Guarded Heart (Dubicki's) Page 3

  Jesse spotted his sister Kelsey behind the bar. She was six months pregnant. He chuckled to himself as he watched her try to maneuver around the busy bar with her belly so far out in front of her. He could tell she was frustrated, and his heart felt a swell of love for her. Jesse and Kelsey were barely two years apart and had always been close.

  Kelsey noticed him and walked out from behind the bar to embrace him.

  “Jesse!” she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around him.

  “Hi, sis. How’ve you been? It looks like you’re ready to give birth any day now!”

  She sighed and walked back behind the bar.

  “You sure know how to make a girl feel good about herself, don’t ya? I am seriously ready to have my figure back, but it’s a bit too soon for the baby to come out.”

  “I know, Kels. I was just teasing. It’s good to see you. Any chance you can get some country music playing on the jukebox?” Kelsey knew he loved country music, and Jon Pardi’s song “Up All Night” started playing before he even got the words out. That was one of the many reasons he loved his sister.

  They continued to chat and catch up for a couple of minutes until Kelsey had to get back to work. The busy bar was packed because it was Friday. She handed him his favorite beer and said, “Don’t worry, Jesse. We’ll have your country tunes playing tonight. Most people love country music around here, so you’re in good company.”

  She pinched his cheek like she had always done since he was a kid and got back to work.

  Jesse noticed his friends and went to join them near the jukebox. They’d just gotten an order of various fried foods, and Jesse was starved. He grabbed an onion ring, and they all began catching up about their night. Lee and Carson let him know what had happened at the other two bars they’d been at and then asked if he wanted to do a shot. Jesse politely declined. He might try a shot later on since he was off tomorrow, and, then again, he might not. Jesse was not a big fan of the loss of control that came with being drunk. Or the hangovers that came the next day.

  He looked over toward the door and noticed a pretty girl walk in that he’d never seen there before. She was definitely not a regular. She was short and petite and had on some of the highest heels he’d seen on a woman who could actually balance on them. Impressive.

  He continued to study her. She had beautiful, long, blonde hair and expressive eyes that had such a blue to them that they almost seemed purple. She had an air of confidence about her and a mystery to her that made her seem exotic. He found himself unable to look away from her. As if she sensed his stare, she looked across the bar at him. It felt as if there was an electric current in the air as they held their gazes toward each other for a few brief seconds.

  He had not had any desire to approach a woman in a long time, but he found himself wondering about her. He didn’t know if she’d even give him the time of day. She almost seemed like she had a chip on her shoulder, and he surprised himself thinking that he would enjoy trying to see if she’d respond to him with favor. For now, he was content to watch her. She walked over to a table full of people, both guys and girls. He silently hoped to himself that one of those men was not her boyfriend.

  She stood by the table with a couple of the guys, and they were all holding shots. Jesse would have taken a shot with her if that meant he could be near her. He suddenly felt something awaken in him that he hadn’t allowed to surface in quite a long time, the loneliness he’d stuffed deep down, which had been easy to do with his busy fighting schedule. He’d been so hurt in the past that he found it easier not to let anyone in than to be hurt again. Now he found himself looking at a woman that he was intrigued with—intrigued enough to think about the possibility of her being around him for more than just a night.

  “Jesse, what’s up? You seem distracted,” Carson asked and then, as if sensing why, followed Jesse’s stare over to the pretty woman across the room. “Well, look at you. Here we were giving up hope that you could even get it up anymore it’s been so long since we’ve seen you with a woman. We were starting to think you might be gay.”

  Jesse smacked Carson like he would a brother, and the whole group of them began wrestling like a bunch of teenagers for a few minutes, which got rather loud and awkward in the little booth. Some of the popcorn they’d had on their table went flying, but none of them noticed in the fun and chaos. As they came back to reality, Jesse’s eyes found the object of his desire once again.

  ***

  Carissa and Dana walked in the door to Dubicki’s. They both silently took in the scene as they looked for Carrie and Melissa. If they weren’t out to be social tonight, they would have both been quite content people watching. It was something they both enjoyed, wondering what people were like or why they did the things they did. Carissa couldn’t help feeling she was being watched, and, as she surveyed the scene, her eyes locked for an electric moment with a handsome, athletic man. She quickly turned her glance back to looking for the other girls.

  They both made their way over to the girls and noticed there were more than just the two men Carrie and Melissa had walked over with. There were a couple more guys with them, which made the scales seem more balanced. Still, Carissa couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right about one of the guys.

  The guys offered to buy them shots. Carissa didn’t want to, but Dana chiding her that she needed to loosen up and have more fun. Carissa was seriously starting to wonder why she’d come. The situation seemed like trouble, but she agreed to go along with the crowd and have a shot.

  As the shots came, they heard a thunderous noise in the corner of the bar. Carissa looked over, and it looked like there were a bunch of guys roughhousing with one another. She didn’t know if it was serious or not but silently thought that it was how bar fights probably happened. As she was about to turn her attention back to her party, her eyes caught with one of the guys in the corner. It was the same guy whose glance had caught her as she walked into the bar. He was built; maybe built wasn’t even the word for it. He was a mammoth of a man. Watching his amazing physique made her breath quicken. He had dark hair that looked just mussed enough to be sexy, and his skin seemed golden. He was openly looking at her, and their eyes caught. She finally pulled her gaze away to talk to the rest of her group.

