Chapter 43 - Whiskey and Velvet

“Ummmm....Okay...” was all Cate could think to say. She and Jon stood there for another long moment, eyes only for each other, until Danny interrupted.

“Hey, Slick! You owe us a round!” Danny tugged gently on Cate’s ponytail.

Breaking the spell, Cate stepped back away from Jon and grinned sheepishly. “Oh, yeah. I’ll go to the bar,” she answered.

"Hang on..." Jon said, looking to Danny. "So, what are we gonna make her sing?" He gave Cate a mischievous smile. "I have an idea or two...."

Danny chuckled. "Don't worry, Man, I've got it covered.... Cate knows what she has to sing." He winked at his friend. "Don't ya, Slick?"

Cate nodded. "Yeah, I got it," she replied softly, her eyes never leaving Jon's soft lips.

“C'mon, let's go grab our table,” Danny directed. “I’ll have Jerry set up your song while you get the shots.” As he moved past Cate to place the darts back on the ledge, Danny stopped and murmured into Cate’s ear. “You’re gonna kill him with that song,” he smirked.

The foursome headed back out to the main bar, passing by the rest of the guys, who were still playing pool. Most of them were comfortably buzzed as well, and when Danny announced that he and Jon had beat Cate and Mandy at darts, they cheered loudly. Cate made a face at her colleagues then motioned for them to follow out to the bar, announcing she would buy the next round of shots.

The gang all stumbled back out to their previous table, settling in for Cate’s performance. Telling Jon to stay with the others, Cate headed over to the bar for the liquor. She was surprised when Danny appeared beside her as she waited for the bartender to fill her order.

“All set, Slick,” he said, giving her a gentle smile. “Jerry’s ready when you are.”

Cate took a deep breath. Suddenly her buzz was gone, and she was a little nervous. As much as she loved to sing, she realized just who she was singing for. And it wasn’t just for the guys. “Danny…” she said weakly.

Danny saw the look on Cate’s face. “Hey now… don’t start that. This is just like any other Friday night. Except you’re more sober than usual,” he teased. “C’mon, you know this song cold. And you’re amazing at it. So just do it – for me, okay?”

Cate took a deep breath and nodded. “Atta girl,” Danny grinned. “Oh, and one more thing…”

Danny reached up to the back of Cate’s head. His fingers found the elastic that held her ponytail in place, and he gently pulled it loose. Cate’s thick auburn mane tumbled down onto her shoulders. She automatically ran her fingers through her hair, shaking it out slightly so that it fell in gentle waves around her face. Danny grinned. “Much better.”

He reached over to the tray of Jack Daniels shots the bartender had placed on the bar behind Cate. He handed one to her. “A little liquid courage,” he teased. “Knock ‘em dead.” Then he picked up the tray and carried it back to the table.

Cate took a deep breath and moved to the stage, climbing the stairs and smiling at Jerry. A chorus of hoots and cheers went up as Jerry introduced Cate; she was a regular and a favorite, especially of the die-hards that hung around until last call on Karaoke Fridays. “DO IT!” one man yelled out. He was echoed by his buddies, urging Cate to perform her signature piece.

Jon gave Danny a puzzled grin as Danny also called out “DO IT!” to Cate. Mandy and the other guys joined in the chorus of encouragement as Cate smiled out at them from the stage. She laughed and shook her head amusedly.

“Do what?” Jon asked Danny. “What does she do?” He was pretty sure whatever “it” was, it would be good.

Danny saw Cate nod at Jerry and step up to the microphone, her shot glass in her hand. A cheer went up from the crowd as everyone raised a glass. Danny elbowed Jon and grinned. “Watch this!” he said gleefully.

“Alright…this is for y’all,” Cate announced, smiling. She raised her glass and began to sing, a cappella, a dead-on impression of Janis Joplin.

Oh lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,

Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,

So oh lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

For the second time Jon felt his jaw drop in amazement. At the end of the verse, Cate raised her shot in a toast to the crowd, then downed it. The crowd whooped and cheered as they followed her lead, everyone saluting then swallowing a beverage.

Jon tossed back his shot and savored the burn of the whiskey down his throat. “Holy shit!” he breathed to Danny. “That was fuckin’ HOT!”

