Josh & Hannah (Redwood Falls 1)

“Okay,” Hannah said quickly as the waitress began depositing their food and drinks in front of them.

When the older woman turned and left, Ava said, “They see us.”

No sooner had those words left Ava’s mouth that Hannah felt the presence of the two boys standing behind her. “What are you doing here, Ava?” Ty spit out, obviously not wanting to be where his little sister was.

“It’s a free country, douche,” Ava said as she took a tiny bite of a french fry. It was more than obvious to Hannah that her friend was trying to ignore Ethan.

“Hey, Hannah,” Ty said as his attention left his sister and he looked down at her.

“Hey.” Hannah answered back.

“Scoot over,” Ty said as he dropped down on the bench seat next to Hannah and began pushing his way into the booth.

Hannah didn’t want to be smashed underneath Ty, so she slid over and moved her plate and drink with her. As she looked up, she saw Ethan standing next to the table, slashes of red tinting his cheekbones as he stood still, glaring down at them.

Ty glanced up at his buddy. “Sit down.”

Hannah fiddled with a french fry and surreptitiously watched from underneath her eyelashes, as Ethan remained standing, his hands making fists at his sides before relaxing, and then doing it all over again. “Do we have to sit here?” he asked Ty in a supremely annoyed tone of voice.

Hannah groaned inwardly as Ava spoke up before her brother could answer. “No, you damn well don’t. I see an empty booth over there.” She pointed across the restaurant.

Ty grumbled. “Just sit the hell down, Ethan. It won’t kill you to sit next to my sister for a few minutes.”

Ethan rolled his eyes and sat down across from Ty as Ava slid over in the seat, sharing a look with Hannah as she made the move.

When Ty turned to her and slid his arm across the back of the seat, Hannah didn’t know if she was more surprised or annoyed. He wasn’t touching her, but it was a direct move, just the same. At the exact moment he did it, Hannah glanced up and from across the crowded restaurant, saw Kayla come out of the women’s restroom. Ty’s on again, off again girlfriend saw Ty make the move, and Hannah knew a moment of pain for the other girl when she recognized the anguished look on her face. But Hannah didn’t know how to get out from under Ty’s arm without making a scene.

She saw Kayla sit at a table with an older couple who were probably her parents. Hannah took a sip of her Diet Coke and focused her eyes on Ava, trying to make silent communication with her friend.

****

Josh glanced down at his phone as he finished washing up in the feed store restroom, preparing to go home for the evening after his afternoon shift. Why would Kayla be texting him? Not stopping long enough to slow down, he opened the message and about blew a fuse when he read the text. I thought Hannah was your girl????? Ty has his arm wrapped around her at the diner.

There was no question that Josh knew why Kayla had sent the message. She was hung up on Ty and wanted him exclusively for herself. Personally, he thought Ty treated the girl like shit and Josh wasn’t proud of his friend for doing it. No doubt Kayla thought that by sending Josh the message, he’d charge over there and barge in and break up whatever was going on between Ty and Hannah.

And shit if she hadn’t pegged him exactly right.

****

Less than five minutes after Ty and Ethan had invaded their booth, Hannah saw another shadow fall across their table and she looked up and saw Josh standing with his hands clenched into fists at his sides, fury encompassing his features.

The restaurant was packed at this point, and he looked around to where three people were sitting at a table where there were four chairs. Watching his every move, Hannah saw Josh speak to the adults at the table and then he snagged the fourth empty chair and brought it over to the end of the booth and sat down. His eyes only glanced off Hannah, barely looking at her, and then he narrowed his eyes on Ty and hissed, “Get up.”

Ty stiffened beside her when he undoubtedly recognized the anger in Josh’s voice. “No.”

Hannah watched, dumbstruck, as Josh leaned over and invaded Ty’s personal space and spoke low enough so that his voice wouldn’t carry across the restaurant, but clearly enough for their whole table to hear. “Cuttin’ to the chase, Ty. I don’t have the time or the inclination to put up with your bullshit. You’ve got two choices. Get your ass up and away from Hannah on your own accord, or I’ll move it for you.”

Hannah felt her face fill with color at the same time as shards of intoxicating pleasure threatened to interrupt her breathing as she heard the pure, unadulterated jealousy in Josh’s voice.

“What the fuck, Turner?” Ty spit out.

Josh’s body jerked and his hand slammed down on the table in front of Ty. “Don’t use that word in front of Hannah,” Josh snarled.

Ty looked at Josh as if he’d just escaped from an insane asylum. “It’s your favorite goddamn word, Josh. And don’t tell me how the hell I should talk in front of Hannah and my own damn sister.”

Josh opened his mouth to retaliate, but Ethan interrupted him before he could get the words out. “I don’t much care for it either.”

Ty’s attention left Josh momentarily as if thunderstruck, and he whipped his head around and narrowed his eyes on Ethan. “Explain that remark, motherfucker,” Ty hissed.

“I think it’s self-explanatory,” Ethan said.

Ty’s eyes turned into slits as he stared at Ethan. “I don’t think it is—”

Josh lost all patience and cut

off Ty’s words. “Get out of the booth, Ty.”

It was apparent to everyone at the table that Josh wasn’t going to let up on Ty. “Oh, goddamn,” Ty muttered as he slid out of the booth and came to his feet and stood directly next to Josh who was standing now, as well.

They faced off, feet planted firmly as they sucked in oxygen and stared at each other. Hannah’s heart was beating erratically and she took a quick peek at Ava to see how she was handling the confrontation. Surprisingly, Ava’s eyes weren’t on Josh and Ty, they were glued to her lap and Hannah was startled to see, that so were Ethan’s. Both of them stared down at the same thing and whatever it was remained hidden from Hannah’s view by the tablecloth. Both Ava and Ethan were virtually ignoring the physical fight that was about to break out between Ty and Josh.

Looking back to Ty and Josh, it was obvious to Hannah that neither one of them really wanted to fight. They had been friends for years and Hannah was positive this was a situation that neither of them wanted to get out of hand. She was right; Ty let out a disgruntled breath of air and Josh immediately pushed past him and slid into the seat next to Hannah that Ty had just vacated.

Ty made no move to sit in the empty chair; he only stood silently for a moment and stared steadily at Josh. Finally, he spoke. “So that’s the way it is, Turner? You calling dibs?”

“You better damn-ass fucking believe it,” Josh snarled.

“Thought you didn’t want to use that word in front of Hannah.” Ty said sarcastically.

Josh took his time responding, and when he did, he enunciated each syllable. “I’ll use whatever words I want to in front of Hannah. You, on the other hand … you best watch your language in front of her.”

Hannah surreptitiously watched Ty for a reaction as Josh’s answer sent heat sliding down to her belly. Ty looked as if frustration was eating him alive and then abruptly, his expression changed as he glanced over at Ethan and Ava. A new kind of anger filled his features and he spoke to Ethan in a low, gravelly tone as if he were trying to control himself and not lose it completely. “Is your goddamn hand on my sister’s leg?”