thousand at least. They may want me to believe they were just simple folk but they were clearly rolling in some serious cash.
The bar was a true hole-in-the-wall, full of genuine good ol’ boys, girls in Daisy Dukes and a jukebox as stuck in time as the patrons. The Taylor Brothers were right at home. When Renny and I arrived Garrett was holding court at a table with at least ten women hanging on his every word and Reade was beating some trucker at darts. The rest of the band and the roadies were scattered all around, drinking beer, eating burgers and greasy fries and blowing off steam; Taylor Brothers style.
Except for the gaggle of adoring girls you would never have known they were famous. Even without that, they were all attractive enough to have garnered female attention on their own. I had to admit, good genes ran in the family. And speaking of jeans, Renny was wearing the shit out of some black ones, again. What is it about a svelte, lanky man with a good butt? Usually the thin guys have the jeans hanging down against epic flatness but not Renny, or the other two, from what I could see. These boys had asses for days. I had to admit that after long hair and gorgeous eyes, I am an ass woman. Always like that little something extra to grab.
Rachel, this kind of thinking is inappropriate for a woman your age, a journalist and a feminist and it is also going to land you in the looney bin.
Renny steered me towards Garrett and his harem. “Hey Gar, this is the reporter I was telling you about. She’s gonna interview you so we gotta ask you lovely ladies to give us some room, all right?”
A couple of the girls drifted off but the others just crowded closer to Garrett, who didn’t seem to mind at all. He spread his long arms across the back of the booth taking in at least four of them who snuggled right in.
“Sit on down little lady, and ask away. I got nothing to hide. Unlike these other two miscreants.” Garrett had the same lop-sided smile as Renny. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t an affectation, just maybe it was genetic genius.
I sat down, pulled out my yellow pad as Renny gestured to the bartender to bring drinks. I turned my attention to Garrett while he wasn’t looking. He was blonde where Reade and Renny were brunette and copper. He seemed taller than either of them but very relaxed about it. He clearly uses it to his advantage, I thought, taking in his wing-span. The better to hug you with, my dears. Yes, there was something rather Big Bad Wolfy about him.
“When did you start playing the fiddle? I was thoroughly impressed tonight.”
“You like the fiddle?”
“I spent a couple of years in Ireland when I was in graduate school. The music is kind of like the mist there, no getting rid of it.”
“We are trying to get a few venues there next year. I’m tired of North America right now.”
“So you like the traveling?”
“Hell yes. What’s not to like? Great food, good friends, music and lovely ladies everywhere we go.”
“Sounds like the good life, for a bachelor. No one waiting at home I gather.”
“Oh, they’re waiting pretty lady.”
What a character! It was like he was play-acting the perfect bed-hopping cad but was doing it with the patented Taylor Brothers blend of charm and sexy it only made the girls sigh.
“Do you enjoy playing with your brothers?”
“Don’t ever have twins. Rachel, is it?” I nodded. “They are more than double the pain, they are pain squared. The identical bad boys of country.”
“I did not know that,” I said, giving Renny a knowing smirk.
“Hell, everyone knows that. Where you been?”
Renny perked up at that. “Hey don’t paint us with your tar brush, brother. Besides, she’s not a fan Gar. Never heard us until tonight.”
“I’m not up on all the newest…” I stuttered, then I pointed at the girls. “I don’t think I’m your demographic.”
“You’d be surprised,” Garrett said, “we got fans of all ages. Last week I got a