Faith (Stregth Series Book 2)

by T. L. Nicholas

  I force myself to remove my coat and just as I hang it on the back of my chair the waitress comes over to take our order. She’s a petite brunette, with hazel eyes and what I believe most men refer to as ‘curves in all the right places’. I’d guess she’s in her mid-twenties. She stands very close to Jace, and asks me what she can get me. I have no idea what I want, I can’t remember anything on the menu, and I start to panic.

  “I think we’re going to need a few minutes,” he says to her, drawing her attention away from me. I know it’s polite to ask the woman what she wants first, but I get the feeling she’s doing it because of him. I give him a grateful smile as she walks away.

  “Try to relax, Sweetheart, and decide what you want, then we’ll talk.”

  I study the menu, deciding on a ham and cheese omelet, home fries, and Italian toast. I tell him what I want, to try to help myself remember and calm the panic, just before she returns. She asks what she can get me, and I stare at the menu, trying to force myself to say words. I look up at her and see people at three other tables behind her, gesturing in our direction. I feel like I’m under a microscope.

  “We thought we’d make it easy on you,” he says, and she turns to him. “We’ll each have a ham and cheese omelet, home fries, and Italian toast, please.” He turns his attention to me and winks, saying, “What you picked sounds so good, I thought I’d have it too.”

  He’s so charming, his smile so infectious I forget she’s there until she says, “You’re going to have to tell me your secret, he hasn’t changed his breakfast order in two years. You must be very persuasive.”

  The way she says the word “persuasive” makes it clear that she means in bed, and I think my face is going to be beet red for eternity.

  “She’s beautiful and has excellent taste. I couldn’t ask for more. I trust her judgement,” he says and the waitress looks like she’s been slapped. Now she’s the one who can’t find her voice. She murmurs something about putting the order in and walks away.

  I’m more than a little mortified.

  “I’m sorry about that.” He says. “I didn’t think anyone would be that rude. I come here all the time.”

  “So… this is the diner that you …er… romp in?” I ask.

  He turns his eyes to the table and sighs, “Yeah. I guess I didn’t think this through very well. I’m sorry. We can go if you want. I didn’t mean to put you in a situation like this.” –he shoves his hand through his hair, frustrated— “I’m so sorry, Tiny.”

  I see our waitress at another table where a beautiful dark-haired woman is sitting, and they’re both staring at us openly, clearly gossiping. “You said you’ve never led anyone on.” I say.

  “I haven’t. I’ve always made sure they know I’m not looking for anything. Unfortunately, I see now that it doesn’t keep them from getting their hopes up, does it?” he says. Then he continues, eyes wide, “That sounds like I need another table just for my ego. I don’t mean it that way, I just… she seems jealous, but maybe I’m wrong and she’s just surprised— “

  “Jace, shut up,” I snap. It’s harsher than I intended and he stops talking immediately, staring at me wide-eyed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you, but I believe you. You don’t have to explain. From a purely objective point of view, you’re a catch by anyone’s standards. You own a business— “

  “Co-own, it’s not just mine,” he breaks in.

  “Okay, co-own a business. You’re successful, you’re kind and sweet. You’re a little bit of a loner, and just the fact that you ‘don’t do the girlfriend thing’ makes women want to be the one that gets you to do the girlfriend thing. Add to that you’re six foot whatever you are— “

  “Four. I’m six-foot-four.”

  I roll my eyes and he grins, making butterflies take flight in my stomach. “Fine, you’re six-foot-four, have the body of a model, only better because you’re earning it with physical labor instead of spending six hours a day in the gym, topped off with paralyzingly blue eyes and a smile that could melt the world. The callouses on your hands make a woman think about you working with your hands, and then they wonder how well you could use your hands on them. Since you have such a widespread reputation for doing just that, they know damn well how good you are with your hands. In retrospect, nothing about this situation is surprising.”

  He’s grinning like a fool and it dawns on me that I just said all of that out loud, to him. You’re an idiot, Bayleigh.

