RESTLESS HEARTS

CHAPTER 20

•SHAWN•

"Up for a trip to town?"

I swiveled my head towards her, my face reflecting surprise.

Well, this is a surprise.

"Why?" I asked, squinting with suspicion.

She rolled her eyes and casually twirled her car keys around her finger, one hand on her hip.

"Do you want to or not?"

"Why today?" I prodded. I could feel her irritation simmering, but it was still entertaining to see her getting worked up.

"I need to grab some girl stuff. If you don't want to come, fine, suit yourself."

She started heading towards the door, and I promptly leaped up from the couch, holding the door open with a goofy grin.

She shot me a glare and continued walking. I trailed behind her to the jeep after shutting the door.

OoO

Jules wasted no time heading to the mini-mall as soon as we arrived. I get why she didn't invite me along – probably didn't want me to witness her shopping for all those girly necessities.

But honestly, I didn't mind.

While she did her thing, I decided to check out the market stalls down at the beach. They had handmade ornaments, clay pottery, fresh fruits, nuts, and plenty of coconut juice. I grabbed two coconuts, one for myself and one for Jules. Despite her seeming like a tequila kind of girl, I was pretty sure she'd enjoy this refreshing treat and maybe even lighten up a bit. Lately, she'd been a walking thunderstorm, dark and gloomy.

As I strolled around, admiring the items under the tents, I noticed the friendly local ladies flashing smiles my way. I sipped my coconut juice through a straw, feeling pretty relaxed.

Suddenly, Jules appeared in front of me. Man, she was good at startling me every time she popped up like that – gave me a mini heart attack.

"What are you drinking?"

I glanced at the coconuts in my hands, then back at her. 

"Isn't it obvious?" I replied with a hint of sarcasm as she rolled her eyes at me. 

Yep, she'd been doing that a lot lately.

"I wouldn't know. You might have sneaked some alcohol in there."

I gaped at her in silence while she snatched one of the coconuts and took a sip. She made a face, scrunching up her nose.

"You disappoint me."

"Very funny. I just didn't want to start that kind of shenanigan since it seems like it was your usual role to play," I retorted with a smirk.

"You're right. Why did I ever expect anything fun from you?" she shot back, and I playfully glared at her.

"Are you saying I'm not a fun person?"

She shrugged, wearing a playful smile, and looked away, toying with the straw in her fingers.

"For your information, I am a fun person. I do fun stuff and stir up trouble every once in a while. It's just that there's nothing fun for me to do here."

She didn't seem to be paying much attention to my explanation, though. Her focus had shifted elsewhere, so I followed her gaze.

Under a nearby tent, a man was berating an old woman. Their argument looked intense. The man, decked out in a black vest and pants with arms covered in tattoos, exuded a menacing vibe.

I glanced back at Jules, seeing her brows furrow as she clenched the coconut tightly, fixated on the scene.

Before I could intervene and prevent the man from harassing the poor woman, Jules thrust the coconut back into my hand and charged toward the tent.

"No... Jules, wait!" I protested, but she ignored me.

This was bad. I knew she wouldn't let this slide easily. She could be quite formidable when riled up, and I already pitied the guy. Once she set her mind on something, nothing could stop her.

I discarded our coconut drinks and hurriedly followed her. I reached her just in time to see the man raise his hand threateningly toward the old woman. But Jules acted swiftly.

She seized his arm, catching him off guard, and twisted it sharply. A popping sound filled the air, followed by his painful scream.

"Arghh! What the fuck!" he groaned in agony as Jules continued to twist his arm, pushing him to the ground.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" I asked the old woman quickly, who was staring at Jules and the man in shock and fear.

She finally turned to me, nodding her head. I then turned to Jules and pulled her back.

"That's enough. You don't want to escalate things further."

She looked up at me with her intense gaze and scanned the growing crowd of onlookers.

"Fuck off and leave her alone," she spat at the man, still groaning on the ground, before landing a rough kick in his abdomen and turning away.

"What did he want?" I heard her ask the old woman.

"My son owes him a debt. He's on the mainland at the moment, so Kula, that man, came to ask me for money instead."

Jules shot a piercing glare at Kula, who was starting to regain his footing.

Both Jules and I had caught him glancing back at us, clutching his arm, as he limped away.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked the old woman again, and she nodded, offering a warm smile.

"I'm okay, thank you." She looked gratefully at Jules, who reached forward and held both of her hands. Her expression had softened, and a smile graced her face.

"If you think he'll come to harass you again, you can tell me. I'll take care of him for you."

A shiver ran down my spine at the seriousness of Jules's tone. I knew all too well how she liked to 'take care' of people who got on her bad side.

"I'm fine, dear. Don't worry about me. He won't come around again. But if he did, I have people who can look out for me."

She reassured Jules, matching her gentle tone with a kind look.

"Both of you must be hungry and tired. Why don't we grab some lunch? I own a small restaurant nearby."

Jules and I exchanged surprised glances before turning back to the old woman and smiling.

"That would be great. Thank you," I said, and she grinned back, leading us out of the tent.

"Come along then. Oh, and by the way, I'm Miriam."

"I'm Jules, and this is... my friend Shawn."

Miriam's eyes briefly flickered to me before a teasing smile spread across her face, directed at Jules.

"Friend? My, I thought he was your husband."

I nearly burst out laughing at Jules's reaction to Miriam's comment. I don't know about her, but I wouldn't mind if people assumed we were married. Hell, even in a relationship.

"No, we're not married. He's just a friend," she clarified with an awkward laugh, causing Miriam's grin to grow even wider.

I felt a small pinch in my heart at the word 'friends,' but when I saw that she was genuinely being herself, the feeling melted away. She was finally accepting that we were friends. That was a new development, and I couldn't help but smile as we made our way to Miriam's restaurant.