"I'm no one." I gave my bouncer friend a warning glance and then turned back to Joshua. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you manhandle the lady here."
Joshua gave a tight laugh. "I didn't know white knights came in a hipster-trash model."
His surface judgment of me burned, as it always did, but I reminded myself it did not matter what he thought. I knew who I was and that was enough.
"So you admit she needs saving?" I asked.
Joshua rolled his eyes and laughed again. "Please. No one around here is going to think that Corsica needs saving from me. You, on the other hand, you look just like the kind of guy women should steer clear of."
"Stop, Joshua," Corsica snapped. Her blue eyes glittered with irritation, and I was relieved not to see a speck of fear.
Then, she rubbed her sore elbow and my insides boiled again. "One of these days, pretty boy, you're going to learn that your worth has nothing to do with your looks. Or maybe your looks are all you've got."
Joshua took the challenge and stepped towards me. "You really looking to fight me?" He pushed Corsica away when she tried to stop him. "I'll be glad to pound you into the pavement and then bring you up on assault charges. I think we both know who a judge is going to side with."
I thought of all the judges my father regularly golfed with. One phone call and any charge against me would be dropped. Too bad I would never make that call. I would gladly spend time in jail rather than talk to my father.
Allen crossed his tree trunk arms. "No one's fighting on my sidewalk," he boomed.
"She wants a minute to think," I said to Joshua. "Are you telling me you're so insecure you can't even let the lady decide for herself? If she wants to go home with you, it's up to her. If she doesn't, then you're going to leave alone."
"What if she can speak for herself?" Corsica snapped.
I was startled when her glittering blue eyes landed on me. "I'm just trying to help," I said.
"Help?" Corsica asked. "You're no better than him. What are you going to do? Bully him into not bullying me?"
"So, you admit he was bullying you," I pointed out.
She stepped forward and poked a finger into my chest. "The only thing I'll admit is that you are both acting like a couple of jackasses. What century do you think this is? I can and will decide for myself."
Joshua shoved his hands in the pockets. "I'm right here when you're ready," he said.
I looked down at her, furious that she had missed my good intentions. "So, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to keep my conversations private, thank you very much." Corsica stalked off down the sidewalk and gave a sharp motion for Joshua to follow her. He gave me a superior smile and followed after her.
That should have been the end of it, but I just stood there watching her go. It took every ounce of willpower not to follow them and make sure she really was going to be all right.
"Nice try," Ginny said.
"You're not going with them?" I asked.
The little pixie of a woman shook her hair. "Nah. I think I'm going to go back inside. A few old co-workers of mine are here." She glanced up at me. "Not what you wanted to hear?"
I sighed. "I know I don't know him, but I know his type. He always wants to be in charge, and he's not always going to be nice about it."
Ginny shrugged. "I'm not big on judging a person by their looks, but I think you might have nailed Joshua. You wish I was going with her."
"I just want to know someone is taking care of her," I admitted.
Ginny patted my arm, blew a kiss to the bouncer, and took off after Corsica.
I turned and saw Allen's goofy smile. "Oh, God. You look like a man in trouble."
Allen popped his mouth shut, but didn't take his eyes off Ginny. "I'd say it takes one to know one."
I groaned. "That's not it. Not at all. I'm just looking for something to take my mind off meeting my father."
"Like taking a feisty singer home and keeping her safe from all harm?"
I cracked a knuckle punching his rock solid arm. "Don't you have a line to lord over?"
"What are you going to do?"
"Me? I'm going back inside and finding a comfy spot at the bar."
Allen frowned. "That's not like you, either. Thought your father scared you off getting drunk for good."
"Well, seeing as I'm in town to meet the old man, I'm going with 'when in Rome.'"
Allen's worried shake of the head stayed with me until I got to the bar. I knew my father had been sober for some years now, but the memories still stuck hard. So, when the bartender came over, I cleared my throat and ordered a tonic water with lime.
An old friend of mine, she nodded and poured the drink. "I can't believe you're in town to see your father," she said.
"Thanks, Rita." I took the drink and spun it slowly on the bar. "I can't believe it, either. In fact, I should cut my losses now and head back to Monterey."
Rita shook her head. "You should stay. We've got some real talent in the karaoke lounge tonight. Did you hear that little blondie sing? I think I'm in love."
I winced. "Yeah, she was amazing."
"Amazing is not quite the word for it," Rita said. She licked her lips and sighed at the memory of Corsica's lush, little body. "We get a lot of raw talent in here, but she was something special. I mean, it was like hearing one of those old-school songstresses."
I fought to remember Corsica's snobby attitude, her determined ambition, and her obvious disgust for me. "You know who would like her? My father. He was always a sucker for those torch singers. A pretty little picture with a big voice standing in front of a small jazz combo." I had to stop because I realized that was my fantasy forming.
"Speaking of your father, why'd he call you into town? I thought you hadn't spoken to him in years?"
I sighed and leaned both elbows on the bar. When I had cut ties with my father and my family fortune, I’d found work as a bar-back. Rita was a cocktail waitress back then and we had worked many, many long nights together. We were both there when Allen was hired, and even though my fortunes had taken off in that last few years, we were all still very tight. They were more than my friends; they were my trusted counsel and my therapists.
"I have no idea, but it didn't sound good," I said.
"You call your mother?"
"A half dozen times, but she was out leading hikes or instructing tourists on vision quests or whatever she's doing now. The one time I caught her on the phone, she was really vague." I worried again about how strange she had been on the phone.
"She's always wanted you to reconcile with your father," Rita pointed out.
"Like that's ever going to happen."
"Well, I'm glad you're around." Rita drifted down the bar towards other customers. "Stick around and cross your fingers. Maybe that pretty singer will get back on stage. I'm telling you, Penn, you're going to love her."
I gripped the tonic water with both hands and tried to ignore the prophetic ring of Rita's words. I knew it was only a matter of time before Allen told her about the scene outside and she'd be right back down the bar to pry all the details out of me. What had possessed me?