Stay With Me_Taphouse Blues Series_Bk 1

by Heather Lyn

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Other Title by Heather Lyn

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Stay With Me (Taphouse Blues Series, Book One)

  Copyright © 2018 by Heather Lyn.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase.

  Formatting by Jersey Girl Designs

  Edited by Hot Tree Editing

  Cover Designer: MGBookCovers

  Photographer: CJC Photography

  Model: Gus Caleb Smyrnios

  OTHER TITLES BY HEATHER LYN

  HEARTS ON FIRE SERIES

  Hearts Ablaze

  Burning Love

  Heart’s Desire

  Unexpected Flames

  THE JACKSON TRILOGY

  Fighting for Us

  TAPHOUSE BLUES SERIES

  Stay With Me

  For Cody:

  Thank you for being one of the biggest blessings in my life.

  You’ve had my back since day one and I honest to God don’t know what I would do without you.

  PROLOGUE

  Lindsey

  “She’s coding!”

  “Get me a crash cart!”

  Time stands still, sounds fading, sights blurring.

  I can’t figure out what’s happened, and my eyes shift around the room, looking for the one person to anchor me.

  How did we get here? When did this become reality?

  “Lindsey!”

  My name is being shouted, but I can’t distinguish the voice. It sounds garbled, as if I’m underwater and they’re above the surface. Closing my eyes, I find that the world becomes less invasive, and I like the silence the darkness brings me.

  “I’m losing her! Page the ER!”

  Who are they talking about?

  Opening my eyes, I watch the flurry of activity in the room and I struggle to focus, trying to calm my beating heart. Cold hands grip my face, and I wince at the sting of pain.

  A loud crash sounds, and as hard as I try, I can’t locate its source. Who was that?

  And then as suddenly as the nightmare began, it ends. My vision grows dark, and this time I don’t fight it. I like the quiet. I want to follow it, hoping to drown out the pain I feel searing through my body. I’m vaguely aware of being lifted and then that’s it.

  There is nothing.

  No noise.

  No pain.

  I’m weightless, floating through the darkness.

  Gone forever.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Lindsey

  Running down the crowded hallway, I secure my long blonde hair with a hair tie and pick up the pace. I was in pediatrics when I got the page to the emergency department. Three-car pileup, and I’ve only been on shift for three hours. This is gearing up to be one of those nights. But I love my job and wouldn’t change anything about it. Not the long hours, or the number of patients we’ve lost. Because we’ve saved so many more than that.

  “Linds, I need you in room three.”

  Turning over my shoulder, I see Andie, the head nurse, with a clipboard in hand.

  “What do we have?” I ask, pulling my stethoscope from my scrubs pocket to throw it around my neck.

  “Male victim, was in one of the vehicles. Has lacerations to the face and neck. Can you give him some more fluids and get a blood draw? He refuses to answer questions, and until we get a tox screen, we don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

  “On it.”

  Pushing the curtain aside, I step into the small room, grabbing some Purell for my hands as I do. An older man of around forty is lying on the bed, and my heart instantly goes out to him. His face is littered with contusions, and his hands are bloody.

  “Hi, I’m Lindsey and I’ll be your nurse tonight. What’s your name?”

  Stepping over to the bed, I pull my stethoscope from my neck and place it into my ears, listening to his heart for just a moment. I move my free hand down to his wrist to check his pulse and he jumps, eyes wide on me.

  “Get away from me, you bitch!”

  Scurrying backward, I let my racing heart calm and turn back to the man. I’m confident he’s on something, but I need to do my job.

  “Sir, please let me check you out. I need to make sure you’re okay.”

  Hesitantly, I reach a hand out and place it on his forearm, trying to ease his fears. In a matter of moments, he calms down and trains his eyes on me.

  “Will you tell me your name?”

  “Jeffrey.” His voice comes out gruff, but at least we’re getting somewhere.

  “Jeffrey. That’s a nice name. Listen, I’m going to give you some more fluid through the IV, and then I need to draw some blood, okay?”

  I don’t get a response, but he allows me to go about my work. It doesn’t take long before I’m packing up the four vials of blood I drew. I quickly attach another bag of fluid to his line and pull off my gloves.

  “Is there anything I can get for you tonight?” I ask as I pick the tray up.

  “No. Leave me alone.”

  “Are you hurting?”

  “Bitch, I told you to leave me alone. You fucking stupid, girl?”

  My hands are shaking, but I do my best to control them. This man is clearly troubled, and I know I shouldn’t, but I feel compelled to try and help him. I lean out the door and hand off the bloodwork to Andie, giving her a grim smile before turning back into the room. I make my way over to the bed and reach out to grip his wrist again, feeling his pulse speed up.

  “Can you tell me what happened tonight? I know you told me to leave you alone, but I’m just trying to help. Please let me do my job and take care of you, Jeffrey.”

  His eyes pop open and I lock mine on his. A smile spreads across his face, and his other hand comes up to rest over my hand.

