I didn’t ask why. We have an unspoken rule of not prying into each other’s lives. Jay and I get along because I can tell a filthy joke without blushing or cracking a smile. For some reason Jay finds that hilarious. When no one else can, I can make him laugh. If we work the same shift and I see his ass dragging, I scour the Internet for a new joke then deliver the material as if I’ve known it all along. The rest of the night, I catch him glancing over and chuckling. I decide to start sending dirty jokes to Murray to say to him, although I don’t know if it’ll have the same effect. Wait, he could have Mrs. Warren write them on a cookie. Now that might work.
Jay raises his eyes from the floor. “So who was the guy on the phone?”
“If you have a boyfriend, we’re not here to judge. We just want him to know who will come for him if he fucks up.” Lance’s chest puffs as he chimes in. He’s my age and about half the size of Murray, but that has never stopped him from talking shit. He’s Jimmy’s nephew so he’s never had anyone question if he can live up to his own hype. We all think he’ll take over the bar from Jimmy one day. For now he covers for his uncle and takes courses at the community college. I’m surprised he came as well.
“No boyfriend. Just a friend.” Calling Brice a friend is a stretch that nears being a flat-out lie. For some reason, saying Brice is just some stranger doesn’t feel right. “I wish you’d called before coming. I’m fine.”
Jimmy sighs and tucks his hands into his pockets. “I don’t buy it. You call from some strange number that belongs to a guy. Then you sound all weird on the phone. I didn’t like it. What are you not telling us?”
I realize we have a growing audience so I usher them into the elevator. “Come see my apartment.”
“Apartment?” Murray echoes. “That sounds like you plan on staying.”
“It’s a short-term lease,” I assure them. As we ride to my floor I soak in their presence. Earthy colognes. The hint of cigar smoke. The scent of fish from Jay’s threadbare coat.
A moment later, they’re standing in the living room of my apartment looking out of place and at a loss for what to say. Murray whistles. “Nice place.”
“You sure you can afford this?” Jimmy asks in a paternal tone that makes me want to hug him.
I nod. “My grandmother left me her insurance money. I’m using that first.” I open the tin in my hand, take a cookie and bite into it. “With a little luck I’ll be working soon.”
Murray walks deeper into the room to peer down the hallway. “You live here alone?”
“Just me.” I hold out the tin for Jay to take a treat. He does with a nod. “Did you guys eat?”
“No,” Lance says, puffing up again like a rooster. “We wanted to get here as quick as we could. Make sure you’re okay. Knock in some heads if we needed to.”
I meet Jay’s eyes and we both kindly hold our mirth in. Someday I might punch Lance just to see if he can actually take one. The image of him not handling it well pulls my lips into a smile I fight. Jay smiles and looks away.
“You look different,” Lance says as he inspects me closely. “Why?”
I shrug. “New clothes?” Although my slacks and shirt are simple, I doubt any of them have ever seen me in anything but jeans.
“You buy them?” Jimmy asks and Murray frowns.
“None of our business, Jimmy,” he says.
I grab his shoulder and squeeze. He sounds so much like I imagine my father would have that it’s hard not to throw my arms around him and cry a little. “You’re just going to have to trust that I know what I’m doing, Jimmy.”
“What happened to your phone?” He’s not sold yet. He’ll get the truth out of me eventually so I just give in.
I drop my hand and look around. To buy myself some time, I place the tin of cookies on the end table beside the couch. When I turn around all four of the guys are looking at me. Waiting. “To be honest I screwed up yesterday. My purse was stolen. I couldn’t get in touch with the woman I was trying to meet up with. It got really complicated. But today was different. I went to my meeting. Got to the bank. Moved into my apartment here. Everything is fine now.”
Lance cocks his head thoughtfully. “You’re really not telling us what all this is about? Why are you here in the first place?”
“She’s moving on,” Jay says in a low tone, looking me right in the eye for once. “She took care of her grandmother for all those years and then the lady dies. Do you think Savannah belongs in a bar in Coppertop?”
