Shoving open the door, he stepped out of the truck and slammed the door behind him. In only a few strides, he reached the entrance.
The shouts and thuds of a bar fight taking place reached him before he even stepped into the big open room and clapped eyes on the situation.
Hereallywasn’t supposed to be in the middle of a fight.
I’m getting my ass thrown in jail tonight.
Scanning the crowd, he paused when he saw the tallest guy in the bar. Carver.
The man was in the middle of the fight alongside another big guy who must be the bouncer. The pair of them had bodies flying right and left to break up the fight.
Rushing forward, Zach searched for the only person he really cared about—Opal. He spotted dark hair and took a hasty step toward the person before he realized the woman was too short to be Opal.
He pivoted and searched the back of the room. Sure enough, he saw her standing in a cluster of people near the mechanical bull.
Shoving through the crowd, he used his size to pave a path. When he grabbed her shoulder, she jerked around, outrage twisting her features.
Then she saw it was him, and relief blasted across her countenance.
“Zach!”
“Where is Kirsten?”
She grabbed the woman beside her by the arm.
“Let’s go!” He took Opal by the hand, checking to be sure that she had Kirsten in tow, and pushed a new path through the crowd.
They reached the bar fight that was winding down. A chair was hurled into his path, and he deflected it with a jerk of his elbow, sending it flying.
“Hey, buddy! You just threw that chair at me!”
He stopped in his tracks, chest heaving.
Opal gripped his hand harder.
The asshole who shouted the accusation barreled up to him and got in Zach’s face.
His fist curled.
Then he shook his head and walked past the guy, glancing over his shoulder once to ensure the man wasn’t making a lungefor him. But another fight broke out, and the man was swallowed up by the crowd.
Zach reached the parking lot and yanked Opal close. He cupped her face. “You all right?”
A puff of air passed her lips, washing across his. “Yes!”
He twisted his head to look at Kirsten. “You okay?”
She appeared to be shaken and more than a little disheveled, which made him wonder if she’d been in the middle of—or perhaps the cause—of that fight. She wrapped her arms around her middle and nodded.
“I’m all right. Thank you both.”
“Get in the truck. Quick, ladies. We need to get out of here before the cops show up.”
Chapter Fourteen
Opal pivoted in the passenger seat to look at her friend. “Is your car still at Badlands or did you ride with someone?”
“I came with the new neighbor who moved into your old place.” She sounded shaky and looked shakier. Whatever happened to her had upset her enough to cause a tremor in her voice.