  “From a ‘purely objective point of view’, huh?” he asks.

  “Yes. Facts are facts,” I reply, valiantly resisting the urge to climb under the table.

  “When she comes back, remind me to ask her for another table or two to hold my now massive ego. I’m having a hard time containing it,” he says, failing to hold his laughter in.

  “Shut up,” I say, rolling my eyes again. Nice comeback, idiot. I laugh with him, unable to help myself.

  The waitress brings our food, rubbing up against him brazenly as she sets his plate down, and asking if he needs anything else. The way she says it suggests that he could probably bend her over this table in front of everyone if he wanted to. He doesn’t even glance at her and looks only at me as he answers, “No, thank you. I have everything I need already, right here.”

  I know that he’s just playing the game, getting her back for being rude to me, but the way he says it, like I’m the only person in his world, makes me wish that it was real. She looks as insulted as I’m sure she feels, and I almost feel bad for her. Almost.

  We’re halfway through our meal when I realize he’s picking through his omelet, little pieces of ham piled up on the edge of the plate. I think it’s delicious, even if it’s a bit too crowded, and the service too slutty for my taste.

  “Why aren’t you eating the ham?” I ask.

  He looks at me for a long moment, as though deciding what answer to give, and I raise my eyebrows impatiently.

  “Ummm… because I don’t like ham.”

  “Then why on earth did you order it?” I ask, laughing.

  “I promised I’d always tell you the truth, but don’t get upset, okay?” he asks.

  “Why would I get upset about ham?” I ask, and then I know why.

  He puts his hand up to stop me before I can speak, “It’s not a big deal, Tiny. You were nervous and freaking out and I didn’t want you to be any more uncomfortable than you already were. It was the only way I could think of to fix it without looking like I was treating you like a child and ordering for you. It’s not a big deal.”

  I decide not to dwell on it, and nod. His explanation makes sense, and is so sweet, I don’t want to ruin it by pointing out that the ruse will be ruined when she sees all the ham piled on his plate. Who cares what she thinks of my apparent failure in judgement?

  My thoughts turn to him paying my bills, but before I can mention it he says, “I believe I owe you a conversation about your bills.” I’m beginning to think he really can read my mind.

  “Yes. I just don’t understand why Chance would push me to let him handle it when he can’t afford it. I feel like I’ve taken advantage, and I don’t know how to fix it.”

  “He did it because I asked him too,” he says simply.

  “Why would you do that?”

  He takes a bite of home fries and I’m reminded of a commercial for a candy bar where they take a bite whenever they’re asked a question they don’t want to answer. I wait him out.

  “When you arrived, you were so sick. You were so weak, I had to almost carry you everywhere you went. When you finally collapsed and we had to take you to the hospital, I rode in the ambulance with you, and I stayed with you as much as they let me.”

  “I don’t remember any of that, I thought Alex did all that. Thank you.” I say.

  “I know you don’t remember, and don’t thank me. I told myself I was doing it for them. Alex was still healing, even though she insisted she was fine, and Chance had Alex and Cadan to worry about. They bot
h wanted to be there, but they were so torn. Mom and Dad had to go back to TN and I promised them all I would take care of you.”

  “I’m sorry, Jace. I didn’t mean to turn anyone’s life upside down — “

  “It’s your turn to shut up, Tiny,” he says, smiling so I know he’s not trying to hurt my feelings. I nod. “So, I promised them I would take care of you. Chance and Alex were there when they came in and asked us about your medical bills. Alex wanted to handle it, but Chance pulled me out to the hallway. He was so upset. He didn’t want to have to tell Alex how much her medical bills had been. He was already pretty low on funds from her and Cadan before she was abducted, and she has insurance, but the bills were so high. There was a lot that had to be paid out of pocket. Alex wanted to pay your bills herself, but Chance and I both knew she had no idea what she was looking at, and she would feel terrible when she realized she couldn’t afford it. Chance couldn’t make up the difference, but he would have if he could. In a heartbeat.”

