Chapter 7 JR
JR
I shouldn’t have leaned in so damn close. I knew it was a mistake the moment her eyes drifted over my chest. Her pupils widened as her nose crinkled slightly. She was sniffing me again.
And it was damn adorable.
Even if she was still drunk and was pissing me off by being in my house at seven-thirty on a Sunday.
I jerked back, refusing to be part of whatever neighborly game she thought this was.
I had no interest in getting involved in her life, nor did I want her to think she could walk over here whenever she wanted and make herself at home.
“Are you done?” I snapped.
Flustered, she shook her head. “I haven’t had my tea.”
Sighing in frustration, I grabbed her by the arm and hauled her toward the door, but she misinterpreted my intentions and sighed in relief, sinking down into one of my rental pieces of furniture.
“Oh, this feels good,” she groaned as she took her first sip of tea. “I could sleep in a chair like this.”
“But you won’t because you’re leaving.”
“Mmm, just as soon as I finish this. I can’t function without my tea.”
“Why did you come over here?”
Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes. “To thank you. And for the tea.”
“You have the tea. You’ve said thank you—”
“You’re a good man, Tennessee. I mean, if I knew your actual name, that would be nice. Who doesn’t tell someone else their name?”
“Someone who doesn’t want to be friends,” I muttered, stalking back to the kitchen. If I was going to put up with her, it was going to be with caffeine running through my veins.
“You could definitely be a Tennessee,” she said softly, her eyes still closed. “Or a Huck.”
I rolled my eyes, refusing to engage in this banter.
“Tell me something, Tennessee, why did you stick around?”
Taking my first sip of coffee, I leaned against the counter, refusing to sit down with her. That would only invite more conversation.
She peeled one eye open and quirked an eyebrow at me.
“Because I did,” I sighed in frustration.
“But you didn’t just stick around. You were working in the bar last night.”
“And?”
“And that suggests long-term plans.”
“No, that suggests I was working in the bar one night.”
“But you’re going back, aren’t you?”
“Never said that,” I answered, shaking my head.
“Hmm.” She took another sip of her tea and closed her eyes again.
“Is this going to last long?”
“What’s that?”
“This meditation, questionnaire, sitting in my living room…”
“Your rental living room,” she countered. “Because you’re not staying.”
“All of it.”
“Almost done,” she answered, taking another swallow. “That’s so much better. The drumming is down to a dull roar.”
“A sane person would eat something greasy and drink coffee.”
“Coffee is bad for you.”
“So is ingesting anything named herbal.”
A soft chuckle left her lips as her cup started to tilt sideways. Fuck, she was falling asleep.
“Alright, that’s enough. Time to go home.”
“Uh-huh,” she murmured, but she was already out.
The cup tilted precariously in her hand and I cursed, shooting across the room to catch it before it spilled all over the damn place. This close, I could hear the softest snore coming from her, and it made me pause, wondering if I should move her.
Of course, I shouldn’t. She wasn’t even supposed to be here. But she was, and I didn’t like the idea of carrying her back to her house. But she looked so damn uncomfortable. Was she cold?
“Fuck, this is ridiculous,” I muttered, carefully lifting her up to lay her on the couch.
She was out like a light, didn’t even budge as I set her down.
Her shoulder-length hair was hanging in all weird directions from a night of partying and sleeping awkwardly, yet somehow, she was still gorgeous.
I backed up, refusing to examine her anymore.
I didn’t pay attention to women unless I planned to bed them, and this was one woman I definitely wouldn’t go near.
Frustrated with myself for even thinking about her like that, I started to walk away, but then I saw her wet socks.
“Not your problem,” I muttered. But even as I walked into my room to get away from her, I found myself going directly to my bag and pulling out a clean pair of socks.
Tugging off her wet ones, I sucked in a breath at how damn cold her feet were, then pulled on the fresh pair. And I took it a step further by rubbing her damn feet.
Only to bring the warmth back into them.