  “You’re right, I’m being rude. I have no idea what happened, was just trying to get home and boom, my Jeep was sideswiped. Neck hurts like a bitch too.”

  Raising an eyebrow at him, I nod and excuse myself from the room. Finding Andie, I pull her aside as I drape my stethoscope back over my neck.

  “You may wanna call psych up here. That guy has lost it.”

  “What do you mean?” Andie asks, hands braced on her hips.

  “Cursed me out, thrashing around. And then when I went back to ask what happened, he was nice as pie and was all happy. So freaking weird.”

  “Did he hurt you, Linds?”

  “I’m fine. I just thi
nk something is off with him. I doubt his tox panel will come back positive, since his pupils aren’t blown and I don’t smell alcohol, but something is weird.”

  §

  My shift is almost over, and it’s been a fairly quiet, slow night. With the exception of a few high fevers and drunks, nobody else has come into the ER tonight after the car accident. I’m ready to go home and take a nap. I have a date with my older sisters tonight, girls’ night at some bar in Nashville. I haven’t had much time to hang out with Grace and Blair lately. At twenty-seven, I’m the baby in the family. We all look exactly like our mom, with our blonde hair, but my sisters share her brown eyes and I have my dad’s blue ones. And while my sisters are tall at a cool five-seven, I’m screwed at five-three. I really am the baby sister, but most days I love it.

  On my final rounds, I swing back around all the rooms to check on my patients. As I come to Jeffrey’s room, I hear yelling and commotion. Rushing inside, I see him violently fighting against the doctors trying to help him. One yells to me for help, so I grab the syringe and they hold him down. Jabbing it into his upper arm, I run my hand up and down the area, trying to calm him down.

  “Close your eyes, Jeffrey, count to three and it will all be over with.”

  He follows my instructions, and in seconds his body stills and his eyes close, the doctors able to let go of him. One of them pauses to catch his breath, and I can’t help but wonder what’s going on. I just hope Jeffrey’s able to get the help he needs.

  “What happened?” I ask, following them out of the room.

  “No clue. Came in to check on him and he started screaming at me, threw shit, no fucking idea. They don’t pay me enough for this shit.” Doctor Jerk walks away, and I can’t help rolling my eyes. Yeah, must be hard to make six figures and drive a BMW.

  Walking away from them, I head to the employee lounge where we all have lockers. Grabbing my stuff, I throw my purse over my shoulder and head out.

  I only live a few miles from the hospital, so in no time I’m pulling into the apartment complex I call home. Grabbing my things, I head inside, locking the door behind me. It’s eight in the morning, so I have plenty of time to sleep before I run errands and get ready for tonight.

  §

  “Lindsey!”

  Pushing my way to the bar, I find my sisters waiting for me, and a drink on the bar with my name on it. They hand me my beer and I give them each a quick hug.

  “Jesus, it’s busy here, huh?” I ask, taking a much-needed sip. Walker’s Taphouse is in Nashville, and while I expected it to be busy for a Friday night, this is way more packed than I had planned.

  “Preds game is on tonight, I guess. We picked the wrong night.” Grace tosses her head back and laughs, and I shake my head at her.

  “How was work?” Blair asks, placing her empty glass on the bar.

  “It was okay. Had a weird patient come in tonight.”

  “Oh, tell us.”

  I spend the next ten minutes filling them in on Jeffrey, and by the time I end the story, I don’t feel any better about it. My gut is telling me that something wasn’t right, but I have the weekend off, so I’m sure by the time I go back Monday, he won’t be there.

  “Sounds like the guy was doing drugs. Anyway, this is supposed to be a good night. Don’t worry about it, Linds. He was in good hands when you left, I’m sure. Let’s just enjoy tonight, okay?” Blair throws her arm around my shoulders, and I lean my head against hers.

  “Yeah, sounds good.”

  Ordering another round of drinks, I glance around the bar and my eyes land on the guy behind the bar. Holy crap. He doesn’t look my way, so I take the moment to drink him in. Wearing a dark plaid button-down, his sandy brown hair is styled in a messy fauxhawk, and he’s in great shape, if his toned arms are an indicator.

  When he finally looks up, his dark eyes train on mine, and before I can look away, he winks and goes about filling someone’s glass.

  “Hello, earth to Lindsey.” Grace waves a hand in front of my face and I jerk around, sloshing the remaining liquid in my glass all over the bar. She looks over my shoulder and then turns back to me with a shit-eating grin.

  “Dang, girl. You sure know how to pick ’em. He’s hot.”

  “Oh, shut it. I was not checking him out.”

  “So, you won’t mind if I go check on him, ask him for a number?” Grace raises an eyebrow. I just laugh at her.

  “Grace, you’re married. I don’t think Jay will approve.”

  “Doesn’t answer my question.”

  “No, you can’t.”

  “I dare you to go ask him out,” Blair throws down, a smirk on her face.

