The warmth of his approval spread through me. I hadn’t realized how much I needed to hear that. “Thanks, Asher.”
He smiled at me, and my gaze locked with his. With those deep, dark brown eyes. His lips twitched, puckering his dimples, and the fluttering in my stomach was back—with a vengeance.
The door opened, the sound breaking my trance. Cory Wilcox and Joel Decker walked in. Asher glanced over and his eyes narrowed. We’d gone to school with both of them; they’d graduated with Asher’s class. As far as I knew, Cory worked construction and Joel had gone to work for his dad’s auto body shop.
At the sight of them, I didn’t just narrow my eyes. I downright glared.
They were friends with the Havens.
“Easy, tiger,” Asher said. “That death glare of yours is liable to hurt someone.”
“I don’t have a death glare.”
“No? I wouldn’t want to be on the other end of it.”
I wasn’t so petty that I disliked half my town simply because of some old feud. There were plenty of people on the Haven side who were perfectly decent. Several of my teachers growing up had been Havens. There was an unspoken truce when it came to teachers, police officers, firefighters, and healthcare workers. We weren’t backwards hicks who’d deny someone medical attention or a proper education just because they were on the other side.
And most of the time, the feud was as silly as it was old. It was played out with harmless pranks, competition for prizes at town festivals, and a whole lot of trash-talking.
But Cory and Joel? Guys like them made it into something worse. Used it as an excuse to be assholes and start trouble.
“Why do you think they’re here?” I asked.
“Who knows. Maybe a dare.” He chalked the end of his cue. “Just ignore them. They’ll get bored and leave.”
Hank stood behind the bar and crossed his arms. Cory and Joel both glanced in our direction, then walked over to the bar. Asher took his shot and the balls clacked.
“You’re up, Gracie Bear.”
I lined up my shot, trying to ignore the intruders. “Do you think Hank’ll serve them?”
“He will if they show some manners. But I doubt they will, so probably not.”
My cue hit and the balls thwacked together, but I didn’t come close to sinking any of them.
“Are you trying to hustle me, or are you still this bad?” Asher asked.
“Shut up, Bailey.”
He grinned. Although his posture was relaxed, I saw his eyes flick to Cory and Joel again, like he was casually keeping track of them. He put the five in the corner pocket, then missed his next shot.
“Your turn.”
I leaned over the table to take my turn, but Cory and Joel headed our direction. I straightened, wrapping both my hands around the cue.
Asher didn’t look concerned, but I was.
Scuffles didn’t break out over the feud very often, but it could happen. If these guys were here to pick a fight, I knew Asher could handle it, even if it was two on one. He’d been a district champion wrestler, and now he competed in jiujitsu tournaments around the state. I wasn’t worried he’d get hurt.
I was worried because Asher could not get in trouble with the law again. Not if he was going to get his juvenile records sealed. And he had to, or his dreams of being a firefighter would be smashed to pieces. Even an arrest with no charges could ruin everything for him.
When he was seventeen, Asher had gotten in a fight with Josiah Haven outside the Zany Zebra on a Friday night. I hadn’t been there to see it, but a bunch of kids had recorded it on their phones. By the time someone had broken it up, Asher’s nose had been bloodied. And he’d broken Josiah’s arm.
He’d been arrested and charged with assault. A felony. Fortunately, he hadn’t been charged as an adult. The judge had ordered him to complete a counseling program and community service hours instead of sending him to jail, so it hadn’t interfered with graduating high school on time. But now he had to wait five years from the time of his arrest to have the records sealed. Until then, he was technically a felon with a criminal record.
I also happened to know that Asher had gotten in that fight to protect his brother, Evan.
My heart sank as Cory and Joel stopped next to our pool table.
“Sup, Bailey.”
Asher’s forearms flexed as he wrapped his hands around his cue. “You guys need something, or you just in here to prove you have the balls for it?”
“Just seeing what the deal is,” Joel said. “Heard this place has good onion rings.”
