Page 4 of Someday Not Soon

I’m fighting the urge to look at my phone for the tenth time, when the wooden double doors swing wide open with so much force they thud against the wall. A tall, muscular man that looks ready for war walks through. He looks familiar, but I can’t pinpoint from where exactly.

All I do know is that the moment my eyes land on him, I feel an instant attraction. My breath hitches and my thighs instinctively press together, trying to ease a dull ache.

He’s easily the most attractive man I’ve ever seen. His dark brown hair is perfectly styled in that mussed up way. One strand of it being rebellious, breaking free from the rest, against his obvious best efforts. I don’t even know him, but I want to run my fingers through his hair, attempting to tame that one defiant piece.

My brain tells me I shouldn’t keep staring, especially when on a date, bad or not, with someone else. But the stranger sticks out like a sore thumb in this bar. Instead of a customer, he feels more like he has just stepped straight out of a superhero movie.

He surveys the room, looking for something or someone as if he’s on a mission. Our eyes lock and that steely, serious expression of his slips for one millisecond. His brows slightly raise with some sort of internal thought that I can’t interpret.

Then to my surprise, he heads straight for me. Mypulse quickens, heart thrumming against my rib cage as the man crosses the room in a few long strides, his eyes never leaving mine.

“You know that guy or something?” Marv asks from beside me. His tone implies he’s pissed. He probably doesn’t like the way the mystery guy and I stared each other down like we were ready to fuck in the middle of the bar.

The mystery man steps in close, his gaze locking onto mine like there’s no one else in the room. His broad frame seems to fill the entire place as he towers over us sitting on our rickety barstools. I can’t help but feel a mixture of nerves and excitement as my eyes travel up his body, taking in the way his well-fitted navy shirt stretches over his biceps and how his sharp jawline seems to cut through the air.

Leaning down, he puts his hand between my shoulder blades and whispers, “Play along. My sister Madi sent me to save you.”

Suddenly all the pieces click together. Madi’s hot older brother that I’ve never met, who was coming home from college any day now. She probably sent him here to save me, since my texts worried her.

Our exchange causes Marv to get up and out of his seat like a rocket. “Dude, what the fuck. Get off my girl!”

Mystery Man extends his hand in Marv’s direction giving him a firm, confident shake. “I’m Jude. Something came up and we’ve got to bolt. Ready, Ella?”

Marv is momentarily thrown off, shaking Jude’s hand as if his own is a limp ramen noodle. He’s thoroughlyconfused, as am I. But I know this is my escape route, so I plan to play along.

“Ready,” I say, taking Jude’s hand that stretches toward me. His large hand swallows mine, making me feel like I’m in a knock-off superhero movie where Superman has swooped in to save me. I’m not mad about it, that’s for damn sure.

“You can’t just leave,” Marv spits out. I hear the note of desperation in his voice. The man probably thought he was getting lucky tonight.

At the same exact moment, I reply, “Yes, I can,” Jude also sharply says, “Yes, she can.”

Our eyes dart to the other’s in amusement, exchanging a playful smile about saying the same thing at the same time. Marv sees our silent conversation and grabs my arm, roughly pulling me towards him. With his extreme intoxication, he can barely stand as rage seeps out of him like smoke flowing from his ears.

I try to pull back as his fingers tighten around my wrist, my shouts for him to get off me lost in the chaos. The pixie-cut bartender that sees the commotion yells at him to get the hell out. But it’s Jude that steps in, chest-to-chest and looking at him as if he’ll cut his fucking head off. His voice rumbles like thunder. “Let go of hernow, and back the fuck up.”

From where I’m standing, I can’t see the look in Jude’s eyes, but it must be terrifying because Marv instantly releases me. He storms off, shouting expletives as he futilely karate-kicks a chair before shoving through the double doors to exit.

I stay stock still, frozen in shock. I didn’t expect any of that to happen. Given Marv’s anger, I’m glad I texted for help when I did and relieved that Madi sent her brother to play bodyguard.

“You okay?” Jude asks, in a deep, gentle voice. He must sense my distress, as he throws his arm around my shoulders and hugs my shocked body to his firm one. It feels as natural as could be, like we do this all the time and aren’t complete strangers.

My breath catches. All I have in me is a nod, as my eyes burn with tears—internally pep-talking myself to not cry in front of him. I’ve had a lot of embarrassing moments throughout my life, but somehow this one may top them all.

He tightens his embrace, using his free hand to trace soothing circles on my back. Focusing on the rhythmic pattern of his touch, my body gradually releases all the tension I’ve built up over the last hour. Yet, beneath the calm surface, the proximity between us causes my heart to beat in double time.

After a brief moment, reality hits me—here we are, two strangers in the middle of a bar, embracing as if we’ve been starved of human contact for years. Abruptly, I withdraw from his arms, gazing up at him with eyes blurred from tears and releasing a strained laugh. At five foot seven, boosted by heels, I realize he is still a giant in comparison, towering over me like a protective goliath.

“Well, not how I imagined meeting my best friend’s brother, but hi.”

He takes a step back, creating a safe distance betweenus as his expression softens when he looks at me. “Definitely a memorable first meeting.”

The feral look in his eyes makes me think he’s referring to more than saving me from a bad date. But I chalk it up to all the leftover testosterone coursing through his veins from nearly fighting.

“Thanks for coming to save me. Sorry about all that,” I say, waving my hand behind me, referring to the whole Marv incident.

“Don’t apologize for that asshole. I’m glad I could help.”

We stand for one more awkwardly long moment in silence, as he stares down at me, looking personally offended by the tears that had welled in my eyes and have since begun to clear.

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