“Are you okay?” I ask softly when she’s close enough to hear me.
“Yes, thanks to you.” Tears fill her eyes. “I . . . I told him to leave me alone, but . . . but he wouldn’t let me go. I . . . I don’t know what would have happened if . . .”
I notice that Eli, who’s standing close to her, looks furious.
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” I murmur, cutting her off, and she wraps her arms around me, catching me off guard. When she lets me go, she looks up at Tyler. “I’m going home, but I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Wait, what? I look from her to Tyler and wonder what she’s talking about. “See you tomorrow, Bell.” He gives her a hug, and when he lets her go, she gives him a shaky smile.
“It was good seeing you, man,” Eli says, looking at Tyler, and then his eyes come to me. “Thanks, Leah.” He wraps an arm around Bell’s shoulders and leads her away.
“You know her?” I ask Tyler, and he finally looks at me.
“She’s my cousin. My mom’s brother’s stepdaughter.”
“Oh.” My stomach sinks. I thought his mom hated me before, but after she hears I got into a fight at a bar, she’s really going to dislike me. This just keeps getting worse and worse. I pick up the glass of vodka and shoot the rest of it back. If I get drunk, it won’t matter. Maybe I can stay drunk the rest of the weekend and pretend this has all been a bad dream.
When I feel a soft touch on my hand, I look at Tyler and notice his eyes are watching my hand as his fingers run over mine, inspecting my swollen knuckles. “I’m fine,” I tell him softly. “It’ll probably hurt for a couple days, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
He doesn’t respond. He looks behind the bar. “What do I owe you, man?”
“You’re not paying,” Alan says. “Drinks are on the house.” His eyes move to me and then back to Tyler. “Now and always for you and your girl.” He grins. “She’s a badass. She deserves to drink for free.”
“Shit,” Tyler mutters. “Do not fucking encourage her.”
“Not too many women would stand up to a guy like Dave, not when he’s wasted. She did it, and she got Bell safe, giving him a bloody nose in the process. Sorry, bro, but your chick is a badass, and she should know it.”
“She also could have gotten herself hurt, or worse.”
“She’s still right here listening to you talk about her like she’s not,” I point out, kind of drunk now. “I told you I’m okay.”
“You tell me you’re okay one more time, and I’m going to lose my goddamn mind and tan your hide, Leah.” He glares at me.
“I’d like to see you try to spank me,” I hiss, leaning toward him.
His eyes narrow, and he lowers his voice. “You’re going to experience it, baby, so prepare.”
He’s not joking. I can tell by the look in his eyes. I narrow my eyes on his and hiss, “Try it.” Then I look at Alan. “It was nice to meet you, and thank you for the vodka.”
“Anytime.” He grins at me, then claps Tyler on the shoulder. “Hopefully, I’ll see you soon, man.”
“Yeah.” Tyler takes my hand and leads me out of the bar and down the sidewalk to his truck. He doesn’t talk or reach for my hand as he drives us back to the cabin, and I can tell he’s still pissed, which is beginning to piss me off. When we get inside, his phone rings, and he pulls it out of his pocket.
“Fuck, it’s my dad. Go on up to bed. I’ll be up in a bit,” he says, not even looking at me.
I want to tell him to fuck off, but I don’t. Instead, I stomp up the stairs, strip out of my clothes, put on a tee, and brush my teeth before I get into bed. I don’t expect to fall asleep because I’m so annoyed, but somehow I end up passing out.
Suggestion 14
FIGHT IT OUT
LEAH
I lift my right hand to bring it up under my cheek, then groan when pain shoots through my fingertips. With the pain, memories of what happened last night at the bar flood my mind. I punched someone. Not just someone but a huge guy who deserved it but could have hurt me.
“Crap.” I blink my eyes open and slowly sit up, looking at the place next to me in bed and then around the room. Tyler is nowhere in sight. I don’t even know if he came to bed last night after his phone call with his dad. On that thought, worry starts to fill my stomach. I get up, go to the bathroom, and do my morning routine sluggishly, the pain in my hand slowing me down.