“What's that?” Becca threw over her shoulder as she bent to retrieve the big popcorn bowl from a lower cabinet.
Ethan looked away, trying to ignore the way the movement molded her shorts to her cute little rear. “Since you started volunteering at the shelter again, you seem more alive than I've seen you in over a year. I'm wondering if you've considered going back to your veterinary studies in the fall.”
Becca wrapped the huge bowl in her arms and leaned back against the counter, sighing heavily. “I want to, but I don't even know if could get in again. You know what happened last year. I was all set to accept my admission to vet school and move to Colorado. A month later, I did a one-eighty and turned my back on all of it. I don't know if the school board will look very kindly on that. Not to mention you and Edna are all I have right now. I don't think I could handle being that far away from you two.”
“You know, you wouldn't have to move away. There's a new vet school opening right here in the Valley. I even know someone on the school board and could put in a good word for you. Why don't you apply there?”
Becca shook her head. “I don't know, Ethan. It's not that I don't appreciate your offer, but I'd rather get in on my own merits if I can. Besides, I really can't afford it. I maxed out three credit cards to pay the medical bills my mom's insurance didn't cover. Right now, I'm working full-time and taking overtime whenever I can get it, and I can still only manage a little more than the minimum payments. With interest rates as exorbitant as they are, I'm already feeling like I'll never get them paid off. If I went back to vet school, I'd have to cut my hours at work way back.” She turned to sit the bowl on the counter and opened another cupboard for a packet of popcorn. “On part-time wages, I'd be lucky to manage rent, utilities, and groceries.”
“You know there's an easy solution to all that.”
“Oh, really?”
“Let me help you.”
Still facing away from him, Becca's shoulders sagged. “That's really sweet of you, Ethan, but I refuse to take advantage of the fact that I have a rich friend.”
“You wouldn't be taking advantage,” he insisted. “I'm offering. This is your dream we're talking about, Becca. I want to help you achieve it.”
“I know.” She turned around and raised her chin up a notch. “And I will. It might take me a little longer to get there by doing it my way, but I'll figure out something. Please understand, it's really important for me to do this on my own.”
“But why should you have to when you have someone who's willing to help?”
“Look, I appreciate the offer, but I've always tried to live my life by my mom's example. She raised me all on her own with no help from anybody. If she could do it, so can I.”
“But, Becca–”
She held up a hand to stop his protest. “No!”
Ethan sighed and rolled his eyes at her. “You're being stubborn.”
She shrugged. “Maybe...” A hint of a smile curved her sensuous lips as she slid the packet of popcorn into the microwave.
“Fine, I'll let it go...for now,” he finished emphatically.
He picked up the glasses and carried them to the living room. On the way there, he passed by Becca's desk, where he spotted a stack of bills.
A plan instantly began forming in his mind. After placing the sodas on the coffee table, he returned to the desk and quickly flipped through the pile, looking for credit-card bills. When he finally found what he was looking for, he grabbed a notepad and pen and rapidly wrote down the names and account numbers of the creditors. Upon finishing the task, Ethan put everything back in its place, tore off the sheet of notepaper, and stuffed it in his jeans pocket just as Becca emerged from the kitchen carrying bowls of buttery popcorn and pretzels.
“Here, let me help you with those.”
As he took the bowls from her, he gave her his most innocent smile, but inside, he was unrepentantly scheming. He'd be damned before he'd allow Becca to give up on her dream when there was something he could do about it.
* * * * *
A week and a half later, Becca sat at a corner table for two in a little bistro on the ground floor of Ethan's office building. It had become the usual meeting place for their Tuesday lunch dates. A glance at her reflection in the window revealed an unhappy expression on her face. It was the result of having a bone to pick with her best friend.
She didn't have to wait long before the man in question appeared at the door of the restaurant. Ethan gave her a little wave before making his way through a small crowd of people waiting to order at the counter. He looked incredibly handsome in his dark-gray pinstripe suit, crisp white shirt, and a blue silk tie imprinted with tiny geckos. The sight of him softened her anger and made her pulse flutter.
Becca couldn't deny that her heart did a little flip-flop every time she saw Ethan. She always missed him terribly when they were apart and excitedly anticipated their standing get-togethers. Ever since that horrible night when Ethan had cared for her so tenderly, Becca knew she was falling in love with him.
But after what happened with Jay, she didn't quite trust her own judgment where men were concerned. It wasn't that she thought Ethan was anything like Jay. When compared, the two men weren't even in the same universe. It was more about her not wanting to jump headfirst into another relationship until she had some time to heal.
Ethan seated himself across the table and spread a napkin over his lap. “Thanks for ordering for us. It saves me a lot of time, and it will allow me to spend more time with you before that meeting I have to go to in an hour.” He pointed to the sandwiches and fruit salads that were already on the table. “The food looks delicious.”
Becca gave him a small smile before answering. “You're welcome.”
Ethan took a bite of his sandwich, while Becca glanced out the window again at the pedestrians milling about on the sidewalk.
