Page 2 of Hearts on the Mend

The asswipe mutters behind her, wiping the blood dripping down his face across the back of his sleeve.

She flinches at his voice, peeking over her shoulder, then back to me.

I creep closer, wedging myself between the pair. “Let’s step out for a minute.”

Green eyes snap up to mine. Green like the stretch of forests out west, dark and endless. She takes her time, her gaze sweeping from my face to my shoulders, then to the door behind me like she’s deciding whether I’m worth the walk outside. Her jaw unclenches a fraction before she chucks the pool stick toward the pool table.

“We got trouble?” Dan shouts over the chatter in the bar.

I point toward the door, surprised when the woman nods, then slips off through the crowd. Dan whips the bar towel over his shoulders, then walks out from behind the bar toward the group of men. My hand hovers above her shoulder, but I don’t touch. She’s got a runner’s build, long-legged and lean, and her head clears my shoulder easily. But I’ve watched trees that appear solid drop without warning. She’s got the same feeling about her now.

As soon as the door shuts and we’re on the sidewalk, she spins and throws her arms up at me. “What the fuck was that?”

Pink highlights peek out throughout her auburn waves, and instead of a winter jacket, she’s wearing a leather coat and bright floral Converse sneakers. Not exactly practical for early March in Massachusetts.

“How’s your hand?”

A cloud of white puffs past her lips as she scoffs. Lips stained dark berry red like her hair. “I don’t need your help. I don’t even know you.”

“But you came outside with me…” I gesture for her hand.

She thrusts it forward, and I can feel it before we even touch—that fine, involuntary tremor that has nothing to do with the cold.

“Guess I was feeling reckless.” Her voice trails off as my fingers cup her hand before she quickly adds, “Anyway, it’s just a superficial laceration.”

“You’ll need ice for the swelling if you want to use your hand tomorrow.”

“I’m fine.”

“Didn’t say you weren’t.” I brush my fingers over the red, angry skin. She’s going to have one hell of a bruise across her knuckles tomorrow. I ignore the small gasp she makes at my touch and tamp down that flare of something uncomfortable in my chest. “You got him good.”

A rough, strangled chuckle scrapes out of her throat before she glances up. “I did, didn’t I? He’s going to have bigger problems than a broken nose if he doesn’t stop gasping. Airway won’t be clear with all that blood.”

I’ve been around enough medical teams to make an educated guess here.

“You a nurse?”

“ER. You a knight in shining armor?”

“Worse. Eldest son with a savior complex.”

She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing several piercings. “Lucky me.”

“So what happened?” I drop her hand. Let Dan deal with the asshole. This is the perfect excuse to leave my siblings behind for the night anyway. I couldn’t take much more of all their lovesick flirting. Never been my speed. And Annie can handle herself.

“Been a shitty day, that’s all.”

“He hurt you?”

The woman reaches up and twirls one of the silver studs in her ear, narrowing her eyes at me again. “I didn’t like what he was saying.”

“Anyone ever tell you you can’t walk around and punch people you don’t agree with?”

“I went to preschool; I know the rules. But they don’t count when his hands skimmed my ass to pull me against his micropenis while we played pool.”

“So he fucking assaulted you? We need to report—” I’m already whirling back around, storming toward Markey’s, before she latches on to my forearm and yanks hard.

“I can take care of myself. It’s fine.”