The night air held a damp chill, the kind that cut straight through to the bone. Zach pulled the collar of his leather jacket up around his neck and glanced up. The dark sky was mostly clear, with just a few ghostly clouds blocking out the light from the moon and stars. He didn't think they were calling for snow.

Christ, he hoped not. It was too late in the season for snow. He just wanted winter over and done with already. Even as the thought crossed his mind, he winced, knowing that they'd probably skip over the mild spring weather and move straight to the humid stickiness of summer.

The only good thing about summer was that he'd be able to break out his bike and head north to the lake. A tent, a sleeping bag, and some fishing gear was all he needed, just to get away from it all. Peace, quiet, and a little bit of wooded nature—his personal idea of relaxation and meditation.

Unlike the bickering that was floating across the parking lot.

Zach rolled his eyes then stepped onto the sidewalk to wait for everyone else: Jason, Travis, Ben. Tyler had bugged out, making up some damn excuse about wanting to go home and do yoga or some shit to get ready for the upcoming home stretch starting tomorrow night. Yeah, right. Zach had no doubt that whatever yoga Tyler had in mind, it included Jenny.

And Jason still had no clue.

Unbelievable.

The bickering trio finally reached the sidewalk. Ben was giving Travis shit about something and Jason was arguing with whatever Ben was saying. Something about finding the right woman or some shit. Zach rolled his eyes and tuned them out, reaching for the door of Mystic's.

It flew open, nearly hitting him in the shoulder. He stepped back as some asshole hurried past, brushing against him.

"Out of my way." The words came out as a growl, low and threatening. At least, it would have been threatening if the guy had anything to back it up with. He didn't.

He was a good head shorter than Zach, with a lanky build and an awkward gait, like a kid trying to imitate some gunslinger in an old western. Or maybe he was walking funny because of those stupid fucking skinny jeans that hung down past his bony fucking ass.

Zach had no idea what the fucking style was called, but the guy had it nailed: worn and dirty skinny jeans, beat up loafers, a dark baggy sweater that was stretched out and loose enough to show the collar of the white t-shirt under it. A grungy gray knit beanie was pulled low over his head, with hanks of dark blonde hair sticking out from the sides and back.

Zach immediately pegged him as a loser, the kind that went through life expecting a hand-out because he was convinced the world owed him everything while he went off to find himself.

Zach almost said something then changed his mind as the guy stepped off the sidewalk and hurried across the parking lot. It wasn't worth wasting his time on. Yeah, the guy was an asshole. So what? Wouldn't be the first time Zach had encountered assholes and it sure as hell wouldn't be the last.

He grabbed the door and pulled it open, holding it for the other three. Ben and Travis walked through, still bickering about who the fuck knew what, but Jason was just standing there, staring at the parking lot. Or maybe he was just staring off into space. With Jason, it was hard to tell.

"Emory! Come on, man, I'm not waiting here all night for you."

"What?" Jason spun around, his brow lowered in confusion. "Oh, yeah. Hey, did that guy look familiar to you?"

"No. Should he?"

"I don't know. He just looked familiar or something, you know?"

"Yeah, whatever. Come on, get your ass inside. I want a drink."

Jason pushed past him, muttering something under his breath. Zach ignored him then followed him through the second door and damn near plowed into him when Jason came to a sudden stop.

"What the hell?" It didn't take a genius to figure out why Jason had stopped. The place was crowded. Not weekend-crowded, but not nearly as empty on a Thursday night as it usually was.

So much for his idea of maybe spending some time with Haley. She'd be too fucking busy.

"Someone's sitting at our table." There was just enough pout in Travis' voice that Zach laughed.

"So we find another one. Not a big deal." Zach stepped around them then led the way toward a small table in the middle of the floor. Not his idea of a great spot, but they didn't have much choice, not unless they felt like crowding around one of the empty high-tops.

