Page 11 of Fearless Protector (Ruthless Guardians #3)

Pj

L acy squeals as our friend turns the styling chair around, and she sees her hair and makeup for the very first time while my freshly manicured nails dry.

“Sally, I can’t believe it’s really me. You are so talented.

” Her bright red curls cascade past her shoulders from a pearl slide that keeps her hair in place and matches the ones on the old styled wedding dress that start at her cleavage and end at her navel.

Our dearest friend has always been beautiful with all the creamy lightly freckled skin, but she looks extra special today, just as she should.

Sally narrows her eyes at me. “You next, while Liza works on Lacy’s nails. Did you even brush your hair today or just throw it up in that messy bun for me to detangle while you nurse that coffee and hangover you’re trying so hard to hide?”

I laugh. “You’re not far off. It’s a long story, but I’m sure it will be all over town tomorrow.

Jules and I stayed out at Bobby Ray’s last night.

He drugged her so that Jake Eldridge could get to Lacy.

One of Cole and Garrett’s buddies was with us and took care of Bobby Ray, but the roads were too bad to get back into town.

The good thing is that we’re all okay. I ended up with a shower, but the only thing available to wash the smell of the bar from my hair was a bar of soap. So don’t pull too hard.”

She rolls her eyes to the heavens. “Good Lord. Say no more. I heard all about what happened to Jules when I was getting bakery goods this morning. Sherriff was in getting some for his crew, and it’s all everyone is talking about.

Garrett called him last night. That no good Bobby Ray is going to wish he had never cozied up with those Eldridge boys and their friends from out of town. That’s a fact.”

I don’t doubt a word she says. He has that and more coming after what he did to Jules who’s quietly sipping her coffee and seemingly tuning us out. “Earth to Jules,” I tell her as I get put in the hot seat and Sally goes to work on my rat’s nest. “Ouch!”

Sally gives me a roll of her eyes. “You did this; now I have to undo it, so sit still.” I don’t tell her more than half of the fault lies with a blue-eyed devil who likes to snake his hand in my hair and wasn’t gentle one little bit.

I smile, just the way I like it…

I pick up one of the soft rollers from the basket next to me and toss it gently into Jules’ lap.

“Hey, you okay?” I ask, gently, because no matter how fast we got there, Jules didn’t know we were coming and had to be scared out of her ever-loving mind.

She put on a strong face last night, and she tries that again today, but none of us our having that.

We’ve been together through thick and thin for far too long.

Lacy sits on a rolling stool and slides over in front of her while her nails dry, and Liza starts on the next. “You listen to me, Jules. You know how I dealt with the Jake Eldridge shit last year? I confronted him. Maybe that would work for you too.”

We all look up in surprise, because not one of us have heard that story.

“Garrett and Cole might have sent him packing with the rest of their bodyguard group, but I had to get some closure. I called him up and let him have it with both barrels. I got it all out of my system. Maybe you should have unloaded on Bobby Ray too.”

Jules gives Lacy a smile. “We only need one tiger in the bunch, babes, and that’s you.

Me, I will deal with it, but it will probably be by pounding out miles beneath my feet for a while.

Besides, I am absolutely fine. You hear me?

I will not let Bobby Ray or Jake Eldridge make your special day be anything except that, understand?

I’m just glad his plan was spoiled, and Jake didn’t get to you.

Now, tell us how excited you are to be walking down that aisle and don’t leave out one little detail. ”

It doesn’t take much prodding for the conversation to shift back to Lacy and the love of her life.

By the time she’s finished giving us all the details about the surprise she has in store for Garrett, Sally has me looking like a fairy tale princess ready to take on the world and is ready to do the same for Jules.

The bell over the door rings as Krissy walks in and smiles at the group, but it’s a half ass smile at best. The green hued pallor of her skin, the one I’ve seen for at least three weeks straight, is more than a little obvious today, and she didn’t drink a drop last night.

I give her my best empathetic look. “More morning sickness?”

Krissy nods. “Oh my gosh, yes. I never had anything this bad with Darcy or little Cole. I swear this little one is turning everything I put in my stomach upside down. I think he or she is gonna be a hell raiser like their daddy.”

I laugh. “Right, because we all know that you were a little angel back in the day.”

She gives me a set of wide eyes. “Don’t you do that, Priscilla Jean. Cole’s told me all about what you got up to growing up. And I don’t think he left one thing out.”

I grin. “He has a big mouth.”

“Yeah, he told me what you did to Mason yesterday too. Told me you dumped beer on him for no apparent reason. And that Mason was asking all kinds of questions about you on the way to Eagle’s Swallow.”

I roll my eyes as everyone turns to me. “It’s nothing, with a capital N.”

“Liar, liar,” Jules sing-songs. “That chemistry was off the frickin’ charts last night. I thought those two were going to combust.”

My chest tightens, because this is exactly what I don’t want to hear about for the next six months every time I turn around.

“We had a good time, but we’re not a good match.

I’m looking for a tall, dark, and handsome man who has got both feet in town, not flying back to the desert and taking care of a bunch of mobsters. ”

Lacy looks at me with those serious eyes. “Those mobsters saved Kenny’s casino and my gramma’s house. And give Cole and Garrett jobs. If it weren’t for them standing up to that Chicago bunch and folks like Jake Eldridge and his daddy, I don’t know what this town would have turned into.”

I sigh. “Fine … so they’re good mobsters, but still. Once the wedding is over, he’ll be on his way, and I don’t intend to be the one left hankering over the likes of him. So I left him a note this morning saying as much.” I swipe my hands together. “Done, over, finite.”

Krissy smirks but then looks a little ill.

Sally gestures to the chair next to Jules.

“Take one of those and put your feet up until I’m done.

They’re way more comfortable than the others.

Jules won’t take near as long as PJ did.

I thought we were gonna have to cut all those knots and tangles out; I swear it. ”

I roll my eyes at the good-natured lady with a heart of gold, whose sense of humor is far from funny. “Ha-ha.”

She looks out the window and smiles brightly. She turns to me. “Looks like we’re in for a little show, lady, because I don’t think the tall, dark bodyguard took too kindly to being brushed off by our little Priscilla Jean.”

I turn to the window, and my mouth gapes as Mason stalks toward the hair and nail salon in those snug fitting jeans, a t-shirt, and a light jacket.