Count on Me (Petal, Georgia) (9 page)

He wanted his friends to like her. He hung out with them all the time and knew if they gave her a chance—and that night was a step in the right direction—she’d find her place in their group as well.

He saw Jacob and Trey first, along with Cassie and Shane Chase, and Joe and Beth. Trey waved when he caught sight of them and the others turned.

“Do you mind if we sit with my friends?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

He kept a hand at the small of her back as they wound through the crowd to get to the table.

He pulled her chair out and sat close, his arm around the back of her chair. “Hey, all. Caroline you know Jacob and Trey.”

She waved.

“I bumped into Caroline and my dad last week on their way to the courthouse.” Shane turned to his wife. “This is Cassie.”

Cassie raised her glass. “Nice to meet you. My mother-in-law adores you. She’s a good judge of character.”

“Thank you for saying that. I’ve decided I want to be Polly Chase when I grow up.”

Beth had been frowning until Caroline said that and her expression softened.

Cassie laughed. “Right? She’s incredible. You should see her with a group of small children. She’s like the baby whisperer.”

Shane’s smile widened at the interplay between the women. “Just give her a wide berth if you see her on the road.”

“Well that’s how Shane and I met. Polly rear-ended my car on my first day here in town. So it’s not
all
bad that she’s a menace behind the wheel.”

“And this is Joe Harris and Beth Murphy.”

Caroline tensed ever so slightly. He wouldn’t have even known if his forearm hadn’t been touching the back of her neck.

“We were in the same class, Beth. Nice to see you again.”

Beth nodded. “I remember. Welcome back to Petal.” Joe also murmured a hello.

“There’s a pitcher on the way. Do you want anything else?” Trey asked them.

“Beer is just fine with me. I’m still stuffed from dinner.”

One of Royal’s favorite songs came on, and he stood, holding a hand out to Caroline. “Darlin’, you said you liked to dance so I hope you were serious.”

She took his hand and he brought her to her feet. “I’m totally serious. Just remember what I said about the fancy stuff.”

He bent to her ear. “Remember what I said about letting me lead.”

“I get the feeling it would be impossible not to.” He heard the amusement in her tone and it made him smile.

Though they were surrounded by people on all sides, it was just him and Caro out on the floor. Despite the difference in their size, she fit him easily. “You were so full of it to even pretend you can’t dance.” He spun her easily and drew her back to him.

She tipped her head back, laughing, exposing the line of her throat and thrusting her cleavage up just right. He bent and kissed her chin before he spun her again.

They were out a few more songs before they made it back to the table to cool off and drink a beer or two.

“I am seriously going to steal your boots,” Cassie said when they settled in.

“Thank you.” There was not really a higher compliment in Caroline’s book than a woman complimenting another woman’s shoes. “I just got them. I’m sort of bummed I can’t wear them to work.”

Shane laughed. “I’ll give you twenty dollars to wear them on Monday. I need to stop in to see my father’s face.”

“I have a hearing Monday morning. I don’t think Judge Herndon would be so happy to see them. Your father probably wouldn’t bat an eye if I wore them. He’s pretty laid-back. Your uncle though? He might not be so easygoing.”

“Ha, that’s true. My aunt jokes that she irons his pajama pants.”

“He’s brilliant. He could totally teach a master class on brief writing. I wish so much that I’d learned how from him.”

“My dad often says the same thing. About my uncle being brilliant, I mean.”

“He should know. Your dad is no slouch himself.”

“Thanks. I think so, but I’m obviously biased.”

The conversation touched on all sorts of stuff, some serious, most of it just fun lighthearted stuff. It was nice to not have anything heavy to deal with so she could totally relax and enjoy a night out.

“So, Cassie, I hear you own the bookstore?”

Talk turned to books and the bookstore and adjusting to life in a small town after living in a big city. She and Cassie compared some of their favorite places to eat in Los Angeles, and out of the corner of her eye, Caroline noted that Beth relaxed a little as the conversation progressed.

Cassie was warm and funny, and as Caroline came to find out, had been a surgeon before suffering a debilitating injury. She’d come to Petal to flee an abusive ex who’d nearly killed her. She’d clearly found her prince charming though, in the shape of Shane Chase and the town she’d adopted as her home.

Polly was the common denominator, which was no real surprise. Polly who’d opened up her family and her heart.

Caroline said as much and Cassie nodded eagerly. “I couldn’t ask for a better mother-in-law or grandmother to my son.”

Beth chimed in. “My sister Tate is married to Shane’s brother Matt. Polly sort of pulled us all into the Chase family like she did Tate. My nieces and nephews are treated like her grandchildren. We go to their house for the holidays. She’s a far better mom to us than the one we were born with.”

Caroline couldn’t help but soften toward Beth. She remembered just how awful their parents had been back in the day.

“Seriously, your mother is awesome,” Caroline said to Shane.

“Scary sometimes. She won’t even play when she gets mad. But yeah, she’s pretty awesome.”

Things mellowed as Beth opened up with her, telling her about the salon she owned with her sisters—Anne included—and Joe’s mechanic shop. They all laughed at the stories Trey and Jacob told about Royal and the others, and by the time they headed out, Caroline realized she really liked Royal’s circle of friends.

On their way out though…

Royal had been walking out with Caroline and the rest of their friends when Benji Ahern stepped in front of her, bringing her up short enough that Royal stumbled, his arm circling her waist to keep her from falling.

He hadn’t had much interaction with the youngest Ahern boy. Enough to know he had a trouble keeping his act together when he drank, and from the looks of it, he’d been in the bottle for a while already.

Benji gave Caroline a look that brought Royal’s hackles up. He straightened and prepared for whatever was about to happen.