Megan came over a few minutes later, looking harried and distracted as she wiped the table down before leaning over to give Jason a quick kiss. "I didn't know you guys were going to be here tonight."

Jason tucked his fingers into the waistband of her baggy jeans and pulled her closer for another kiss, this one a little longer. "We came to see you, babe."

"I wish you would have been here ten minutes ago."

"You miss me that much?"

A smile crossed Megan's face, completely transforming her. Zach could see the warm emotion in her eyes, could actually feel it from where he was sitting. He wondered if Jason knew how lucky he was.

Yeah, he did, if the dreamy look on his face meant anything. Good for him. Megan was the best thing to happen to him. If he was lucky, he wouldn't screw it up.

"Of course I do." Megan's smile disappeared and she shook her head, sending her ponytail swaying. "But that's not what I meant."

Jason sat up straighter, worry flashing across his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just—never mind. I said I wouldn't say anything."

Jason laced his fingers through hers and pulled her closer. "Uh-uh. Out with it, babe. Something's wrong. Tell me what happened."

Megan glanced over her shoulder then leaned closer, her voice just above a whisper. "Jimmy was just here, that's all."

Zach stiffened, all pretense of not listening evaporating. Maybe he moved too fast, or maybe he was just too obvious, because Megan's head snapped around and she stared at him, her eyes narrowing for a split-second. Jason, as usual, was oblivious and kept on talking.

"I thought that guy looked familiar. What about it?"

"Wait. Hold on." Zach edged closer, his gaze focused on Jason. "That fucking asshole that pushed by us as we were coming in was Jimmy?"

"Yeah. I think. Why? Do you know him?"

"No, I don't fucking know him." Zach pushed away from the table and stood up. "Where's Haley?"

"She's in the bathroom. She—" Megan stopped, glanced over her shoulder and frowned then looked back at him. "I told her to take a break."

"What happened? Is she okay?"

"She—"

"Christ, Mummy. What the fuck is your problem? Since when do you care about Haley? Her boyfriend was here. So what? Not a big deal."

Zach turned on Jason so fast that he actually jumped, causing his chair to tilt back on the rear legs. "He's her ex. And yeah, it's a big deal."

"But—"

Zach ignored him, ignored the surprised expressions coming from Ben and Travis, ignored the brief flash of horror on Megan's face. Let them stare. Let them wonder what was going on and why he was so pissed. This didn't concern them. They didn't need to know why he was so worried.

Worried? No, he was more than worried. He was furious. Angry. Pissed off. If he had known who that loser was, he would have slammed his fist into his face just on principle, then made sure he knew to stay away from Haley.

Zach reached the bathrooms, raised his fist to bang on the door of the ladies' room then pushed it open. Haley was standing in front of the sink, her face pale, her right arm pulled out of the sleeve of her sweater. Anger swept through him, hot and potent, when he saw the fresh bruise on her arm reflected in the mirror.

Haley spun around, her mouth open, outrage flashing in her eyes. "Mummert! What the hell are you doing? You can't be in here."

She struggled to get her arm back in the sleeve but she wasn't fast enough. Zach grabbed the loose arm of the sweater and held it out to the side, his gaze focused on the dark purple marring the pale skin of her upper arm.

"What the hell happened?"

"Nothing." She tried to step back, wouldn't look at him.

"Bullshit. Your ex was just here?"

"It's nothing—"

"He did this?" Zach didn't need her to answer, not when he already knew.

"I said it's nothing." Haley tried to step back, almost stumbled when her steps faltered. Zach caught her around the waist, steadying her, then reached out and tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. He didn't miss the way her chin trembled against his fingers, or the way her eyes blinked against the film of moisture in her eyes.

He wanted to scream. To rage. To chase after the asshole and make sure he never bothered Haley again. But he couldn't, not without scaring her. He swallowed against the thick emotion in his throat, fought against the sense of helplessness that threatened to overwhelm him.

