cheek. “Take care of our girl, yeah?”
“I’ll take care of her.”
“Catch you later.” Sterling ushers Alyssa out of the back seat of the Tahoe and lifts her into his arms, carrying her into her house.
“They’re cute together,” Kennedy says, resting back against the seat.
“They could be.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’re both stubborn. We can all see it.”