“Uh-huh.” I follow her inside. “You like me. I’m your favorite,” I singsong. “Admit it.”

She throws a hand into the air without looking back and pinches her fingers together. “Maybe just a tad.”

“I think we all know who Annie’s favorite is,” Aiden drawls, jumping ahead of me to slap her on the ass. “Isn’t that right, pixie-pie?”

Her head whirls in his direction. “That’s because so far you’re the only one in the bunch who can manage to keep his ass out of the headlines.”

“I do not accept that answer.” His tone is indignant. “Our connection…it’s so much deeper.”

Anika balks, stopping short. With a hand on her hip, she stares after him, awaiting his explanation.

“You want me for my hot bod.” He tosses his hair back and smooths a hand down his chest. “It’s quite obvious.”

“Well…” She stares up at him, batting her sooty lashes. “I do find you most appealing to look at.”

“Hah!” He pumps a fist, claiming victory. “Knew it!”

Fingers pinched to her chin, she eyes him thoughtfully. “Makes sense, seeing as you have the most feminine features.” She lifts onto her tippy toes and reaches up to push his long dark hair behind his ear to drive her point home.

“Cunt,” he grumbles, stalking off to play behind the bar.

I look around in awe. “Place looks great!”

It’s been less than a week since we last stopped by to check on the progress, and the difference is staggering. The construction crew said things would start moving quickly, and they weren’t kidding. This place went from little more than a shell to a country music fan’s paradise.

We opted for dim lighting with an industrial feel. Black, wrought iron pipe chandeliers hang from the ceiling with Jim Beam bottles in place of globes. They line the bar that follows the entire right side, as well as the rectangular one in the center of the room where Aiden and Rhett are living out their dreams of tending bar. Whiskey barrel tables take up the space along the left side of the room with inverted beer glass light fixtures.

The floor is scored concrete, stained a rusty brown. The walls are red brick, and massive exposed beams in the ceiling coordinate with the wood used to build the stage and bar tops.

A clattering of glass sends Anika rushing over in a tizzy to our amateur mixologists.

“Seriously, Rhett?” She shakes her head. “What the heck made you think you could juggle liquor bottles? Clean that shit up.”

“Calm your tits, boss-babe,” Nick chides. “He was practicing his flair.”

“Give me that.” She snatches the rag from Rhett, shoving him aside to mop up the mess she just told him to take care of.

Can you say control freak?

“What’cha got goin’ on over here?” My eyes scan the shooters Aiden’s got lined up in front of him.”