Chapter Three
Jesse should have resisted butting in, but the cute little brunette had clearly been through hell with her sister and the ex-asshat.
Her mother’s haranguing only seemed to make her sink down on her barstool more, as if she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole.
He knew what it was like to have shit coming at him from all directions.
That lesson felt particularly fresh now.
He had sneaked a peek at the entertainment news on his phone when he’d wandered into town a few hours ago…
and wished he hadn’t. If he could go back in time and stop Ryan from tragically ending two lives, he’d be eternally grateful.
Sadly, a miracle wasn’t in the cards, but Jesse kind of hoped the girl at the bar saw him as one.
She wasn’t crying in her beer yet, but if he couldn’t help her find some breathing room soon, she absolutely might.
When he spoke, her green eyes, tucked under the sun-kissed fringe of her bangs, bounced from the bar, up to his face.
She blinked, stared. Jesse worried that covering his shorn hair, shaving the scruff, removing his earrings, and wearing denim instead of leather wouldn’t be enough to disguise him.
He’d taken a big, impulsive risk by showing himself in public—but who could resist a dive called Bubba Oink’s Bone Yard?
—and jumping into Bristol’s situation. Thankfully, he didn’t see recognition on her face, merely confusion.
“I’m not too late, am I?” he prompted.
When she swallowed, her friend discreetly nudged her ribs with an elbow. The brunette slid off the stool. “Ah…no. We haven’t eaten yet.”
“What’s your name, young man? My daughter hasn’t mentioned you.” Her mother, who had a serious case of helmet hair, sent him a frown somewhere between puzzled and disapproving.
He stuck out a hand and improvised. “My name is James, ma’am. Most of my friends call me Jamie. Nice to meet you.”
Her mother took his hand. Her soft skin felt cold. “James. I’m Linda Mae.”
“I’m Jayla,” Bristol’s friend added with a friendly handshake. “So glad I finally get to meet you.”
“Pleasure.” He nodded at the women, not seeing a shred of recognition on their faces. Then he took the pretty brunette’s hand in his. “It’s good to see you, Bristol.”
She blinked…and blushed. He liked the way she wore her emotions on her face, the way freckles dusted her pert little nose, the way her pouty lower lip shimmered under the overhead lights.
“Um…you, too, Jamie.” She sent him a staged smile.
Linda Mae shook her head suspiciously, then huffed back to the others.
“We should join the party,” her friend suggested and grabbed her by the elbow, hauling her toward the gathering. She gazed past Bristol to him with a wink. “Thanks for joining us.”
He grinned back and followed. “You’re welcome.”
The long table around which everyone else sat looked fairly cramped, and Jesse doubted Bristol wanted to get cozy with these folks anyway.
So he pulled up seats at the empty table directly behind it, slightly steeped in shadows.
He placed Bristol between him and her friend, then looped a casual arm around the back of her chair, brushing her long ponytail as he did.
He’d enjoy his knight-in-shining-armor routine for an evening, then he and Bristol could have an amicable “breakup” before he continued down the road in search of somewhere to spend the next couple of weeks.
But for tonight, she’d have a reason to thumb her nose at her mother and sister. Easy peasy.
On the far side of the party’s table, a blonde wearing too much makeup and a gaudy engagement ring made googly eyes at a twerp with light brown hair and a cocky smirk. Bristol had dated that asshat?
As he settled closer to Bristol, the rest of the party sent him glances ranging from curious to suspicious. He waved. “Hi, everyone. I’m Jamie, Bristol’s new boyfriend.”
After a brief round of introductions, he leaned back into his chair and studied his supposed new squeeze. She was built on the petite side, but he’d noticed earlier that her jeans hugged her lush ass. The pretty little thing also had a noteworthy rack.
She glanced his way, then leaned in to Jayla, speaking softly. “Did you set this up? Hire him or something?”
The other woman shook her head. “No. He just appeared. Like a fairy godfather.”
“Without the glitter and wings,” Jesse quipped in low tones.
“Seriously?” She swiveled her gaze in his direction. “Why would you help me?”
“You needed it, and I can’t resist a damsel in distress.” He flashed her a smile filled with the dimples that had been getting him laid since he turned fifteen.
Bristol frowned, looking uncertain. Did she wish he hadn’t butted in?
He leaned back to give her space. “Do you want me to go?”
She chewed on her bottom lip and stared as if trying to figure him out. “Who are you?”
Adrenaline spiked his bloodstream. He slinked deeper into the shadows. Had she recognized him?
