Then Tess stepped back and walked, sauntered really, to stand nonchalant behind the counter again as if she hadn't just made an angry six foot bully nearly wet himself.
A minute later Jenson was on Kyle, holding the now yelling and struggling teenager against the wall as Eloise pointed to Ursula to get the girls into the store room while she dialed Taylor's number. He picked up and was inside from the back patio within ten seconds.
Half an hour later, Kyle Sandman was being taken to the station in handcuffs, video surveillance was being watched and two young women were sitting in the loft above watching it happen.
"Dude needs anger management," Tess said, leaning over the banister.
"You defended me," Bess said.
Tess looked at her. "Well, yeah. That's what you do for friends. I mean, I'm not the expert on friendship but it felt right in the moment. And Kyle Sandman is an absolute ass."
Bess laughed. "That, you and I can absolutely agree on. Thank you," she added softly.
She shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise and the newfound feelings of friendship that she so clearly had been lacking before.
It was a stark thing to find love where before there hadn't been much.
"You're welcome."
"I kind of wish you'd clocked him with the glass pitcher," Bess said as they watched him being ushered out of the cafe.
"I actually tried," she admitted with a sly smile. "My hand was wet from the fast grab and slipped."
Bess threw her head back and laughed, a rib-stretching laugh, that her soul needed. Tess joined her in a slow chuckle that built until they were both laughing, having to find seats because their bodies couldn't hold them up.
Everything that Bess had been holding inside of her for the last couple of months released out into the world.
They walked back down to the bar where Eloise, Ursula, Jenson and Taylor were talking. "Hey, we do movie nights every Saturday at The Lost Souls. 90's movies. You should come."
Tess had a momentary look of being thrown off but Eloise and Ursula both agreed, inviting her to join and suddenly Tess had plans every Saturday night until she left for college. A warmth was blooming inside of her that felt foreign and cozy.
"Oh, before she goes back to school we have to do Practical Magic and midnight margaritas," Bess said excitedly.
Eloise and Ursula said at the same time, "Virgin margaritas." To which both Bess and Tess rolled their eyes.
"So, an investigation into bullying," Eloise said offhandedly to Taylor as he helped her lock up the cafe later. Everyone went home, and it was just the two of them.
"So as it turns out, Kyle and his friends have a few nasty little habits," Taylor said as he lifted the last cafe chair onto the table. "And they were sloppy with evidence. Which I and another officer collected. Should be a few life lessons for those guys."
She pulled him toward her. "Thank you."
"You were right. We needed to do our jobs to protect Bess too. And the other young women they were bullying."
"There were more?"
He sighed. "Unfortunately, it's darker than we realized. I'm not surprised he came here looking for a fight. Weak men hurt people they hope they can control."
She scrunched her nose. "Sad," she said, both for the young man who would have to face his consequences and for the one standing in front of her. How he had to learn that lesson as a child himself. And how he came to be cursed for his father's sins.
"Yeah." He ran his thumb over her cheek and then smiled slyly. "You know, everytime I see that bar..."
She laughed, feeling a heat start in her belly.
He made a show of looking around. "We could go for a repeat. In fact, I think that we should."
That heat was stoked and she bit her lip. "Oh yeah?"
"Mhmm," he murmured leaning down to press his mouth against her neck. He lightly licked her skin there pulling out a gasp. "I love your sounds. I want to see what others I can pull out of you," he whispered darkly against that tender skin.
