by Morgan Fox
He hadn’t slept a wink all night. All he could think about was Janie and the tears that stung her eyes. Never had he imagined his kindness would shatter any hope for a future with her. It was supposed to have helped her. Not destroyed them.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be at my desk if you need anything.”
Again Victor didn’t look up from the stack of papers. He feared the truth of his own pain would be easily revealed to anyone who saw him. Janie had stolen his heart and left him hallow all in one night.
The day had gone by in a blink, his focus had been on his job. Somehow, the anger he felt blocked any emotional pain he suffered. But it would surface the moment he stepped away from his work. That’s why he planned to sort through every file Ruth had delivered to him before he even thought of leaving for the day.
“Good night,” Ruth said, peeking into his office.
“Good night.” His tone was gruff, but he couldn’t help it. He wasn’t cheerful and he wasn’t good at pretending he was something he wasn’t.
“Is this about that lovely young woman you were dating…Janie?”
That got his attention. “Good night,” he repeated to Ruth.
“Sir, I’ve been your assistant for nine years. I took this job when you were green and just starting to have a taste of success. Never once in those years have I ever seen you act this way.”
He furrowed his brow.
“I’m sorry if you two are having issues. I can tell you truly care for her.”
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “She’s pissed at me for something that was just a misunderstanding.”
“Have you tried explaining yourself?”
“She was sort of confrontational and deaf to anything I had to say.”
Ruth laughed softly. “You are one of the best legal brains of our time and you can make a witness cry like a baby on the stand. How is it that a sweet, young woman can break you so easily?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
“Maybe you should approach things with Janie the way you approach your work. Have all the evidence in front of you before you make your case.” She turned to leave, but paused a moment. “Also, when speaking to a woman, it’s always good to let them cool down first.”
That was the truth. He folded his arms across his chest and pondered a way to reach her without giving her the option to walk away. She needed to hear him. Needed her to know that he never meant for her to get hurt or upset with him.
Just then, a plan formed.
* * * *
Janie scrubbed the bar, hoping that a new customer would come into Iron Horse to distract her from her misery. Victor was all she could think about.
As usual.
A week had gone by and nothing had eased the ach in her chest. She was still upset, but sadder now than before. At times she caught glimpses of how she might have overacted when she found the check Victor had given to Josh. Then the echoes of insecurities about not being able to provide for her brothers surfaced and the anger only grew. Sometimes she even admitted to herself how jealous she was that she didn’t have the means to open her checkbook the way he had.
“I think you got it,” Jace teased, eyeing the counter where she’d been cleaning. “After twenty minutes if that spots not clean, it never will be.”
Her shoulders slouched forward as she tossed the rag into the sink. “Why are we so slow today? Where’s all the customers? It’s driving me crazy.”
“Are you sure that’s what’s making you crazy?” Layton asked, popping up on the barstool across the bar from Janie. “I haven’t seen you dart out of here to hook up with Mr. Hottie Lawyer lately, so I’m going to assume that your nights are not so hot anymore.”
Jace slanted a hard look at Janie. “Is that true? Did you and lawyer dude break up?”
Janie groaned. “His name is Victor and yes, we’re not together anymore.”
“That sucks,” Layton said. “He was the full package.”
Janie’s eyes rounded as her glare toward her friend intensified. “Thanks for the reminder.”
Layton shrugged. “Sorry, but it’s true. He was attractive, stable, rich, and he seemed head-over-heels about you.”
“What the hell happened?” Jace barked, digging his hands into his hips.
“I figured of all people, you’d be happy about our breakup.”
“Happy? Janie, I was happy seeing you happy.” He scoffed. “Damn, was I right him? I so didn’t want to be right about him.”
Janie felt the surge of emotions she’d been able to mask at work creep into her mind. At night, in the solitude of her bedroom, she released the disappointment of her actions. But how could she ever face him again. She’d acted like an emotional idiot, never allowing him to explain his actions. Her misery was her own fault. She deserved the pain she now felt.
“Victor’s a good guy,” she admitted. “I can’t blame him for everything that happened between us.”
“It sounds like a bunch of emotional shit to me,” Sam said, moving up to stand behind the bar.
Janie’s mouth hung open, surprised at Sam’s choice of words.