Jimmy frowned. “Are you okay, Savannah? I know it’s been a rough time for you, but running away never solved anything.”
Murray shook his head. “She needs this, Jimmy.”
“I do,” I say with relief. I need them to return to the place where we all accept each other’s crazy without asking for explanations.
“Don’t worry, Jimmy. In a few months, when the money runs out, she’ll be back,” Lance says.
My face warms. I wish they had more faith in me, but I haven’t given them much reason to believe I’d want the life I’m stepping into. They don’t know how important this is to me, so how could they understand that I won’t fail because it’s not an option for me?
“Shut the fuck up,” Jay growls.
Lance glances at his uncle, but Jimmy doesn’t step in. Murray doesn’t either. If Lance isn’t careful, Jay might be the first one to test if he’s a crier.
Murray steps closer to me. “You can talk to us.”
Can I? Okay, guys, here’s the deal. I’m in Boston because I want to reinvent myself and part of becoming a confident, independent woman is shedding my virginity. I’ve hired someone to guide me not only into this new life, but also toward a man I won’t regret fucking. Yeah, that would go over well. I boil the truth down to: “It’s a woman thing.”
“Oh,” they say in unison and shuffle around. Want to clear a room of men like this? Ask them for a tampon. I don’t play the female card often but I’m desperate.
Jimmy clears his throat nervously. “Something wrong with your lady parts? My friend’s sister had some kind of lump in her stuff.” He gestures at his chest. “And she’s completely better now. There are good doctors in Boston.”
“My lady parts are fine.”
Just underutilized.
Forget about Jay, now not one of them will look me in the eye. Lance groans. “If you run short of money, I have some set aside. Not much, but it’s yours if you need it.”
Jimmy looks on in approval. “We’re all only a phone call away.”
“I’m not here to see a doctor.” The lump in my throat makes it hard to swallow. Now they’re worried I’m dying. “I’m fine. Really, I appreciate you all coming this far just to check on me. Closing the bar for the night. It means so much to me. But there is nothing to worry about.”
Lance reaches for a cookie. Murray smacks his hand. “Those are for her.”
“I’m starving,” Lance whines, and Jay meets my gaze again. It’s hard not to mock Lance, but we respect Jimmy too much to ever do it.
“You’ll live,” Murray says.
Lance pats Murray’s rounded stomach. “You say that because you’ve got padding to go through.”
Murray grabs his hand.
Lance winces.
Jimmy chuckles.
I smile. These are my guys, and although they’re all showered, being in Boston hasn’t changed them a bit. “I don’t have any food in the house yet, but we could go somewhere to eat.”
Jimmy waves me off, as the other guys get excited about the plan. “You look tired. We can bring something back here.”
“I ate, but I don’t mind going with you.” I am tired. It’s been a long, emotional day. I yawn and rub my eyes. Still, they’ve come all this way to see me. I can’t not show them around. “Are there any sites you want to see?”
“We’re here to see you,” Jimmy says with a shrug.
Which begs the question. “Do you want to stay over tonight? I only have a pullout couch, but I can get
some blankets and pillows.”
The guys exchange a look.
Lance says, “It was a long ride down to just turn around and head home without seeing anything.”
Murray shakes his head. “The trip wasn’t supposed to be fun.”
“Savannah looks done in,” Jimmy says. “If we head back now, we’ll make it back by midnight. The last thing Savannah wants in her nice apartment is four uninvited guests.”
Done in? Thanks, and here I thought I was already looking better. Guess I still have a bit to go. “First, you guys never require an invitation.” I yawn again. “I am tired, but I’d love the company. Go out. Have fun. I’ll set up the living room for you to crash in. We can all have breakfast together tomorrow morning before you head back.”
Murray nods. “I haven’t been to Boston in years. It’d be nice to walk around. Check out if some of my old haunts are still open.”
Lance is smiling. Jay isn’t, and I wonder if he’s ever been in the city.
Jimmy says his favorite bar is on the other side of town.
