Take a peek at Mayfly Melodies. If interested in reading, the completed book can be found on Brenna's profile...
"You look familiar. Have we met before?"
Noah turned his head to the side, watching as a tall, blond-haired cowboy in a green shirt and blue Levi's leaned against the bar counter and tried to flirt with a curly-haired strawberry-blonde. Noah recognized her distantly and it took a moment for him to place her. But that was the girl who'd called out to him in the parking lot earlier. The girl he'd thought might be a buckle bunny.
Mild panic raced across the girl's face but it disappeared quickly. She smiled, a flash of teeth, and shrugged. "I dunno. You from around here?"
"Texas. Dallas, to be exact."
"Then I sincerely doubt it."
The cowboy shook his head. "No, I've definitely met you before." Noah watched as the man leaned in close to her but his voice was loud enough that he could still hear what was said. "In fact, I think you might even be my soul mate."
Strawberry-blonde leaned back with a frown, nose wrinkled with what Noah assumed was disgust. "Does that line work often?"
The cowboy was still grinning, not put off by her dark tone. He looked like he was enjoying this, Noah thought. Like it was some sort of sick game. "More often than you'd think."
"That's just sad. You need better material."
"Maybe," the cowboy said. His already sleazy grin widened. "But you should know that even if my material is overused, my equipment sure isn't." He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Noah didn't think he would ever forget the look of complete and utter revulsion on the poor girl's face.
"That's disgusting," she said. She turned away from him, went to walk away from the bar, but the guy wasn't letting her get away that easily.
"C'mon sugar," he cooed at her, reaching out to wrap his hand around her arm.
"Go away." Her voice was forceful, insistent. Noah got the idea that this wasn't her first time warding off a stupid drunk cowboy but he still didn't look away from the pair. Something about the cowboy was sending off warning signals to him and so Noah took a page from his sister's book and watched silently.
"One dance," he said. "Just one."
"No. Thank you."
But the guy still wasn't backing off. "Why? You got a boyfriend or something? It's just one dance."
"Yes," she said and her eyes lit up. "That's it. I have a boyfriend and I doubt he'd be happy about seeing another guy trying to force me into a dance I don't want."
"I don't see him around here anywhere. He should've known better than to leave you on your own."
Now, she looked mad. "If you must know, I came to the bar to get my boyfriend and I drinks when you so rudely interrupted my night. Now, I'd really like to get back to my guy so back the hell off."
The cowboy wasn't buying it. Noah pursed his lips, considering for a moment, and then hopped down from his barstool. He cut through a few people in the crowd, pushing his way through the masses until he came to a stop beside Strawberry-blonde and the cowboy.
"There you are, babe. I was beginning to think that you forgot about me," he said to her and then, while taking stock of her shocked expression, he kissed her quickly on the cheek. When he moved back, she looked stunned but conscious enough to realize what he was doing. He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, tucking her into his side but so that she was slightly behind him.
Noah turned to the cowboy who was staring up at him with his mouth open. "Can I help you?" Noah asked. The cowboy only stammered before turning and walking away, leaving him alone with Strawberry-blonde. Up close, he could tell that her eyes were hazel in colour, a perfect mix of brown and green.
"You okay?" Noah asked her. He detached himself from her side and moved so that he was standing in the cowboy's vacated place.
Strawberry-blonde looked up at him, a soft glare settled on her face. "Yeah. Fine. I had that handled, you know."
Noah raised an eyebrow at her tone and nodded. "I know."
"You didn't have to help."
"Okay."
"And you really didn't have to kiss me to do it."
"Sorry," he offered.
She huffed. Noah bit back a grin. He found her amusing. There was something about her, he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was the fire in her eyes, the stern set to her mouth. He got the feeling that strawberry-blonde wasn't the type of girl who was used to asking for help, nor was she the type of girl who accepted it when it came without her asking for it.
Her hazel eyes slid upwards to meet his and a fleeting grin crossed her face. "Thanks."
Now, Noah smiled. "You're welcome."
The girl leaned against the counter and all the fight seemed to drain out of her. He was reminded of when he'd seen her earlier in the day when she'd looked positively exhausted. That was just furthered now. It was as if she hadn't slept for days.
He could have walked away. He'd done his good deed, there was no reason for him to stay any longer. But he didn't go. Instead, Noah leaned against the bar beside her. She was prettier than he'd originally thought. It was an organic sort of beauty. Maybe it was because she looked so tired. Her curly hair was going frizzy in the back and her tanned skin just seemed the slightest bit sallow. There were purple bruise-like shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep. But, still, she was pretty. Not drop-dead gorgeous but pretty all the same.
"So," Noah said. Her eyes slid over to him almost like she was surprised he was still there. Well, that made two of them. "Do you really have a boyfriend or was that just a line to get him away?"