“Excuse me?”
“Layton. Jace. Go back to work.” As soon as they were resuming their jobs, Sam faced Janie. “You’ve got to stop beating yourself up.”
“I shouldn’t have gone to his house after I found the check,” she told Sam, her eyes welling with tears. “I should’ve waited until I had a chance to think clearly.”
“And have you had a chance to think clearly?”
The second Victor’s voice poured over her, she whipped around to face him. “Victor? What are you doing here?”
“I called him,” Sam said matter-of-factly. “I was sick of watching you scrub the finish off the bar top and knew you two had to work things out.” She raised her hands to block any potential assault Janie might want to toss in her direction. “Hate me later. Talk to him now.”
Janie swallowed the dryness that filled her mouth. Looking at Victor only made her even sadder. She’d missed him and wanted so badly to rush into his arms. But she couldn’t. Her stubborn, embarrassed side wouldn’t allow it and she didn’t think she ever would again.
* * * *
Victor followed Janie into the stockroom, closing the door behind him. He was tired of waiting for a chance to talk with her and he had rehearsed a dozen times what he needed to say. He would own up to the fact that he should’ve told her about the check he’d given to Josh, but she needed to come clean on her end, too.
“Why is it so hard to let someone help you?” Victor had to know. It was the only thing that was keeping them apart. “Tell me, Janie. Tell me why you’re willing to throw us away over this.”
Janie closed her eyes and he quickly balled his fists at his sides to keep from reaching out to her. The woman was infuriating.
“Do you really think me that shallow of a person to have had the balls to bribe your brother to spend time with you?” He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s the case. I think it’s something else. I think you’re afraid.”
Her gaze whipped to his. “I’m not afraid,” she argued, gritting her teeth.
“Then prove it. Tell my why you can’t forgive me for not realizing how awful my help would’ve been to you. For not knowing that offering your brother a chance to not feel like a burden to you would’ve destroyed any hope we have of a future together.”
She shook her head, her lower lip quivering as her eyes glistened. “You won’t understand.”
“Try me.”
She wiped a stiff hand over her cheek to dry her face of the fallen tears. “This was not supposed to be my life. Taking care of my brothers, sacrificing the dreams I had of a future.” She sniffled. “I was supposed to be successful, get a college degree, and make something of myself.”
He said nothing, but a million questions came to mind. Then he asked, “Tell me about your parents. What happened?”
“I told you. My father got
cancer. He died and mom died soon after. They left me to take care of…”
Janie’s next words were incoherent, but he no longer could avoid holding her. He pulled her to him, rocking her as the emotional floodgate opened and ravaged her. She cried hard, not letting up as he cradled them both to the floor.
He whispered soft words of strength to her, praying she was listening. After what felt like an hour, she finally spoke. “They died. They left me with everything and no means to take care of them or myself. They just died.”
He cupped her face, brushing her damp cheeks with the pad of his thumb. “That’s not true, honey. They gave you unbound strength and courage. You took responsibility for your brother’s so your family could stay together. You found jobs to make ends meet. You’re helping Josh through college. The way I see it they made you into an incredible woman. A woman I’m madly in love with.”
Her eyes widened at his declaration and he prayed it was a good response. A momentary glimpse of uncertainty filled her eyes and he feared he’d shared his emotions too soon. When more tears flooded her eyes, he feared the worst.
“I love you, too,” she muttered, squeezing his hand. “I have for a long time now.”
He wrapped her in his arms, kissing the side of her face. “Then why did you leave me?”
Her words were hardly understandable as she confessed, “I was afraid.”
His heart exploded in his chest as he held her against him. A sense of relief overcoming him. “I know what you mean. I’m scared, too.”
She eased back to look at him. “Why are you scared?”
“There’s a part of my life I’ve never shared with anyone before, but it’s something I want you to know about me.” He held her captive gaze. “I grew up dirt poor. My parents were drug addicts. When I was eight, my mother tried to sell me for sex to get more drugs. But I ran away and found a place of refuge where I could live without the fear of my parents hurting me again. A foster family took me in and I was lucky enough to finish high school. I excelled in school and managed to get grants to pay for college. I never wanted to live with that fear and worthlessness again. So I fought and I conquered. It wasn’t until I met you that I realized I was missing something vital from my life.”
