Guarding His Heart

by Serena Pettus

  A quick peek at her cell showed the time to be almost five-thirty. “Absolutely. Let me finish up with this chart, and I’ll meet you guys there.” That would give her time to check in with Liam.

  “Sounds great! We’ll save you a seat.”

  Ten minutes later, Lynn got ready to call Liam. She could already imagine how that would go. He’d likely try to talk her out of leaving. Seeing as she would be with a group of people and she really needed a little liquid courage before meeting with Jag later, Lynn took the coward’s way out and just shot him a text instead.

  Out for a drink with girls from the office. Will call when I leave the bar for home. Shouldn’t be long. ;-)

  Maybe, the little winky face at the end would help. It crossed her mind to tell him which bar, but a mental image of him dragging her out in front of everyone also popped in, and she decided against it.

  Mason’s Jar Bar was actually on her way home now. Well, sort of. It was situated right by the state line, so if she were to take a slightly longer route, she’d pass it.

  It really was a great old place. The exterior resembled a large, rustic log cabin. The inside was a mix of country charm and disco. A dance floor dominated the center of the room with a retro black-and-white checkerboard floor, and Lynn actually looked forward to cutting loose a little. If only Samantha were with her, but it wasn’t safe for her to be out right now.

  Regardless, a few drinks and some dancing would do Lynn a world of good. While she couldn’t move like Samantha did, Lynn knew she could hold her own. It was just a matter of having someone to dance with. In her opinion, there was nothing worse than getting out there all alone. Plus, she and Sam had a system to keep any men from getting too grabby. They simply reached toward the other and pulled them away. Most guys took the hint, but there were always a few who viewed it as a challenge.

  Pulling into the gravel lot, Lynn snagged a parking spot then headed inside. This morning, she’d worn a knee-length black skirt, paired with a coral blouse so she was slightly overdressed. Not that it mattered. She wasn’t there to impress anyone by any means.

  Stepping from her SUV, Lynn made her way through the cloud of smoke from patrons puffing away right by the door and into the bar. Many different types of people, from cowboys to businessmen and everything in between, frequented the place. The abundance of Stetson’s in the establishment told her it would be mostly country blaring from the jukebox tonight. Fine with her. Line-dancing was a blast.

  “Hiya, ladies!” Lynn practically shouted when she reached the table. They were all laughing and having a great time, every person genuinely happy for Paula and her acceptance into the missionary program. Everyone had drinks already, so Lynn excused herself to grab one at the counter instead of waiting for the server to make it back over. “Be right back, guys, then we’ll toast.” She turned and walked away amidst their cheers.

  At the bar, Lynn caught sight of Kitty, slinging shot glasses and bottles across the countertop as if by magic. How she managed to do it and never spill a drop amazed Lynn. Whenever Lynn had come here with Sam, they’d always ended up sitting at the bar top. They’d become friends with the outspoken, crass woman.

  Kitty’s appearance gave her the edge needed to work in a place like Mason’s. Her white-and-black streaked hair, Harley Davidson boots, tight jeans and thick, cat-like eye makeup gave her the look of a biker supermodel. Every guy wanted her, but it was no secret she could and would kick the ass of anyone who even tried to glance at hers. Lynn had often wondered if Kitty preferred women but had never asked.

  As if she sensed Lynn’s eyes on her, Kitty turned and smiled, her bright, honey-colored eyes locking on Lynn as she slid a little shot glass down the bar. This place was known for drinks being served in Mason jars. From sweet tea to whiskey, it either came in a tall jar or their custom shot glass jars.

  Really, they were the cutest things, and Lynn quickly turned hers up and allowed the fiery liquid to shoot down her throat. She savored the slow burn that followed. When Lynn lowered the glass to the counter, Kitty stood before her, wiping down the bar with a smirk.

  “And where the hell have you been, hooker?”

  Laughing, Lynn reached across to hug Kitty’s neck. “I’ve been going through some crazy stuff, that’s where I’ve been. Today, though, I’m celebrating with some coworkers. So how have things been with you?”

  Shadows flickered in her friend’s eyes before she plastered on a smile that didn’t come close to reaching her eyes. “Great! The bar is still hopping all week long, so it keeps me busy.”

