Why the River Runs Page 7

  “I heard that,” Jason said around his beer. He wiggled his brows at Bo and chuckled low in his chest. “You’re so screwed.”

  “You didn’t hear shit.” Bo waved him off, but Jason had figured out his fixation with Tina a week ago and had been giving him hell.

  Jason wasn’t the type to open his mouth and start drama. So far, he was the only guy at Foster Construction who made an effort to befriend him outside of work. “I hope you fare better than the last guy.” He shuddered, still laughing.

  Bo sat down, but kept his eyes on Tina.

  A tall man with dark hair and olive skin followed behind her. He put his hand on her lower back and Tina flinched as if he’d surprised her. Then she gave him a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

  This was the boyfriend. He was respectable-looking, clean cut and fancily dressed in his slacks and sweater-vest combo with those shiny shoes. But Tina walked through the crowd in front of him, uncaring of where he was or if he kept up. Trey was a prop, and Bo mentally brushed him off.

  Bear grabbed Tina up in a hug that lifted her off the ground. She smiled freely at him, her joy at his presence written all over her happy face. Bo felt the blurred edges of jealousy in his gut. As much as it had kicked him in the balls for Tina to take care of his truck, he’d never liked a woman more. He’d shown it by being a complete asshole and, for the last couple weeks, she’d kept her distance.

  “What brings y’all in tonight?” Bear addressed the table of crewmen.

  “Just finished a new house, starting a restoration Monday, and we need to celebrate.” Tina gave Jason a fist bump and solicited cheers from her co-workers.

  Bear laughed and clapped at their success. “Done. I’ll get a waitress over here to take your orders and I’m going to whip up something special to start you off.” He headed to the kitchen while a waitress handed out menus that featured everything from steak to fried green tomatoes and salads. The beverage list had mainly Texas beers and the staples.

  Tina and Duane were consistently surrounded by people. They knew everybody in town. She could hardly keep up a conversation with one person without being greeted by another. Trey leaned out of the way, chatting with Duane, allowing Tina to be the smiling face of the family.

  Every few minutes, Bo would glance over to meet her gaze. He couldn’t help but look at her. He couldn’t keep his thoughts off of her. If Tina Foster was hot as hell covered in sawdust and sweat, she was drop dead gorgeous with her hair curled down her back and her eyes smoky and dark with shadow. Why the hell she kept glancing at him when she had a pretty-boy next to her, he’d never know…but he could hope.

  As they both tried to converse with other people, their stares kept meeting, holding a heartbeat, and bouncing away again. Each time, his heart ached a little more. Every glance made him long for the next.

  Bear’s waitresses kept the food coming and the beers full…except for his. He was allowed to drink, but with his parole officer being well-known in the county, he didn’t want anything getting back to her. There were too many people in this place.

  “You play pool?” Jason leaned over and asked. “I think you need a distraction.”

  Bo nodded. They took their beers across the massive log cabin-style building and waited until a table opened.

  A waitress with kinky golden curls and a friendly smile came by with a tray of beers balancing on her palm. She stopped when she saw Bo.

  “Hey, Jason, introduce me to your friend.” She gave him a wink that had surely lured many drunken men.

  Names were exchanged, not that he remembered hers three seconds after Jason said it.

  “You’re new to Tina’s crew, huh?” She appraised him from head to toe, smiling in approval. “Don’t be a stranger, good lookin’.” She winked again and sauntered off.

  Bo followed the exaggerated movement of her hips until he glanced up to find Tina again. A thin wrinkle formed between her brows and she turned away. She was talking to a couple of women he didn’t know.

  “Bo, table’s free. Quit staring at the boss lady.” Jason teased and handed him a pool stick.

  Bo shook his head. “It’s not weird to you, seeing her…I don’t know, like a girl.”

  Jason threw his head back laughing. “I guess I’m used to it by now. But yeah. Hard to believe that little cutie pie could be the same slave driver you’re used to seeing on the job site.” Jason shrugged. “She’s just one of the guys to me, ya know?”

