Free A Change To Bear (A BBW Shifter Romance) (Last of the Shapeshifters) by A.E. Grace Page B

outside.
    “Traveler?”
    “Sorry?”
    “Are you a traveler?” The man who was talking to her looked to be maybe in his fifties, and he definitely looked like an unsavory character. She glanced at her watch, saw that it was already quarter to midnight. The hours had just evaporated.
    “Yes,” she replied without looking at him. “What’s it to you?”
    “Well, it’s my bar,” he said, and she turned to him again. He was wearing a slimy smirk, and was rising off his stool. “And mostly, the tourists know to stay outta here.”
    “So what, this is a locals-only bar?”
    “Something like that.” He walked over to her, the swagger in his step a little wobbly, no doubt the result of a few too many drinks. The man pulled the other stool out from under her table and sat down opposite her, grinning. She saw three gold teeth in between thick rubber-ring lips.
    “Is this really your bar?”
    “Yes,” he said, touching his chest and laughing. “I’m the owner. Name’s Paul. What’s yours, darling?”
    She ignored the question. “So why don’t the tourists come in here?”
    “’Cause we don’t want ‘em in here, that’s why.” He looked at his two friends, shared a laugh.
    “Why not?” The bomb sirens in her head now were wailing louder than ever. She didn’t fancy herself a girl who was easily frightened, but a quick survey of the bar told her it was only them three and her. And that was enough to arouse her sense of caution and danger.
    The guy looked like he had a real mean streak to him, someone nasty. She wouldn’t be surprised if he had a gun tucked beneath the counter of the bar. She had skipped the chapters of her guidebook over things to watch out for, and was regretting it now. Was there something she had missed? She hadn’t even given an ounce of thought to the fact that the bar had remained empty while the others had filled up. After a long and tiring day, Terry had simply been happy to find a quiet place to sit and sip on a drink.
    “Why not?” He looked at his mates and repeated it. “Why not? It’s not hard to figure that one out.”
    “Well, okay, I get the message,” Terry said. “I’ve paid, just let me finish my drink, and I’ll leave.” She looked from the man talking to her to the other two still seated at the bar, hoping to at least appeal to them. But it was clear when she looked in either of their eyes that they were going to be playing follow-the-leader tonight.
    “Oh, no, it’s nothing like that, love. You’re fine, you’re not like the rest of ’em.”
    “Oh yeah?” She looked at the gold-toothed man. “How’s that?”
    “Well, you’re alone, for starters. You’re not with a pack of hooligans puking and pissing everywhere. You don’t look the hippy type, either, with filthy matted locks and a pong that could down a donkey.”
    Terry might have smiled if the tension level hadn’t become suffocating. “Is that what they’re all like?”
    “I’ve been living here thirty five years,” he said, tapping the table with his index finger to punctuate his statement. “And I’m telling you, that’s what they’re all like.”
    “Well, that’s a shame. Anyway, I need to go.” She started to get up off her stool.
    “Aw, no, don’t leave. I was beginning to enjoy our little chat.” He spread his arms, nodded at her with raised eyebrows. “Come on, love.”
    “It’s late.”
    “It’s not even twelve! We don’t close until three, you know. And even then, we stay open longer if there’s good times to be had.”
    “I’m afraid that’s way past my bedtime,” she said, forcing a smile. “Sorry, but I really should go.”
    “Stay, for just one more drink,” the man said. He got up too, and stood in between her and the exit. “On the house.”
    “I really don’t want another drink. It might get me started on the puking and the pissing, right?”
    “Lovely lass like you? You don’t seem the type.”
    “Look, guys, I’m really going to head