WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, all Micah and Deacon ever talked about was opening their own restaurant. Well, that and girls, of course.
They’d go on and on about what food they’d cook, what the place would look like . . . Frankly, it bored me to tears sometimes but I never said anything. No way would I try to discourage their dreams; they just weren’t as exciting as my dreams. Traveling, performing on stage, selling a shit ton of records, and all the women I could ever want—that’s what I wanted, and for a very brief time, I had a taste of it.
You know when you want something so badly and you have it built up so much in your mind, there’s no way reality can live up to your expectations? That’s what life on the road was like for me. I had fun, don’t get me wrong, but instead of feeling fulfilled at the end of the day, I was left empty and dried up.
As I sit here in the parking lot of Lagniappe, I feel nothing but pride that my boys achieved their dreams. Micah and Deacon have both worked their asses off and the last few months have been tough for damn sure, but they’re stronger for it. Micah has always been in Deacon’s shadow, but that officially ends tonight. I can’t wait.
Micah is slowly walking around the dining room when I walk inside the restaurant with my guitar strapped to my back. He seems to be mentally cataloging something, so I try not to bother him but that can only last for so long.
“Man, those wheels are turnin’ so hard, I swear I can smell something burnin’. Everything ok?”
He looks at me and gives a relaxed smile. “Everything’s perfect. I’m just soakin’ it all in.”
“It looks great, Micah. It really does. This place is gonna be huge,” I tell him. I’m not just blowing smoke either; Lagniappe has success written all over it.
“Thanks, man,” he says, slapping me on the back. “I have an area for you right over there, if you want to get set up.” He points to a small space in the back corner of the dining area. It’s just me and my acoustic guitar, so I don’t need much, but I appreciate him placing me where everyone will be able to see and hear me.
“I was kinda worried about you the other day when you left Grinders like a bat out of hell. Everything alright with you?”
I was hoping he wouldn’t bring that up. After getting his and Deacon’s take on the proposal video, I had to leave and clear my head. Piper still isn’t talking to me, so I’m really at a loss on how to fix this.
“Yeah, I’m all good. Don’t worry about me.” I give him my typical shit-eating grin, like I always do, and I hope he buys it.
“You didn’t bring anybody tonight?” he asks.
“Nah, I can’t be worried about hookin’ up tonight. I got a job to do.” I wink at him then lean my guitar against the wall in the corner.
“Whatever you say, T. I’m sure you won’t be hurtin’ for company after your set tonight. The ladies always love a rock star.”
“Damn straight and hallelujah!” I exclaim, relaxing when I see Micah buying my act. Six months ago, I’d have my wallet fully stocked with rubbers in preparation for tonight. Somehow, things have changed and I can’t make heads or tails out of it.
As I set up my amp and test my mic, Randy, Micah’s right-hand-man and the guy in charge of the amazing food, walks over and hands me a drink.
“Thanks, man.” I nod my head in appreciation and take a healthy sip of the amber liquid.
Southern Comfort. He knows me well.
“That’s Micah’s go-to, figured you’d like it as well.”
“You’re a smart man, Randy. I’m glad Micah has you around.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “Boss man is the brains of the organization, I’m more the brawn.”
“Don’t let Micah hear you say that. His pussy ass’ll get offended. Always thinkin’ he’s gotta be the brains and the brawn.” I shake my head, but it’s the God’s honest truth.
About that time, people start filtering into the restaurant.
The entire Landry Clan, including my sister, are the first to arrive. Shortly after, my dad and Kay walk in. Between all of them, they take up a fourth of the seating, but from the beaming smile on Micah’s face, he couldn’t care less. He’s happy. This is exactly what he wanted.
I’m also happy to see the genuine look of admiration on Deacon’s face. This recent blow-up between the two of them was a long time coming. Micah’s had that brewing in him since we were kids, and Deacon knew it. I think it’s why he fought it so hard.
Deke knew Alex wasn’t in it for good or for all the right reasons. He was trying to protect Micah from getting burned, but what he didn’t realize was that he was also making himself sound like an asshole dictator. His way or the highway. I think they both learned some good lessons these past few months.