I’m almost tempted to say I’ll go with them. Almost.
I walk them back to the door. Jimmy pulls me in for a hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, kid. I was worried. Hang in there. We’ll be back tonight, and we can talk more in the morning.”
As they make their way to the door, the intercom buzzes.
“Expecting someone?” Murray asks, and I blush even though I’m not.
Jimmy’s eyes narrow.
“Miss Savannah,” the doorman calls through the speaker.
“Yes?” I say, pressing the button on the intercom.
“You have another guest. Should I send him up?”
“Another guest?” I look around at the guys. “Is someone else from Coppertop here?”
They each shrug in turn.
“Who is it?” I ask the doorman. All the people I know who’d be willing to jump in their car and come to the city already have.
“A Mr. Hastings.”
“Brice?”
Lance leans in and presses the button. “Send him up. We’d love to meet him.” I push his hand away, but the doorman already agreed to.
“Anything you want to tell us about this friend of yours?” Jimmy asks in a way that makes me feel about five years old and guilty as hell.
“He’s not my—he’s a guy who helped me yesterday. I used his phone.”
“Which is he? A friend or a guy you met yesterday?” Jimmy pins me down with a look.
I’m nervous sweaty. This is ridiculous. Murray steps next to the door like he’s working as a bouncer at the bar. I go with him, ready to intervene. “Both? He met me after I lost my purse and while I was figuring out what to do. He let me crash in his office until the bank opened then lent me his driver this morning so I could get there.”
“So you invited him over to thank him?”
“No,” I say, my temper rising. “No, I didn’t invite him over, and I’m grateful to him but not that grateful.”
Jimmy nods to Jay who moves to the other side of the door. Lance comes to stand beside me. In a brawl, I’d probably be saving his ass, but it’s sweet that he thinks he can protect me. Still, this is getting out of hand. “We’ll just stick around to make sure that point is clear to him.”
Jana’s lecture comes back to me. I’ve hidden behind these men for too long. They’re protecting me, but they’re also holding me back. With my hand on the doorknob, I turn back and issue a blanket order. “Be nice to him. He’s been nothing but good to me.”
Jimmy’s expression darkens. “Kid, don’t confuse having money with being trustworthy. Creeps come in all income brackets.”
“He’s not a creep.”
Murray raises and lowers his shoulders. “You’ve known him one day, Savannah.”
I look across at Jay. His eyes are glued to the floor again, but his arms are flexed like he’s ready to punch someone.
There’s a knock on the door. “Savannah.” Brice’s voice is crisp. “Open the door.”
“Let him in.” Jimmy nods toward the door.
Before I do, I say, “Everyone take a deep breath. You guys need to trust my judgement.” Jana’s words echo in my head. The past will stand in my way. Only if I let it, I vow. “Just chill out.”
“Savannah, are you okay?” Brice’s tone is urgent.
Drawing a deep breath, I swing the door open and Brice, with his wide shoulders and dark eyes, stares down at me. My breath catches at the sight of him. It hasn’t been a full day since I’ve seen him yet I feel a pull toward him as though it’s been ages. As though I had time to miss him. Yearn for him.
His muscles flex under his button-down shirt. Heat charges through my body. His cologne climbs toward me, and my nipples tingle in response. My mind may not know how I feel about him showing up here but my body certainly does.
When his eyes rove over my body, his face settles from concern to relief, and it’s cute to watch. I don’t know what he thought was happening here but clearly seeing me safe puts his mind at ease. It’s short-lived, dying away when he gets a glimpse of the guys behind me.
“Who are these men?” Brice asks in a rough voice, sizing each of them up. I’m impressed that he doesn’t even blink at mammoth Murray. “Does this have to do with Jana Monroe? Did she send them here?”
I roll my eyes. This is actually getting comical. Send them? Everything about this scene is the polar opposite of what Jana says I need in my life. Brice also falls right into the category of what I’m supposed to avoid. Still, he’s here. He’s gorgeous. I’m not throwing him out. The day is already a wash. “These are my friends from Maine. They were worried about me so they got in the car to come make sure I’m all right.”