“What was that?”
He kissed her lips gently. “I had no one to share it with. No one to celebrate life’s successes and accomplishments. It wasn’t until you that I figured out how much I craved that.”
“I know how hard it is to claw your way up from nothing. I know what it is to sacrifice. We may not have come from identical backgrounds, but we both know what it is to work hard and desire more. I saw so much of myself in you, Janie. I still do. I offered Josh that money because I saw the regret in his eyes that he couldn’t do more to help you. I felt his pain and I understood it. It wasn’t to hurt you or undermine you. It was only out of love and compassion that I did it.”
She sighed hard, still holding his hand. “I’m sorry I freaked out and overreacted. I feared your gift was given with strings attached.”
He chuckled softly. “But there are strings attached.” Her eyes rounded. “I want you to let me love you and help you in any way I can for as long I can.”
She smiled, tears pooling in her eyes once more. This time they weren’t overrun with sadness, but of joy. “It’ll be hard for me, but I’ll do my best to welcome any and all help you wish to offer me.”
“Good,” he whispered. “Because I plan on spoiling the hell out of you. I don’t care if it’s to buy you a new motorcycle, wardrobe, or to help you finally get your dream of a college education. Whatever you desire, if it’s in my power to see it done, then I will.”
She released a breathy laugh, wiping her face free of her tears. “I honestly don’t know what to say.”
“You’ve said all I needed to hear.” He kissed her again. “You told me you loved me.”
She crushed herself against him. “Oh, do I ever, but you should know I won’t need any money from you.”
His brow furrowed as she eased away from him. “I got a full-time job as an office manager with an advertising agency. I’ll finally be earning a solid income and I’ll have health benefits, too.”
His grin was unavoidable. “I see.”
“My recruiter said that the reference I received from your legal firm helped move me to the front of the list.”
He nodded. “I’m glad to hear it. You were an amazing assistant. I knew you could do it.”
“I interviewed the other day and they loved me.”
“Does that mean you’ll be quitting Iron Horse?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I really like being there. I am going to cut my hour’s way back, but it’s going to be an awesome transition.”
“Well, it looks like we need to go shopping then,” he told her, standing and pulling her up.
“We do?”
“Think of all those new business suits I get to watch you try on.”
She laughed. “Right.”
“Maybe this time you can leave the curtain open just a bit more.”
She pressed to her toes and kissed him. “Better still, maybe you’d like to assist me.”
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her so close there was no way to tell where he began and she ended. As the beats of their hearts matched, he knew they had become one. “Move in with me. Give Josh your apartment.”
She gaped at him. “Are you serious?”
“Face it, Janie, our future together is unavoidable. It’s been that way from the start. I want you with me always and Josh is a young man who needs his space. We can give that to him and ourselves.”
Her moment of hesitation was quickly blinked away. “Okay. I’ll move in with you.”
He smiled, cupping her face. “Good. I’ve already emptied half my closet and added a dresser just for you.”
She gaped at him again. “Are you serious?”
“I told you. I want a future with you. I want a family with you. I want to make love to you every morning and every night. That works better if we share the same bed.”
His smile grew as the warmth of her laughter filled his heart. “You’re everything to me, Janie. I hope you know that.”
She brought his knuckles to her lips and kissed them. “I do.”
Hearing her say those two words got him thinking. As he took her mouth in a pulse-pounding kiss, he knew it was only a matter of time before he asked Janie to marry him. He would love her forever if she let him and he planned to do just that.
THE END
WWW.MORGANFOXAUTHOR.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Morgan Fox currently resides in Texas and has been writing romance for as long as she can remember. As a teenager she wrote dozens of short stories about love, loss, danger, and of course the seductive bad boy.
A graduate from the University of Texas at Dallas, she was raised in Florida but navigated to Texas as quickly as she could. Most days, you can find Morgan on her computer, diving headlong into her fierce imagination, where anything can happen.
When not writing, or thinking about writing, she enjoys cycling with her husband and reading all kinds of romance novels. Finding time for all things she loves can be challenging, but with a supportive husband, all things are possible.
For all titles by Morgan Fox, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/morgan-fox
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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