Chapter 3 JR #2
I checked the door, thinking maybe they were closed, but the door opened easily. The chairs were all upside down on the tables, and there wasn’t a soul in sight. I was about to leave, but thought better of it. I needed to talk to Lizzy anyway about staying at her rental.
She came flying out of the back with a carton of clean glasses, her state completely frazzled as opposed to the put-together woman I met the other day. With red cheeks, her hair pulled up haphazardly, and dried tears on her cheeks, it was clear something was wrong.
Normally, I wouldn’t get involved, but I was staying at her rental for free. “Everything okay?”
Jolting with a scream, the carton crashed to the ground, and the sound of breaking glass echoed through the deserted bar. Sniffling, she bent down, gathering the bits of broken glass and shoving them in the carton.
“Sorry about that. You surprised me.”
“Clearly,” I answered, shuffling around to the back of the bar to help her clean up the mess.
“You don’t have to—” Her words cut off as she pressed her hand to her mouth, holding back a sob. After a moment, she gathered herself and sucked in a deep breath. “Thank you, but I’ve got this.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I just—shit!”
The glass sliced through her skin, leaving a thin line of blood dribbling down her palm.
Gritting my teeth, I knew I couldn’t walk away, no matter how much I wanted to. Grabbing her hand, I pulled her to her feet and guided her into the kitchen. To my surprise, it was completely empty. “I thought you were open?”
“Um…I was…” She shook her head, her eyes glazed as they traveled over the empty space. “Um…”
“Where’s your first aid kit?”
But she didn’t answer. She stared at the floor as her hand continued to drip blood.
I rummaged around until I found the kit attached to the wall on the other side of the room.
Taking it over to the sink, I dipped her hand under the cool water, but she barely seemed to notice.
It didn’t take more than a few minutes to clean her up, and by the time I finished, she seemed to come out of the stupor she was in.
“Sorry about that. Just a bad start to the day.”
There was definitely more going on than she was saying, but I wasn’t about to pry into her life. I never got attached to anyone, and that had been my rule for going on ten years now.
But that didn’t mean I couldn’t help her out. She clearly wasn’t in a state to do much of anything right now.
“Just sit down here,” I said, practically shoving her into a chair, “and I’ll clean up the glass.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, pressing her fingers to her lips.
It didn’t take me long to pile up the broken glasses and take them out to the trash. The glass, on the other hand, had scattered to all corners of the space behind the bar. I was just finishing up when the front door opened and Archer walked in, surprised to see me holding a broom.
“Well, this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.”
“Me neither,” I muttered.
“Did you get a job and forget to tell me?”
I glanced over my shoulder, but the kitchen door was shut and I could still see Lizzy plopped down in the chair where I left her.
“Just helping out. Did you figure anything out?”
The hard angles on Archer’s face only grew sharper at my question. “Sorry, man.” He shook his head, sliding onto the barstool. “Apparently, my name is mud. Didn’t mean to screw you over on that.”
Sighing, I shoved the pan of glass into the trash and latched it back on the broomstick. “So, that’s it?”
“I can keep working my contacts, but for now, I’ve got nothing for you.”
“And what about you?”
Shrugging, he slid onto the barstool. “I might stick around for a while.”
“Here?”
“Why not? I spent some of my youth here.”
“But there’s nothing here.”
“I’ve got a buddy here. I was doing a job for him.”
“Yeah, but it’s over.”
He hesitated. “Possibly. Look, I’ve got shit to do. Let me know what you plan to do.”
“Wait,” I barked out a humorless laugh. “That’s it?”
“If you want, I can talk to Liam, see if he has some work for you. It won’t be what you’re used to,” he grinned. “He’s building cabins.”
“Fucking perfect,” I muttered, not thrilled at the idea of working in this weather.
Slapping the bar, he got up to leave. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”
“Yeah,” I grunted, wondering what the fuck I was supposed to do now.
I almost forgot about Lizzy in the kitchen until I put the broom away. I didn’t know what the hell I was supposed to do about that. I had no fucking clue what to do about a woman in tears.
“Hey,” I said, pushing the kitchen door open. “Do you want me to call someone?”