“Is something wrong, Becca?” Ethan's voice startled her gaze back to him. He wore a look of concern on his face. “You're awfully quiet, and you're not eating anything.”
She took a deep breath. “Something very odd happened yesterday.”
His full attention was on her. “Oh? What's that?” he asked politely.
“I went online to make payments on my credit cards, only to discover that all three had zero balances.”
“Really?”
She could tell he was trying to look surprised, but in her estimation, it wasn't working.
“Yeah. When I called customer service, they said it had been paid by a mysterious anonymous donor. All three of them gave me the same story.”
“Well, that's a good thing. Isn't it? I mean, now that you don't have to worry about those extra bills, you can finally get back to school and follow your passion.”
Becca's brows drew down into a frown. “Don't you think it's a little strange that a mere week after we had a conversation about this very topic, those bills magically disappeared?”
Ethan cleared his throat and took a sip of his drink. “Maybe it's just a weird coincidence. These kind of things happen, you know.”
Becca gave him a gimlet stare. “Cut the crap, Ethan. We both know you're the one who did it.”
Ethan sighed deeply and took a larger gulp before answering. “So what if I did?”
Becca thought she detected a note of hurt in his voice that immediately made her soften.
“Look, it's not that I don't appreciate the gesture. Truth be told, it's kind of sweet.” She gave him a slight smile before sobering again. “What bothers me is that you went behind my back after I told you how important it was to me to do this on my own.”
Ethan shook his head. “I know you might be upset with me, but if you want an apology, you're not going to get one. I was only trying to look out for you, and I'll never be sorry about helping you achieve your dream. I stand by what I said the other night. You're being stubborn. Why wait, when you can do it now?”
Becca could tell she wasn't going to win this fight, and in all h
onesty, she wasn't that upset with him. “Fine, I see your point. It is nice not having to worry if I'll have enough money to pay everything each month. But I still insist on paying you back.”
“Becca, you don't owe me anything.”
“I always pay my debts, and I won't take no for an answer.”
Ethan gave her an exasperated look and threw his hands up in defeat. “Do whatever you think is right, Becca, but know that in my mind, there is no debt.”
“Noted,” she answered with a curt nod of her head.
“So now that that's settled, can we enjoy our meal, or is there something else you want to argue with me about?”
Even though he sounded disgruntled, she could tell he was joking.
“Nope, I'm good.”
She grinned at him. He shook his head in return, telling her without words how vexing she'd been, but at the same time his own lips curved into a hint of a smile.
“So now are you going to apply to that vet school like I suggested?” he asked before taking another bite of his sandwich.
Becca chewed a juicy strawberry before answering. “I don't know. I'm still not sure if I can afford it. Like I told you before, it'll be really tough trying to support myself on a part-time income, and there are no traditional scholarships. For the full four years, I'd be racking up close to ten times the amount of debt you just paid off.”
A look of pure frustration clouded Ethan's face. “Becca, I really wish you would let me help you. I could pay for your education and support you so you wouldn't even have to work.”
“Stop right there, Ethan! Just stop.” When the people at the tables near them looked her way, Becca added more softly, “You've already done more than enough.”
“But, Becca–”
“No!”
Ethan sighed. “I don't understand why you won't let me do this for you.”
Becca hung her head. The most amazing man she'd ever know was sitting in front of her, offering her the moon. She knew she should be grateful, but damn it, her pride was all she had left. “I know you mean well, but I already told you this is something I need to do on my own.”
“Fine.” The sad, defeated look Ethan gave her nearly made her waver in her decision not to accept his help. “But will you at least look into applying to the school? You never know. Maybe with them being a new school and all, they might be able to offer some kind of financial assistance you haven't heard of before.”
She nodded. “I guess it can't hurt to ask.”
Ethan reached across the table and took her hand in his. Even though they'd been arguing, his touch sent a tingle up her arm that suffused her entire body. “I may not agree with your methods, but I want you to know I'll stand by you. I'm proud of you for doing this, Becca. I know your mom would be too. It was what she always wanted for you.”
Becca grasped his hand tighter as her eyes misted. “I know. I promised her I would finish my degree.” With a rueful smile, she added, “Thanks for giving me the push I needed to try again.”
“No thanks necessary. I made a promise to you too, and I'm just trying to keep it.”
* * * * *
Two hours later, Ethan sat at his desk in his twentieth-story high-rise office. He gazed out the window at the other tall buildings nearby and the vivid blue canvas of the sky, dotted with a smattering of puffy white clouds.
Why was Becca being so damn stubborn about allowing him to help her? He may have talked her into applying to vet school again, but at what cost? He simply couldn't bear the thought of her working herself into exhaustion or going hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt when he had more than enough money to cover it all.
Ah, Becca! His mind conjured a picture of her beautiful face, her sparkling blue eyes, high cheekbones, pert little nose, and full lips, all framed with those luscious honeyed locks. God, how he wanted to bury his hands in that thick, wavy hair and draw her mouth to his for a kiss. It would start out tender and gentle, gradually growing more passionate until their tongues tangled in wild abandon.
