Smokin Gun

Flashback: CMA Fest 2015: Part III

Stephanie's POV

About an hour later we had gathered around a table at The Stage on Broadway. Yes, it was CMA fest week, there were tourists and fans everywhere, but Tim was having a free concert outside the Bridgestone so there was less chance of the girls being noticed and we didnt have the guys with us anyhow. The combination of the margaritas and the Patron and we were feeling good.

Katie had grinned evilly when we walked in and had seen they had a karaoke machine set up with the DJ for the night. When he noticed this along with the bottle and bucket of beers we had ordered for the table, I am pretty sure I saw P.J. mutter a prayer.

We were laughing and swapping stories as we threw back shots. Caroline and I were trying to talk Brittney into karaoke. I looked over to notice BCole looking down at her phone typing and smiling.

"Hey! No sexting the hubby on girls' night," I said with a grin pointing at her with my beer bottle.

"That's right," Katie chimed in. "Unless you are gonna share with the class." She turned a dozen shades of red before taking a drink and recovering with a wink.

"Oh, y'all will see," she said giving me an evil grin to rival one of my own.

"Shit what is she up to?" Lauren said. Caroline cracked up laughing and grabbed my hand to pull me out on the dance floor with her. This right here is why Luke insisted on sending someone with us. She may be a mom in her thirties but the damn woman didnt look it and had moves.

I had seen P.J. stick a booted foot out twice to deter a group of guys that had tried to make their way over to our circle on the dance floor. I motioned that I needed to head to the bathroom and Katie and Caroline tagged along with me.

I was leaned in the mirror touching up my lip gloss when Katie hopped up on the counter beside me.

"You know Caroline, we need to find Stephanie here a man," she said turning to adjust the high ponytail she had pulled her hair up into. Caroline finished typing out a text to Luke's mom and nodded her head.

I rolled my eyes at both of them.

"I agree Katie. But got to be a hell of a man to make it past the caveman squad, "she said with a grin shaking her long blonde hair.

"Hey!!" I complained. "I am perfectly capable of finding my own man. I was engaged for a little while remember."

"Yea, and if I remember right from what you said, you and BG weren't speaking to each other at that time. So, did he pass little brother inspection?" Katie said tapping a finger on her chin grinning.

"No," I snarled. "I had to threaten to shoot Kolby to get him to leave David alone."

I turned to head toward the door with them following me. I laughed on the way to the table at Caroline dancing and singing along since "That's My Kind of Night" was playing. We had sitting there for a minute when I noticed Katie shoot me a mischievous grin and pound the table to get the everyones attention.

"Ok ladies, we have a mission for the night. Be on the lookout. We are on the hunt for Stephanie a man! Now remember we ain't looking for no pretty city boy," she said between laughs as the rest of them cheered.

"He's got to be a badass in his own right to be able to hang."

I put my face in my palm and shook my head as they started tossing out suggestions and then not finding any good enough started to look around the room. I'd had enough.

"Y'all all can kiss my ass. I need something stronger than beer," I growled out rolling my eyes making them laugh harder. I noticed BCole whisper something into Caroline's ear making her eyes grow wide before a shit eating grin spread across her lips. I stood up and turned to make my way over to the bar. I needed whiskey if I was going to survive. P.J. grabbed my arm as I passed the table behind us.

"You ok there Lil Bit," he said looking at me. I sighed and nodded before clapping him on the shoulder.

"Yea, I am fine. Don't worry," I said turning to flip Katie, Brittney and Caroline off making them laugh harder.
" That crew has decided to make it their mission tonight to find me a man. I need something stronger than beer so I'm looking for whiskey."

P.J. gave me a funny look and tugged at the collar of his t-shirt like he was nervous. He picked up his cellphone off the table and started typing out a text. I shrugged my shoulders and moved on to the bar, flagging the bartender down.

"Jack on the rocks and make it a double please," I said tapping the bar top. He slid the drink over to me with a smile and wink. I slid the money over and turned around to lean against the bar. I sipped my drink and watched some guy butcher "Hicktown" on the karaoke stage. I winced as a took a big drink of the whiskey and willed my ears not to bleed.

Jason would be dying right about now. I scanned the guys in the bar. This bunch was nuts. I was thirty years old and have the guys in here tonight looked like college freshmen or frat boy recruits. The only man I can stand to see in skinny jeans was Luke and that was because I loved to give him hell about them and knew that he only worn them onstage.

Caroline had literally tried to bounce a quarter off his ass one night after a show. We had succeeded but he and Brantley had confiscated our pitcher of margaritas. We tried to blame Carter but they didn't fall for it.

I took another sip and wound my way back to our table. I was almost there when I heard a voice growl behind me.

"Don't think so hot shot. She's off limits," I heard P.J. growl.

I looked over my shoulder to see him sitting in his chair, arms crossed, with one long leg stretched out blocking a skinny little punk that had been grinning at me checking out my ass. I gave P.J. a wink before blowing a kiss at the poor idiot and putting a little more sway in my hips to be evil. I approached our table and rolled my eyes. BK and Tyler both had BCole and Hailey sitting on their laps grinning.

"Hey, this is girls' night boys," I said with a grin back at them. Brittney smiled up at me before reaching to snatch my glass of Jack out of my hand.

"Hey! Heifer get your own," I snapped just as my world spun and I was tugged backwards into a pair of arms. I closed my eyes against the movement because of all the shots I'd had spaced out through the night. Damn, I was kind of dizzy.

"Ok there Steph," Katie asked. I held up a thumb and slowly opened my eyes. My cheek was currently squished against a very muscular chest. Hmmm. I slowly lifted my head up to look at who had grabbed me. I was met with a huge grin as the arms that had been holding me wrapped tighter around my waist.

Damn and the smell of that cologne. Yummy is right Caroline. My eyes traveled up a tan face to meet the hazel eyes peeking out at me from under a black HDEU hat pulled down low. I felt myself blush because I knew the whole table was staring at us. A slightly drunk Chase Rice leaned his head a little closer with mine focusing intently on my lips.

"Hey beautiful, how have you been?" he asked grinning at me before brushing his lips against mine. I'm pretty sure I heard the click of at least one camera shutter and a lot of whistles and catcalls as he tilted me sideways deepening the kiss.