“Uh…no.” Brushing the tears from her cheeks, she pulled herself together and started hustling around the kitchen. “I just need to get on with work.”
But even as she grabbed a new set of glasses, her hands shook and her movements were jerky.
I really didn’t want to get involved, but I’d been around enough damaged women to know when they were on edge. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on or why, but she was being kind enough to let me stay in her rental. I couldn’t walk away now.
“Let me get the bar set up. I’ve been around enough of them to know what to do.”
“I really couldn’t ask that,” she said, but even as she denied me, tears filled her eyes again.
“You’re letting me stay in your rental. Think of it as me paying rent.”
Huffing out a laugh, she swiped at her nose. “You’re saving my life,” she whispered.
“Hardly. Tell me what you need done and I’ll make sure it’s ready for when you open.”
Taking a shaky breath, she started rattling off a list of things that needed to be done. About the time she started to shut down, I shoved a chair back under her and got to work.
I briefly considered calling someone for her, but I didn’t know a damn person in town other than my neighbor, and I wasn’t so sure her peppy attitude was what was needed at the moment.
I was just taking the last of the chairs off the tables when the door opened and the first customers started coming in for the day. I glanced at the clock, noting it was already ten o’clock.
“What can I get you?” I asked the guys as they strode in.
“Who the hell are you?” the first man asked, his eyes narrowing on me. Dressed in a sheriff’s uniform, I sighed internally. The last thing I needed was the department on my ass.
“JR.”
“Lizzy didn’t tell me anything about hiring anyone.”
“And you are?”
“Her brother, Michael. This is Jeff.”
Nodding, I wondered if I should tell them about their sister, but something stopped me. Maybe it was the way she kept drifting off or the absolute devastation on her face, but either way, I kept my mouth, choosing first to see if she was okay.
“I’ll go get her.”
“You still didn’t answer my question,” Michael called out.
Turning, I shook my head. “I’m just helping out this morning.”
When I shoved the kitchen door open, Lizzy was still sitting in her chair, but now there was a cook at the stove who kept looking over his shoulder at Lizzy.
“Your brothers are here.”
That seemed to snap her out of her trance. Shoving to her feet, fear washed over her features briefly before she bit her lip and spun away from me.
“Tell them I’m not available.”
“Are you sure about that? You look like you need someone—”
“I’m fine,” she snapped, spinning back around with fire in her eyes. “I just…need a few minutes, and my brothers don’t know how to mind their own business.”
I understood that well enough. “Alright, I’ll tell them you just stepped out.”
Her eyes darted to the front. “What about the customers?”
“I can handle it.”
Shaking her head, the tears returned with full force. “You shouldn’t have to.”
“Like I said, I have to pay my rent. It’s fine.”
Her voice was low, but grateful as she finally met my eyes. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The words felt foreign on my tongue, but I didn’t know what the hell else to do. I should have just told her brothers, but after her kindness, I just couldn’t do it.
“She’s out,” I said as I walked back out to the bar. “Can I get you anything?”
Michael glanced behind me to the kitchen, then his eyes narrowed on me. I schooled my features, having played this game too many times to let someone like this guy trick me into spilling information.
“That’s my baby sister in there,” he growled. “I don’t know why the fuck she’s not coming out, but if you hurt her in any way—”
“She’s not here,” I interrupted. “And like I said, I’m just helping out for the morning. She had some issue with a delivery she had to sort out.” I shrugged. “That’s all I know.”
“And you were just wandering through town and happened to offer your services?” he asked skeptically.
“Actually, I got to town a few days ago, visiting a friend. When I asked about accommodations in the area, she offered her rental so I didn’t have to stay at the roach motel. So, when she needed help this morning, I figured it was the least I could do.”
“Wait, are you Archer’s friend?”
Nodding, I waited for him to say more.
“Have her call me when she gets back.”
“Sure.”
They didn’t bother sticking around, but I knew that wouldn’t be the last I heard from them. For whatever reason, Michael had already decided he didn’t like me, which I couldn’t say he was wrong about. I didn’t exactly have a stellar personality.
Heading back to the kitchen, I stared the cook down until he fled the room. Then I turned on Lizzy.
“Talk.”