The last thing I needed was to have to take her to the hospital for a foot amputation because she let her feet freeze. I snorted to myself as I pulled a blanket from the back of the couch over her body, tucking her feet in for good measure.
“Way to not get involved,” I muttered to myself, then stormed into my room and got dressed, shoving my feet into my boots. I grabbed my keys and walked out the door, locking it behind me.
Getting in the truck, I jammed my key in the ignition and kicked up slush as I peeled out of the driveway.
I should never have opened my door this morning.
I could have left well enough alone. Hell, I should have left her in the bar last night.
The cook could have dealt with her, or even the sheriff.
They were all chummy around here. They wouldn’t have left her to sleep on the bar.
Parking at The Beaver and Boot, I glanced over at the vehicle still in the lot.
Delilah. Fuck, I didn’t want to have to deal with her vehicle, but someone was either going to have to drive her here or take her car toward her.
Well, it wasn’t going to be me. I’d done my part already.
And I didn’t even live in this shitty town.
I strode into the bar, looking for Lizzy. I knew she would be here even though I told her I could cover things for a few days. And like I thought, she walked out of the back, her appearance much more put together than yesterday.
“I knew you’d be in today.”
She froze only for a second, but kept walking as if I hadn’t just scared the shit out of her. “Thank you for taking care of things yesterday. It seems everything went fine.”
“It did. No issues.”
“And everything was locked up. Emilio said the kitchen ran smoothly. The register was balanced and the floors were cleaned.”
She was rambling, refusing to look at me.
“Lizzy.”
Tearing her gaze from her paperwork, she slowly looked up at me. But there were no tears in her eyes. In fact, she looked practically normal, aside from the smile that should have been on her face.
“Well, are you leaving or did you want to stick around?”
“I hadn’t decided yet.”
“Because if you want to stick around, you have a job. I mean, if you want it.”
The door swung open behind me and heavy boots hit the floor. Lizzy visibly stiffened in front of me, but if I had to guess, it was out of anticipation. When I turned around, I understood why.
Michael and Jeff, her brothers, stood there with scowls on their faces, and I had to assume the other was her third brother.
“Hey!” Lizzy said, forcing the cheer into her voice. “It’s awfully early for you guys to be up.”
But Michael wasn’t looking at Lizzy. His eyes were fixed on mine, and he looked like he wanted to kick my ass.
“Something I can help you with?” I asked.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Just helping Lizzy out.”
“That was last night,” he argued. “Your job is done. You can leave now.”
“Michael, stop being rude,” Lizzy chastised.
“You don’t even know this guy.”
Rolling her eyes, she stomped past me to her brothers. “You guys worry too much.” Wrapping her arms around her biggest brother, she hugged him tight. “Good morning to you, too. Yes, I’m having a great day. Oh, that would be so nice of you to take me out to breakfast.”
Jeff snickered beside Michael, but Liam was watching me with cautious curiosity.
“Yeah, yeah. Fine. I’ll take you out to breakfast.”
“And JR also,” she added, grinning slightly.
I was about to tell her there was no way in hell I was going anywhere with her brothers, but Michael cut off my thoughts.
“He’s only passing through,” Michael scowled.
Lizzy looked back at me expectantly, and I sighed. “Actually, I’ll be working here for the time being.”
“See? He’s my new bartender. Now, be a good big brother and take us out to breakfast. I’m starving.”
“Why do I have to take him?” Michael grumbled.
“Because he’s new to town, and you should be nice to people. Geez, that time in the military made you a real brute.”
“You already knew that.”
“I expect this from Liam, but honestly, I would have thought Blake would have changed you for the better. Where’s your humor?”
“Actually, I can’t go out to breakfast,” I interjected. “I’ve got things to do before my shift tonight.”
“Are you sure?” Lizzy asked.
I may be willing to stick around and help her out, but there was no way I was going out to breakfast with her and her brothers.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I added, nodding to all of them as I walked out.
I wasn’t exactly thrilled to go back home where my drunk neighbor was waiting for me, but I could always kick her out. She had to have slept off a good portion of the alcohol by now.
