I nod, and he continues. “Anyway, one night this beautiful blonde walks in with two of her girlfriends.” He rolls one shoulder. “It was easy to tell they were rich college girls, and we knew what they wanted.”
“What?”
“Bored little rich girls looking for a hit, and a quick fuck with a bad boy.” I cringe. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be crude, but that’s the best way to explain it.”
“So you gave her what she wanted?”
“By the time I met her, I was getting my shit together. I’d finished community college, thanks to Jericho’s help, and had just become a licensed mechanic. But yeah, basically I gave her what she wanted.”
“And you fell in love.”
He shakes his head and blows out a breath. “Did we ever.” I go quiet, wait for him to continue. He finally breaks the silence and says, “I set up shop here, and she was still living at home and going to school. We spent all our spare time together, but her parents hated me. Sometimes I wonder if Sarah made her choices just to piss them off.” He scrubs his chin. “But the drugs, she was getting in deeper, and she started failing classes. She eventually quit and moved in with me. I tried to help her and we went to addiction counseling together.”
“I know a lot about addiction. My dad was a mean alcoholic.”
His arms tighten around me. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. Go on,” I say, not wanting to talk about me.
“When she got pregnant, she got clean. Everything was perfect and we were so happy. God, we were happy, Rach. Even her parents had softened to me. Life was perfect.”
“And then…”
“And then Cassie was born, and I don’t know if it was post-partum, but she started sneaking around, doing drugs behind my back when I was working.” He swallows, hard. “Jesus fuck, Rach. She was doing drugs while she was taking care of our daughter. I couldn’t have that.” He tugs on his hair. “I just couldn’t. We started to fight, and things just escalated from there. None of this was good for Cassie. I grew up in volatile homes and I swore I’d do better for my child.”
I brush my hand through his hair and press my lips to his forehead. He holds me tighter, and no matter how many times we’ve been naked together, he’s been inside me, I’ve never felt closer to him. I hug him and his heart pounds against my chest.
“One night while we were sleeping, she left. I found out later she left with her dealer. Her parents don’t know the extent of her drug use, they just think I drove her away.”
“I bet on some level they know better. It’s just hard for them to admit their daughter might be responsible for everything that’s happened. I’m sure it’s hard for them to think Sarah walked out on her small child.”
“You’re probably right.”
“Parents always side with their child,” I say, thinking about my grandmother. “What will you do if she comes back?”
He goes quiet, too quiet, and looks down at my lap. “I guess it’s going to depend on what kind of state she’s in.” His head lifts, a sadness in his eyes. “Rach?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t really talk about this.”
“I know.” Clearly, she gutted him, broke this amazing man’s life into pieces that he’s not yet been able to put back together. If she comes back, will it right his life again? Where does that leave me?
Oh, God, Rachel, you can’t let yourself fall for this man…this family. They’re not yours.
12
Jaxon
I zip up my leather jacket as I walk the few blocks to Pizza Villa. Rach isn’t expecting me, but I can’t wait one more second to see her. After our steaks, she packed a bag for my place for the night and headed to work. Then again, she probably didn’t need a bag. More and more of her laundry was landing in my basket, and it’s weird how much I like that.
A car passes slowly, and once it rounds the corner I go still to search the shadows. A strange sensation that someone is watching me, has the hairs on my nape rising. What the fuck? When my search comes up empty, I shake my head. Jesus, maybe I’ve been hanging around Rachel too much. She’s always watching her back and checking the streets.
I brush it off, tug open the door to the pizza joint, and the scent of pepperoni hits me, but it’s not pizza I’m hungry for. I’m not sure why I can’t get enough of the girl next door—my daughter’s babysitter—and her car is basically done, minus the alignment. I could have that finished in a heartbeat for her, but I’ve been putting it off.
There are two frat guys at the counter, and Rachel is serving them. They’re loud and obnoxious and have obviously been drinking. I stand there for a moment, and admire the way she handles them. They pay and step back. Her eyes lift to serve me and the smile that crosses her face just about fucks me over.
I’m crazy about her.
“Hey,” she says. “What are you doing here?” She laughs and adds, “What a stupid question. What can I get for you?”
I need a quick second to pull myself together after that epiphany. “How about your number?” I tease.
She angles her head, and gives me a coy look. “Why should I do that?” she asks, playing along.
“So I can call you?”
“What would you want to call me for?”
“To make plans?”
“What kind of plans.”
I lean across the counter, and whisper, “To get you in my bed.”
Heat moves into her cheeks and she does a quick check over her shoulder to make sure no one heard me. “I get off in ten minutes,” she says, sounding far more breathless.
“You’ll get off when I get you into my bed,” I say with a grin.
She blows her hair from