He narrows his sexy eyes and looks them over again. His nostrils flare, and I wonder if Jay’s coat reminds him of how I smelled when we first met. “Friends from Maine?”
“I have friends. Don’t look so surprised.”
Jimmy folds his arms across his chest. “Savannah told us you helped her out last night. That was real nice of you.”
Brice mirrors his stance. “Jimmy, I presume. Or Murray?”
“Jimmy. Murray is on your left.”
Brice nods a greeting then turns back to face Jimmy. “Where are you all staying?”
“Right here,” Lance interjects.
Brice’s head snaps back, and he looks like he’s about to say something that’ll get his ass kicked. I say, “I invited them to stay over.”
Lance steps forward. Blustering like a peacock. “See, we were invited. What are you doing here?”
Brice tenses. His phone beeps with a message that he responds to before pocketing his phone again. “I told Charles you’re fine. He was also concerned.”
“Who’s Charles?” Murray asks.
“His driver.” I sigh. “Your twin in a suit.”
Murray smiles. He likes that idea. “You should invite him up.”
Lance smirks. “I don’t care how big the guy is, Murray could still kick his ass.”
“No. No. No.” I wave a finger at each of them. “No ass kicking in my new place. I’ll lose my deposit if blood gets on the carpet.” I meant it as a joke, but none of them laugh.
Brice takes another step into the apartment. He looks around as he does. “This building appears suitable for you to stay in.”
Had I asked his permission? “I told you there was no reason for you to worry about me.”
“Yeah, so it’s time for you to go,” Lance challenges.
Brice simply stares him down. Lance blinks first and looks to Jimmy.
It’s a testosterone powder keg.
That’s it. I’m not watching this thing blow. “Brice, these guys are my oldest friends. They’re here because they care. Guys, I would have been on the street last night if Brice hadn’t helped me out. Stop it. All of you.”
Silence overtakes the room as they shift around uneasily. Jay leans in. “I’ve been to prison, and I have no fear
of going back in.”
This is when Jay chooses to open up and share where he was when he left Coppertop?
Brice’s eyebrows arch, but he doesn’t look afraid. “Good to know.”
“Didn’t you say you were hungry, Lance?” I ask cheerfully.
“I’m starving,” Lance responds as he continues to glare at Brice. “But I can wait.”
Murray steps away from the door. “I’m going to punch someone just because I’m hangry. My blood sugar is dropping down to my socks. Come on, Jimmy.”
I let out a breath of relief. “I’ll set up the living room while you’re out. Just behave yourselves.”
Brice steps closer to my side.
Lance gestures with his chin toward Brice. “We’re not leaving him here, are we?”
Brice smiles. It’s cocky, entitled, and I should hate it, but I don’t.
“Good night, Brice,” I say, planting a hand on his chest and pushing him gently back. “I had a terrible night’s sleep in a chair last night and a long day being followed around. I’m going to bed.” His eyes flicker with something. Desire? It licks through me too, but I don’t give in to it.
He takes a long look at me, his eyes tracing down my body. Oh, hell, I’m ready to announce he can stay.
“You heard her,” Jimmy says, waving them all toward the door. “We’re heading out—all of us.” My friends make their way into the hall with rumblings of unease.
Brice doesn’t budge. “They’re not staying the night at your place.”
Seriously? Who died and made him king of the world? “They’re my friends and where they sleep is my decision.”
“Not going to happen.”
Okay, bossy is not always sexy. “Goodbye.”
“It’s not safe.”
“It is, but even if it wasn’t, it’s still none of your business.”
He does not look happy about that. Too bad. “Good night, Brice.”
We stand there glaring at each other, and for just a second I feel like I’ve stepped into a scene that ends with steamy sex. There’s a sizzle in the air and I feel delicious warmth spreading through me.
Undeniable Bachelor (Bachelor Tower Series Book 3) Page 10