“It does.”
“Too bad the owner’s a dick.”
Asher turned his attention back to the table, effectively dismissing them.
There was a pause, the only sound the music from the old-fashioned jukebox. Hank still stood behind the bar, watching. Cory and Joel seemed to realize they weren’t going to get the reaction they were looking for—whatever that was— from Asher.
Cory nodded toward the door. “Let’s get out of this shithole.”
But Joel’s gaze swung to me. “Hey, Grace.”
“Why don’t you guys go cause trouble somewhere else?” I said. “We’re just trying to play.”
“No one’s causing trouble, beautiful.”
Asher’s jaw hitched and his voice was low. “Don’t call her that.”
Like a couple of sharks detecting the irresistible scent of blood in the water, they zeroed in on Asher.
“You gonna do something about it, Bailey?” Joel asked.
Asher didn’t move. He kept his hands around the cue, the muscles in his shoulders and arms bunching with tension, and stared them down.
“No?” Joel’s gaze slid to me. “If he’s not giving it to you good enough, I will.”
Cory grabbed his crotch. “Why don’t you come take this for a ride, baby?”
“Gross, Cory,” I said. “How would I even find it? I don’t have a magnifying glass with me.”
Joel chuckled, but it took Cory a second for my insult to sink in.
“You stupid bitch.” Cory took a step toward me, but Asher smoothly inserted himself between me and the jackass.
“Don’t.” Asher’s voice was dangerously low.
The air was so thick with tension, I could barely breathe. My heart beat hard and my pulse throbbed in my temples. I could feel Asher straining to keep himself in check.
The door flew open again and more voices spilled into the quiet restaurant. Logan strutted in, laughing—probably at his own joke. He was followed by Levi, who was rolling his eyes—probably at the same joke. They stopped, spotting us, and the smile melted from Logan’s face.
“The fuck’s going on over here?” Logan asked, striding over to us with undisguised confidence.
Levi was quieter, but the look he gave Cory and Joel was menacing. He stopped and crossed his arms.
“They were just leaving,” Asher said.
Like the bullies they were, the two jackasses seemed to decide they didn’t like these odds. Both lost their aggressive posture and moved back.
Joel smiled. “We were just messing with you.”
Asher didn’t reply. The anger coming off him was palpable.
“Let’s get out of here,” Cory said.
As if he had something to prove, Joel leered at me and winked.
Asher jerked forward, but I sprang around him and put a hand on his chest. Less than a second later, Levi was there.
“Easy,” Levi said quietly.
Cory and Joel turned to go. Logan didn’t move out of their way. Joel knocked his shoulder into Logan’s as he walked by, but it was like he’d hit a brick wall. Logan didn’t move. He just laughed.
They left, but Asher’s eyes stayed locked on the door. His body was tense, his fists clenched. I knew what he was thinking. He wanted to follow them out.
Levi put a hand on his shoulder. “Let it go, man.”
Asher’s gaze moved to me. The intensity glittering in his eyes
softened.
“They’re just jerks,” I said. “Come on. You were beating me at pool, remember?”
My hand was still on his chest and I felt him take a deep breath. He was so imposing. So solid and strong. His dark eyes held me captive and my stomach was suddenly a whirlpool. Why was he looking at me like that?
“So what’s up?” Logan asked. “Are you guys going to finish your game?”
Gasping, I dropped my hand.
“Yeah.” Asher’s lips twitched in a grateful smile, and he lowered his voice. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
With another deep breath, he went back to the pool table.
Feeling a little jittery—I didn’t know whether it was from the feel of my hand on Asher’s chest and the look in his eyes, or the almost-altercation—I went back to our game.
And I wondered if what had just passed between us had been real, or in my imagination.
6
Asher
It was quiet at the firehouse today. Some of the guys had gone out on a call—a fender bender on the highway just north of town. I wasn’t on duty, and they hadn’t needed any extra hands, so I’d stayed behind.
