Skye broke into a laugh, covering her mouth. “Yeah, it was pretty much exactly like that.”
Oscar gave her a bright wide grin. “Well, my goodness, I am completely flattered.” He offered his hand. “It’s really nice to meet you, Miss…”
“Just Skye is fine,” she said simply, shaking his hand.
“You know, I’m still really new at all this, and it still boggles my mind that people I’ve never met before connect with my music like that.” Oscar pressed his hand against his vest and tie. “My life has been pretty rough up until just last year. I lost my family at a young age, and I lived in awful conditions ever since I was a little kid, and Jimmy and his people have given me the world in this opportunity.” He shook his head and looked at Skye with emotional brown eyes. “I just feel so incredibly blessed, and knowing you came to my city just ‘cause you wanted to meet me…I just feel like my heart could explode right now.”
Skye’s brows knitted. “Wow. I didn’t know all of that.” She lifted her hand to her eye and swallowed, and Brennan’s heart melted all over again. “I just think that’s really inspiring. To me personally. And I’m really grateful for the chance to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Oscar opened his arms wide and then wrapped her up in a hug. “Thank you so much.”
With her chin resting on Oscar’s shoulder, Skye’s gaze drifted from Jimmy, to Connor, to Liza, and her eyes welled-up. She pulled away from the hug first, and then offered Brennan a look that felt like a secret only they shared. She gestured at her face. “I’m afraid I’m a weepy mess right now, so I’m going to run to the ladies’ room.”
She was probably worried about her tears smearing the makeup and exposing the secret to everyone present. The reminder of everything hidden caused anger to simmer below his sternum. This was neither the time nor the place to deal with any of that. The time and place would be whenever they got the hell out of here and wherever they went after that.
Brennan leaned down to brush her cheek with a kiss. “Take your time, sweetheart.”
Skye looked at him gratefully before turning away and making a beeline for the other side of the restaurant.
“What a sweet lady,” Oscar gushed. He squeezed Brennan’s shoulder as he turned to break away from the group to go greet a handful of patrons waiting patiently nearby. “Thanks for bringing her here. That really made my whole day.”
“No sweat. I know you really made hers, too.”
Connor and Liza had inched closer to them, and Liza was still sporting a wildly giddy grin. She shifted her eyes from side to side and then made a big show of placing her hand up to her ear. “What is that? I hear something. Do y’all hear that?”
A bewildered look overtook Connor’s face. He held his chin between his forefinger and thumb, rubbing his day-old stubble and skimming his gaze around the room. “The only thing I hear is the backup band tuning their shit.”
“No, notthat.” Liza’s grin stretched into something that would put the Cheshire Cat to shame. “I think I hear wedding bells.”
“Oh, honey. Stop that.” Brennan clicked his tongue in playful chastisement. “I only met her yesterday, and she’s only here for a couple of days. But she came here hoping to meet him.” He nodded over at Oscar. “And I’m all about accommodating beautiful, charming women, so I couldn’t let the opportunity slip through my fingers.”
“Well, it’s too bad she’s not from here,” Jimmy said. “She seems like a sweet girl, and it sounds like your pappy is getting pretty tired of you living that bachelor life.”
“My dad couldn’t care less about my dating habits,” Brennan countered.
“Maybe not, but what you don’t realize is your attitude toward women is indicative of your attitude toward life in general.” Jimmy lifted his hat to pat his receding hairline with a white handkerchief. “You have an insatiable appetite foreverything, and that’s what he’s fed up with.”
Brennan waved his hand dismissively. “Trust me, Jim. He’ll forget all about this in a few weeks when he gets all distracted by something else.”
“I dunno, Riley. I wouldn’t be so sure about that. He called me this morning asking if you showed up to work.” Jimmy winced, and Brennan’s features fall into a flat expression. “I had to tell him you weren’t there. He told me todock your pay.”
Brennan scoffed. “Oh for fuck’s sake.”
Connor laughed out loud. “Aw damn, Riley. You better pull your shit together, or Skye might be the one paying for dinner tonight.”
“Skye’s not paying for shit. I’m not hurting for cash. I don’t need a damn paycheck from you, Jim. My dad isn’t serious about this. He’s just on a rampage right now, and he’ll get over it. He’s done this my entire life.” Brennan slipped his hands in his pockets. “I just need to give him something to distract him from it. All I have to do is make him think I’m doing something he and my mama approve of, and he forgets all about it.”
“I don’t know, B.,” Liza said, hand absently rubbing her tummy as though she could already feel the baby. “I overheard him on the phone, and between that and yesterday morning, I think he’s pretty serious.”
“Okay, but, L., honey, he pulls this nonsense all the time, and I always manage to placate him until he gets off my case.” Brennan lifted his index finger. “First it was the Marine Corps, then it was college.” He waved his hand in a dismissive arc. “I just have to figure out some way to distract him this time.” He smirked and rubbed his chin. “Maybe I’ll take Skye to lunch with my mama tomorrow and make her think we’re serious. That would take care of the problem for me.”
“That’s not funny.” Liza now wore a scowl. “I hope I don’t have to tell you,absolutely do not do that.”
There was something about her tone that Brennan didn’t like. “Youdon’thave to tell me that.” He lifted his hand and inspected the cuff of his black suit jacket. “I’ll still do what I damn well please regardless.”
She arched an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon.”
“I’m absolutely not trying to get in a verbal sparring match with you, especially not after you just told me—” His words halted. They hadn’t told Jimmy yet. “I mean, especially not at a jazz brunch, but I have to get my dad off my back. Skye’s a nice, classy, beautiful woman, and I’ve got her eating out of the palm of my hand right now. I can get her to do just about anything I want, and if that means using her to my advantage while she’s here, I’m gonna go for it and—”