The night gets off without a hitch. The wait staff are busy seating people and charming the pants off of them, while the kitchen staff whips up the best tasting food you’ve ever put in your mouth.
“What do you want to eat?” Micah asks, walking up as he looks out over the place.
“I’ll eat later, man. Don’t worry about me.”
“Nah, eat. I want you to enjoy the night too.”
“Fine, give me the house special.”
At that, Micah’s eye light up. “Comin’ right up.”
Just as I’m getting ready to walk over and take the empty seat between Dani and my sister, in walks Piper Grey. She doesn’t look my way, just swoops in and kisses cheeks and takes my seat.
Fuckin’ A.
She didn’t tell me she was going to be here, but I guess that shouldn’t surprise me since she won’t return a text or a call. Inside, I’m suddenly worked up, but I put on my game face and grab my guitar. The food will have to wait, because I’m going to make damn sure Piper sees me. She’ll have no excuse to not listen to what I have to say.
An hour into my set, and I feel as though my mission is accomplished. There’s not an empty chair, plate, or glass and everyone seems to be having a great time, including Micah, Dani, and Piper.
My song choices have been directed at her, but no one else would know. I mean, maybe if they knew about us, they might piece it together or make some guesses, but that secret is still safe with us, for now.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m taking a little break. Hope you enjoyed the music and the food.” I give the crowd a wink before taking a chance to look for Piper. As soon as she registers that I’m watching her, she grabs her glass and slams back the clear liquid inside before storming to the hall that leads to the restrooms.
Game on.
Calmly, I stand and place my guitar on its stand, bowing to patrons who are still clapping, before discreetly making my way down the hall, following Piper. I try the knob and it turns. Pushing the door open, I walk in to find my beautiful target leaning over the sink. Her hands are gripping the edges of the white porcelain, and her head is hanging down below her shoulders. My fingers itch to touch her, to try and soothe her, but that’s not how we work.
“What’s a girl like you doin’ in a place like this?” I ask, breaking the silence in the room as I reach behind me and turn the lock on the door, insuring our privacy.
Piper’s body straightens as her hand flies to her chest, her breathing accelerated. “What the fuck are you doing in here? This is the ladies’ room, Tucker.”
I make a show of looking around the room as I walk—no, stalk—toward her. “I don’t think anyone’s in here, darlin.”
She steps back until her body is flush against the wall.
“I haven’t heard from you in a while. You’re not still pissed about the video, are you?” I move to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear and she smacks my hand away.
“Don’t touch me, asshole. Of course, I’m still pissed. I told you to fix it and you didn’t. Now, the whole world knows we’re engaged!”
“Oh, so we’re engaged, huh?” I snicker when she rolls her eyes. “I don’t know why you’re so worried. None of our friends or family know anything about that video, so who cares what anyone else thinks?”
“I care. I have a professional reputation to uphold and your family may not know, but what if mine sees that video? They’ll disown me!”
My jaw clenches as I try to escape the burn of her words. I’m not sure what would anger her parents more: Piper getting engaged in a bar in New Orleans or Piper getting engaged to me. Either way, I know it wouldn’t be good for her. I’m not good for her, not good enough anyway. It doesn’t make me want her any less, though.
She reaches out and touches the crucifix that’s hanging on the chain around my neck and I bite down on my bottom lip to hide my smile. I don’t know if she realizes it, but she does this every time we’re together, sometimes more than once. She never asks about it, but there’s something about it that always seems to get her attention.
I can’t be this close to her and not touch her, so I place my hands on her hips. When she doesn’t fight me on it, I take a step closer. “Look, babe, it’s out of our hands now. We can’t stop it, so we just have to deal with it.”
“You know I hate it when you call me that. You’re just trying to get a rise out of me so I’ll fuck you.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I slide my hands around her petite frame and grab her ass.
“Maybe I don’t want to anymore. Did you ever think of that?” she spits out.
“Nope,” is my answer even though it’s a lie. I think about the possibility of Piper being done with me way more than I’d care to admit. “You can’t quit me, you just don’t want to admit it.”
I kiss her just below her ear and work my way down the column of her neck. Piper’s responses to my actions are there—obvious to me because I know her body so well—but it’s not enough. I want her to push back. Feel something. Do something.
