“Wilder, get your ass over here,” Bennett commands, and I immediately do as I’m told. When Bennett asks, no, tells me what he plans for us to do, I can’t hold back my grin. We split ways as he goes up toward the stage to complete his mission.
I practically run back to the bar to give the guys an update. “Shut the fuck up. You’ll never believe what Bennett just asked me to do.”
“What?” Jax and Griff ask at the same time as they turn toward me.
“Bennett fucking Wilson just asked if I would join him up on stage to sing the girl he’s been hitting on all night’s favorite song.”
“Fuck, I think our boy is smitten,” Griff beams.
“What song?” Jax asks, wearing an expression I can’t quite discern.
Before I can answer, I see Bennett nod toward the stage as the emcee calls our names, signaling that it’s our turn. The starting notes of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” sound through the speakers.
Making my way up on stage, I don’t miss the cocky smile and wink Bennett shoots toward the redhead he was talking to only moments ago. She shakes her head at his antics before raising her glass to salute him.
He brings the mic up to his mouth, and my jaw hangs open when he starts singing the song’s opening lines. Bennett Wilson can actually sing. I always thought Jax was the only musically inclined sibling in their family, but I’ll be damned.
I look out into the crowd, and it looks like I’m not the only one impressed by his voice. The little redhead is staring up at him with fucking stars in her eyes.
Knowing I can’t hold a tune, especially in comparison to the Wilson brothers, I mouth to Bennett that he’s got this. I stay on stage, mostly for moral support and backup singing, but I leave the lead vocals to “Benny,” as the redhead called him.
Once the song is over, I decide to take a page from Bennett’s book and serenade the girl I’ve been pining over for far too long. I write my karaoke selection on the sign-up sheet and wait my turn to be called back to the stage.
Two songs later, the emcee calls for Golden Boy as the opening notes of “Sparks Fly (Taylor’s Version)” float through the bar.
I don’t even bother to take my eyes off Dakota as I serenade her with some of the queen’s best lyrics. The chorus of this song makes me think of my green-eyed dream girl every time I hear it. When the second verse starts, I throw a wink at her once the third line leaves my lips. As the bridge hits, I point to Dakota, causing her hands to cover her reddening cheeks.
I love it when my dream girl is bashful. But I love it even more when after the song is done, she damn near jumps into my arms and whisper-shouts, “That was ah-mazing! But terrible at the same time. You can’t sing for shit, Golden Boy.”
My heart races in my chest each time I get to have her in my arms like this. With her body pressed against mine, I feel invincible.
Dakota Meyer doesn’t know it yet, but she’s the woman of my dreams. I can’t wait to prove her wrong when it comes to the differences she thinks exist between us. There may be obstacles we have to overcome, but I’m confident that with her by my side, we can get through anything.
Last call and last song were just announced. It doesn’t take more than two bars of “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips for Griff, Jax, Bennett, and me to go nuts. This was our pregame song in the varsity hockey locker room when we all played together.
“Fuck yeah!” I shout as I grab Jax around the neck and throw my arm around Griff.
“Honestly, when this song comes on, I could kick a steel door off its hinges,” Jax yells.
“Let’s go boys! It’s our little G-Baby’s last hoorah before he becomes a married man,” Bennett slurs as he closes us into a circle, he is definitely feeling the shots he downed to get through this night.
Griff throwing his head back to scream-sing the lyrics gets me in my feels. When the chorus starts, the four of us jump in the air and join Griff in screaming the lyrics. I’m so fucking excited for G to join the three of us on the ice in the same jersey next season. But I’m even happier that he’s going to officially become my brother in a few weeks.
We’re all feeling good by this point in the night, the ladies included. I break from our bro circle in the middle of the dance floor in search of my dream girl.
Dakota is holding her phone in the air like it’s a microphone with her other hand on the top of her cowgirl hat to keep it from falling off. She looks so effortlessly sexy and in her element like this—stomping her boots and swaying her hips to the music.
I’ve got to be the most luststruck fucker in this bar.
Walking over to her, I bend down and brush back her hair behind her ear before leaning in so she can hear me over the music. “After seeing you dressed like this, I think I want to quit hockey and become a cattle rancher in Texas. What do you say—will you take me home, Austen?”
She doesn’t say anything as she turns around and wraps her arms around my neck. “You might look the part right now, but I’m afraid all the dirt and dust will dull your shine, Golden Boy.” Dakota bites down on her tempting bottom lip and I damn near beg her to let me have a taste. “Besides, you were meant to be out on the ice, living your best biscuit life.”
Throwing my head back laughing, I just shake my head when I’m finally able to rein it in. “You’re one of a kind, Dream Girl.”
“What did you just call me?” She stops dancing and her face sobers as she searches my eyes.
I duck my head back down to her ear so she can hear me better. “Don’t pretend you don’t know what you do to me. You’ve had me completely off-kilter for almost a year, and you’re right, I balance on tiny blades for a living, so that’s saying something.”