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Danny chuckled.

Onstage, Cate handed her shot glass to Jerry then stepped back up to the microphone. Jerry started the music, then hit the switch to lower the stage lighting to a soft violet hue.

Cate began to sway her hips to the sexy, bluesy bassline of the intro, grasping the mic and looking down at the floor. Her hair fell in a soft curtain around her face, the stage lighting making its highlights glint purple and gold. Cate raised her mouth to the mic for the first verse.

Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell

Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high

Mama's dancin', baby on her shoulder

The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky

The boy could sing, knew how to move, everything

Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for...

Jon could hardly believe what he was witnessing. Cate’s voice was soft and sultry, slipping and sliding up and down the notes with a throaty little growl here and there. Her lips glistened in the dim lighting and her glorious hair flowed like waves of amber, framing her face. Cate’s eyes were half-closed, her long lashes forming a soft fringe. Her slow gyration to the pulsing beat accentuated her feminine curves, backlit by the soft stage lighting.

Jon felt his mouth go dry as he was hypnotized by the movement of her hips and the husky purr of her voice. Cate bent her knees, dipping a little when she leaned on the mic stand as she broke into the chorus with a plaintive wail.

Black velvet in that little boy's smile

Black velvet with that soft southern style

A new religion that'll bring you to your knees

Cate opened her eyes and looked out at the crowd, her eyes hooded as if by desire. Her voice went soft and silky for the last line of the chorus.

Black velvet if you please….

Cate’s eyes scanned the crowd for Jon as she moved into the second verse. She spotted him at their table, sitting stock-still, staring wide-eyed at her with his lips breathlessly parted, his blonde hair shining in the dim light. She saw Danny beside him, a smug grin on his face. Cate gave a little smile, then again tipped her head back and half-closed her eyes as she sang.

Up in Memphis the music's like a heat wave

White lightning, bound to drive you wild

Mama's baby's in the heart of every schoolgirl

"Love me tender" leaves them cryin' in the aisles

The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true

Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for

Black velvet in that little boy's smile

Black velvet with that soft southern style

A new religion that'll bring you to your knees
Black velvet if you please….

As the song crescendoed to the bridge, Cate pulled the mic from its stand and stepped to the center of the stage, her voice rising into a more urgent growl.

Every word of every song that he sang was for you
In a flash he was gone, it happened so soon
What could you do–oo–oo-ooooohhh?

As the bluesy guitar solo played, Cate sashayed across the small stage, rolling her hips to the beat of the music. She looked out again at Jon, who hadn’t moved. She gave him a sultry look, then moved back across the stage to place the mic back on the stand before the last chorus. She grabbed the mic and pulled the stand to the side, angling it across her body to her left, imitating the pose she had seen Jon strike so many times.

Black velvet in that little boy's smile

Black velvet with that soft southern style

A new religion that'll bring you to your knees

Black velvet if… you… please….

Black velvet in that little boy's smile

Black velvet with that soft southern style

A new religion that'll bring you to your knees...

Cate raised the stand back up and stood with both hands wrapped around the mic, purring throatily into it the last lines of the song, trilling over the final phrases.

Black velvet… if you please….
If you please…
If you please…
If you please…
If you please….

As the last notes faded away, the crowd erupted into applause. Cate smiled shyly and raised her hand to wave at the audience, then kissed Jerry’s cheek as she moved to the stairs.

As she made her way through the crowd back to the table, friends and acquaintances stopped her to compliment her performance. By the time she finally made it back to the table, she saw that Jon’s chair was empty.

Cate’s eyes widened and she gave Danny a questioning look. Danny handed Cate his cigarette pack. “Here. You’re gonna need this.”

Cate stared at Danny, confused. “What? Why? Danny, I don’t smoke anymore.”

“No, but he does,” Danny nodded toward the bar’s back exit.

Cate stared at Danny for a moment more, then realized what he was telling her. She shoved the cigarettes into her pocket, then turned on her heel. Cate hustled through the crowd toward the back door, headed for the outside smoking area.

NOTE: For those of you not familiar with "Black Velvet"... click here and enjoy!