Strawberry-blonde turned her whole head towards him, eyes widening with incredulity. "Did you come over here and get him to leave just because you wanted to ask me that question?"
Noah laughed. "No. I'm asking because I want to know if I should get out of here before your big ox of a boyfriend comes to beat my ass for talking to you."
The corner of her mouth twitched upwards. Amusement, Noah thought. That was the expression in her eyes.
"There's no boyfriend. You're safe."
"Well, that's a relief."
"You're Noah, right? Noah Hartley?"
It was his turn to look at her with incredulity. "Now, that's not fair. It seems that I'm at a disadvantage. You know my name but I don't know yours."
"You're the Tishomingo Rodeo Classic bull riding champion with a score of ninety-two-pointy-five, which, by the way, is the highest score that's been recorded here in years and is actually just pretty damned impressive in general. Of course, I would remember your name."
"True." He waved the bartender down, asked for a beer and looked at Strawberry-blonde questioningly. She raised an eyebrow at him and asked the bartender for a beer - the same kind as his. She paid for herself, stopping Noah with a friendly glare when he went to pull out a bill from his pocket.
"You saw me ride then," Noah asked her as she took a sip from her beer.
The girl nodded. "Have to say that I was impressed. Not many guys can handle a bull like Blackout Charlie."
"You know bulls?"
She laughed, a low, mirthless, chuckle. "No. My brothers, though. They still know what they're talking about." She took another sip from her beer as Noah traced patterns on the side of his cup where the condensation was pooling.
"At least you're honest," Noah said. "A lot of girls would try to con their way through that situation."
She caught his eye and smiled. "Yeah, well, I'm no buckle bunny. I'm not trying to impress anyone."
"I saw you earlier today. In your rust-bucket car." He paused. "I realize how creepy that sounded. You probably don't even remember."
"I do. You told me that the bronc event was still going as you stood beside your rust-bucket truck."
He grinned. "It's better than your car. I was waiting for that thing to explode." Strawberry-blonde laughed, for real this time. It was a small laugh, more of a chuckle, but he could tell from her smile that her humour was real. "I'm serious. I thought I was going to have to pull someone out of the wreckage."
"That would've put a real damper on your day."
"You're telling me." He took a sip of beer. "Seriously, though. That car needs some major work. You might want to have someone look at the engine."
"Gertie is fine."
"Gertie? You've got to be kidding me."
"Don't knock my car. She's a great car."
"Great for the scrap yard."
She glared at him playfully and then sipped at her beer. She shook her head into the cup. "I don't like you."
"Okay." Noah grinned. He hadn't felt this relaxed in ages. There was something so carefree about talking to Strawberry-blonde. He liked the fact that she wasn't trying to get with him. There were no flirtatious looks or sly touches. It was bickering and fun bantering. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind and defend her turf.
"I mean it."
"Sure you do."
"Jerk."
Noah laughed. He hadn't laughed this much in months. "You really don't hold anything back, do you?"
"Is that a problem?"
"No."
Their eyes met and hers softened just a fraction. She was letting her guard down slightly. Noah didn't know what she was thinking. What he did know was that he was having more fun bantering with her than he had since he'd moved to this town. He wondered why he hadn't seen her around before, even fleetingly, but let the thought go. He probably had but had been too absorbed in Caroline to notice.
"Good." She drank the last of her beer and stood up. Noah watched her curiously. The girl smiled at him warmly and then held out her hand. He clasped her hand and shook it once as she said, "Thanks again, Noah."
She turned to go but Noah called out to her. She glanced back, eyebrow raised. "That's it? You didn't even tell me your name!"
The girl raised a shoulder in a one-armed shrug. "No, I don't suppose I did."
***
Everything was going perfectly for Bailey Grant. A life in Nashville, a hit music career, an upcoming international tour. She thought that nothing could possibly bring her down from the high she was on. And then everything went to shit. With all that she's ever worked towards crashing down in shambles around her, Bailey finds herself returning home to her roots. Her passion for music lost and without a clear purpose, Bailey is unsure where she is heading next. But meeting Noah Hartley might be the exact kind of distraction that she's looking for.
A Texan bull-rider with a mute sister, Noah Hartley has problems of his own. After a freak accident destroyed his old life, he packs up and moves to Oklahoma, determined to start anew with his sister. A new ranch, a new life, Noah is ready to embrace the future, whatever that means. But when he collides with Bailey Grant, the only person who seems to be able to connect with his silent sister, he knows that nothing will ever be the same again.
Two people set on a collision course that will alter their lives forever, Mayfly Melodies showcases the innocence of love, the strength of lives torn apart, and the indescribable healing power of music.