Wallflower Ink

Chapter 32

· Jace ·

The meal had been an awkward affair, but not quite so bad as I had thought it might be. By the end of it, though she still seemed nervous, I had even seen Merri smile a few times--genuine smiles, not the mask she wears when she wants to disguise how she's truly feeling.

Now, as I stand with the men outside in the parking lot and the women stand in a group a little off from us, the guilt I'd felt earlier is finally beginning to fade and I'm feeling better about what we'd all done.

"So, who were the guys in the parking lot, Jace?" Byron asks, eyeing me thoughtfully. "They seemed to know you two, but you didn't look all that happy about seeing them."

I pull my gaze from Merri and turn it to him, then offer him a slow shake of my head. "Those were the guys from Smokin' Joe's, the ones who were harassing Merri."

When the brothers both frown, I know I don't have to explain any further. I had told Byron about that, and a lot of other things, the night he'd first come to town and stopped by my shop. Byron in turn had obviously told Daryl.

"Wish you'd told us earlier." Daryl looks toward the group of ladies, where Merri has just uttered a small laugh at something that's been said, and shakes his head. "We'd have made sure they wouldn't bother either of you again."

"No one messes with our family," Byron adds, and I can't suppress a small smile.

"Hold up," Kyle puts in, his normally cheerful expression drawing into a dark scowl. "Zack and Dominic were here tonight?"

"Yeah. That's partly why it took so long for us to come back. Seems they had a few things to say to me, but they didn't get the chance." I frown as I think about Dominic's parting words to me.

"We'll be seeing you around."

"Better watch your back, man," Kyle continues without the first note of humor in his voice. "Zack's just a stupid punk who couldn't find his ass with a mirror. But Dominic? I've heard he's pretty sketchy."

"Thanks for the warning." I let out a harsh breath then drop my gaze to the ground at my feet.

We all fall silent for a moment, thinking about that. Should I worry, I wonder? I can take care of myself if it comes down to that, but what if they approach Merri again? She'd seemed to handle tonight's encounter well enough--exceptionally well, if I'm being honest--but will a next time turn out more like the first if they happen to catch her alone?

I tense at that thought and my hands automatically pull into tight fists at my sides. I'll have to make sure they never get that opportunity.

"So, I hear you've been helping Merri with some kind of bucket list," Daryl interrupts my thoughts.

I nod and turn my attention to the younger of Merri's brothers. I explain the list to him while the other men listen, and by the time I've finished all three of them wear thoughtful expressions and light smiles.

"Sounds like you've had your hands full with our sister." Byron chuckles and shakes his head before continuing. "So, what's next on the agenda?"

"Skydiving."

The other man's laughter dies away and his expression turns to one of skeptical horror as I watch.