Page 4 of Protecting Anna
After he finished his coffee and had a quick shower, Ryan shot off a text to Jake to let him know about Anna coming in to start training later today. Briefly, he wondered if he should have talked to Jake before offering the job to Anna, but then he realized he didn’t really care what his friend thought. He was going to do whatever it took to take care of Anna, and that meant helping her get a job. The fact that he would then be able to see her all the time and hopefully explore his feelings was just a bonus.
RYAN: Hey, just a heads-up, last night after you left, I hired a girl to help at the pub. She’s coming in with me this afternoon to get some training.
Ryan watched the ‘…’ that meant Jake was replying, but when no text came through he wasn’t surprised to see Jake’s name light up when his phone rang.
“Hey, what’s up?” Ryan answered the call, trying to sound nonchalant.
“What’s up? Ryan, what the fuck! You hired someone last night without even talking to me first? Who is she, some bar bimbo you took home last night? I thought you were closing early. And why the hell did you hire some stranger without checking with me first, dude. We’re partners remember?” Instantly, Ryan felt defensive of his actions, but more importantly of Anna.
“Back off, asshole. She’s not a bimbo, okay? Look. This girl came in last night looking for coffee. We got to talking, she just moved back and needs a job, and we need help. Simple as that. You can check her out this afternoon, but don’t be a dick.”
Silence filled the line, long enough that Ryan started to squirm, wondering just how pissed his friend really was. When Jake finally answered, his voice was calmer, but Ryan could still hear the thread of frustration.
“Look, Ry, I’m not going to be a dick. But this is OUR bar, which means we make the decisions together. Not to mention, in all our years of friendship, I’ve never known you to care enough about a woman to want to help her, much less defend her like that. So, tell me why you’re acting like this. What is so special about her?”
Ryan sighed as he tried to figure out how to explain the feeling in his gut without sounding like a romantic loser. “I don’t know, there’s just something about her. I just need to help her, you know? I couldn’t stop this feeling of wanting to take care of her even if I tried. It’s messing with me.”
Jake barked out a laugh. “Ah, I get it now. A woman finally got to you, man. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!”
Ryan didn’t even try to deny Jake’s statement. How could he when his best friend was right, Anna had found a way past his defenses. “Yeah, whatever, I’m giving her a ride to the bar this afternoon. Look, Jake, I think something bad happened to her in the past, so be cool.”
Jake’s tone sobered. “Bad like what? Are we in for some trouble?”
“Nah, I don’t think so. Just, she has these bruises on her wrist and she seemed super nervous at first. I don’t know what happened, but I’m going to find out, and I’m going to take care of her if she’ll let me.”
“Okay, I get it—I’ll be cool. And, Ry? I’m happy to hear that you might have finally found someone who gets to you.”
Ryan smiled. “Yeah, yeah, thanks. Cut the mushy shit. I’ll see you later okay?”
Hanging up, Ryan felt a burst of energy at the thought of seeing Anna in a few hours. Needing to release it somehow, he impulsively grabbed his keys and gym bag before sliding his feet into some running shoes. Hopefully, an hour or so of pushing his body to its physical limits at the gym would help Ryan regain some control before he saw Anna again.
* * *
Freshly showered, with muscles that still quivered from exhaustion, Ryan pulled up to Anna’s house. He sat in his truck for a minute and tried to gather his thoughts. He still couldn’t quite wrap his head around how strong his attraction to Anna was. More so, he was shocked by how desperately he wanted to get closer to her, learn everything about her, and most importantly keep her safe from whatever demons she faced. This protective instinct was a new emotion for Ryan, and he still struggled to make sense of it.
When Anna got to the truck and knocked softly on the window, he looked up in surprise before grinning widely. He was pleased to see Anna’s expression soften into a smile in return, as he reached over to open the door.
“Hey! Climb in, the truck is a lot warmer than it is outside.” Ryan hoped his tone was casual enough, the last thing he wanted to do was spook Anna into doubting the comfort she was beginning to exhibit around him.
“Thank you, Ryan, I really appreciate the ride. I swear I’m going to look for a car as soon as I can, and I did figure out the bus route as well, so you don’t have to drive me every day. I don’t want to be a bother,” Anna replied. She looked down at her hands as she spoke, her voice hesitant, almost as if she expected Ryan to be frustrated with her. He reached over with his hand, covering her own small ones and gave them a gentle squeeze. He tried to infuse his voice with calm reassurance before answering.
“Look, sweetheart, I wouldn’t have offered a ride if I didn’t want to. I promise, you’re not bothering me, I’m happy to help.”
Ryan hoped the endearment which had just slipped out didn’t push Anna too far, but he needed her to know that giving her a ride and spending time with her, was exactly what he wanted to be doing.
“Whenever you’re ready to buy a car, I’ll come with you. Car salesmen can be so damn sneaky, especially with single women. I want you to get something safe and reliable, but not pay a stupid amount for it, okay?”
Anna was silent, so silent that Ryan worried he had crossed a line by trying to insert himself into her life so quickly. When he glanced over at her, that worry turned into full blown concern when he saw tears slowly rolling down her face. Quickly, Ryan unbuckled his seat belt and slid over on the bench seat so he was close enough to hesitantly touch Anna’s face. He brushed away a tear, grateful when she didn’t shy away from him.
“I’m so sorry, Anna. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Anna pressed her cheek into Ryan’s hand, reaching up to cover it with her own. Her voice quavered, but had a thread of courage when she said, “You didn’t. I promise I’m not sad or scared. It’s just, well, it’s been a long time since anyone cared about me as much as you do. And we just met, so it feels a little crazy. I’m sorry for crying like that, I’m just so thankful for everything.”
Ryan let out a breath he had not even realized he was holding. “Oh, thank god. I was worried… I thought… I mean… I know I can be pushy, but I really do just want to be there for you. Please, let me be there for you.” He stuttered over his words, which was so unlike his usual confident self, he felt totally mixed up inside.
“I’ll try, thank you,” she replied, immediately reassuring him.
Their drive to work after that was much calmer, as Anna asked some questions about her work duties at the bar, and Ryan told her about some of the craft beers they had on tap and the different breweries they worked with. All too soon they were at the parking lot of The Lucky Strike. Jake’s car was already there, so Ryan knew his time alone with Anna had come to an end for now. He only hoped Jake would remember his promise and give her whatever space and time she needed to feel safe and comfortable. And Ryan vowed he would soon find out what had happened to make her so distrustful and nervous in the first place.