  “Are you ready, Carissa?” Dana asked her, awakening her from the busy thoughts of her mind. She and all the other members of their group were all holding their shots up, expectantly waiting for her to join them so they could all take them at once.

  The song “Bottoms Up” by Brantley Gilbert poignantly started playing on the jukebox as they all quickly tipped back their shots. Carissa smacked her lips together in distaste. It tasted like black licorice. Yuck.

  “What was that?” she asked the guy next to her.

  “It was a Jagerbomb: Jagermeister and Red Bull. Don’t tell me you have never had one?” he asked her in disbelief, laughing. “You must not get out much.”

  “Apparently not. It didn’t taste very good to me,” Carissa said.

  She wished she had a mint right now or something to wash it down with. As if reading her thoughts, the guy that had been paying so much attention to her arrived with a longneck bottled beer. “Need a beer?”

  “Thanks.”

  Normally Carissa would not be accepting drinks from strange men. Dana had urged her into the first one, and this one she needed to get the taste of the shot out her mouth. He was going to start to think she liked him. She was starting to think he was creepy; there was just something about him she could not put her finger on. She had to get away from this guy. Maybe she’d go find another guy to talk to so she could get rid of this one. She started to wonder about the hottie by the jukebox.

  She walked up towards the bar to ask for a glass of water. While she stood there silently thankful that she was away from creep guy, the hottie walked up.

  “Hi, I’m Jesse,” he said as he extended his hand to her to shake.

  Carissa lo
oked down and felt a blush creep up her neck. Some days she could curse her fair skin that seemed to give her every thought away.

  “Hi. Carissa,” she said, demurely extending her hand to him.

  “I’ve never seen you in here before,” he said.

  “Yeah, I haven’t been here in a long time. My best friend, that girl back there,” she said as she turned and pointed to Dana who was immersed in conversation at the moment, “she convinced me I needed to get out more and have some fun.”

  “She was right. Everyone needs a little fun.”

  He smiled at her. His eyes seemed kind, which was contrary to everything his body was silently saying. That he could be dangerous if he wanted to. In her experience, guys were dangerous, so she told herself she must be mistaken about those kind eyes.

  “Can I get you anything?” he asked her.

  “Uh, no, thanks. I was just getting a glass of water. I had my first Jagerbomb. Yuck,” she said, sticking her tongue out.

  “Yeah, I can’t say I really have a taste for shots, either,” he chuckled.

  “Carissa!” Dana howled at her from the corner.

  “Well, that’s my friend calling me, so I better go. Nice to meet you, Jesse.”

  “Nice to meet you, Carissa,” he said as he extended his hand to her and she took it.

  They held their hands and their gazes at the same time a beat longer than normal before Carissa turned her attention back towards Dana and walked away to rejoin her party at the back of the bar. She enjoyed a few laughs with them. Before long, Dana’s guitar player joined them. Dana smiled from ear-to-ear and became lost in Kyle’s presence from the moment he entered.

  Carissa chitchatted with the rest of the group at their table, but suddenly she started to feel off. She didn’t think she had drunk enough alcohol to be drunk, but she didn’t get out much and probably was just a lightweight. She should have listened to Dana all those times she’d encouraged her to get out more. Maybe she wouldn’t have this problem if she did.

  “Hey, Carissa. Kyle asked me to split, and we’re going to get out of here. Are you okay getting home by yourself?” Dana asked as she walked up to her at the table.

  “Yeah, sure, Dana. I can take a cab or just walk. I live close,” Carissa said.

  “Carissa, please promise me you will take a cab and not walk. It’s late and there are crazies out there. You’re feeling okay, right?”

  “Yeah, D, I’m fine. Just go and have a good time,” Carissa assured her.

  Dana was a good friend, but sometimes the momma bear in her could feel a bit overwhelming.

  “I worry about you,” Dana said as she looked Carissa up and down, assessing whether or not she could trust she’d be okay. “I just talked to Carrie and Melissa who assured me that they would make sure you got home safe, either with them or with someone in the group. Are you okay with that?”

  “Dana, stop it. God, I’m big girl and can handle myself. I will take a cab. End of story.”

  “Alright, I just wanted to make sure you’ll be okay,” Dana acquiesced in a mildly defensive manner, a little of her New York accent coming out while she said it. That only happened when she was mad or passionately trying to make a point.

  After Dana and Kyle left, Carissa sat there for a while trying to regain her focus. More and more she felt sick, nauseous, and dizzy. She got up with the intent of going to the ladies room and had to steady herself on the table before she lost her balance.

  “Are you okay?” one of the guys in the group said as he placed his hand on her lower back to steady her. It was the guy that had bought her that beer, earlier. She started to notice the room was swaying back and forth.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” she said as she started toward the back of the bar to the ladies room. If she could just splash a little water on her face, she’d feel better.