I’d been a volunteer firefighter since shortly after I’d graduated high school. I worked part time at the hardware store, but when I wasn’t training at the gym, working, or in class, I was here. This place was basically a second home to me. If I wasn’t on duty, I studied or did homework. It was good experience and it kept me out of trouble.
I sat at a table in the big kitchen upstairs, a few books spread out in front of me. In addition to my college classes, I had exams to pass for my certifications. I couldn’t take the tests until next year—I had to wait for my juvenile record to be sealed first—but I figured I should stay up on the material.
“Asher.” Chief Stanley set his coffee down and took the seat across from me. “I didn’t realize anyone was in here.”
Norman Stanley had been Tilikum’s fire chief for over a decade. He’d grown up here in town, and started with the fire department as a volunteer when he was nineteen. He’d also been my dad’s best friend.
I tapped the book in front of me. “Just reviewing a few things. Figured I should keep it fresh.”
He took a sip of his coffee and nodded. “You’ll do fine when the time comes.”
Chief Stanley had been one of my biggest advocates when I’d gotten in trouble in high school. He’d spoken on my behalf at my hearing, and I had a feeling he was one of the reasons I hadn’t gotten any jail time. After that, he’d started inviting me down here to the firehouse and giving me random jobs to do. He’d claimed he just needed the help, and at the time, I hadn’t thought much about it. But he’d been looking out for me. Keeping me busy. Doing what he could to make sure I didn’t screw up again.
“How’s Evan?” he asked. “Home for the summer?”
“Yep, we’re back to a full house.”
“Things are about to get interesting around here. I got two new volunteer applications yesterday.”
“Logan and Levi?”
He nodded.
“Good, I won’t have to get on their cases to get them done.”
I was glad Logan and Levi had finally graduated so they could apply to be volunteers, too. They were good guys, and thankfully they’d gotten through high school without any permanent damage. But it would be easier to keep an eye on them if they were here, especially since I was this close to pulling the trigger on getting my own place.
“Are you coming out for their graduation party?” I asked.
“Wouldn’t miss it. Although I won’t be staying late. I have to get on the road early the next morning.”
“Going to visit Skylar?”
“Yeah, it’s been too long since I’ve seen her. Couple more years and I’ll be throwing her a graduation party. Or her mom will.”
Unlike my parents, who’d been crazy enough to have five kids in less than six years, Chief Stanley only had one daughter. But he and his wife had divorced years ago, and Skylar lived with her mom about three hours away in Spokane. She didn’t come out to Tilikum very often. I didn’t know if that was her doing or her mom’s, but Chief Stanley was usually the one to go to her. I hadn’t seen her in years.
“Well, Gram managed to keep four out of the five of us alive until adulthood. Now she just has Gavin.”
“God help her.” He grinned. “He might be the toughest out of all of you.”
I laughed. He wasn’t wrong. Gavin seemed to have been born without the genes for fear. “I know. The kid’s crazy.”
“I’d say he’ll grow out of it, but I doubt it. We just need to help him channel all that energy in the right direction. And who knows—maybe someday he’ll meet a girl who mellows him out a little.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I’ve seen it happen. Remember, I knew your dad before he met your mom.”
“Was he Gavin-level crazy? Because Gavin probably broke more bones than the rest of us combined by the time he was ten.”
“He didn’t have quite the same disregard for his mortality, but in a lot of ways, yeah, he was Gavin-level crazy.”
I liked it when Chief Stanley talked about my parents. I almost never talked about them, but hearing bits and pieces of who’d they’d been, from someone who’d known them well, kept them alive for me in a way I appreciated.
I checked the time on the microwave, then started gathering my books into a pile. “I should get going. I have some stuff I need to do.”
“All right. Have a good night. Say hi to Gram and the boys.”
“I will.”
I stuffed my books in my backpack and went down to my car, saying goodbye to some of the guys on my way out. A couple of them—Christian and Randy—were volunteers like me. Matt was the most recent permanent hire. They were good guys. We hung out sometimes outside of work hours, especially since I’d turned twenty-one and could go out for a beer with them.