Benji wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sneered at Caroline. “I heard you was back in town. I hoped like true trash, you’d float your ass away though.”

Caroline’s expression shuttered. “I’m sure you’re quite the expert on trash.”

Trey laughed and moved up to flank them. Royal appreciated the support. Royal attempted to get in front of Caroline but she pushed a little to hold in him place. As if he’d leave her standing between a drunk aiming to start a fight and Royal, instead of getting himself in a place to protect her better. In the end, he stepped firmly into Benji’s line of sight and Caroline.

With an annoyed snort, Caroline took Royal’s hand, craning her neck to see his face.

Her features were earnest and he saw the embarrassment in her gaze. “Don’t get into it. Not over this. He’s not worth it.” She kept her voice low and calm, but he still wanted to punch Benji.

“I think you’d best be moving along, Benji. You’re drunk as well as an asshole. I’d say something like how I’d hate to have to punch you, but I’d really like that. I’m not twenty and I don’t want to brawl like an animal. Unless you push, then I’m happy to. It’s up to you.”

Shane rumbled behind Royal, enough to get Benji’s attention and give him the opportunity to back off and shut up before trouble got started.

“What are you doing, Royal? What could this…this—”

“Don’t. I’m not joking now. I’m not going to allow you to disrespect Caroline. You’ve said more than enough about something that is none of your damned business.”

“Course it’s my business. This is
my
town. We don’t need any more criminals in it.”

Caroline stepped from behind him, but Royal slipped an arm around her shoulders to keep her next to him and out of Benji’s reach.

Royal should have known she wasn’t going to let herself get pushed around though. “Criminals?” Caroline looked to either side of where she stood. “Who are you talking about? Last I checked, having an opinion didn’t make you a criminal. Though in your case it makes you stupid. Now run along. I’ll give your opinion the weight it deserves.” She turned her back to look up at Royal. He pulled her closer, splitting his attention between her and Benji. “You ready to go?”

“I can’t punch him even just a little?”

The real smile he got in response was his reward.

“Nah. He’s not worth it.”

“Petal PD agrees with that statement.” Shane stepped even with Royal, keeping Cassie behind him. “Get going, Benji. You’re embarrassing yourself by threatening a woman half your size.”

Benji sneered, but moved along with one backwards glance.

Caroline breathed a sigh of relief.

“Come on then.” Royal kept her close and dared anyone to step up to them at that point. No one else did. But when they finally got outside, she stopped as they got to the dirt parking lot.

“I’m really sorry to have ruined everyone’s night with that.”

It was Beth who replied to Caroline. “Fuck that guy. No, really. No one gets to judge you for what someone else did or didn’t do. Fuck him for using his size to try to embarrass you and to threaten you that way.”

Surprise flitted over Caroline’s features briefly, and Royal wanted to give Beth a kiss smack-dab on the lips.

“Thank you.”

“He’s a dung bag. Shane, you should have let Royal punch him.” Cassie grinned.

Caroline shook her head. “You get into a fight with a guy like that, and you’re giving him what he wants. He’s a little man who needs to use other people to be relevant. You’re better than he is, Royal.”

He didn’t want her to feel exposed and it was clear she was. She wore her confidence easily, but right then it was more like a shield. He clenched and unclenched his fists, still angry at Benji’s bullshit.

But he needed to focus for her sake. Because she was uncomfortable and upset, and if he couldn’t plant his fist in Benji’s face, he’d make her feel better another way.

He brushed a lock of her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear.

“See y’all later.” He nodded to his friends.

Cassie hugged Caroline and so did Beth. He gave Trey and Jacob the stink eye which automatically meant Trey kissed Caroline on the cheek and winked at Royal over her shoulder.

“Okay, you, let’s get out of here.”

Chapter Eight

She barely met his gaze once they were inside at her place. “I’m really sorry about tonight.”

“Sit down and I’ll get your boots off.” He pointed at the couch and she complied. He pulled the boots off, placing them in a corner.

Before she could get up again, he moved back to her, kneeling between her legs, his palms sliding up her calves to rest on her thighs.

“I do not accept your apology because it’s dumb.”

Her brows flew up so he leaned in to kiss each one.

“It’s not dumb.” Her bottom lip jutted out just a smidge and he nipped it.

“It
is
dumb because Benji was a fool and you don’t need to be sorry for dumbasses unless you’re the dumbass. And you’re not.”

“This isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last. It’s exhausting enough for me, but I’m used to it. You and your friends aren’t, and I’m sorry you had to deal with it.”

He frowned. “Girl, you don’t even know. This is a small town. Full of petty little asshats like Benji who have no shame about getting up in people’s business. Doesn’t matter that they don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. Beth has seen her family attacked time and again by small-minded jerks who judged those kids for the sins of their parents. For growing up how they did. Before Matt Chase married Tate, he punched someone in the face at the homecoming game after the guy was talking shit. People change as the times do, but some people are born jerks and they’ll be jerks until they die. Benji falls into that camp, and there’s no way I’m going to let you apologize for his bad manners.”

She wrapped her calves around him, pulling him closer.

He brushed his lips over her mouth and she slid her fingertips through his hair. She wrapped herself around him, and he liked the way she felt, soft where she was supposed to be but strong too.

She tasted good so he settled in for a long slow kiss, pressing her back into the couch, leaning into her as she received him.

“Don’t your knees hurt?” she murmured against his mouth just before he shifted to her jaw at her ear. She exhaled on a shiver as he licked against her pulse there.

Not as much as his dick hurt, but he wasn’t going to say that. Still, now that she’d mentioned it, his knees did hurt.