Page 146 of Shattered Melodies

As we approached, I could hear Jake’s firm but calm voice. “Listen, fellas. This is a private event. You’re gonna have to leave.”

One of the guys, a burly dude with a scraggly beard, poked Jake in the chest. “Or what, pig? You gonna arrest us?”

I felt a familiar surge of adrenaline. Before I could think better of it, I was stepping forward, inserting myself into the fray.

“Hey, assholes,” I called out, my voice carrying across the entrance. “You deaf or just stupid? The man said leave.”

Emily hissed behind me, “Liam, what are you doing?”

But I was already committed. The group turned to face me, and I could smell the beer on their breath. Great. Drunk idiots. My favorite.

Jake’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Liam! Glad you made it back for the fundraiser.”

“Just in time for the party, apparently,” I quipped, not taking my eyes off the troublemakers. “Come on, guys. Don’t ruin a good thing. There’s plenty of other places to be jerks. Why don’t you try one of those?”

The leader of the group, Scraggly Beard, took a menacing step towards me. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

I stood my ground, even as my heart raced. “I’m the guy telling you to take a hike. This is private property, and you’re not welcome.”

For a tense moment, I thought it might come to blows. But then, to my surprise, Jake stepped up beside me, his hand resting casually on his holster.

“You heard the man,” Jake said, his voice carrying an authority I’d never heard from him before. “Time to go. Don’t make me ask again.”

The group glanced between us, clearly weighing their options. Finally, Scraggly Beard spat on the ground and muttered, “Whatever. This hick party probably sucks anyway.”

As they skulked off, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Jake turned to me, a mix of admiration and exasperation on his face.

“You always did have a knack for pissing off the wrong people,” he said, shaking his head. “Thanks for the backup, though.”

I shrugged, feeling a bit sheepish now that the adrenaline was wearing off. “Yeah, well. Old habits die hard, I guess. Nice uniform, by the way. Suits you.”

Jake actually blushed a little at that. “Thanks. It’s been a journey, getting here. But I’m trying to do right by this town. Make up for past mistakes, you know?”

The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. I found myself nodding, a grudging respect forming. “Yeah, I get that. We’ve all got some ghosts to lay to rest, I guess.”

Emily, who’d been watching the exchange with wide eyes, finally spoke up. “Okay, now that the excitement’s over, can we please get back to the fundraiser? Liam, you should really go find Caleb.”

“Right,” I said, suddenly feeling antsy. “I should go do that. Jake, thanks for you know. Keeping things under control.”

Jake nodded, a small smile on his face. “Anytime. And Liam? It’s good to have you back.”

As Jake and Emily walked away, I felt a mix of relief and lingering adrenaline. Damn, I’d forgotten how much small-town drama could get the blood pumping. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the tension from the confrontation.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind. I tensed for a split second before catching a whiff of that familiar scent - hay, leather, and something uniquely Caleb. My whole body relaxed, melting into his embrace.

“Miss me?” Caleb’s deep voice rumbled against my back, sending a shiver down my spine.

I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. “Nah, barely noticed you were gone,” I quipped, turning in his arms to face him.

God, he was a sight for sore eyes. Those warm brown eyes, the laugh lines at the corners, that smile that still made my heart skip a beat.

Caleb’s eyes roamed over my face, like he was drinking me in. “You ready for tonight? It’s gonna be quite the show.”

I felt a flutter of nerves in my stomach. The concert. The big reveal. The media circus that was about to descend on our little town. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. “Jimmy’s on media duty, right? He better keep those vultures in line.”

“He’s got it handled,” Caleb assured me, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my lower back. “But that’s not for hours yet. Right now, I’ve got something to show you.”

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “Oh yeah? What kind of something?”

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