Outside, it was hot, even for June. The mountain peaks stood out against the deep blue sky and the sun blazed. It wouldn’t cool down until after sunset. I left my backpack in my car and walked the few blocks into town, heading for the coffee shop to meet Grace.
I hadn’t made much progress with her—yet. She was set on going back to school in the fall, which I’d expected. She’d also said she didn’t want a serious relationship, which I had to admit was a bit discouraging. I’d have to find a way to change her mind about that.
I understood where she was coming from. Although we’d basically grown up together, we’d had very different examples of relationships. Gram and Grandad had been the perfect couple—happy and completely devoted to each other. My parents had been good together, too. I remembered enough to know they’d been in love.
Grace had been raised by a single mom because her dad was a dick. It wouldn’t have surprised me if the asshole was secretly married or something. Instead of growing up watching soulmates go through life together, she’d watched her dad screw over her mom. So I didn’t blame her for being hesitant about the idea of getting serious with someone.
But I wasn’t her father.
We’d hung out a few more times since we’d played pool at the Caboose, but somehow my brothers always managed to get in the way. A couple of days ago, I’d tried to take her on a hike out to a waterfall—if there was a good spot around here for a first kiss, that was it—but Gavin had seen us leaving. The next thing I knew, he’d grabbed Logan, and all four of us had gone hiking.
Last night we’d been in town and I’d suggested dinner. It was on the verge of being a date, but when we’d gone into the restaurant, Evan had been there. She’d felt bad that he was alone, so we’d had dinner with him.
Definitely not a date.
This afternoon wasn’t going to be a date, either. But I did want to show her the apartment I was thinking about renting. Truthfully, I wanted her opinion in case it turned into our apartment.
And since I knew my brothers wouldn�
��t be around to interrupt—they didn’t know about the apartment yet—I’d use the opportunity to ask her out. It was going to mean taking things up a notch, but it was time I got a little more aggressive with her anyway.
I got to the Steaming Mug and went inside. The café was filled with the rich scent of coffee and a big chalkboard sign behind the counter advertised the menu. Grace and another girl were behind the counter, and the way Grace’s face lit up with a smile when our eyes met fed my resolve.
Her hair was down today, and she took off her black apron. “Hey. Good timing, I was just finishing up.”
“I can wait if you’re not done.”
“Nope, I’m ready.” She turned to the other girl. “See you tomorrow?”
“Yep. I’ll be here.”
She disappeared into the back, then came out with her purse hanging from her shoulder. “Let’s go.”
I held the door for her and we started walking down the sidewalk. “How was work?”
“Not bad. It was busy when I got in this morning, but it calmed down this afternoon. Did you want some coffee before we go? I should have asked.”
“No, although it smells good in there.”
“Doesn’t it? I love that little place. So where are we headed?”
“I want to show you something.”
“Oh yeah? What is it?”
I glanced at her and grinned. “You’ll see.”
A man burst out of the alley between two buildings, nearly running into us. His thick beard and shaggy hair made his age hard to determine, although he had deep lines around his eyes. He blinked, looking around wildly, like he didn’t know where he was.
“You okay, Harvey?” I asked.
His voice was gravelly. “What?”
“Were you going somewhere?”
He patted his well-worn clothes, like he was looking for something, sending puffs of dust into the air. Harvey Johnston lived just outside town, and had for as long as I could remember. He was a quirky old guy who dressed like a prospector from the gold rush, complete with a little pick that hung off his leather belt. I didn’t know where he’d come from, or if he’d been this way his whole life. Maybe he’d suffered some kind of illness or accident. He wasn’t exactly all there. He took care of himself okay, but sometimes he wandered around town, muttering about finding treasure in the mountains.
Protecting You: A Small Town Romance Origin Story (The Bailey Brothers Book 1) Page 5