“Don’t forget the most important part,” Jamar chimed in. He took a pull on his bottle of Shiner Bock. “Once she earns her degree and expands Taylor’d Conditioning into a world-dominating fitness empire, having some articles written on a nationally known website will look pretty good in the brochures.”

“Oh, I like the way you think,” Taylor said, kissing him on the nose.

London rolled her eyes and groaned. “Lord, save me from yet another nauseatingly sweet couple.”

“I know,” Taylor said. “We’re disgustingly sweet. You should try to find—”

“Wait.” London cut her off, holding up a hand. “Was that a yeehaw? Did I just hear a genuine yeehaw? Whose idea was it to come to this place?”

“The birthday boy’s.” Samiah laughed. “Daniel’s been in Texas all these months and has never been to a honky-tonk.”

“I’ve lived here all my life, and I’ve never been to a damn honky-tonk.” London pointed a cheese-stuffed jalapeño at Daniel. “You’d better be happy it’s your birthday, Dimples, and that the food is good. Otherwise I’d be out of here.”

“You’re not enjoying this?” Daniel gestured at the memorabilia covering nearly every inch of wall space. “This would impress the hell out of country music fans.”

“Of which I am not,” London said.

“You should keep an open mind,” Taylor teased. “I’ll bet a place like this would be great for the class reunion you’re planning.”

“Ha ha. You’re so funny,” London deadpanned. She pushed back her chair. “I need to boot-scoot my way to the bathroom.”

“Don’t sneak out the back door,” Samiah said.

“I make no promises,” she called.

Taylor noticed quite a few heads turning as London strutted toward the restrooms. If she was still on the hunt for a random hookup, she’d have no problem finding a list of willing candidates tonight.

She turned back to Jamar and found him grinning at his phone.

“I want to laugh too,” Taylor said.

He turned the screen to her. It was a picture of a skinny black man with a pout worthy of a two-year-old who’d just had his favorite toy taken away.

“Big Silas is not happy with his live-in nurse,” Jamar said.

“I thought you said he agreed to it?”

“He agreed to a nurse, but he didn’t realize that nurse’s name would be Darrell.”

She burst out laughing. “That is so cruel. That man thought he’d have a cutie taking care of him.”

“I’m sure Darrell is both a handsome and competent nurse.”

“Your jokes are getting better,” she quipped. “Hey.” She bumped him on the shoulder. “You think your knee can handle a few twirls on the dance floor?”

The band had switched from the upbeat two-step number to a slow country ballad.

He pushed his chair back and stood. “Only one way to find out.”