  They played a couple rounds, and the whole time, Bo wondered how Jason could possibly get one-of-the-guys vibes looking at Tina in that skirt and tank top. God knows, he didn’t.

  TINA LOVED COMING HERE. Bear had successfully established a restaurant and dance hall that attracted tourists and felt like home to the locals. After everything that had happened in the last two years, it gave her pride to see Bear flourish. He’d worked on the restaurant as a way to deal with the grief of losing his little brother and turned a tragic accident into motivation to live his life to the fullest. If only all the Harris boys had done the same. Donnie, the baby, was in the military trying to make a career out of it—mainly to avoid Riverview. Sean, the next youngest, had gone off the deep end when he lost his best friend and then his brother so close together. Now he preferred the company of druggies and drunks over his real friends.

  At least Bear was doing well.

  He came by and dropped a mixed drink in front of her.

  “Oh no, no, no, no. Not tonight, Bear.” Not with Bo here. The thought of singing in front of Bo gave her a sudden and alarming case of stage fright. The way he was looking at her tonight had her insides quivering.

  “Come on, T. The house is packed and people started asking the moment you walked in. Please?” He put his hands together in front of him, begging. How could she turn him down? She loved Bear so very much.

  “She said not tonight, Jake. Maybe some other time.” Trey casually pushed the drink away from Tina.

  A shiver of defiance crawled up her spine. No man dictated what she would or wouldn’t do for her friends.

  “Oh, come on, Miss Foster!” One of the other patrons sitting behind them tapped her shoulder when she would’ve snapped at Trey. “I have family in from Denver and it would be a real treat.”

  Tina smiled at the table of people and nodded. “Okay. Give me a minute and I’ll sing.” She stood up to that table cheering and went to the bathroom to check her makeup and hair and take a deep breath. As she came out, Trey stood by the door, his face drawn tight.

  “Why do you let him do this to you?” He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head, grinding his teeth like he always did when he was aggravated at her.

  “Do what? He asked me to sing, not dance topless.” She went to move past him and he stepped in her way. Trey wasn’t a dominant man. For him to bristle up meant he must be angry. “Trey, I don’t mind.”

  “Yes, you do. You have to drink the whole time you’re on stage just to keep from throwing up. I know you and you don’t want to be up there.”

  Tina raised her chin and narrowed her eyes. “Apparently, you don’t know me, because I love to sing. It’s just a minor case of nerves because the place is packed.”

  “And you’ll be drunk by the time it’s over.” He pursed his lips and shoved his hands into his pockets, backing down.

  “You’ve never complained before.” Tina kicked out a hip and raised a brow. Usually when she was tipsy, he got lucky.

  Trey sighed, his eyes turned to the floor. “My girlfriend shouldn’t have to be drunk to want to have sex with me.”

  “It’s not like that, and this is seriously not the place or the time to have this discussion.” Dear heavens, she didn’t have time for his emotional drama. “I’m going to go sing now.” She pushed past him.

  Trey squared his shoulders, mustering up what courage he had. “I can’t watch this.”

  “Then don’t.” She threw up her hands, letting him know she didn’t care if he left or stayed.
Sure, it was bitchy. But her first love was calling her name and Trey would never give her the buzz that being on stage did…which was usually why she had to be tipsy to get into bed with him.

  Bear had the karaoke set up on the stage and waved her over. She requested two more shots from her waitress. The impromptu performance wasn’t a shock. Bear took advantage of the live entertainment when he could, which is why Tina never paid for her meals at his place.

  “I hate it when you do this, brat,” she whispered in his ear.

  “You love it.” He kissed her cheek. “And you’re so damn good at it, baby,” Bear said, all smiles and wicked grins. He was far too handsome for his own good. He had long, dirty-blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a smile that could melt the panties right off a woman.

  Too bad he was like a brother to her. He’d make the perfect date.

  Bear smacked her butt, right there in front of God and everybody. “Ladies and gents, the lovely, the talented, the sweetheart of Riverview—Tina Foster.”