  “We own a business, and yes, the rumors are true, we are trust fund babies, but we only get so much every few years. I’m older than him, and I got another installment a few months ago, but he won’t get another one for almost two years. Also, there’s the fact that my lifestyle is very different than his. He likes toys, nice things, and eating out. Now he has a family, a beautiful family, and I’ve never seen him so happy, but it costs money to have a family. I don’t have a family, and I do like nice things, but don’t need much more than my house and my truck. I save a lot.”

  “I still don’t understand why you wouldn’t just let it go to collections, I didn’t need you to save me,” I say. I realize how that sounded, and backpedal, “I am grateful, of course, but I don’t know why you would do that. You didn’t even know me.”

  “I knew that you were very sick, and I had seen the scars one time when they came in to change the bed” —I can’t stop the horror from showing on my face— “You were sedated at the time, and the nurse was a new one to you. She assumed that I was your husband, and whipped your covers off before I realized what she was doing. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy, and I left right away, but I couldn’t stop seeing them. I knew someone hurt you – far worse than anyone could ever deserve. And I had always known how much Alex loves you, and that you had tried to help her. I consider Alex to be my sister, so if she wants to protect you, I want to protect you.”

  I’m afraid to eat any more, I know I’ll choke on it.

  “The scars did change things though. I saw them, and it twisted my heart. It was the same feeling I had when they told us Alex couldn’t have survived while I was holding her baby in my arms.” His eyes tear up just saying the words. He clears his throat twice before he can continue. “I promised you that I wouldn’t let anything else bad happen to you.”

  “No, you didn’t. I think I’d remember that.”

  “I don’t think someone can remember something they never heard. You were still sedated when I told you. You were so tiny, so thin and pale, and the hospital bed made the contrast almost unbearable. I couldn’t wrap my mind around someone who could be so small, be hurt so much, and still have the will to fight.”

  The waitress returns to the table and says it looks like we’ve enjoyed our meal, pointing out our empty plates, and I’m surprised to see the ham is gone. He tells her it was delicious, and asks for the check. She slaps it on the table and walks away in a huff. He grins, amused by her reaction.

  “We should probably get out of here before she slashes my tires,” he jokes. “We can finish this on the way home.”

  I stand next to him while he pays the bill, feeling everyone’s eyes on me. When I glance around to reassure myself that it’s all in my head, I see that it isn’t. Almost everyone in the place is staring. The dark-haired woman from the other table walks toward us carrying her check. Jace finishes paying and turns to leave, running right into her. He grabs her arms reflexively to steady her, not suspecting at all that she had seen him turning and stepped into him.

  “Sorry,” she purrs. “I have a few minutes to spare if you want to catch up?”

  I roll my eyes. Good lord, what is wrong with these women. I know, first hand, that being with him is… rewarding, but never in a million years would I throw myself at any man like that. Especially in public.

  “No, I don’t think there’s anything to catch up on,” he says, somehow managing to make the rebuttal less harsh than it is. He turns away from her, throwing his arm around my shoulders. “Come on, Sweetheart,” he says.

  We walk out the door and I laugh. “What?” he asks.

  “You’re going to get me killed. Those women are plotting my death as we speak!”

  “Nah, they finished the plotting part about twenty minutes after we walked in,” he says. The horror I feel must show on my face. “I’m just kidding. They’re mad, yes, but you’re safe. I promise. I told you I won’t let anything bad happen to you, and I won’t.”

  He’s so sincere, I instantly feel better.

  We get back in his truck, and pull out of the parking lot. “So, where were we? Oh yeah, I remember. I told you I’d never let anyone hurt you again, and I meant it. When Chance told me about his financial issues, I volunteered to pay them. I volunteered to pay all of your expenses. He told me not to, that he’d tell Alex, and they’d figure it out. I walked right up to the desk and told them that all of your bills should be sent to me. He freaked out a little bit, and I told him I wanted to do it. He didn’t understand, I would never tell him about the scars, but he knew I was going to do it either way.”

