Chapter 26
26
T he shop closed a couple of hours ago, and Ford was still riding high from the day.
He sat at a corner table with several of the guys in Lucky’s Bar nursing a beer.
The band was taking a break, and the crowd had quieted down save for the clinking of glasses and murmur of conversation. The silence was welcome, even though his mind refused to slow down.
He wanted to spend the rest of the evening with Tessa, but she had begged off, claiming exhaustion. It had been a long day, and he understood that she was tired, but he missed her.
He’d followed her home, then up to her apartment, promising to see her later. The circles under her eyes were getting darker, and for a moment, he felt guilty that he even asked her to go with him. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and told him she was looking forward to it before she let out a huge yawn.
“Get some sleep, sweetheart,” he murmured.
“I’ll try to wait up for you,” she replied, her hand lingering on his arm. “You have a key, right?” Tessa had given him a key a few days ago, especially since they were spending so much time at each other’s place.
“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded. “See you later.”
The grand opening had been a huge success. People had signed up for his newsletter, bought gear, tried their luck at the raffle, and enjoyed the food.
All in all, it exceeded every expectation he dared to hope for.
And it was all thanks to Tessa, who had a way of knowing what people would enjoy and making everyone feel welcome and comfortable and always had a smile on her face.
Ford traced the condensation on his beer glass, his thoughts drifting to his brief conversation with Finn.
They spent a short time swapping stories about the past and the memories they couldn’t shake, barely scratching the surface.
Ford realized the guilt he felt had lessened. He had never really talked to the guys about their time in the service and thought he was alone with his struggles.
He should have known better. Damn, he did know better.
How many times had he counseled young recruits consumed with guilt and reassured them that they weren’t alone? But hearing it from another person who got it made all the difference.
The band struck up another set, and the atmosphere changed, charged with energy as couples got up to dance and voices got louder, punctuated by bursts of laughter. Chase, Finn, and Dex waved down the server and ordered another round of beer.
From the corner of his eye, Ford saw Liam and his friend Cody push through the door, dodging dancers to reach the table and sit down.
“The opening was a great event,” yelled Liam over the music. “I could only stay for half an hour, but the shop looked terrific, and everyone seemed to have a good time.”
Ford nodded, leaning back in his chair. “It went well.” He raised his glass. “No thanks to Tessa.”
The others laughed as they clinked glasses.
“She’s a pistol,” said Cody with a wide grin. “I watched her interact with everyone there.”
Ford’s grip on his mug tightened for a second as an unexpected feeling of jealousy slithered through his chest. Jealousy? Really? He stole a look at Cody. The guy was unattached, good-looking and a deputy sheriff. He carried himself with ease and authority. The kind of guy who some women were attracted to.
He took a slow sip of beer and reminded himself that Cody’s comment was harmless. Tessa was a social butterfly and gorgeous, but she wasn’t the kind of woman to play games. The comment still lingered in his mind.
“Hey, something on your mind?” asked Finn, nudging Ford’s arm.
Ford chuckled, shaking his head. “Nah. Just thinking about today.”
“Riiight,” Finn replied. “And I’m the Easter Bunny.” He looked around and lowered his voice. “There’ll always be someone who will try to make a move on your woman, but the men here … at this table?” He shook his head. “They’ll protect her with their lives, but it’s hands off.”
Ford exhaled slowly. He knew that. His feeling of jealousy was irrational, but his relationship with Tessa was still new, so he guessed the feelings were too.
They stayed another hour before Chase stood, stretching. “I’m off. Naomi is waiting and…”
“Yeah, yeah. Naomi’s waiting for lover boy to come home,” teased Liam. The guys laughed.
Chase rolled his eyes. “You are so immature. No wonder you and Joy get along so well.”
“Oooh. Mic drop,” yelled Dex.
“Assholes,” Chase exclaimed. He did a head nod. “Oh Ford, don’t forget to give Dex the woman’s name.”
Finn had ordered wings, and their golden, crispy scent hit Ford’s nose before they reached the table, just as his stomach rumbled.
“Just in time,” he declared, placing a few on his plate.
Dex grabbed a couple of wings and looked over at Ford. “What woman?”
The table quieted as the men looked at Ford expectantly. He hesitated, didn’t want to bring it up right now. “Some woman who approached Tessa at the shelter event and stopped by today. Something about her that makes me uneasy. I’ll come by the command center and give you her name tomorrow.”
“Sounds good,” Dex replied. “I’ll only be there in the morning.”
“No problem.” Ford took another swig of beer and placed another couple of wings on his plate. “This needs to stay between us, though. I don’t want Tessa to feel I’m hovering or being overprotective.”
Finn barked a laugh. “You? Overprotective? Nah.”
The table erupted in laughter. Ford sighed. That’s who and what they were. Overprotective of the ones they loved.
Loved? Damn. Did he just admit that he loved Tessa? So soon?
This created a new set of problems. Because love meant risk. Vulnerability. Because if he was in love with her, it was going to be difficult to rein in his overprotective side, but the thought of losing her was worse.