Glancing down at my phone, I winced at the rather insignificant amount of time I’d been gone.
My phone rang just as I pulled in the drive, and I was surprised to see it was Archer calling.
“Yeah?”
“I hear you’re sticking around.”
“News travels fast,” I muttered. “That only happened about five minutes ago.”
“That’s all it takes around here.”
“Is there a point to this conversation?”
“Just thought I’d let you know you’re officially part of the town,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, well—”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge as I felt the presence behind me. I grabbed the knife under the seat and spun, just barely stopping myself in time.
“Jesus!” I cried out, my breath heaving in large gaps as I nearly plunged my knife into the white dog in my back seat.
“What the hell was that?” Archer asked.
“Nothing.”
Hanging up, I flung the door open and pointed at the grass. “Out.”
The dog cocked his head at me, then let out a tiny yip.
“Now. Don’t make me come in there and drag you out.”
He barked again, but this time, jumped over the seat and out the door. His tail wagged at me expectantly.
“I don’t have anything for you. No treats. No food.”
He barked again.
“Stupid dog.” Stalking past him, I stomped up the steps to my house, pissed that a dog had nearly gotten the better of me.
Josie was still on the couch, still passed out from earlier. I slammed the door, but not in time to stop the mutt from racing into my house and jumping up on the couch. His pink tongue darted out, licking Josie’s face until she woke up.
“What the heck?” she screeched, flinging her arms up to block her face.
The dog let out another yip, his little tail wagging.
Jerking the door open, I pointed outside. “Out. Now!”
The dog looked at me with almost a grin and barked again.
“Why is there a dog on me?” Josie grumbled.
“I will kill you, dog.”
“Don’t say that!” Her fingers slid through the dog’s matted hair lovingly. “He won’t kill you. No, you’re such a good dog.”
The white mutt ate it up, his tongue darting out to lick her face again. Rolling my eyes, I marched over to the couch and grabbed the dog by the scruff, yanking him off my couch.
“Hey!”
“There are no dogs in this house.”
“I didn’t bring him in here,” she snapped, throwing the blanket off her body as she stormed toward me. Her clothes were all disheveled and her eyes were sleepy and tired, but she looked fucking edible.
Not that any of that mattered right this minute.
I flung the dog out the door, then slammed it before he could come back inside.
“That was mean!” Josie shouted.
“He’s not my dog, and you don’t belong in my house. Why don’t you go home?”
“Why can’t you just be nice for two seconds? He was a sweet dog!”
“He was sitting in my truck! Inside,” I reiterated. “Not in the bed or on the ground outside. In the damn truck. I don’t even know how the hell he got in there!”
“Well…that’s not his fault,” she spluttered. “Maybe he was just cold!”
“He has a fur coat.”
“He looks hungry!”
“Then you can get him some food.”
Her eyes flashed with indignation, sparking something deep inside my gut, but I wasn’t about to let her messy hair and smeared makeup do a damn thing to change the fact that no dog was going to stay in my house.
“You’re so—”
“So, what?” I challenged, taking a step closer.
“So infuriating!”
“And you’re intruding on my space,” I countered, taking another step until I was almost flush against her.
To her credit, she didn’t move a single inch.
Her breasts heaved, nearly skimming my chest. And the way her eyes darted back and forth between mine almost had me grasping her by the neck and hauling her body against mine.
Almost.
Gritting my teeth, I stepped back and grabbed the door handle, determined to get this woman out of my life. “You can leave.”
“All I did was come over to say thank you.”
“You brought your kettle and your mug. I’d say you had bigger plans than just saying thank you.”
“You know, a normal person would say you’re welcome,” she spat.
“I never was a normal person.” I motioned out the door.
Huffing, she stomped past me and out the door. I slammed the door, relieved to finally have my house back to myself. I needed a beer and it wasn’t even the afternoon yet.
I spun on my heel and stopped in my tracks at the sight of the white dog on my couch. His tongue panting, he gave out a high-pitched bark and his tail wagged happily.
I opened the door and pointed outside. “Leave.”