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“Sorry, guys!” Joanie came strutting towards their booth. “Look your fill now because you don’t get Violet tonight. We’re going to the bar.”
I shot her a look and tried to keep my face from turning red. “Margaret volunteered to watch Forrest. So, I guess I am going out for the first time since I moved here.”
The guy with Justin, Mason, and Ben threw his head back and laughed, stopping Joanie from whatever she was going to say. “Angel was right. This is wild. I’ve never seen my bosses pout before, but wow. It’s a sight.”
Mason grumbled under his breath at the other guy before turning back to me. “This is Morgan Heath. He works with us at our agency. He thinks he’s hilarious.”
I nodded at Morgan. “Nice to meet you, Morgan. I’m Violet.”
Ben ignored everything else but me. “Forrest won’t be at home and you’re going out to a bar? Are you sure?”
Joanie nudged me with her hip. “They are pouting.”
Justin sighed into my neck. “Just a little.”
CHAPTER 26
Violet
Jack’s was a hole in the wall bar with sticky floors, the perpetual smell of Axe body spray, and not enough lights. It was amazing, though. It was the only bar in Harmony Valley so it was always packed and full of friends. I’d sent Forrest to play video games with Margaret and made her promise she wouldn’t let him play, or play herself, any terrifying games that would give him nightmares. I doubted she listened to me. I hadn’t been able to say goodbye to the guys before Joanie was parked in the driveway, honking at me.
We sat eerily close to the table I’d sat at all that time ago and Billie joined us soon after we arrived. We all ordered a shot of whiskey and a beer before we started talking. It only took a few minutes for Billie to feel like a forever friend. She fit in with Joanie and I perfectly and we were laughing about something silly that happened with the ease of three women who’d known each other for a lifetime. It was fun and I didn’t regret going out with them. Even if I did miss the guys a little.
Joanie leaned forward and grabbed my arm. “There’s a guy coming over here for you.”
I snorted. “While I’m sitting next to the two of you? Yeah, right.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “He’s honed in on you. Just wait. He’ll be here in three...two...”
“Hey, beautiful.” I turned and found a handsome enough guy standing much too close to me. He ran his eyes down my body and smiled. “Wow… I’m sorry. I don’t mean to stare, but you’re something else.”
I snorted; I couldn’t help it. I didn’t know what to say, either. I’d been hit on while in college, but there’d been so many years of single mom-hood I just felt awkward with the guy looking at me like I was a beautiful cut of steak.
“Would you like to dance?” He inched even closer and his eyes went down the front of my dress.
I leaned away from him and shook my head. “No, I’m sorry. Thank you, though. I’m just not a dancer.”
He put his hand on the table and kept right on smiling at me. “We don’t have to dance. We can just talk. I’m Jimmy.”
I glanced over at Joanie and Billie for help, but they’d been distracted by a couple of guys themselves. Feeling like running away, I had to force myself to sit still. “I’m seeing someone else. No hard feelings.”
He put his other hand on the chair, right next to my back. When he brushed along my skin, his smile grew even wider. “Come on, pretty lady. Just let me show you a fun time tonight.”
I dropped my smile. “No. Thank you. I just want to hang out with my friends.”
“I can be your friend.” He finally made his move, leaning forward and brushing my hair behind my ear.
As I was swatting at his hands to get them away from my face, I heard growling and then Jimmy and his slimeball hand were gone. I blinked and looked around, feeling like I was losing my mind. Then I spotted Ben’s wide back. He was marching Jimmy out of the bar.
I gasped, not wanting Ben to get in trouble, and looked at Billie and Joanie. They were talking to their guys, but I blurted out what I had to. “Ben’s here. I think he’s going to kill that guy who was hitting on me. I’ll be right back!”
I hopped off my stool and rushed after them. Ben was easy to find. He looked like a professional footballer walking through the crowd. It wasn’t easy for me to part the sea of happy people the way it was for Ben. I struggled. By the time I got to him, he was tossing Jimmy out the front door of Jack’s and walking out after him.
I grabbed Ben’s arm and tugged. “Where are you going?”
He looked back at me and then at Jimmy, before sighing and walking me back inside the bar with his hands on my hips. His eyes were laser focused on me. “He was touching you.”
I nodded. “He was. I had it handled, though.”
