Irresistible Bachelors: Books 1-5 by Landish, Lauren (bts books to read TXT) 📕

Mindy is in midst of a particularly tricky question when Hannah interrupts. “Uh, excuse me. I don’t mean to be rude, but Jake, would you like to give these ladies’ husbands a tour of the Club? Gavin, Oliver, and John are waiting at the Pancake House just down the street from Jasmine,” says Hannah innocently. “They said they were hungry.”

I look at her suspiciously, remembering how she ran out. “You were in on this!”

Hannah manages to look guilty but doesn't say anything.

Jake chuckles. “I’ll be fine. I’ll meet up with them and let you guys play catch-up.”

I cross my arms and scowl. I know what this is. They're gonna interrogate Jake.

“Don’t let them intimidate you,” I tell him in his ear. “Gavin’s huge, but he’s actually a nice guy.”

“Are you kidding?” he says with a smirk. “I was born in the jungle. I can handle myself. It was nice meeting you ladies. I’m sure I’ll see you again?”

“You sure will,” Mindy says. “We’ve got nowhere to go, and if we do, I’m going to be back.”

When he’s gone, I place my hands on my hips and scowl at everyone.

“Now, which one of you is going to tell me just what the hell you were thinking, surprising me like this?”Roxy

I pace back and forth, nervous energy filling my legs as I try to clear my head. I came to Club Jasmine early just for this purpose, to try and get my head right.

It’s not working. “Come on, this is just another performance, just another performance,” I mutter to myself for what has to be the thousandth time.

“Roxy.”

I don’t pay the voice any attention as I keep trying to go over stuff in my head. “Quick little talk with the crowd, then Shake It Off . . . no, shit, we decided to change the lineup to show my range . . .”

“ROXY!”

I stop as two hands grab my shoulders and I look up to see Mindy shaking me, staring into my eyes. “What?”

“You’re freaking out,” Mindy says, giving me a smile. “Come on, you’ve been going over this for an hour now. You know your set backward and forward. Even that old school track you’re putting in for Mom.”

“Hey, I’m not old school!” Mom complains. “I mean, Madonna’s still touring!”

“Yeah, and looking more worn out than I do!” Grandma adds. “Roxy, your sister is right. Sit down. If you keep this up, you’re going to wear out your legs!”

I take a deep breath and sit down, Brianna moving over quietly to help with my hair. While she does that, Mindy sits down in front of me and starts doing my makeup. “Okay, now listen,” Mindy says quietly. “I can see what’s going through your head. You’ve been trying to give yourself a pep talk, saying if this goes badly, it’s no big deal. But you see, you don’t need that talk. It isn’t going to go badly. Look to your right. Let me get your cheek.”

I turn, seeing Grandma. She’s gotten herself dressed up in an outfit I can only call geriatric hoochie mama. Mom looks a bit more conservative, but Mindy herself looks like she’s about ready to tear up the stage as one of my backup dancers . . . if I had backup dancers.

“All of us here know you’re going to knock them dead. All the men know it, which is why the only one sweating is Nathan, and that man seems to sweat everything.”

I chuckle. She’s right. “He’s made his money being a worrywart.”

Mom gets up and comes over to me, kissing me on the forehead. “I’ve always been proud to have two wonderful, beautiful daughters. And I’ve never been prouder of you than tonight, Roxy. You look amazing, but most all, you’re showing the world your heart. Do that, and they’ll love you just as much as I do.”

I blink, moved. “Mom . . . don’t make me cry. Mindy just got my makeup done!”

“She’s right, Roxy,” Grandma says. She gets to her feet, coming over. “You look beautiful, and you’re going to be the hottest thing since Brenda Lee.”

There’s a knock at the door, and Brianna stops messing with my hair long enough to open the door to my dressing room. She gives a low whistle, and I turn around to see Jake step in the room. He’s dressed to the nines, a full tuxedo with bow tie, looking like he’s ready to be the next James Bond. “Well, well, you dress up nicely.”

“Thanks,” Jake says, giving Hannah a wink. She’s been a godsend, playing it cool at the office as I’ve gone through ten days of absolute performance boot camp. She even did the laundry the past two weekends.

Jake comes up to me, looking me in the eyes with those soulful, love-filled eyes that make my life complete. “You look beautiful.”

“Second-best looking girl in the room,” Mindy teases, fixing the last crystal on my face. “There. Now you look like a superheroine.”

“I feel better,” I admit, looking up into Jake’s eyes. “So the guys are ready?”

It was Jake’s biggest gift for this important performance, flown from Summerfield last Sunday, my old backup band from Trixie’s, The Roxxers, Jeff, Gregg, and Wes. We’ve been rehearsing together for the past week, getting back in sync just like we used to be. “They’re ready.”

“Then it’s time to go,” I say, giving Jake a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll kick some ass out there. You get these bitches to their seats, okay?”

I head backstage, where I see Jeff, Gregg, and Wes already in their performance gear. I smile, but Gregg, who is rail-thin with short hair, looks concerned as he gestures at Jeff, a tall blond with spikey hair. “Dude, I’m worried about the pyro.”

“What? We’ve worked this to the bone!” Jeff complains. “Practices were great with it.”

“Yes, but that was in an empty house with half the security staff standing by with fire extinguishers,” Gregg retorts. He’s always been the more