  “For crying out loud, are you here every single night?” Now, that Lynn thought about it, she couldn’t recall a single night she and Sam had come in that the girl hadn’t been there.

  Kitty shrugged. “Mason was nice enough to let me crash in the upstairs apartment in exchange for working. I keep all my tips, but instead of paying me hourly, he uses it for my rent. I suspect he keeps putting extra money in the tip jars every few weeks, But I guess it’s his way of making sure I have enough money to eat.”

  “Well, I don’t know how you do it. I’m sure I’d lose my mind in here if I had to work every day.”

  “Actually, it’s great for me. I’ve always had an abundance of energy, and bartending is a great outlet. Plus, I get to rough up anyone who gets too rowdy. See? It’s a win-win!” Another patron bellowed from down the length of the counter, and Kitty popped the top off a bottle, let loose an ear-splitting whistle then slid it down to him. Lord but the girl was a hit with the men in here. Of course, they all knew not to push her too far, but if any passers-through came in and tried something, the regulars also knew better than to get between her and the offending male. Kitty took care of Mason’s business with an iron fist, and she had the notches in the bar to prove it.

  Every time she kicked some poor schmuck’s ass, she scratched a little line into the end of the bar top. When Mason had finally noticed and inquired about them, Kitty had offered to sand them out and re-stain that section of the bar, but he’d merely laughed and told her to keep ‘em going.

  “You sure do enjoy a good fight, don’t you?” Lynn loved her for it. Kitty had even helped her and Sam to fend off unwanted suitors a time or two.

  “What’s not to love?” Kitty shrugged. “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your group,” she said, sliding another mason jar Lynn’s way. Lynn hadn’t even seen her pour it. The woman was like a bartending ninja! “Take it easy on this one,” she laughed. “I don’t want to be picking you up off the floor later.”

  One whiff told Lynn that Kitty had poured her a full glass of Fireball. “Holy shit! Are you kidding me?” Lynn laughed.

  “You haven’t come to see me in a while, girl. Now, you have to catch up, you know, make up for lost time. Kinda like back in college when the people who showed up late had to drink as much as everyone else had before they got there.” Shrugging as if her reasoning made all the sense in the world, Kitty turned and made drinks for the other barflies but not before tossing over her shoulder, “I’ve got you tonight!”

  Shaking her head and knowing this would be her last drink this evening, Lynn headed back over to the table. Two of the nurses were just rising and saying their goodbyes since they had to get home to tuck in little ones. Lynn bid them farewell then resumed her seat.

  “So,” she said, addressing Paula who sat across from her. “When’s the big day?”

  Beaming, Paula put down her drink and leaned in so they could hear each other above the music. “I head out in a few weeks. Bryan is coming with me, so he’s taking an extended leave from work on the oil rigs, but he needs it. Can you believe he hasn’t taken a vacation in six years? He has so much leave time banked he’ll be paid almost the whole time we’re gone!”

  “Now, that’s a nice little bonus. Getting paid to go on vacation? We should all be so lucky.” Lynn’s face actually hurt, she’d been smiling so much since arriving. Now, she wondered if Bryan would finally pop the question while they wer
e in South America for the next few months.

  They all chatted, drank and danced for a few hours, but all too soon their group thinned as Lynn’s coworkers bowed out for the evening. Soon, it was just Lynn and Paula left.

  “I’d better head home now,” Paula announced. “I’ve got patients in the morning, so it’s going to be lots of water and aspirin as soon as I get home then about a gallon of coffee in the morning.”

  Chuckling, Lynn nodded her agreement. She felt the Fireball working its magic, and she still had a third of her cup to go. The comforting warmth in her belly slowly spread throughout her body, giving her a pleasantly relaxed feeling. “I’ll see you in the morning. I want to go chat with Kitty for a few. Have a good night, Paula.”

  “Don’t worry about being in right at eight tomorrow. You don’t have any patients in the morning. . I know you made a huge dent in your charts this afternoon, so just rest up.”

  “All right, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Plopping down on a barstool, Lynn waited patiently for Kitty to gain a few spare minutes to chat. As long as Lynn kept telling herself she just wanted to catch up with a good friend, she could avoid thoughts of Jag and the talk awaiting her at home.