  Tina took the microphone and smiled at the applause. Turning on her performance mode was as easy as slipping on her favorite jacket. She wore the spotlight with comfort and familiarity. “How y’all doin’?” She adjusted the stand to fit her short frame. “How many first timers do we have tonight?”

  A large percentage of the crowd cheered. Riverview was one of the few leisure and tourism focused towns along the river in this area. The town brought in a lot of visitors looking for an inland beach getaway.

  “Fantastic, welcome to Riverview and welcome to Bear’s Bar, the hang out for the in-laws, out-laws, and every poor sucker in between.” She smiled and found Bo to her right, leaning against the pool table with Jason, watching her impromptu show. “I know Bear loves to hear me sing, but he also likes it when I do impressions of some of our favorite singers.”

  Her dad and uncle let out a whoop, encouraging her. Better than their applause was the grin on Bo’s face as he watched her on stage.

  “If you’ve seen these before, just laugh really loud and pretend you haven’t. So, uh, okay, this is one of America’s favorite divas. Yell it out when you know who it is.”

  TINA LET LOOSE A couple stanzas of I Will Always Love You, full on Whitney. Bo’s mouth fell open. This little country girl, no bigger than a minute, sounded just like the famous star. The crowd at Bear’s ate it up. Hell, he ate it up.

  “And if you prefer the other version…” Tina said, changing her voice entirely to sound just like Dolly.

  Bear called out another big name from behind the bar.

  Tina laughed and waved him off. “Patience, big man, I’m getting there. Someone smack him.”

  Bo grinned. Tina was a natural on stage. She took a swig of the mixed drink in her hand and then busted out with the first verse of Fancy. After a couple more impressions and a happily entertained audience gathered around, Tina had seemed to settle into her surroundings.

  “Now, here’s my impression of me, I happen to do this one very well.” She laughed and pressed play on the karaoke machine. The familiar strands of Fancy came on. The song was considered a Southern classic and every red-blooded country girl knew it.

  If he had it his way, Tina Foster would re-record that song and release it today. Tina crooned the lyrics of heartache and seduction like it was her personal story. She worked the people who gathered on the dance floor twirling each other around.

  She did three fast, old-school country hits and a couple newer ones. The girl was amazing. If he hadn’t already been mesmerized with her, he was good and falling for her now.

  “You’re a sunk ship, man.” Jason leaned against the other side of the cedar beam, where Bo had moved to get a better view.

  “Not a word.” Bo’s threat held no heat, he was too enraptured by Tina.

  “Funny, you staring at her like that, the boyfriend staring at her like…that.” Jason motioned across the room with his beer. Bo swung his gaze to Trey fuming at the table. He said something to Duane and the two men exchanged words. Duane’s brows lowered and he motioned his head toward the door. Trey stood up and headed out.

  “He didn’t last long. I lost that bet.” Jason removed his ball cap and scratched his head. “I owe Bill a twenty, don’t let me forget. I didn’t give him much longer.”

  Good.

  “He doesn’t like her singing? Is he stupid?”

  Jason shook his head and tilted back his beer, Bo’s attention stayed on Tina. “Not singing, the drinking. You might not realize it, cause she’s so good, but she’s tipsy as hell right now. Trey doesn’t like her to drink.” Jason pointed to the stage. “He’s a damn fool to miss out on this.” He grinned as Tina danced around on the stage doing some fancy footwork in her boots.

  Jason was a good-looking fellow. Dark hair, dark eyes, friendly smile with dimples, and construction worker’s tan lines on his buff arms. It made Bo wonder.

  “Have you ever, uh, you know?”

  Jason’s brows rose to his forehead. “Are you kidding me? She’s hot, but I’m not that stupid.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Last guy she dated seriously, besides the pretty boy,” Jason took another drink, “ended up with his pants nailed to a two-by-four…at the crotch…while he was still wearing them.”

  Bo’s mouth hung open and Jason laughed at his shocked expression.

  “In her defense, no physical harm was done, and she gave him the chance to shimmy his balls out of the way before she shot the nail gun, but still. I like my jewels attached and unperforated.” Jason saluted him with his beer and finished it off, turning the bottle up.

