He laughed, popping the top off a beer and taking a sip. “How goes the teaching?”
“Good. I like this school. Kids are great, the staff is nice. It’ll be good to have a steady place for a while.”
“Great.”
“How’s the gym?” I asked.
“Swamped. I can’t keep up with new clients. I had to hire two more instructors.”
“That’s awesome, Trev.” I grinned and took a sip of the water I had poured earlier. “Try not to screw them, and maybe you’ll keep them a little longer.”
A strange look passed over his face. “I haven’t screwed anyone in a while, Logan. It’s been over a month. Longer, even.”
“That’s a record for you.”
He focused on something over my shoulder, not meeting my eyes. “It suddenly seemed so empty. Useless.” He shrugged. “I decided I needed to step back and focus on the business instead of my dick.”
“Sounds as if it’s paying off for you.”
He nodded, taking another sip of his beer.
“I have a gig tomorrow, if you’re interested. The Tavern. Nine o’clock. I have a table reserved.”
“Your lady coming?”
“Yes. I think she’s bringing her friend Brianna. I met her tonight.”
“Hot?” he asked with a salacious grin.
I frowned. “Yes. But lost.”
“What do you mean?”
“Obviously, I don’t know her very well, but I think she’s trying to find herself.”
“Aren’t we all?”
“I suppose.” I shrugged and went back to the papers I was grading. Trev stood and stretched.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Great,” I replied. “Night.”
He left, and I worked until the papers were done. I texted Lottie, wishing her a good night, smiling at the slightly misspelled reply she eventually sent. I had a feeling she’d been into the wine with Brianna. She said something about a hot outfit and being a groupie. If that meant she was dressing up to see me tomorrow, I was good with that, but I decided not to question it too much tonight. I wanted her to have fun with her friend. From what I had gathered, Lottie didn’t have enough fun in her life.
I glanced at my phone, thinking about another conversation from earlier. Carmen Runnalls had reached out. I had been surprised when Lottie asked me for my permission to give him my number, and even more shocked when he followed through. He had been straight to the point with me.
“I have seen you perform a few times, Logan. I liked what I heard.”
“Thanks,” I replied, unsure about where this was going.
“We’re always looking for talent.”
For a moment, I was stunned. I cleared my throat. “I’m honored, but I don’t really have any interest in being a recording artist, Carmen. The limelight isn’t for me.”
He chuckled. “I figured that. I recalled how quickly you left the stage and how you disappeared. I wasn’t able to find out much about you, and your gigs were never regular.”
“I enjoy a small setting, but that is about where I draw the line.”
“What about something else?”
“Such as?”
“Being in the background. Having your music recorded by someone else.”
Now, my interest perked up. That was my dream—the one I had confided to Lottie.
“I would be open to a discussion,” I said calmly, not giving away my emotions.
“Great. Let’s set up a meeting.”
We agreed to talk the following week. I hadn’t said anything to Lottie tonight as I didn’t want her to get her hopes up. I hadn’t said anything to Trevor, because the bottom line was—I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I might not like what Carmen had to say. He might not like my conditions.
Or, a voice in my head whispered, like with Lottie, another dream of mine might possibly be about to come true.“Who the hell is that?” Trevor demanded, looking over my shoulder.
I glanced around, my gaze immediately focusing on Lottie. She was wearing a navy-blue swing coat, snow dusting on her shoulders and hair. She was talking with Brianna, who had already pulled off her coat, her revealing black dress clinging to all her curves. Brianna’s hair was slicked away from her face, and she wore knee-high red boots. She was obviously the one who had Trev’s attention, but it was Lottie that my gaze followed.
“That’s Brianna, Lottie’s friend I told you about,” I mumbled as I stood, waiting for Lottie to come closer.
“You better introduce me. Talk me up.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off Lottie. She slipped her coat from her shoulders, showing the red dress underneath. Cut lower in the front than I was used to seeing on her, it hugged her curves and flared to her knees. It was sexy and pretty, but not over the top. She had her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun, with tendrils dancing around her face and touching her shoulders. Her eyes looked huge in her face due to the makeup she was wearing, and again, the red lipstick on her full mouth made me want to kiss her. Hard. Our eyes had locked when she came in, and our gazes never wavered until she was in front of me. I slid my hand around her neck, pulling her close.