Stella started the set with serious head-bouncing energy including the guitar riffs and piano of The Doobie Brothers’ “China Grove” and didn’t give herself a breather before she slammed straight into Molly Hatchett’s “Flirtin’ with Disaster”. She didn’t make us wait for the famous “black” portion of her set list starting with Ram Jam’s “Black Betty”, sliding straight into The Black Crowes’ “Kickin’ My Heart Around”, taking it easy a bit for the Doobie’s “Black Water” and Alannah Myles’s “Black Velvet” then twanging through the Black Rebel’s “Ain’t No Easy Way”. She gave us a break from screaming out lyrics and bouncing around like lunatics by slowing it down with The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See”, one of the few songs she didn’t sing herself but handed off to her bass player, Buzz. It was after that Stella and the Gypsies started the “Jessica” jam.

Stella didn’t often pull out “Jessica” but when she did the crowd ate it up. This was no exception and the Rock Chicks at the front were acting like it was our last meal.

Stella was rocking into Melissa Etheridge’s “Bring Me Some Water” when Mace and I peeled off from the rest of the Rock Chicks for a beverage break, getting Fat Tire orders from the girls before we went to the bar.

I was standing amongst the crush at the bar when I looked up at Mace and noticed his eyes were locked on Stella. I followed his eyes to the stage and watched for a few seconds while she rasped out Etheridge’s lyrics.

Stella was definitely Rock Chick Hot, tall, built and wearing low slung, faded Levi’s with a heavily tooled and riveted black belt with a kickass buckle that was a wide set of wings. She had on a faded black, fitted tee with the rebel flag mostly peeled but still discernable on the front and finished with scuffed, black cowboy boots. She had long, thick, dark brown hair that she held off her face just at the top with a clip at the back and she wore even more silver at her neck, ears and fingers than I did.

“You like Stella?” I screamed at Mace over the music and his eyes cut to me. His face was closed and I knew right off he wasn’t going to answer me and I was not invited to question him further.

Before I could push this (because I felt the need to be ornery as we were at a rock gig and something about Mace invited being ornery just to see if I could get a rise out of him and Mace was staring at a friend of mine like he wanted to carry her to a deserted island, build a hut out of palm fronds and never leave) when his body got tense, his eyes focused on something and he stepped close to me. Real close.

I turned and my mouth dropped open when I saw Ren had materialized out of nowhere, right in front of me. He was real close too, ultra close, but his eyes were on Mace.

I looked over my shoulder. “It’s okay Mace, I know him,” I shouted.

Mace’s eyes didn’t leave Ren nor did he move away from me but he answered in an unhappy voice. “I know.”

Ee-yikes!

I stood there, the meat in a Hot Guy Sandwich. Normally one would savor a moment like this but the bad vibes flowing weren’t conducive to savoring.

I looked back to Ren. “Hey Ren,” I said, trying to be cool.

“Where’s Sissy?” Ren replied, shattering my always tenuous hold on cool.

Uh-oh.

I stared at him. He was a Zano and Uncle Vito wanted Sissy. I didn’t want Ren to turn into a bad guy. I didn’t want Ren to be the man Vito sent after Sissy to make her “disappear”. That would mean that Ren was on the wrong side (read: not my side) and that would suck.

I decided it was best not to answer.

Mace got closer, so much closer I could feel the heat of his body at my back.

“Back away,” he warned Ren.

Ren didn’t move. Not good.

Ren ignored Mace and asked me, “Does Stark have her safe?”

I kept my mouth shut but my heart was beating double time.

I’ll be really disappointed if Ren turns out to be a bad guy, Good Ava said.

I won’t, Bad Ava returned. Bad guys are HOT.

Ren’s hand came to the side of my neck and his face came to mine. I felt Mace against my back and Mace’s hand came to my waist, his fingers pressing in.

Eek!

“Both you boys, move back,” I ordered using a tone I hoped would be obeyed without question.

Neither moved.

There you go, guess they questioned my tone.

I had visions of being crushed in a Hot Guy Sandwich, splodges of Ava squirting out the sides like too much mayo. I didn’t want to be Ava Mayo Splodge so I snapped, “Move back!”

Ren stayed in my face, his intensity scaring me but what scared me more was that he didn’t seem at all worried about Mace. Mace wasn’t as frightening a tough guy, macho man as Luke but he was no slouch and the broody was definitely scary.

Ren started talking to me. “Ava, if Stark doesn’t have Sissy safe, tell him to keep her safe. A lot of shit is going down with Dom, part of it is that he wants her back.”

I closed my eyes in despair. I was worried about that.

Ren went on when I opened my eyes again. “I’m talking to Dom and Vito. When I work it out with them, I’ll tell you. If Stark can’t keep her safe, you gotta let me know so that I can.”

I felt my heart stutter. “What?” I asked stupidly, staring him in the eyes.

“If Stark isn’t hiding her, tell him to hide her and keep her hidden. If he isn’t willing to do that then I will. I’m workin’ on Vito and I’ll talk him around.”

He got even closer, so much closer his forehead came to rest against mine and when he did this I sucked in breath.

It felt weird because it felt nice and sweet and I knew it shouldn’t. Firstly, I was supposed to be sworn off men. Secondly (yes, I knew it was contradictory to my first point but I was ignoring that fact), I was sleeping with Luke in an exclusive f**k buddies arrangement so I shouldn’t be thinking anything about Ren felt nice and sweet.

“Ava, honey,” Ren said softly, breaking into my thoughts and since he was so close I could hear him over the music. “What I’m tellin’ you is that you don’t have anything to worry about and neither does Sissy.”

My tension melted and I found myself in the position (again) to want to kiss another hot guy all over for taking care of my friend though I’d learned my lesson not to share.

When my tension left me, I felt Mace move slightly away, his fingers disappearing from my waist.