  Shit. She hoped she’d be able to walk home like this. She knew she had promised Dana she’d take a cab, but there was no way she was getting in a cab with any chance that she might toss her cookies.

  ***

  Jesse kept gazing over at Carissa, He could not seem to take his eyes off her. They’d exchanged looks at each other a few times since he’d met her earlier at the bar. It wasn’t long after that he’d felt an unexpected surge of jealousy when he saw her standing over there drinking a beer with some guy. It seemed they might be together and she was taken, and he didn’t like it. His jaw clicked in annoyance. He tried to focus on another girl in the bar to keep his mind off her. It didn’t prove effective though because he still kept looking over his shoulder at her and hoping that the guy buying her drinks would disappear.

  Carson suggested they all go sit at the bar, which Jesse didn’t mind because then at least he’d be closer to his sister. So what if the one girl he’d had his eye on for the first time in a long while turned out to be attached? At least he still had his family. He and his siblings had always been close but were even closer since their father suddenly died the past year, leaving the three of them orphans. Then they had faced an attempt from real estate developers to acquire their family business. It taught them how much more they meant to one another and just brought them all that much closer. Besides, he didn’t need any distractions with the fight coming up with Damon Velasquez in the near future.

  “Hey, Jesse, can you do me a favor?” asked Kelsey while she busily bused the empty glasses from the bar in an effort to clean up. It was almost closing time.

  “Sure, Kelsey, what’s up?”

  “See that girl with long hair in the high heels over there. I think she’s had a couple too many drinks and may need help outside,” Kelsey said, pouring old beer from some abandoned pint glasses. “I asked all the servers what they gave her, assuming one had over-served her, but no one seems to remember. It’s been a busy night. I know you’re not on duty tonight, technically, but my other bouncers are busy and I need you. Anyway, she seems a bit unsteady on her feet. I’m surprised she hasn’t toppled over yet in those shoes.”

  Jesse had worked as a bouncer on and off at Dubicki’s for the last few years. He could pinch hit any position in the bar, but, because of his size, he was most frequently asked to do the duty of bouncer. He didn’t mind helping. He turned around to follow his sister’s gaze to the girl that needed help and blinked in surprise when he saw it was Carissa. This should prove interesting, he thought as he made his way toward her.

  ***

  Carissa couldn’t believe it. She must be drunk. How did that happen? She liked to be in control, and she’d only allowed herself to have a little bit of fun.

  Right before she left Dubicki’s, she accidentally smacked the glass of some random stranger off his table on the way to the ladies room. She quickly apologized to him and decided go home before she got sick or embarrassed herself any more. She could barely make her way to the bathroom without tripping and figured she’d better head home after she splashed some water on her face. Hopefully, the fresh air would make her nausea go away.

  “Hi,” said a deep but gentle voice from behind her as she stumbled out the door and into the parking lot.

  She jumped in surprise and turned around, losing her footing as she did it. They were under a bright light in the parking lot, and she went to shield her eyes as if from the sun as she took in the person that was behind her. It was him. Jesse. The hottie she’d met at the bar earlier. Oh, God. She was mortified. She probably looked like a complete mess, and she wished she could disappear, but her rolling belly wouldn’t let her.

  “Hi,” Carissa said as she hiccupped. She covered her mouth with her hand and tried unsuccessfully to suppress a giggle of embarrassment.

  “You look like you could use some help. Can I help you, Carissa?”

  Carissa blew the bangs out of her face as she haphazardly fought to keep her composure.

  “I’m fine, thank you,” she said in a very staccato tone as she swayed a little more with each syllable.

  “Actually, Carissa, it’s my job to help y
ou,” he softly said to her as he lowered himself to sit next to her on the cement step in the bar parking lot. Carissa had shifted herself there after she’d fallen.

  “What do you mean it’s your job to help me?” Carissa asked him.

  “My name is Jesse. Jesse Dubicki. My family owns this bar, and I have been a bouncer on and off here for a while. My sister Kelsey is at the bar tonight and noticed you seemed you were having trouble. Her other bouncers were busy, so she asked me.”

  “Oh.”

  “How did you get here, Carissa? I need to make sure you get home okay.”

  “Thanks for the offer, Jesse. I don’t live far and can walk home by myself just fine.”

  “At least let me walk you?” Jesse asked, although it was more of a statement.

  “Thanks for the offer, Jesse but like I said—I don’t even know you,” she said as she struggled to her feet and turned to walk away.

  “Carissa, wait. I know you don’t know me, but I’m not only doing this because I work here sometimes,” Jesse said hesitantly. “I know you caught me looking at you a few times tonight because I find you attractive. I’d like you to think about letting me get to know you a little; maybe not tonight because I know you are a little bit out of it. But I hope you will at least let me start with a walk home tonight. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a gentleman. I do things the right way, and I would never take advantage of you. I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

  Carissa’s mind was racing, or at least trying to. Her thoughts felt murkier with each moment that passed. He likes me. Shit.