The lunch rush at thediner had finally settled, leaving Dawn with a moment to breathe. She wiped her hands on her apron and turned toward the counter, ready to grab a much-needed cup of coffee. Just as she reached for the pot, the sound of the bell above the door made her pause.
She didn’t have to look to know who it was. The air seemed to shift, a prickle of unease running down her spine. Jesse.
Dawn turned slowly, schooling her features into a calm mask as he strode toward her. He was dressed sharper than usual, like he was trying to impress. But she knew better than to fall for the act.
“Dawn,” Jesse greeted smoothly, leaning against the counter with a casual confidence that set her teeth on edge. “Been thinking about you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, resisting the urge to step back. “I told you, Jesse. I’m not interested.”
His smile flickered, but he didn’t drop it entirely. Instead, he leaned in just a fraction. “You were real quick to turn me down the other day. Thought maybe you just needed some time to think it over,” Jesse said.
Dawn forced herself to hold his gaze. “I don’t need time to think. I meant what I said.”
His fingers tapped against the counter, the rhythm slow and deliberate.
“Come on, don’t be a bitch. I’m trying to be nice here.” Jesse lowered his voice, taking on a sharper edge. “It’d be a shame if you kept making things difficult for yourself.”
Fear flickered in her chest, but she tamped it down. She wouldn’t let him see her shaken. “Are you threatening me now?” Dawn demanded, thinking of his text to her the night before.
Jesse chuckled, shaking his head like she was being ridiculous. “Of course not. Just looking out for you. I’d hate to see you make a mistake,” he said.
Before she could respond, the bell above the door jingled again. This time, the air shifted in a completely different way. The tension in her shoulders eased just a little as she recognized the heavy footsteps approaching. Gunner.
He was supposed to meet her for lunch, and his timing couldn’t have been better. His gaze swept the room, instantly locking onto Jesse. Even without knowing the details, Dawn saw the change in Gunner’s posture. His easy confidence turned sharp, shoulders rolling back as if bracing for a fight.
“Everything all right here?” Gunner asked, his deep voice cutting through the thick air between them.
Jesse didn’t move, but Dawn felt the way his body stiffened. “Just having a conversation.”
Gunner’s eyes flicked to Dawn. “That true?”
She swallowed, her pulse hammering. “Jesse was just leaving.”
Jesse let out a low laugh, turning back to Gunner like he was just now seeing him for the first time. “And who the hell are you?”
“Gunner.” He said his name like it was all the introduction necessary. “And I don’t like the way you’re talking to her.”
Jesse smirked, clearly unimpressed. “Oh, yeah? And what exactly are you gonna do about it?”
Gunner didn’t flinch. Instead, he stepped closer, his sheer presence making Jesse shift uneasily. “You’re gonna walk out of here, and you’re not gonna come back. That’s what you’re gonna do.”
Jesse exhaled sharply through his nose, shaking his head like he found the whole thing amusing. “And if I don’t?”
Gunner didn’t say a word. He just stood there, eyes dark and unreadable, his entire body coiled with an unspoken threat. Dawn had never seen someone so still and yet so damn intimidating at the same time. The air felt thick with tension, the kind that could snap at any second.
Jesse licked his lips, gaze bouncing between them before he let out a sharp laugh. “You think you’re some kind of tough guy, huh?”
Gunner finally moved, leaning in just a little. “No. I just don’t tolerate men like you.”
The words were quiet but heavy, weighted with meaning. And for the first time, Dawn saw a flicker of uncertainty in Jesse’s eyes. He wasn’t scared—not yet—but he sure as hell wasn’t as confident as he had been a moment ago.
Jesse straightened, rolling his shoulders as he took a step back. “This ain’t over,” he muttered, but the bravado was slipping.
Gunner tilted his head slightly. “Yeah, it is.”
For a long moment, Jesse just stood there, jaw clenched, before he turned on his heel and walked out of the diner. The second the door shut behind him, Dawn let out a breath.
Gunner turned to her, his expression unreadable. “You okay?”
