Chapter 4

I thought that the voice was familiar. And the mysterious figure stepped out into the dim lights lighting the place. I was surprised to see…that it was Jeff. He was wearing his usual black body-hugging shirt and denim jeans. I didn’t want to admit that he looked hot, but he did.

“Jeff!” I managed to say. He looked straight at me.

“Are you all right?” he asked. I nodded. By this time, the shaggy guy turned his attention to Jeff.

“And who do you think you are to poke your nose in somebody else’s business?” he barked.

“Are you implying she’s YOUR business?” Jeff countered. “No, she’s mine. Any friend of mine who comes into contact with trouble, I make ‘em my business, got that?” I was surprised at what he’d said, but I kept my mouth shut since this could save the two of us from trouble with the law.

Jeff’s air of confidence and his size intimidated the man. After all, standing at 6’1” and weighing in at 215 lbs. with an athletic physique, any skinny bonehead would be intimidated, especially a middle-aged man.

“Oh really?” the man I had now nicknamed as Leather Bonehead sneered. By now, he was within five feet of probably getting beaten up by Jeff. He squinted his eyes to get a better look of the young man that was standing right opposite him. By now, I had crept to a safe distance. I saw a look of shock and realization in his eyes as I heard him gasp, “Oh damn!”

Jeff and I exchanged looks. Now what was going on?

Leather managed to blurt out loud, “Are you Jeff Hardy?”

“Yeah, that happens to be me,” he replied casually.

Suddenly, Leather backed off. “Hey, sorry man, I didn’t know she’s a friend of yours,” he said roughly. Then, before any of us could say anything, he walked off briskly and went back into the club. Jeff walked over to me.

“Hey, it’s good to bump into you again,” he said, helping me up. I smiled weakly with relief.

“I think he knew who you are,” I remarked. I turned to look him straight in the eye. “Jeff Hardy scares off a middle-aged molester at a club last night,” I mimicked in my best newscaster voice. A smile played on the corner of his mouth.

“Next time, don’t go off alone, especially at this time of the night,” he scolded mildly.

I smiled back graciously. “Yes, Big Brother,” I replied. Then I remembered what he said. “Oh, thanks again for keeping me out of trouble—and what you said just now,” I added.

He said quietly, “I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have said about you being my business and all. It wasn’t my place. But, I guess it did help a little bit. I hope you’re not gonna take it personally.”

“I won’t,” I said in the same tone. “Not after what you’ve done for me.”

“So, were you just leaving?” he asked. I hesitated before answering him.

“Uh, yeah,” I answered.

“I’ll give you a ride home,” he said with generosity. “If you don’t mind, that is.”

“No, I don’t. Thanks,” I said gratefully as we walked over to his parked blue Mustang. “Great car,” I remarked as he opened the door for me and I got in.

He jumped in on his side of the seat and said, “Thanks.” And with that, we zoomed off.

Chapter 5
Chapter 3