Take Me Home (The Heartbreak Brothers 1)

Tanner grinned and leaned into the microphone. “Think of it as a homage, bro.”

“That’s Tanner-speak for massacre,” Becca mock-whispered while Logan and Cameron laughed. But then the familiar notes of Along the River began, and Maddie’s heart clenched like it always did. It was such a slow, heartbreaking melody. Every local radio station seemed to play it constantly when it first came out. It reminded her of school dances an

d Homecoming and evenings at Chairs.

Her eyes slid to Gray’s again, and her breath caught in her throat when she realized he was looking at her.

“Hi.” She smiled at him.

“Hey.” He walked over to her, stopping a few feet away. “I’m glad you came.”

Yeah, so was she. Now. She had an almost-panic attack about an hour ago when she realized she’d be singing in front of Gray Hartson. Which was stupid because she never cared about singing in front of people. Not here in Hartson’s Creek, anyway. Karaoke in the Moonlight Bar was only a bit of fun, unless you were Becca who took it very seriously.

The instrumental intro ended and Tanner sang the first words.

“Remember when we were kids? And everything we did? The days we spent at school right by the river.”

“Ouch.” Logan covered his ears. “Could he hit any more bum notes?”

“The day that love died. And everybody cried. We held each other tight by the river.”

Tanner was looking right at his brother, serenading him. Gray shook his head and Maddie grinned because it was so damn sweet watching them.

“Come on, bro,” Tanner called out. “Come and sing with me.”

Gray lifted his hands up and shook his head. “No,” he mouthed.

“Go on,” Logan urged.

“It’s his party,” Becca said, grabbing Gray’s arm. “Go and join him.”

Tanner launched into the chorus and pointed at Gray. He turned his hand over and beckoned him with a curled finger. Maddie laughed again and Gray looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“What?” she asked.

Gray grinned sheepishly at her and walked to the stage, and damn if watching his long-legged easy stride didn’t make her heart beat a little faster. He walked onto the platform and Tanner hugged him, his grin so wide it was infectious. Tanner held the microphone up to Gray’s mouth as the chorus repeated, and the crowd in the bar cheered loudly as he began to sing.

“The day I walked along the river was the day we said goodbye.” Gray’s voice was low and achingly soulful. A shiver wracked its way down Maddie’s spine.

“The day we walked along the river was the day I made you cry.” His eyes scanned the crowd as he leaned in, landing on her. Maddie’s breath caught in her throat.

“Now I sit here all alone and all I think about is then.”

Everybody was clustered around the stage, their arms up, their voices loud as they joined in the song.

“Why can’t we walk along the river again?”

“Shit,” Becca whisper-shouted in Maddie’s ear. “Do you think we can top that?”

“Sure,” Maddie lied. “Piece of cake.”

Becca muttered something about their A-game before she wandered over to where Sam was standing by the stage, and whispered something in his ear. Maddie stayed exactly where she was. She couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted to. It was as though she was glued to the spot, her pulse thumping in time to the music.

“You’re so fucking hot,” one of Becca’s friends shouted at Gray over the music. Almost everybody laughed.

Maddie wanted to join in, she really did. But there were too many emotions rushing through her, and not a single one of them was amusement. There was confusion and desire and a wistfulness that she could taste on the tip of her tongue.

But not humor. Not at all.