Greer shrugged nonchalantly. “Money talks.”
“Excuse me. I think I need to have a quick chat with Penni.” Zoey tried to pull her hand away from his as she started to rise.
“I would wait. She seems to be busy arguing with Ginny.” Stump tugged her back down.
“I really need to speak to her….” She was still trying to break his hold when the DJ shouted into the microphone, drawing their attention.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re opening the floor to the karaoke part of the night. If you’re a regular here, I’ve been asked to start it off with a woman who sang here before. Ginny, where are you?”
“Tell me Penni didn’t set this up just so Ginny would be forced to sing in front of Kaden?” Zoey pleaded with him.
“I wish I could, but from the sight of them arguing, she did.”
Stump felt bad for the woman arguing with Penni. He had never met her, but he was acquainted with Penni enough to know she was steamrolling the woman who reluctantly rose to her feet at the shouts from the crowd.
Stump watched her make her way down the table toward Zoey, her eyes pleading with her as Zoey continued to try to free her hand.
“I have to go with her. She won’t do it by herself.”
He released her hand, letting Zoey stand.
Stump couldn’t hear what she said to Ginny, but the woman eventually straightened her shoulders as they walked toward the stage. Then both women went to the microphone as the DJ selected a song to play. It took only a few notes before he recognized the song “In My Blood.” He listened when Penni played it last week at the office.
Stump rose a brow at Penni’s choosing of that song. It would be hard for a professional to sing, much less a woman who didn’t want to be on a stage.
That Ginny didn’t want to be there was obvious as she stood behind Zoey, not putting her mouth near the microphone.
Kaden wasn’t even paying attention, talking to his wife.
Zoey started the song. Her voice was nice, but it didn’t suit the song. She wound her arm through Ginny’s, pulling her forward when the soft music reached a crescendo.
When Ginny’s voice gradually rose, taking over the song, he reluctantly understood why Penni had maneuvered her into singing it.
“Damn,” Stump muttered, seeing that Kaden and Sawyer had stopped talking to listen.
When her final words trailed off, the crowd started stomping and clapping for Ginny to sing again.
The next song was one he wasn’t as familiar with. However, listening to Ginny’s raspy voice, he was drawn in.
As she sang, she seemed to forget she was in front of a crowd, gripping the microphone as Zoey stepped back, letting her have the stage.
The crowd went crazy when she finished.
Seeing that Zoey had moved back, Ginny immediately retreated back into her shell, grabbing Zoey’s hand to leave the stage.
The DJ called someone else to the stage to calm the audience down, but it didn’t work. They started chanting “more” and didn’t stop until the DJ finally had to play a tape, taking a break.
It took three security guards to get Zoey and Ginny back to the table. He would have gone into the crowd, but he knew the guards would have pushed him back. Therefore, he had to impatiently wait for Zoey’s return.
“Don’t get up without me again,” he snarled as soon as her ass hit the chair.
“That’s why I keep my woman at home,” Greer remarked before Zoey could release her anger at his demand.
“You need to give me your wife’s phone number before you leave.”
Stump winced at the unnatural sweetness of Zoey’s request.
“Why? You want to ask her about Dustin? I can tell you everything you need to know.”
“Is your brother like you?” Honey dripped off Zoey’s sarcastic tone.
“He’s not as handsome as me, and he doesn’t have the red hair. But when it comes to women, we’re cut from the same cloth.”
“I don’t look so bad now, do I?” Stump said from out of the corner of his mouth.
She turned to look at him. “He has to be joking. He can’t be as bad as he sounds.”
“I don’t think he’s joking. I think he’s being for real.”
“He’s not in any reality I know, and I hope I never do….” She trailed off then raised her voice in astonishment. “I’m going to hurt her tomorrow in the office!”
“Who?” Stump turned to look over at where she was staring.
“Penni,” Zoey said grimly.
“Why? What did she do now?”
“She invited Casey, Max, and Cole.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
The three people stopped by Penni, who had risen from her chair to hug Casey and Cole.
“What’s wrong with that?” Confused, he couldn’t see why Zoey was becoming so upset.
“I think she wants them to meet Greer. I’m going to hurt her,” she threatened.