“Jamie. Like I said.” Well, that was his cousin’s name, but he’d respond if someone shouted it. Hopefully. “I’m not a crazed rapist or ax murderer, if that’s what you’re worried about. I overheard your dilemma and decided to help. I just want to see you smile, okay?”
“Everything all right?” a male voice called from the next table.
The groom-to-be tried to stare him down, his eyes narrowing to something he probably thought resembled a Hollywood action hero’s most intimidating glare. Jesse tried not to laugh.
“Fantastic,” he assured the dickwad, curling a possessive hand around Bristol’s shoulder.
Bristol’s sister latched onto her fiancé’s arm and blinked up at him as if she sought all the answers of the universe in his eyes.
Jesse didn’t have anything against love or adoration.
He didn’t know much about them, but he didn’t think her insipid expression was a good representation of either emotion.
“Is that guy bothering you?” Bristol’s ex asked her, nodding his way.
Jesse’s heart picked up when she leaned closer and curled her fingers over his. Then she glanced the fidiot’s way again. “Why would you think that, Hayden? I’m great.”
“She’s just put out that I’m late,” Jesse lied smoothly. “Carry on.”
Hayden did so reluctantly, telling everyone at the gathering about the moment he’d realized he was in love with her sister over punch and cake, right after Presleigh risked herself to rescue the neighbor’s kid from an angry hive of bees.
“Is he talking about Ben Bob?” When Bristol nodded, Jayla rolled her eyes. “C’mon now. That kid threw rocks at the hive because he wanted to see what the bees would do.”
“Yep. He even admitted that.”
Jayla frowned, as if remembering an annoying but key fact. “Didn’t that happen at your birthday party?”
“It did.” Bristol nodded with an acid smile.
So Hayden had thrown her over for her vapid sister when he’d come to celebrate her big day? “What an asshole.”
“You got that right,” Jayla put in.
While Jesse couldn’t deny that he’d pulled some dick moves when he had been briefly engaged to Kimber, that had been years ago, when he had been young, intoxicated, and stupid. Back then, he’d believed the world owed him a good time.
He’d grown up since then. He didn’t think he could say the same for Hayden.
“I’m glad you figured that out,” Bristol tossed back at him, wearing an intriguing hint of a grin.
“If hearing me diss your ex makes you happy, I’ll be glad to do it more.”
Her grin widened, almost becoming a full-blown smile.
Before Jesse could coax one out of her, the waitstaff began bringing everyone glasses of sweet tea and trays full of beef brisket sandwiches, coleslaw, baked beans, and bread.
Bottles of wine followed. Hayden called for a bucket of beer.
People dug in, conversation ensued, and the engaged couple looked at each other as if they couldn’t wait to be alone.
Jesse wondered if they realized how incredibly insensitive they were being.
But Jesse suspected they didn’t care if they hurt Bristol.
They’d clearly disregarded her feelings a while ago.
Thankfully, the restaurant began piping in music, a kind of modern country tune that Jesse didn’t hear often but liked.
He eyed Bristol as she bounced in her chair to the beat.
Her gesture looked completely unconscious, as if she didn’t expect anyone would be watching her. He found it kind of adorable.
When the waiter began taking the food away, she’d barely touched hers.
Instead, she peered at him as if he was a riddle she needed to solve.
The intelligence on her face, coupled with an unconsciously sultry thing she had going on, piqued his interest. Blood rushed south.
Against his better judgment, his cock stood up and saluted her.
Shit, he’d jumped into this situation to help—nothing more. He’d just rolled into town and wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He definitely hadn’t cast himself in the role of her boyfriend in the hopes that she’d let him fuck her.
Everyone around them was laughing and imbibing. The engaged couple kissed again. Bristol tried not to look at them. Jesse wanted to wring their insensitive necks.
“Walk with me?” he leaned closer and asked in her ear.
She whirled his way, her green eyes wide. “Where?”
He shrugged. “I’ve never been to this place. Where can we talk without technically leaving the party?”
She paused, then turned to Jayla. “Distract my mother for a few minutes, pretty please?”
“You did not just ask me to do that.” Her bestie crossed her arms over her chest and gave her a glare full of attitude.
“I’ll make you a whole batch of peanut butter blossom cookies,” she wheedled.
Suddenly, Jayla gave her a dazzling smile. “Deal.”
“I think I got played,” Bristol told him with a fond shake of her head.
“I think you’re right.” He held out his hand.