  “He asked me how I thought you would handle some random guy you know nothing about paying your bills, and he said that, knowing Alex, he was worried that you would feel like you owed me something. He had a point, so we agreed that they would tell you they were doing it and if you ever wanted to pay him back for any of it, he would give it to me.”

  “So, you lied to me?” I ask

  “Nope. I have never lied to you. Chance is the only one who has ever talked to you about your bills until this morning, as far as I know. When you asked me, I told you the truth.”

  “That’s an awfully thin line you’re sitting on, Jace.”

  He glances at me, concerned. “You’re right, and I’m sorry. I did it for you, but that’s no excuse. I am truly sorry.”

  I laugh. “Well, on the bright side I can stop feeling so obligated to drink those little bottles of orange juice he gets me every week. I know the doctor said they’re the best thing for me, but I hate orange juice. I almost have to hold my nose to stomach them!”

  “Umm… I buy those too. And your vitamins, and I pick up your prescriptions. I’ll stop buying the orange juices, though. What would you rather have? Name it.”

  I cover my face with my hands, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I’m not ungrateful. I swear I’m not. I’ll drink the orange juices. They’re not that bad.”

  He reaches over and grabs my left hand, pulling it off my face and onto the console where he laces his fingers with mine. He squeezes it gently, “Bayleigh? I thought we agreed to no lies. You just said you can barely stomach them. I’ll get you something else. We have to go pick up your new prescription anyway.”

  “I forgot about that. I’m sure I’ll be fine without it. I already told you everything, and I feel better today,” trying to sound optimistic.

  He glances over at me again, as I try not to notice that he’s still holding my hand. It feels so nice and I remind myself that he’s just being supportive.

  “You haven’t told me everything, but you don’t have to. I know being in public gives you anxiety, and I completely understand, but maybe it will help? It really is up to you though.”

  “I forgot to ask at the diner, when did you figure that out?” I ask.

  “A long time ago. That’s why I told Alex to lay off about you taking her job at the shop, of course, she didn’t, so it didn’t do a lot of good, but I tried. I know it’s not because you don’t
want to work, it’s because you panic when you think about doing it. Just like you panicked when you woke up at the hospital. I told you, I pay attention, Sweetheart.” He smiles and my stomach lurches.

  No, no, no. NO, Bayleigh! We’re friends, we’re friends, we’re friends. Maybe if I tell myself enough, I can stop this.

  “I was looking for a job though. I was terrified, but I really was trying. I wasn’t lying about the applications.”

  “I know. You put me as a reference, remember? I told them all that I had hired you, and you weren’t looking anymore.” He winces as he says it, knowing how wrong that is. The fact that he so obviously feels bad makes me less angry.

  “Why would you do that?”

  “Because even with just me, Alex, and Chance in the room I could see you start to panic. More than one nurse in the room and you’d start to hyperventilate. You needed time, so I tried to give it to you. I realize that wasn’t the best way to go about it, and I’m sorry.”

  “Wait, why did you offer me a job at the shop?”

  “I didn’t. Chance and Alex did. I figured if you did accept it, I could try to keep things quiet for you, and if you didn’t I wouldn’t have to worry about it.”

  “So, you told Alex I was having panic attacks? To try to get her to lay off about the job?”

  “No. I told her we were laying off soon, the shop would be closed, and that there wasn’t any reason for you to worry about it.”

  “Okay.” What else can I say? His intentions were noble even if his methods weren’t.

  We pull into the pharmacy parking lot and he has to drive around it three times to find a parking spot. In the window, I see a sign advertising flu shots for today and feel like my throat is closing.

  He turns the truck off, takes his seatbelt off, and gets out. I’m trying to make myself follow him when he opens my door from the outside. “Do you want to stay out here?” he asks.

  I really do. I really, really, really do. “No, I can do it,” I say instead.