Better Than Good by Lane Hayes Read Free Book Online

forward to ask him when the lights over the stage area went dark, announcing the evening’s entertainment.
    “Oooh, is this your friend? Sam, right? What does he sing anyway?” I was surprised I could hear Aaron’s voice over the wolf whistles and cheering.
    I smiled at him and just whispered in his ear, “You’ll see.” My lips gently brushed the tip of his ear. He started at my touch, but just turned forward in his seat to focus on Sam.
    Sam Thompson and I had met in a criminal justice class my first year of law school. We were in the same study group and quickly learned that we shared a second passion in music. Sam was a year ahead of me in school and had been making a name for himself in the small club and bar scene, playing acoustic guitar and singing. He said it worked as a great stress reliever for him and gave him a life outside of textbooks and lectures. I’d been playing guitar since I was in my midteens. I was even in a small band in college. Like Sam, it was never my intention to make a living playing, but I loved it too.
    Sam walked out with his six-string guitar draped over his shoulder. He made eye contact with me and gave me a nod before he sat on a small stool and adjusted the microphone in front of him. Sam looked the part of a soulful blues guitarist. His sandy-blond hair was a little long and shaggy. He had a lean and lanky build and was probably a good couple inches taller than me. He was dressed casually tonight in a worn pair of jeans and an ancient concert T-shirt. Sam was all about the music, not fashion.
    I snuck a peek at my companion as I realized that, although I didn’t know Aaron well at all, my guess would be that he liked to dress for whatever the occasion called. I hoped he wasn’t going to hate being here tonight. Inviting him here was pure impulse on my part. I had no clue what I was doing. Once again. But Aaron seemed to bring out a carefree, go-with-the-flow side of me. If I thought too much about any of this, I knew I’d be in trouble. He was looking attentively toward the stage as Sam welcomed everyone and began to run his fingers over the strings of his guitar. I figured that as long as Aaron didn’t expect him to play Lady Gaga, this could be all right.
    Sam played for a good forty-five minutes to an enthusiastic audience before he announced he was taking a small break. During the set, I’d kept an eye on my companion while Sam played. I noticed Aaron would alternate his attention between Sam and the people gathered to listen to him. He reminded me of a wild, beautiful creature who somehow found himself in enemy territory. He looked wary and on guard but interested at the same time.
    I leaned forward to ask him if wanted to head out when Sam approached our table. I stood to greet him and gave him a one-armed guy hug. Sam was on a performer’s high, keyed up from the adrenaline rush playing in front of a crowd gives you when the nerves give way to the simple joy of playing the music you love. Sam and I both performed covers of music we liked. Mostly classic rock, but I also loved good pop music and would play anything from the Beatles to Maroon 5. I didn’t think Aaron’s taste in music ran in either direction, but so far, he seemed at least mildly entertained.
    I introduced Aaron to Sam as Sam pulled up a chair to join us.
    “You were awesome, man,” I enthused, giving him a high five. “Let me buy you a drink.”
    “Thanks, but I’m good. I have so much work to do this weekend. I’m not drinking anything tonight.”
    Sam gave Aaron a brief once-over before asking him if we knew each other from law school. I don’t know why that struck me as funny, but I gave a quick chuckle at the thought of Aaron in one of my boring classes. He was much too vibrant for Constitutional Law. I would have remembered someone like him. Aaron raised an eyebrow at me. I smiled at him, hoping to convey that I meant no insult.
    “No, we met at a club and then a bar and now another bar.