“Listen, Lex. You and I are fun, but we both know I can’t afford the shit you’re used to. Prime-rib dinners and three-hundred-dollar pedicures don’t fit in to my life. This is bound to end sometime and the more time we spend together will only hurt Lily more when that happens. ”
“I’m sorry, I just thought the warm soak and massage would be good for her legs.” That spa visit hadn’t been about me. I’d done it with Lily in mind. His eyes widened in understanding, and a flash of guilt flickered through them.
“Regardless, you know I’m right. The disapproval was written all over your parents’ faces. I didn’t go to college. I don’t have some fancy degree. I have responsibilities—a mortgage, and full custody of a six-year-old.”
“What was all that stuff inside about Alexa’s a big girl, she knows what she wants?” I challenged. Sure, he had responsibilities, but when had I ever showed him I wasn’t on board with Lily? And so what if he didn’t have a college degree? He had a freakin’ Masters in seduction.
“You’re an adult. You should be able to stand up to your parents.”
“Well…I know what I want.” My tone was defiant and my eyes didn’t waver from his.
He sighed and looked past me. “That may be, but I have a little girl to take care of. She doesn’t have anyone else. She has to come first. I’m sorry.”
“I know.” I understood that, I truly did.
“Are you telling me you think your parents would ever accept us dating? No. You know they wouldn’t. You mom was trying to set you up with Peter while I was sitting right there.”
“I don’t care.”
“I do.” His expression didn’t waver. It was like someone had stomped on my chest, and I struggled for breath.
“Cade…” I reached out for his forearm, but he took a step back.
“Go on home, Alexa.”
His emotionless tone all but froze my skin and I stumbled a step back in my heels. Not wanting him to see me cry, I turned and fled for my car.
Chapter 15
Cade
Keeping my distance from Alexa was proving more difficult than I ever imagined. Every single day I had half a mind to drive up to the hospital to see her, and Lord knows I wanted to check on her, hear her voice, see how she was faring. Not to mention, during the first days of Alexa’s absence, Lily drove me up a f**king wall talking about Lexa nonstop. I hadn’t meant to lose my temper with her, but since I had, she hadn’t brought up the topic of Alexa again.
Thank f**king God.
It was just like I told Alexa—I knew from the beginning things would end this way, with a certain little girl wondering where she’d gone and my heart f**king crushed because of it.
There was no denying that meeting Alexa’s parents had changed things. After that exchange of words in the parking lot, we hadn’t talked at all. I’d almost broken down and called her half a dozen times, but was trying like hell to give her some distance. She had to see this thing between wasn’t going to work. I mean, what did she expect, that I’d win over her parents, put a ring on her finger? Of course she deserved nothing less. But the real world wasn’t like one of those goddamn fairytale stories of Lily’s.
After ignoring several calls from Rick, I’d finally given in, deciding it was time to do another film. I told myself this was it—it would be my last one. I’d pay off Lily’s outstanding bills, plus that ER visit of mine and be done with the whole thing.
I picked up my phone and dialed, knowing I only had a few minutes before Lily was due off the bus. “Rick? Yeah, I’ll do it. When and where?”
I listened as he gave me the instructions. Tomorrow. Shave in the morning. Be on location at noon.
“Done. See you then.” I ended the call. I hadn’t even asked who I’d be working with. It didn’t matter. I needed the money. My contract stated what I wouldn’t do—the whole g*y for pay thing—and the rest, I knew I could handle.
Once I met Lily off the bus and got her settled in with a snack and her ‘toons, I grabbed a bottle of beer and took off for the garage, needing to blow off some steam by reorganizing my toolbox, or punching something. Take your pick.
It did little to relieve my tension, and ten minutes later I was stalking back inside. “Lily?”
It was completely silent in the house. Not a good sign. I rounded the corner from the kitchen to the living room and stepped in something wet, and warm. What the—?
When I entered the living room, the reason for the damp carpeting became clear. Lily had maneuvered a large pot of water into the living room and dumped it onto the floor, based on the puddle I was standing in and the overturned pot in front of me.
“Lily, what in the world?” I grabbed the overturned pot, then reached down to wrench off my soaking wet socks.
I found Lily crying silently on the couch. I rushed to her. “Baby doll? What happened?”
She sniffed, pulling her bottom lip into her mouth. “I wanted to do a pedicure like me and Lexa did.”
That’s what the pot of water had been for? To soak her feet? I hugged her to my chest. “Shh. It’s okay. It’ll be okay.” Fuck. I had no training in how to deal with this. How would I handle when she started her period or wanted to go on a date? Dammit.
Just when I was starting to get on with my life and put the ache of missing Alexa behind me, life happened and landed a blow to my gut. My first instinct was to call Alexa, to beg her to come back, but I continued cleaning up the rest of the water, trying to talk myself out of it. When I couldn’t hold off any longer, I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed her number. The line rang several times before her voicemail picked up. Damn. I hung up without leaving a message. What would I say? I’m an ass**le, but can you put that aside and come back? Yeah, that would work.