Real Good Man (The Last Best Place For Love #2)

Chapter 1 JR

JR

The last place in the world I expected to be was the ass end of nowhere in western Montana.

And yet here I was, all the same.

My tires slid on the slick roads as I passed the gas station along the curve into town.

Winter was just giving way to the beginning signs of spring, but it was still way too damn cold for someone like me.

I preferred mild winters as opposed to the snow-filled, freezing temps only a place like this could endure.

Kicking up the heater, I checked my phone one last time for directions, grateful that this trip would be short. With any luck, I’d have a new job in a warmer state by this time tomorrow.

“What the hell?” I muttered as I pulled up to an apartment building.

This was not at all what I was expecting. Archer didn’t stay in a permanent spot.

Ever.

Motels were his go-to mode of living, yet the address didn’t lie.

“Son of a bitch,” I muttered under my breath as I shoved the door open and got out. A heavy sigh filled my lungs as my boots sank in the melting snow.

Slamming the door, I stalked up to the front door, cursing the snow, the weather, and the fact that I was way too far north in No Man’s Land. Punching the buzzer, I waited impatiently for the asshole to answer the door.

“Yeah?”

“Let me up.”

Dead air greeted me, which wasn’t that much of a surprise. It wasn’t like he was expecting me.

But the buzzer sounded, nonetheless, allowing me access to the warmth of the apartment building. Stomping the snow from my boots on the wet mat, I made it two steps before Archer opened the door down the hall and glared at me.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” I snarled, marching past him into his apartment.

All it took was one look to know I was well and truly fucked. He wasn’t just hanging out here. He had moved in. It wasn’t exactly decorated, but for a man like Archer, he might as well be spending the rest of his life here.

The door snapped shut, rattling the thin walls. “I told you not to contact me again.”

“And I might have listened if you hadn’t fucked me over,” I said, spinning slowly as I checked out the place.

“What are you talking about? I left you a replacement.”

I barked out a laugh at that. “Is that what you would call that dumb shit? He fucked up the first day. The job went south because he didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. You have to fix this!”

Except Archer wasn’t exactly the type to be ordered around. Neither was I, which was what made us work so well together. We got shit done. Or, we used to until six months ago when he vanished on me.

“Since you left, I haven’t been able to get a single fucking job. I’ve been all over the place, but the moment they realize who I am, that’s it.”

“That lands on you.”

“No,” I snapped. “You fucked up. You walked off a job. We had a plan, and—”

“Alright, alright,” he shouted, shoving his fingers through his hair. “I’ll fix this.”

“How?”

His gaze narrowed dangerously on me. “I said I would fix it, and I will.”

For a solid minute, neither of us moved as the standoff rooted us both in place.

“I’ll be around.”

Walking out, there was only one thing I needed right now after the ride I’d had, and that was a beer. I’d seen a bar not too far from the building and headed back that way, cursing when I saw the busy lunch rush.

Parking at the back of the lot, I cursed walking through the slush melting over every inch of the lot. “It’s like they don’t know what a fucking snow plow is,” I muttered.

The warmth of the bar hit me instantly, thawing my freezing fingers. My toes would take a little longer.

“I’ll be right with you!” a blonde woman called out as she hustled behind the bar.

The whole place was packed, and the only available seats were those at the bar, unless I wanted the table right beside two ladies who were arguing over a burger and fries.

Sliding onto the stool, I waited a good five minutes for the blonde to quit running down orders and delivering drinks.

“Sorry about that,” she sighed with a smile. “What can I get for you?”

“Beer.”

“Anything in particular? Light, dark—”

“Whatever’s on tap,” I answered quickly. I didn’t need a rundown of everything they had.

Grinning, she grabbed a glass, filling it to the brim. “Anything else?”

Shaking my head, she leaned forward on the bar top. “You don’t say much, do you?”

“Got nothing to say.”

“I haven’t seen you around here before.” Holding out her hand, that bright smile should have pissed me off. “Lizzy.”

“JR.”

“Well, enjoy your drink, JR.”

Thankfully, she left me alone after that. I didn’t mind a pretty face, but I wasn’t sticking around long enough to enjoy the perks in the area. I was only about halfway through my drink when that peace was destroyed.

The commotion behind me drew the attention of the whole bar.

“You need to leave,” Lizzy said, her arms crossed over her chest.

It was clear the man was already drunk. Stumbling forward a step, he fell right into her, but she just shoved him aside and let him fall to the floor.

“Your whole damn family thinks you’ve won!” the man shouted. “This isn’t over!”

“Yes, it is. And if I have to call the sheriff down here, you’ll be breaking that promise you made, and I don’t think you want that,” she threatened.

Grunting, I was just about to turn back to my drink when I saw him snake out his hand to grab her ankle as she turned away. I was on my feet the next second, grabbing the man around the neck before he could touch her.

Hauling him to his feet, I snarled in his ear. “Either you walk out of this bar on your own, or I’ll make sure the only way they take you out is in a body bag.”

Light filtered into the dark space as the front door opened. It didn’t take long for the man to find me and the fucker I was holding. He stomped over and grabbed the man by the jacket, barely sparing me a glance as he turned and hauled the man out of the bar.

“Thank you,” Lizzy said, that smile back on her face. “I had it under control, but thank you all the same.”

Grunting, I took my seat again, but the beer was long past doing a damn thing for me.

“Let me get you a fresh one on the house,” she said, already pouring a new one.

“That’s not necessary.”

She slid the beer over the bar top. “Maybe not, but I always pay my debts.”

I lifted the glass in thanks. “Any good hotels around here?”

“That depends. Do you like roaches or flowers?”

“Neither,” I muttered.

“Then I wouldn’t suggest going to the motel. And the bed and breakfast really doesn’t look like your style unless you want Mrs. Walker to bring you breakfast in her housecoat.”

“I’ll sleep in my truck.”

“If you want, you can stay at my rental in town.”

“Don’t want to put you out.”

“You’re not. I just had a tenant move out. Technically, it’s my family’s rental, not mine. But if you’re in town for a few days, it’s all yours,” she said, taking out a set of keys and tossing them my way.

Catching them, I narrowed my eyes at her. “You’re awfully trusting with strangers.”

“Trust me,” she winked, “there’s not a single person in this town who doesn’t know who that house belongs to. If you destroy it, you won’t get far.”

“Sounds like I should take my chances with my truck.”

“Take the offer,” smiled again. She did that a lot. Always full of smiles. “You did me a favor. Now let me do one for you.”

At the sound of the bell, she spun on her heel and headed into the kitchen for another order.

Downing the rest of my beer, I set the keys on the counter, feeling strange about staying in someone’s house. But the thought of staying in my truck overnight in the freezing temperatures wasn’t all that appealing either.

“JR!” she called out as I took the keys. “Here.”

She slipped a note in my hand, then spun with a tray of food in hand over to another table. Scribbled on the paper was an address with a smiley face. I wasn’t quite sure how I could say no to that.

Sliding out my phone, I dialed Archer’s number. “Yeah, I’m staying in town tonight. Call me when you have something.”