“I tried to tell you she was good,” Rachel said smugly from my side.

“Did she write that song?” I asked, turning to look at my wife.

“Babe, seriously? It’s a Taylor Swift song.”

“Oh.”

“This one’s a Kenny Chesney song.”

“I know this one,” I murmured, looking back toward the stage. “Does she only sing country?”

“Hell no. It’s mostly other stuff, but it’s usually got a theme. Tonight is obviously about kids…teenagers, since the donations are going to some stop-bullying charity.”

I nodded, but my eyes were on the stage again as Kate danced a little in her seat, tapping out the beat of the new song on the front of her guitar. Had Kate been bullied? I didn’t remember anything like that, but like I’d told Rachel, I’d only stayed with Kate’s aunt and uncle for a little over a year before I left for boot camp. Maybe I’d missed it. The thought made me grind my teeth in anger.

Kate pursed her bright lips then, blowing a kiss with a wink for the crowd.

My breath caught.

Jesus Christ.

I pushed my seat back from the table and grabbed Rachel’s hand, pulling her over to sit on my lap.

“What are you doing?” she whispered with a laugh.

“If I’ve gotta stay here, I’m getting some perks.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” I leaned in and kissed her hard, ignoring the lipstick I could feel smearing over my lips. I slid my tongue into her mouth and felt her nails dig into my shoulder as she tilted her head for a better angle. God, kissing her still felt as good as it had the first time I’d done it. I hadn’t known that loving someone so much was even possible before I’d met her.

“Rain check?” she asked against my lips as she reached out blindly and grabbed a couple of napkins to clean off our faces. Her face was flushed, and I wanted nothing more than to leave that fucking coffeehouse and get her alone.

My wife was the most beautiful woman I’d ever known, and it wasn’t just her looks. She’d grown up like I had, scrounged and fought for every single thing she’d needed—and I was proud of the family and the life we’d built together. We’d come a long way from our nasty upbringings.

“Can we go home yet?” I replied with a smirk as I wiped my face.

“Hey, you two in the corner!” Kate called into the mike, interrupting the incredibly sexy look Rachel was giving me. “None of that, I’ve got kids here.”

The crowd laughed, and I glanced sharply at the stage.

Kate was smiling so brightly that she looked giddy. “That’s my best friend, right there. Isn’t she gorgeous?”