  Perhaps, Kitty would let her bunk down with her for the night. Nah, that wasn’t fair to Jag. He’d been nothing but good to her over the last few weeks, and she couldn’t avoid him any longer, especially when Liam had already told her how nervous Jag was.

  “Hey there.” A masculine voice cut into her thoughts, and Lynn turned to see an attractive cowboy sitting next to her, tipping his hat her way. “Can I get you a refill?”

  Glancing down, Lynn noticed she’d finished her drink. No wonder she wasn’t feeling as anxious as she had been. Maybe, if she had a few more shots, the conversation with Jag would end up a lot easier to start. “Sure, why not?”

  “So, what’ll you have?” he drawled, leaning a little closer.

  “Um, Fireball.”

  Slapping his knee, he called out, “We’ve got a live one here! I do love a woman who can handle her whiskey.”

  “Yeah, well, after a while I think it’s the whiskey that does the handling, but whatever,” she replied, not liking the way he kept coming into her space.

  “Well, I could always handle things instead,” he drawled.

  Lynn chuckled. “No thanks. I already have one asshole in my pants. Two would be a crowd.”

  The man on the other side of the cowboy guffawed while her would-be Romeo gawked. “Well, now, this kitten has some claws.” His fingers ran up her arm as he spoke, making her skin crawl as if her body was physically rejecting his touch. Odd, but her mind was right there and in agreement. Lynn didn’t want him or anyone else in this bar touching her.

  “You’ll be feeling those claws firsthand if you don’t get your paws off of me,” she growled.

  “Now, now, that’s no way to be. Come on, kitten, I bet I could have you purring in no time.”

  A fist suddenly connected with the side of his jaw and sent him flying off the stool to sprawl on the floor. It seemed Kitty had been paying more attention to their end of the bar than Lynn had originally thought.

  “So, where’d all your buddies go?” Leave it to Kitty to act as if nothing had happened.

  “We’ve all got to work tomorrow, so they headed out. I’m just not ready to go yet.”

  Fixing a knowing look on Lynn, Kitty clucked her tongue. “So, who is he, and what did he do?”

  “Pardon?” Was it that obvious?

  “I know the look of a woman with man troubles, so spill.” The cowboy on the ground began to rise, and Kitty plastered a concerned look on her face before asking sweetly, “Honey, have you had too much to drink? You fell right off that stool, and I’m pretty sure you hit your face on the bar.”

  Looking dazed, he lightly probed his jaw, wincing when he hit the area that was already beginning to bruise. Lynn jerked her eyes to Kitty’s hand, fully expecting to find it red and possibly split after hitting the man so hard, but it appeared perfectly fine, without even a hint of pink showing.

  Retrieving his worn Stetson from the floor, the douche made his way out of the bar with his head ducked. Lynn wasn’t sure if he actually believed he’d fallen or if he knew he’d been laid low by a woman. Either way, he clearly found it embarrassing.

  “Now, where were we?” Kitty asked, sliding another beer down the bar to a waiting customer.

  “Well, there’s this guy, but it’s complicated and I can’t explain all of it,” Lynn conceded.

  “Okay, tell me what you can, and we’ll see if we can muddle through it.”

  Letting loose a gusty sigh, Lynn unloaded. She explained her attraction and that he returned it, how he thought a relationship wouldn’t work, but he still looked out for her and even left her gifts. After going over her confused feelings and how she and Jag were finally supposed to talk through everything tonight, Lynn finished with, “So, oh wise one, what the hell am I supposed to do now?”

  “Sweetie, that man is so far gone he’s scared.” Kitty was dead serious, making Lynn’s palms sweat. “The man obviously has strong feelings for you—if he doesn’t love you already—and he doesn’t know what to do. You said he’s afraid of you not returning his feelings? That reeks of abandonment issues.”

  Lynn thought of Jag being held in the zoo for all that time, alone, completely cut off from his kind and unable to change due to the constant risk of the shifter secret getting out. Could that have something to do with it? Had someone known he’d been captured yet done nothing to help?

