after the chaos she’d witnessed
with Johnny, steady Grant was a welcome change.
Or at least she had thought that until
Johnny breezed back in her life again.
Chapter
Nine
She’d stopped by Johnny’s mom’s house after
work, and his mom told Katie that Johnny was down at Bad Boys, one
of the local biker bars. She explained to Katie that Johnny was
auditioning band members, and Bad Boys had offered to let Johnny
use the bar. His mom treated Katie like she always did, so Katie
hoped Johnny hadn’t told her about what had recently transpired
between the two.
Katie almost visibly shuddered. She would
never go to Bad Boys of her own accord. She had nothing against
bikers, but she knew that most of the bar fights in town occurred
there. She’d heard far too many stories. But she needed to see
Johnny, now that she’d had time to think and compose herself. She’d
left a couple of messages with his mom that he hadn’t returned, so
she knew she had to see him face to face. She knew Johnny well
enough to know that he’d be leaving town again soon, and she also
knew that he could be gone for several years once he left. She
didn’t want years to pass between them without talking about what
had happened between them.
She walked into the dark bar. Smoking in
restaurants and bars had been long outlawed in Colorado, but this
particular tavern still smelled of old stale smoke and even older,
staler beer. Several of the light fixtures were in disrepair, so it
was gloomy inside, but the old stage up against the back wall was
well lit. She knew that’s where Johnny would be. There weren’t many
people inside the bar right now. As she walked toward the little
stage, she saw Johnny’s back, a guitar strap breaking up the smooth
line on a diagonal. He faced three other men--one at a drum kit,
one holding a bass guitar, and the other at the microphone. Even as
she got closer, she couldn’t hear what he said, but his posture was
straight and confident. She hoped his search for new band members
was going as well as he’d wanted.
She sat at a table in front of the stage and
when a cocktail waitress came around to ask for an order, she felt
obliged to buy a drink. She asked for a beer and waited patiently.
Johnny started strumming a few chords while telling the other guys
something, and the bass player started playing a matching chord.
The waitress delivered the beer to Katie, and Katie paid her and
tipped her well. The band played a few notes and Katie thought she
might recognize the tune as one of Johnny’s old songs, but she
couldn’t be sure. Meanwhile, a knot tightened and twisted in her
stomach. She felt a little relieved after talking with Grant a few
days ago, but she wouldn’t feel one hundred percent until after
talking to her friend. He turned around finally and saw her. She
couldn’t quite make out his expression, but he wasn’t necessarily
glad to see her.
He finished playing the riff he’d been in
the middle of and then faced the other three guys again. “Let’s
take five, okay? Or you guys can keep playing if you want, but I
need a few minutes.” He looked at Katie. “I have some other
business to attend to for a little bit.”
Katie looked down at the open mouth of the
brown beer bottle she was holding. She hadn’t even sipped it.
Johnny jumped down off the stage to right in front of the table.
“What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to talk to you for a little
bit. If now’s a bad time--”
Johnny shook his head. “No. I guess this’ll
be fine. I only have a few minutes.” Katie nodded. “Let’s go
outside.” Katie followed Johnny, walking quickly to keep up with
his pace. Once outside, away from the door, Johnny said, “So?”
Katie sighed. He wasn’t going to make this
easy. But she had to do it. She forced herself to look up into his
steely eyes. “Look, Johnny, I just wanted to apologize for the
other night. You were right. I should have told you what was going
on in my
with Johnny, steady Grant was a welcome change.
Or at least she had thought that until
Johnny breezed back in her life again.
Chapter
Nine
She’d stopped by Johnny’s mom’s house after
work, and his mom told Katie that Johnny was down at Bad Boys, one
of the local biker bars. She explained to Katie that Johnny was
auditioning band members, and Bad Boys had offered to let Johnny
use the bar. His mom treated Katie like she always did, so Katie
hoped Johnny hadn’t told her about what had recently transpired
between the two.
Katie almost visibly shuddered. She would
never go to Bad Boys of her own accord. She had nothing against
bikers, but she knew that most of the bar fights in town occurred
there. She’d heard far too many stories. But she needed to see
Johnny, now that she’d had time to think and compose herself. She’d
left a couple of messages with his mom that he hadn’t returned, so
she knew she had to see him face to face. She knew Johnny well
enough to know that he’d be leaving town again soon, and she also
knew that he could be gone for several years once he left. She
didn’t want years to pass between them without talking about what
had happened between them.
She walked into the dark bar. Smoking in
restaurants and bars had been long outlawed in Colorado, but this
particular tavern still smelled of old stale smoke and even older,
staler beer. Several of the light fixtures were in disrepair, so it
was gloomy inside, but the old stage up against the back wall was
well lit. She knew that’s where Johnny would be. There weren’t many
people inside the bar right now. As she walked toward the little
stage, she saw Johnny’s back, a guitar strap breaking up the smooth
line on a diagonal. He faced three other men--one at a drum kit,
one holding a bass guitar, and the other at the microphone. Even as
she got closer, she couldn’t hear what he said, but his posture was
straight and confident. She hoped his search for new band members
was going as well as he’d wanted.
She sat at a table in front of the stage and
when a cocktail waitress came around to ask for an order, she felt
obliged to buy a drink. She asked for a beer and waited patiently.
Johnny started strumming a few chords while telling the other guys
something, and the bass player started playing a matching chord.
The waitress delivered the beer to Katie, and Katie paid her and
tipped her well. The band played a few notes and Katie thought she
might recognize the tune as one of Johnny’s old songs, but she
couldn’t be sure. Meanwhile, a knot tightened and twisted in her
stomach. She felt a little relieved after talking with Grant a few
days ago, but she wouldn’t feel one hundred percent until after
talking to her friend. He turned around finally and saw her. She
couldn’t quite make out his expression, but he wasn’t necessarily
glad to see her.
He finished playing the riff he’d been in
the middle of and then faced the other three guys again. “Let’s
take five, okay? Or you guys can keep playing if you want, but I
need a few minutes.” He looked at Katie. “I have some other
business to attend to for a little bit.”
Katie looked down at the open mouth of the
brown beer bottle she was holding. She hadn’t even sipped it.
Johnny jumped down off the stage to right in front of the table.
“What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to talk to you for a little
bit. If now’s a bad time--”
Johnny shook his head. “No. I guess this’ll
be fine. I only have a few minutes.” Katie nodded. “Let’s go
outside.” Katie followed Johnny, walking quickly to keep up with
his pace. Once outside, away from the door, Johnny said, “So?”
Katie sighed. He wasn’t going to make this
easy. But she had to do it. She forced herself to look up into his
steely eyes. “Look, Johnny, I just wanted to apologize for the
other night. You were right. I should have told you what was going
on in my
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