Aargh! Ethan shook his head in frustration, trying to clear the sensuous image from his head. It wasn't soon enough to prevent his half-hard manhood from pressing uncomfortably against his zipper. After readjusting himself, he propped his elbows on the desk and ran his fingers impatiently through his hair, willing his body back into submission.
Maybe Todd was right about it being too long since he'd been with a woman. But the only woman he wanted was Becca, and it was still too soon. Maybe after the whole Jay debacle was resolved and she didn't have that memory hanging over her head, he'd try easing into a romantic relationship with her. For now, he needed to keep his body under control and his mind on other things. It wasn't easy.
Ethan's thoughts traveled back to the problem that had started his current line of thinking. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't come up with a rational explanation for why Becca was refusing his help, except that she was being obstinate and prideful. Based on her reaction to him paying off her credit cards, he knew she wouldn't be happy with him if he tried anything else. But damn it! He refused to idly sit by and watch the woman he loved struggle when he could prevent it. He would gladly risk her wrath, taking comfort in the knowledge that he was providing for her well-being.
With that decision made, he picked up the phone and dialed his friend, Mac, from the vet school board. Mere minutes after Mac's secretary put him on hold, the man himself came on the line. Ethan greeted him warmly and pleasantly conversed with his friend for the next half hour, outlining his plan to sponsor one student each year, someone who was facing difficult circumstances or who had a pressing financial need. He would foot the entire bill for their four-year education, including textbooks.
Of course, the only catch was that he already had a student in mind for the first year, which was why he offered a generous donation to the school itself as well. Not surprisingly, Mac was more than happy to oblige.
When their conversation ended, Ethan leaned back in his chair, relieved that Becca wouldn't have the worry of massive debt hanging over her head for years to come. If only he could convince her to let him help with her monthly living expenses, everything would be perfect. It was unfortunate that he couldn't pay those bills without her finding out, but he'd definitely be looking for any way he could possibly assist her without drawing her ire.
* * * * *
After her lunch with Ethan, Becca went straight to the vet school to apply before she lost her nerve. The admissions counselor walked Becca through all the paperwork and promised to help her find every possible financial-aid opportunity available if she was accepted. The woman was very understanding of the plight that had caused Becca to turn down her acceptance to the other vet school the previous year and said she would do everything she could to get Becca's application fast-tracked. Unfortunately though, there were no guarantees, as the class was filling up quickly. Becca returned home with a sense of satisfaction for having taken the first step but worried about what might happen if she were to be accepted.
* * * * *
Three weeks later, Ethan arrived at Becca's apartment for their Friday movie “date.” She met him at the door wearing a huge smile.
“What has you in such a good mood?” he asked as he followed her inside and closed the door.
She all but skipped to her desk, where she snatched up a folded letter. She returned to him, still beaming and bouncing on her toes. She opened the letter and turned it to face him. “I got in!” She was practically squealing in delight.
He returned her smile. “Oh, Becca, that's wonderful! I knew you could do it!” He grabbed her around the waist, lifted her up and spun her around while she giggled uncontrollably. “Congratulations!”
When he placed her feet back on the floor, she leaned back in his embrace to look up at him. “And that's not even the best part.”
“What could possibly be better than you being accepted to vet school?”
“Remember how you said that, with them bei
ng a new school, they might have new financial aid programs?”
“Yeah,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Well, they have this wealthy donor who wants to sponsor a new student every year for their full tuition.” Her eyes became bright with unshed tears. “And they picked me.”
He'd known what she was going to say, but that didn't lessen the impact. The pure joy on her face nearly moved him to tears himself.
He wrapped her tightly in his arms again. “Becca, that's amazing. I'm so happy for you.”
Suddenly, Becca's mood clouded, and she pulled away from him. “You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?”
Her question surprised him, although it shouldn't have. Becca was a very intelligent woman. He should have known she'd start putting the pieces together.
But she simply couldn't find out the truth. Not when she was so close to finally realizing her dream. He tried to school his features into impassivity, but he couldn't stop himself from frowning a little when he answered. “Why would you think that?”
She laughed mirthlessly. “Because I know you. Because it would be just like you to do something like this. Because you did something like this barely a month ago.”
Becca was obviously miffed. Ethan hated lying to her, but it was for her own good. Thinking of how she would sabotage herself if she knew what he'd done made it easy to muster enough anger to seem believable. “Yeah, and we already talked about that. You made it very clear how you felt, and I respect your feelings even if I don't agree with them. I would never do anything to hurt you, Becca.”
At least he wasn't telling a complete falsehood. Every word he'd spoken was true.
Even though he hadn't answered her question directly, she visibly relaxed. “I know you wouldn't, Ethan. I trust you.” She smiled and gave him another hug.
As he held her in his arms, relief washed over him. Thank God she hadn't questioned him further. If she had any lingering doubts, she was keeping them to herself. He'd been so sure he was doing the right thing. If that was the case, why did he feel so damn guilty about it?
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