  “Listen, you just relax here for a few, and I’ll be right back. Here’s a little liquid courage to help you out with your man later.” After slipping another jar into Lynn’s hand, Kitty sauntered off to serve waiting customers, leaving Lynn to stew in her thoughts.

  She sipped her drink and enjoyed the imagined scenarios flitting through her head. In one, she arrived home to find candles and rose petals scattered all over her front porch, with a very nude Jag lounging on her swing. Another had him greeting her at the door and sweeping her off her feet before whisking her down the hall to her bedroom, where he proceeded to apologize as he placed open-mouthed kisses over her whole body.

  Certain she’d only indulged in her fantasies for a few minutes, Lynn was shocked to look around and see the bar was nearly empty. Two servers tidied the seating area, sweeping and flipping chairs onto the tabletops, while Kitty stocked the coolers with beer.

  Lynn pulled out her phone. It took a few fumbled attempts to unlock the screen then a little longer to focus her eyes enough to see the screen. One-thirty in the morning! Even more alarming was the number of missed calls, voicemails and text messages.

  Holy shit! Liam is pissed, she thought miserably. By the time he’d left the last few messages, he was threatening to take her over his knee then begging her to call, send a message or anything to let them know that she was alive. When Lynn got to the utterly distraught voicemail from Samantha, Lynn knew she’d fucked up.

  Groaning, Lynn called out to Kitty. “I need to go home. Apparently, the guys think I’m dead.” Wow, I’m not sounding too good.

  “There’s no way in hell you’re driving home, girlie. You just hold tight, and I’ll take you,” Kitty ordered, now wiping down the bar again.

  “Thank you.” Lynn quickly sent a group text to Samantha, Liam and Dylan, apologizing and letting them know she was coming home—at least, she hoped that’s what it said since she couldn’t really read what she had typed in. With any luck, they’d understand what she was going for and pass it along to Jag. She didn’t have a number for him, and also, she had no idea if she could get out another text.

  In truth, Lynn was getting fuzzier by the minute. With the way the room seemed to move, the very idea of having Jag see her in her current state seemed utterly hilarious. Lynn found herself in stitches, laughing harder than she could ever remember and unable to stop. Tears streamed down her face, and her cheeks ached
from her ridiculous grin.

  The servers, along with Kitty, giggled with her, until her chuckles turned to sobs. Everyone seemed uncomfortable around the crazy woman bawling at the bar.

  “I’m sorry,” Lynn hiccupped. “I don’t know w-what’s wrong w-with me.”

  Kitty walked over, patting Lynn’s arm. “Honey, it’s just an expulsion of all the feelings you’ve kept jumbled up inside. You’ll feel much better in the morning.” Wincing, Kitty quickly revised her statement. “Well, maybe the afternoon with all you’ve drunk. Now, let’s get you home.”

  “Okay,” Lynn sniffed.

  They stepped outside, and Lynn waited patiently while Kitty locked up before they headed over to Kitty’s car. Used to her SUV, Lynn was a little less than graceful when she plopped herself into the low seats of the Civic Kitty drove.

  Wow, it’s like being in an enclosed go-kart, she thought, looking around.

  After seating herself behind the wheel, Kitty reached over and plucked Lynn’s cell phone from the pocket on her purse. “Okay, I’m going to put my number into your phone and then call myself so I’ll have yours. We’ll get up tomorrow and arrange a way for you to get your car. I’m up pretty early, so if you need to be at work, just give me a buzz, okay?”

  Huh, I hadn’t even considered getting my car home. “Thank you. I should be able to get Liam to drop me off here to pick it up. I really appreciate you giving me a ride home.” Especially now, because if she were to call Liam, he’d ream her the entire way home for being so irresponsible.

  “No problem. I’d rather know you made it home safe and not worry about some backwoods cab driver taking advantage of you. By the way, did you know you have a bunch of texts on here?”

  Groaning, Lynn looked at her screen and brought up the texts. A few clicks of her side buttons brought the words to a size her fuzzy eyes could read, but what was there made her feel even worse. Samantha was obviously upset, which had Dylan angry because of Lynn’s “lack of communication this evening”. Liam was glad she was okay but threatened to be her constant shadow if this was how she would “check-in” with him. Another mentioned how Jag was ready to come out and tear the city apart looking for her.