When my teeth graze her collarbone, she gasps and grabs onto my shoulders.
“Oh, sure, that’s it,” she says sarcastically in between quick breaths, “It has nothing to do with me just needing to get laid. What do you care anyway? I’m just another notch, another groupie to you. You could have almost any woman in this restaurant but, instead, you’re in the bathroom with me. Who can’t quit whom, huh?”
She palms my dick through my jeans, smiling wickedly when she feels how hard I am.
“You’re my groupie now? I kinda like that.” I trace the skin across her chest with my tongue. “Although, none of my groupies have ever irritated me as much as you do.”
“Pompous ass,” she mutters.
“I think it would be much more productive if we took our anger out on each other, don’t you?”
Sliding my hands up her skirt gets her attention. “Tucker, we’re not fucking in the bathroom of Micah’s new restaurant.”
She says that like it’s the dirtiest place we’ve fooled around. It’s not, believe me.
“You’re right, we’re not. But I’m still gonna make you wish that we were.”
“Don’t start what you can’t finish,” she warns.
I pull her lacy panties to the side and find her completely wet for me. I know we don’t have much time before my next set starts, so I go right for her clit. I switch off between rubbing circles and stroking it with my fingers, just like I know she likes.
Piper makes the best noises when we’re screwing and being in a public place is no exception. Her moans are low and breathy, completely guttural and natural. None of that fake porno-sounding bullshit. Piper is better than porn, any day.
I briefly toy with the idea of teasing her to the point of orgasm then pulling away before she can finish but that’s too cruel, even for us. Besides, Piper coming is a thing of beauty, an amazing sight to behold. I wouldn’t be doing myself any favors by denying us both the experience.
When I start rubbing faster, her hips begin moving on their own accord, causing her to grunt in frustration. She’s too close too soon for her taste, but that only makes me move faster, harder. She can try to fight it all she wants, but I will make her come on my hand right fucking now. I need it as much as she does.
Her thighs are shaking and her pussy is even wetter now, so I push two fingers inside while keeping pressure on her clit with my thumb. As her orgasm hits her, her cries echo throughout the bathroom just before I place my free hand over her mouth. Giving her a smirk and a shake of my head, I keep pumping my fingers as she rides out her climax, holding onto me for dear life. Her eyelids flutter and her legs start to give out as the waves of pleasure slow down, so I remove my hand from her mouth and wrap my arm around her waist, holding her to me. When I know she’s clear-headed and able to stand on her own, I slowly pull my fingers out of her and put them directly inside my mouth, moaning at how she tastes.
Piper watches with great interest but catches herself. She clears her throat while straightening her skirt before she speaks. “I hope that was good for you because that’s all you’re getting tonight.”
I laugh because I know she’s lying. “I do believe you’re mistaken, darlin’. This was just the appetizer. After my next set, I’m gettin’ the whole entree, plus dessert.”
She tries to hide her smile, but I see it. I see her.
I adjust my dick so my erection isn’t too noticeable, but there’s only so much I can do. I catch her watching me and give her a quick wink before unlocking the door and walking out.
There’s a lady approaching the bathroom and I give her a huge smile and tip my head. “Ma’am.”
I’m sure she recognizes me from my performance and her eyes go wide as she notices where I just came from.
Never looking back, I make my way back out to the bar and request a refill on my drink. The bartender obliges and I take it with me to my barstool, ready for my next set.
Ready to make Piper squirm as she thinks about what’s coming.
In my head, I pick songs I know get to her and I’m ready to give the performance of my life, but before I can even pick up my guitar, Piper walks over to the table, whispers something in Dani’s ear, and walks to the door. She stops before leaving, taking a second to glance back over her shoulder. The look on her face is a challenge. She’s taking the ball back and placing it firmly in her court.
This is the Piper I love fucking with—the one who gives it back to me, just as good as I give it.
Sure, she’s leaving me with a case of blue balls, but it’ll make the next time we’re together that much sweeter.
And she knows exactly what she’s doing. She knows all I’ll be able to think about from now until then is her—her scent, her tits, the way she moves. Everything about her was custom made for me, which makes this game of ours that much more enticing, and completely frustrating.