  Terry hadn’t been making idle threats on Bo’s first day. He had given him a serious warning.

  Tina finish up a song, holding out the last note for an unbelievably long time. She was his dream woman, nail guns and all.

  “Now y’all join me on the dance floor for the Riverview anthem.” Tina swayed her hips along to the beat of Pontoon. “My brother from another mother has to come help me.”

  The crowd started cheering as Bear made his way to the stage. Compared to Tina, he was massive. He removed his black jacket revealing a tank top in bright red—about the same color his face turned. Everyone around here lived like they were in the Caribbean, not Texas. Flip-flops and tanks were perfectly acceptable attire for any occasion. Bear’s Bar was no exception.

  “Payback, baby. Let’s do this.” Tina chugged back some beer and sang the opening lines.

  The crowd kept time, clapping at her command. Bear was quite the comic himself. He danced and sang right along with her. His talent paled in comparison, but he put on a show.

  Unfortunately, he had no boundaries and Bo had to watch as Tina rolled her hips against him. It might be in good fun, might just be for show, but Bo clenched his hand around his beer so tight his knuckles hurt. He threw the bottle away, using any excuse not to watch.

  Thankfully, Duane flagged him down, back to the table he and Terry never left.

  “Hey, son. Here’s Tina’s keys. You mind making sure she gets home? You can either take her truck or leave yours here. We can come get it in the morning.” He tossed the ring at Bo.

  “Y’sir. You sure about this? Jason can—”

  “You’re fine. Jason’s working on his sixth or seventh beer. You’ve had what, two all night? You might have to drive them both.”

  “Didn’t her boyfriend drive her, sir?”

  “Eh.” Duane waved him off and muttered something about corn cobs up asses.

  Bo nodded. Guess that meant he couldn’t order something stronger to wash the images of Tina’s fine body out of his mind tonight. Damn it. That also meant he had to be alone with her.

  “Us old men are going home.” Terry slapped his bloated, full belly and pushed out of his chair. He handed Duane his canes and they headed out.

  Bo stuffed the keys into his pocket. It humbled him that Duane trusted him not only with a vehicle, but his daughter. Maybe that wasn’t a good thing. If D
uane thought for one minute that something would happen between him and Tina, he would’ve picked someone else.

  There was a kick in the balls if there ever was one.

  Bo joined Jason and the crowd just as Bear and Tina launched into a duet. He’d never heard the song but it instantly made him itchy. They sang to each other about playing games, how it was too late to turn back.

  He had enough of the stage romance and the one-night-stand song until Tina surveyed the crowd and found him. A stone settled in his gut as she met his stare and sang. Blood pooled to his groin as she crooned directly to him about starting fires and how she’d never say goodbye.

  If she wasn’t three sheets to the wind, he’d believe she meant it. The conviction with which she sang was Oscar worthy. He blinked twice, wondering if she meant to stare at him with those bedroom eyes, hoping and praying she did.

  “Damn, bro. I think she’s singin’ to you.” Jason took a step to the left, away from him.

  Tina’s eyes didn’t move.

  “Yup. Boss lady has the hots for you. Guard your nuts.”

  Bo ignored him. He was too captivated by Tina’s voice, too turned on by her words.

  Unfortunately, Jason wasn’t the only one who noticed her serenading him. Bear put his hand on the small of her back, getting her attention and breaking their connection. Tina smiled up at her partner and they finished the song. All smiles and giggles, they took a quick bow and he led her off stage.

  Bo casually turned around and engage Jason in another game of pool. The last thing he needed was an altercation in a bar, centered around his boss.

  “Um, Bo?”

  Her voice sent warmth over his skin. He turned, keeping his eyes averted. “Yes, ma’am?”

  “Do you know where my dad went? He had my keys.”

  Bo cleared his throat, noting that Bear was a step behind her. “He asked me to make sure you get home.”

  “I can do that,” Bear volunteered.

  “You don’t leave until midnight or after.” Tina dismissed him. “I’m tired and my buzz is wearing off.”