"Dammit, Red." He pulled her against him, holding her close, hating the fact that she stiffened in his arms.

But only for a second. He felt the warmth of her breath against the skin of his neck, closed his eyes with something like relief when she finally relaxed. Her arms went around his waist, tentative at first, then a little stronger.

Holding him.

Zach pressed his lips against the top of her head, ran his fingers through the thick waves of her hair. Comforting. Soothing. Calming her.

Trying to calm himself.

"What happened?"

Zach expected her to shake her head, to tell him it was nothing. To say it wasn't a big deal and that she could handle it. Instead, her arms tightened around his waist and her fingers clutched the back of his shirt, like she was searching for strength, reaching for something to hold on to.

"He—he just came in. Grabbed me. Said we needed to talk. That—that it wasn't over."

"Son of a—"

"He asked about you. Wanted to know who you were."

"Me?" Shock and anger formed a tight ball in his gut. He leaned back, tried to catch Haley's gaze but her face was still buried in his neck. "What about me?"

"He—I think he saw you go into my place the other night."

"He what?" Zach stepped back, caught her chin in his hand and tilted her head up. "He's been watching you?"

"I think." She kept her gaze lowered, focused on a spot somewhere behind him. It didn't matter—Zach could still see the worry in her face. In the way her complexion paled, in the way her teeth bit into her lower lip. "He sent me some messages but I just ignored them."

"Fuck." He sucked in a deep breath, forcing the rage away. For now. "Haley, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's not your problem."

"Bullshit."

"It doesn't concern you."

"The hell it doesn't. He asks you who I am and you think it doesn't concern me?"

She stiffened and pulled away, her expression hardening. "It doesn't. He doesn't know who you are, so it's not like he can cause trouble for you, okay? It's not like he's going to embarrass you by telling all your buddies you slept with me."

"Whoa. Hold on. You think I give a fuck if anyone knows? You think I'd be embarrassed? What the fuck, Red? Why would you even think that?"

"Because it's the truth." She turned away from him and started shoving her arm back into the sleeve. Each movement was short, jerky, screaming her anger loud and clear. "It's not exactly a secret that we don't get along. All your teammates know that."

"Newsflash, Red. I don't give a fuck what anyone thinks. And I sure as hell wouldn't be embarrassed if they knew. What I care about is that this son-of-a-bitch is stalking you—"

"He's not stalking."

"What the fuck do you call it? He's watching you, Haley. He's sending you messages, showing up here. Fuck. He fucking hurt you. Right here. In a bar filled with dozens of people. And don't even stand there and fucking tell me it's not a big deal because it is."

"I can take care of myself."

"Like you did tonight?" He stepped closer, wishing like hell she would look at him. But Haley kept her face turned to the side, deliberately averting her gaze. "Why do you have to be so fucking bull-headed?"

She spun around, a spark of fire flashing in her eyes. "Why do you even care?"

"Because I do. Because I'm trying to help."

"I don't need your help, okay? I don't need anyone's help. I've made it this far in life on my own, I sure as hell don't need to change that now."

"What in the hell is so wrong with having friends help out?"

"Friends? Really?" She laughed, the sound short and bitter. "Is that what you think we are? We had sex, Zach. For one night. That doesn't make us friends."

Pain shot through him, sharp and biting, like he'd taken a puck straight to the throat. Zach pushed it away, told himself not to react. Haley was upset—more upset than she wanted to admit. She needed to lash out and he was the closest target. He understood it. Hell, he'd been there himself, when he was a kid growing up on the wrong side of town. He knew what it was like.

It still hurt like a mother fucker.

"You can keep telling yourself that all you want—it doesn't change the facts. And you need to get something through that thick skull of yours, Red. No matter what you think, you're more than a fucking notch on my hockey stick."

She opened her mouth, snapped it shut again, shook her head. He could see the surprise in her face, knew that her mind was spinning a hundred miles a minute, searching for a comeback, struggling to find something to say. She crossed her arms in front of her and leaned against the counter, staring down at her feet.

