Starr sidled up to the table to take their orders. “I’ve got something special on tap for you tonight, Mads.” She nodded across the room to three good-looking guys standing by the dance floor. The tallest of them lifted his chin. “He’s been trying to get your attention all night. I did some recon. He’s here from Florida for a week with his brothers, there’s no ring on his left hand, and he seems nice.”

“In that case,” Madigan said, “I’ll just have iced tea, nonalcoholic, please.” Tired and drunk was never a pretty combination.

“Okay. Coming right up.”

After Starr went to fill her order, Madigan mustered a smile for Marly and Dante. “So, how’s the big date going?”

“I couldn’t ask for better company.” Dante looked appreciatively at Marly.

Marly gazed dreamily at him, and as they told Madigan about the restaurant they’d gone to and the walk they’d taken through the nearby galleries, they shared intimate glances, finished each other’s sentences, and laughed when they said the same things at the same time. Madigan couldn’t help being a little jealous. Her mother was right. Her heart did have other ideas, because it was tiptoeing down a painful path, wondering if she and Tobias would have ever gotten that far. They might not have been looking for a relationship, but her father and grandfather were right, too. The trust they shared was in and of itself a type of relationship.

She stayed for one drink, as promised, hoping she wasn’t a downer for Marly and Dante. She hugged them, thanked them for a fun time, and went to get her guitar.

Her uncle sidled up to her as she left the back room. “Hey, kiddo. How’re you holding up?”

“I’m fine, Uncle Con.”

“Mm-hm. Fine in female-speak means you’re not, but you don’t want to talk about it. That’s okay.”

“Aunt Ginger taught you well,” she said with a smile.

“That she did. I’ve been keeping my nose out of your business, but you know if you need a place to escape to while you sort out your feelings, or if you just want to bend our ears, Ginger and I are here for you.”

“I know. Thank you.” She started to leave but stopped herself and said, “It’s times like these that I miss Ash the most.”

“I know, darlin’, but she’s still with us. Blaine told me you gave him hell, and I’d bet Ashley’s cheering you on.”

Laughter bubbled out past the lump forming in her throat. “I can’t believe Blaine told you.”

“He’s having a rough time. He knows he jumped the gun with Tobias, but he didn’t like finding out that you didn’t know about Tobias’s past.”