  I don’t know if it’s the one beer, the shitty shift I had, or maybe it’s the fact that I need to get laid, but whatever it is has me telling my sisters to bring it on.

  Finishing my beer, I drop the glass to the counter and fluff my hair, then wink at them before heading over to the other end of the bar where Mr. Hot Bartender is. Taking a deep breath, I step up to him and he smiles.

  “Hey, darlin’. What can I get for you tonight?”

  “A draft beer. And your number.”

  His eyebrows rise, and I lose myself in his gaze.

  Bring it on, buddy.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Brody

  Well, I’ll be damned.

  “Pardon?” I quip, raising an eyebrow as I begin filling a glass for her.

  She bites her plump bottom lip as I hold her gaze, noting the twinkle in hers.

  “Your phone number. Think I could get it?”

  Letting go of the tap handle, I swipe a napkin and place it on the counter, then set the cold beer on top of it. Wiping my hands on the rag hanging from my back pocket, I lean my elbows on the bar.

  “Sure. It’s 867-5309.”

  Trying to keep from laughing, I watch her pull her cell from her back pocket. Right before she starts adding it, she looks up at me with a roll of her eyes.

  “Seriously? What are you, twelve? If you didn’t want to give it to me, you could’ve just said so.” Jamming her phone in her pants, she grabs her beer and turns from me, clearly not finding the joke funny.

  Shit.

  I step out from behind the bar and rush over to her, grabbing her elbow so I can spin her around. “Wait, hold on,” I begin, and I get a face full of blonde hair as she whips around to face me.

  “What?” she demands, narrowing those blue eyes at me.

  Needing to think quick, I motion to her drink.

  “You want to start a tab?”

  Her eyes leave mine and drop to the glass in her hand. “Oh shit, I’m so sorry. No, no tab. Let me pay.”

  Releasing her arm, she marches over to two women on the other side of the bar, grabbing a small black bag. Coming back over, she holds out a twenty to me and I shake my head.

  “No charge.”

  “Huh?”

  “It’s on the house. Seriously.”

  Setting her drink back down, she crosses her arms over her chest.

  “So then why did you ask if I wanted to start a tab?”

  “Conversation starter?” I shrug, smiling when she shakes her head.

  “That’s real original, buddy.”

  “No more original than ‘I’ll take a draft beer and your number’, darlin’.”

  She tries glaring at me, but she loses the fight when she bursts out laughing, the sound like music to my ears. Holding a hand out to me, she smiles.

  “I’m Lindsey Taylor.”

  “Brody Walker.” Shaking her hand gently, I release it after a moment and jam my hands in my front pockets. “And I’ll give you my number. After you tell me about yourself.”

  “Deal.” Lindsey sits on the bar stool next to her, and I go back behind the bar, grabbing a bottled water for myself. While I busy myself taking a sip, I scan her from head to toe, taking in the beautiful girl in front of me. About five or six inches shorter than my five-nine, she has blue eyes the color of the ocean and
blonde hair in soft waves that fall to her lower back.

  “Brody!”

  Breaking from my thoughts, I meet Lindsey’s curious stare, knowing I’m caught. Smirking, I drain my water and toss it in the bin behind me.

  “So, Lindsey Taylor, tell me about yourself. What brings you into my bar on this fine summer evening?”

  Running her finger through the condensation on the beer glass, she shrugs.

  “Long shift at the hospital. I’m here with my older sisters.”

  “Hospital?”

  “Yeah, I’m an ER nurse.”

  “Wow, that’s pretty badass.”

  Smiling, Lindsey takes a sip of her beer, training her eyes on me. “How about you? You seem awfully young to own this bar. You’re what, forty-five?”

  Snorting, I shake my head, resting my hands on my hips while I laugh. “Jesus, Lindsey. No, I’m thirty-one. Thanks for making me old though. Appreciate that, woman.”

  Giggling, she drains her beer and pushes the glass toward me with a nod. Taking it, I begin to refill it, turning when she speaks again.

  “Sorry, but seriously, how’d you manage all this? It’s impressive.”

  “I went to college for business. My dad insisted, even though I had zero clue what to do. Busted my ass for four years, and during my final semester my estranged uncle passed away. We hardly knew him, but he left my older brother Garret and me some of his life insurance. Nothing huge, ten grand each, but I used it as a deposit for this place. Took me several years of blood, sweat and tears, but it’s finally paying off for me.”

  “That’s amazing.”

  I hand Lindsey her refill and she takes it with a wink, shifting around on her seat.

  “Thank you,” I reply sincerely.

  “You’re welcome,” Lindsey says softly.

  “So tell me, how’d a forty-year-old woman like yourself become a nurse?”

  Laughing loudly, she sloshes beer onto the bar top and has to set the drink down.

  “Screw you, Brody. I am twenty-seven, thank you very much.”

  “Botox, I knew it!”

  We’re both cracking up, and even with the loud bustle of the bar, I can hear her over everything else. I like her laugh; it’s not quite what I expected. Much like the woman in front of me.