Chapter 33
Half a dozen people were in Zane Merrick’s gym. All men, but that wasn’t because it was an all-male gym. Not many women had visited since opening. Half the men were hitting bags, two were in the ring, and one was warming up with a jump rope.
The place had enjoyed a constant flow of people since he’d opened. It was good. Being here was good. The fresh start he’d needed. Somewhere no one knew the shit he’d been through.
“You going to lunch?”
He turned to look at Stetson, one of his young employees. The kid was only twenty and not great in the ring or at a bag, but he was keen to learn. “You got things handled here?”
“Absolutely. Don’t need to worry about a thing, boss.”
He bit back a laugh. The kid’s enthusiasm was why Zane liked him. “Be back soon.”
The second he stepped outside, cool afternoon air ran over his skin. Fuck, it was cold here. But then, Billings, the town he’d come from, had been cold too.
As he walked, an elderly couple smiled and said hi as they passed. Another thing he was learning about small towns—people were friendly. The other day a couple had stopped and asked if he’d dropped a five-dollar bill. The week before he’d received three hellos along one damn street.
He wasn’t used to it.
He turned right onto Fifth Street to see The Tea House up ahead.
The first few weeks living here, he’d gone to the diner for his coffee.
A big fucking mistake that had been. The stuff tasted like watered-down dirt.
Combine that with Burt’s Pizza and he’d assumed this town didn’t have good coffee or pizza.
It had damn near been a deal breaker.
Then Stetson had told him to try The Tea House, and fuck he was glad he had. Good coffee. Good pie. And Mrs. Gerald reminded him of his late grandmother, who’d not only raised him but was the best woman he’d ever known.
He stepped inside The Tea House to see most of the tables taken. Which was fine. He wasn’t staying.
Mrs. Gerald stopped in front of him on the other side of the counter, a warm smile curving her lips. “Zane, dear, how are you today?”
“I’m good. How are you?”
“Busy. But I would never complain about that because there was a time not so long ago when I was close to shutting the place down because we weren’t busy enough.”
“With coffee like yours?”
“Oh, our coffee wasn’t what it is today.” She frowned. “You look tired. Are you doing okay?”
He could have laughed. He’d been tired since all the shit that had gone down in Billings. It was only recently that he’d finally been able to sleep again. “I’m doing all right.”
“How about an extra shot in your coffee?”
“I would never say no to an extra shot.”
Her smile widened. “Coming right up.”
The café owner had just turned when a woman by the window caught Zane’s attention. She sat at a booth, the weak sun shining on long brown hair with blond streaks.
It was his military training that had taught him how to read body language.
Little things gave people away. Nervous touches to the face.
Visibly tight shoulders. Even the flickering of eyes.
Right now, the woman was doing all of that.
Her knuckles were white around her coffee and her gaze was sweeping the street outside.
But not like she was waiting for someone.
More like she was afraid she’d see someone.
Who? And who was she?
He hadn’t seen her before, which was strange in a town the size of Amber Ridge. Everyone here seemed to look at least somewhat familiar, like he’d run into them at the grocery store at some point.
He turned back to the counter. Not his business.
When Mrs. Gerald set his coffee in front of him, he thanked her and paid, leaving a generous tip before heading out.
The nervous woman had left too and was heading toward a car…but it wasn’t just Zane who was watching her. Two men a few cars away had their eyes on her—and not in a good way.
Zane stopped because even though he liked to mind his own business, his gut told him that those guys were about to cross a fucking line.
He waited, and like clockwork, the assholes moved toward her. Zane’s eyes narrowed, then he moved toward her.
One of the guys stepped in front of her, blocking her way to her car. He said something Zane couldn’t catch, and the second guy behind her blocked her from walking away.
The woman looked over her shoulder before the guy in front of her spoke again. Zane stopped close enough so he could hear the conversation. If one of them so much as raised a hand, he was stepping in.
“You think you can just stroll back into town like everyone forgot what you did?”
The woman straightened. “Respectfully, get out of my way, before I make you.”
They both laughed, but it was the guy in front of her who responded. “You’ll make us? What will you do? Leave us at a party to die?”
She glanced behind her, and that’s when Zane saw her eyes harden. “Last chance.”
The guy at her front grabbed her arm and yanked her forward.
Zane cursed and stepped toward them—but she was faster than Zane.
She stepped into the movement, then with her free arm, she reached over the guy’s shoulder and tugged him forward.
At the same time, she hooked her foot behind his leg, and in one swift maneuver, she shoved his upper body while sweeping her leg.
The asshole lost his balance and fell sideways.
The second guy cursed and went to grab her, but Zane grabbed him before he could do anything.
“Don’t even think about it,” he growled.
“Don’t touch me ever again.” Her voice was low and angry.
The jerk on the ground got up, his cheeks red. He looked like he wanted to lunge for her, but then Zane stepped behind her, and the guy froze.
Yeah, the asshole knew exactly what would happen if he made another move.
The jerk swallowed and stepped back. Maybe he was smarter than Zane had given him credit for.
“Come on.” His friend grabbed his arm. “She’s not worth it.”
Finally, they both turned and headed toward The Tea House.
Zane looked down at the woman, but she was still watching the closed Tea House door. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Even though she said the words, there was an underlying shake in her voice.
Finally she looked up at him, and fuck, her eyes were beautiful. A mixture of brown and hazel. They were like pools of emotion.
She lifted a shoulder, and the sadness…damn, it just leached out of her. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
She shouldn’t have to handle an asshole grabbing her. “What was that about?”
“You don’t want to know.” She swallowed before stepping back. “Thank you for the backup. I should go.”
She turned and had only taken a step before he spoke.
“Hey.”
She glanced back at him.
“You handled yourself well. You ever want a bag to hit or a ring to have a round in, I run The Pit, a gym here in town. You’re welcome anytime.”
Her brows flickered. Like she was surprised he was being nice to her? “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Then she climbed into the car.
And for some fucking reason, he really hoped she took him up on that offer.
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