Silence settled around them, thick and heavy. Oppressive. Minutes ticked by, the silence stretching, changing. No longer oppressive, no longer stifling. Instead, it turned into something different, filling with something that felt like expectation.

Zach moved closer, close enough that he could feel the heat from Haley's body wash over him. Close enough he could feel her hesitation, knew she was struggling with something only she could fight.

He reached out and trailed his fingers along her arms then curled his hands around hers. "You don't have to be alone, Red."

"It's easier that way." The words came out in a choked whisper and Zach wondered if she had meant to say them out loud.

"Why is it easier?"

"Because it is."

"Why?"

"It just is."

"That's a cop-out, Red. Tell me why."

She straightened, her body stiff, her chin lifting at a stubborn angle as she finally met his gaze. "Because then it doesn't matter when people leave."

The words were like a blow to his chest, forcing the breath from his lungs. A dozen different emotions shot through him: anger, frustration, sorrow. Pain. Sympathy.

Empathy.

He'd been exactly where she was, when he was a teenager struggling to come to terms with his own miserable family life. It had been his coach who helped him through it, who taught him that not everyone left.

Who taught him that pushing people away would only hurt more in the end. Who taught him that everyone needed someone, no matter how hard they tried to convince themselves otherwise.

Was that why he was so drawn to Haley? Because he saw in her the same doubt and fear that still lurked deep inside himself? Because he felt some kind of weird connection to her, like they were two kindred souls?

He almost laughed. Christ, what the fuck was wrong with him? All these stupid sappy thoughts playing through his mind. If his old coach could see him now, the man would be laughing and saying I told you so.

"Not everyone leaves, Red. You don't have to do everything on your own."

"Yeah, okay."

"You don't believe me?"

"No, I don't."

"Then I guess I'll just have to prove it to you."

"I don't need—"

"Yeah, I know. You don't need anyone. You can handle it. Too damn bad."

"Why are you being so damn stubborn?"

"Me?" Zach chuckled, the sound surprising him. And surprising Haley, too. "You need to take a long look in the mirror before you go calling anyone else stubborn."

"I'm not—"

"Hey, Red?"

"What?"

"Just be quiet for a second." Her eyes widened and damn if she didn't look like she was ready to argue again. Zach dipped his head and closed his mouth over hers, swallowing whatever words she had been about to say. She held herself stiff for a fleeting second then her arms wrapped around his waist, her mouth opening under his.

He deepened the kiss, savoring the taste of fiery sweetness that was pure Haley. She sighed and leaned closer, their bodies melding together. He could kiss her all night, get lost in her taste, her touch. Get lost in her.

"Haley, are you—oh. Sorry."

Haley jumped and pulled her mouth from his. Zach swallowed his groan then looked over his shoulder, not surprised to see Megan standing in the doorway. She stared at them, a faint blush staining her cheeks.

"Um, is everything okay in here?"

Zach nodded then looked at Haley, holding his breath as he waited for her answer. Her gaze met his for a brief second then darted away.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. I'll be out in a minute."

Megan hesitated, shot him a look of silent warning, then backed out of the room. Zach released Haley and stepped back, already missing the warmth of her body pressed against his.

"I need to get back to work. We're already short-handed and—"

"What time do you get off?"

"I work until closing."

"I'll wait for you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to. Because I'm taking you home tonight."

"Zach, you don't have to do that. I'll be fine."

"I'm sure you will. But it'll make me feel better if I do."

"You don't—" Her mouth snapped closed, a frown creasing her forehead. She pulled in a deep breath then finally nodded. "Okay, fine. You can take me home."

"Thank you." He pressed a kiss against her mouth, hard and quick, then followed her out of the bathroom.

And tried not to read too much into the fact that she had agreed without putting up much of an argument.