After my second set, I make my way over to the table where my sister is sitting with Dad, Kay, Sam, and Annie. Dani is up taking pictures and Deacon found his way to the kitchen.
I give him six months. He’s smitten with this place. I can tell. He’ll find some way to weasel his way into this business.
“Great job tonight,” Kay says, reaching over to pat my hand.
“Thank you,” I tell her with a wink.
“Yeah, it was good to see you play. It’s been a while.” My dad nods his approval as he slips an arm behind Kay, resting it on her chair.
“This whole night was wonderful,” Annie adds. “I’m gettin’ spoiled. You’re gonna have to drive me to the city once a week, Sam.”
Gettin’ spoiled. I’d say Annie already is, but I’d never say that to her or out loud, for that matter, in fear she’d catch wind of it. Annie is definitely the queen of the Landry castle. Everyone knows it and no one more than her husband.
Sam leans over and kisses her cheek, chuckling his agreement.
“Tucker, looked like you were a big hit with the ladies tonight,” Sam says with a quirk of his eyebrow. When I say the apples don’t fall far from the tree, I mean, Micah and Deacon get their horn dog ways honestly. I can imagine Sam was a rounder in his days. He just happened across the perfect woman to make an honest man out of him early in life.
“Stop,” Cami says from beside me. “His head is big enough as it is. Don’t go fillin’ it with more hot air than what’s already in there.” She rests a hand on her small protruding stomach and I give her a smile. I couldn’t be annoyed with her if I tried. Something changed as we grew up. She went from being my irritating little sister who ratted me out and was always in my business, to someone I admire and couldn’t imagine my life without.
I don’t really tell her that, at least not very often.
Everyone thinks I don’t have mushy feelings, but I do. I just keep them under wraps. I have an image to uphold, after all. Instead, I pull the end of her hair that’s up in a high ponytail, like we’re still in grade school. She swats at me and my dad clears his throat.
This is a ten-second replay of my life. Cami says something sassy. I retaliate. My dad keeps us both in line. Just because we’re now twenty-six and twenty-eight, instead of six and eight, doesn’t mean anything has changed.
“I usually get my pick of the litter,” I say, for Sam’s benefit, because like Deacon, he likes to live vicariously through yours truly, and I can’t let him down. Also, even though I admire the shit out of Cami, it doesn’t mean I still don’t like to annoy her from time to time. Old habits die hard.
Perusing the room, I see a woman with long brown hair, someone I might’ve hit on six months ago, and I smile at her.
It’s all for show, of course. Unless Piper is waiting for me at my truck when I leave, I’ll be going home alone.
“I’m glad you’re all here,” Micah says from behind me, clapping his hands loudly and practically scaring the shit out of me.
Turning around in my chair, I see Dani standing beside him, holding his hand. Deacon has walked up behind Cami, rubbing her shoulders gently. The entire family is present and accounted for, except for Carter. And Piper. She’s been adopted in, even if she’s not aware or wants to be. When Annie Landry decides your family, there’s nothing you can do about it.
“Dani and I are getting married,” Micah announces with a big ass grin. “A week from tomorrow. You’re all invited.”
“A week?” Annie practically yells, before remembering that there are still other people in the restaurant. “A week?” This time her question is quieter and directed at Micah with a pointed stare. “How in the world do you expect us to plan a wedding in a week?”
“You’re not.” Micah takes a deep breath and smiles down at Dani, before looking back over at his mama. “We’re getting married at the chapel down the street, and the reception will be here. It’s just gonna be all of us and a few of our friends and employees. Y’all can invite some close family friends, but we’d like to keep it under fifty.” He pauses, kissing Dani.
“I’ve never really wanted a big wedding,” Dani adds, reaching up and touching Micah’s cheek. “Besides, there’s no use in waiting. I know what I want.” Her eyes never leave Micah’s.
“Well, I guess that’s settled.” Annie has a pleased grin on her face as she looks over at Sam.
Her kids are happy, that’s all she’s ever wanted. She’s said it a million times. So, even though Micah and Dani are robbing her of what she does best, entertaining the entire state of Louisiana, she’s happy, because they’re happy.