A Not-So-Perfect Past

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After a second of stunned silence, he asked, “You always believe everything you hear? Because if I did, I’d believe you were emotionally crushed when your ex-husband left you. And that if he ever returned, you’d take him back in a flash.” He waited a beat. “At least that’s what I’ve heard.”

She remembered being the top subject of the rumor mill. But instead of letting her humiliation overcome her, she made a show of looking him up and down. “What are you, a secret member of the Red Hat Society? I thought only old women gossiped.”

His lips twitched. “Maybe you can hold your own after all.”

“I can,” she lied. “But just because you shouldn’t believe everything you hear, doesn’t mean there isn’t some truth in rumors, either.”

She’d rather use margarine and artificial sweetener in her recipes than go back to Trey, but she had been crushed when he’d left her for another woman. Oh, not her heart—that had just been bruised—but her ego. Her pride.

She’d give just about anything to get even a tiny bit of that pride back.

“So. Do you have any other jobs lined up?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“Great. So will—”

“No.”

She shook her head. “What?”

“I won’t work for you.”

“But why not?”

“I’m not going to be here.” The intensity of his gaze pinned her to her spot. “You wanted me gone, remember?”

She opened her mouth. Shut it again. Shoot.

“Thanks for the coffee,” he said. “Good luck finding someone to take the job.”

She leaped forward. “You can stay,” she blurted, clutching his arms, “in the apartment. It’s not like I can afford a tea room now anyway.”

His brown eyes were guarded. “You didn’t evict me because of a tea room.”

“That was nothing personal—”

“Doesn’t matter.” His hands were large, warm and surprisingly gentle as he disentangled himself from her grip. “I’ve come to expect people to treat me a certain way, and so far, they haven’t disappointed me.”

Shocked, she stared at him. Is that what she’d done? All she’d wanted was to get her family and Trey off her back. And yes, maybe to give herself some peace of mind by asking Dillon to leave.

But she hadn’t meant to hurt him.

“Dillon, I’m so sor—”

“Don’t be. You did what you had to do and now I’m doing what I have to do. Find someone else for the job because I’m not interested in saving you.”

HER CHEEKS turned pink. He wondered if Nina’s skin was a soft as it looked. Man, she smelled good.

“But, if you don’t have any other jobs, you could work here,” she insisted. One thing for her: she might be a cupcake, but she was a stubborn cupcake. “I’m sure you’d be done by the end of the month.”

“You’re right,” he acknowledged. “Except I’m leaving after the wedding.”

“You could wait. Aren’t you celebrating Christmas with Kelsey and her family?”

“I hadn’t planned on it.”

“Please,” she said hoarsely. “Please.”

Damn it. He didn’t want to feel bad for her.

“Nina?” A middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and round, wire-rimmed glasses opened the door, holding it wide for Kyle to walk in. The kid’s too-large feet shuffled against the linoleum, his thin frame lost in a pair of baggy jeans and sweatshirt, his left wrist wrapped in a light blue cast.

The man glanced at Dillon before focusing on Nina. “I hope this isn’t a bad time. We’re on our way back from our lawyer’s and Kyle has something he’d like to say to you.”

The kid’s shoulders slumped, his eyes hidden by his shaggy, brown hair. The man—Dillon assumed he was the kid’s foster father—cleared his throat.

Kyle lifted his head and shook his hair back giving them all a glimpse of the nasty purple bruise on his forehead. But he still didn’t meet Nina’s eyes. “I’m sorry for the accident. For the trouble.”

Nina’s lips tightened. She opened her mouth, then shut it, her face flushed, her eyes flashing. Dillon’s lips twitched and he ducked his head as he waited to see what she’d do next.

She inhaled and her expression cleared. Dillon suspected he was the only one who realized her smile was completely fake.

And the way she kept hiding her true feelings from everyone was really starting to bug him.

“Accidents happen,” she said in a high, chipper voice. “I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”

“Nina,” the other man said, “can I talk to you? In private?”

“Of course. Come on in the kitchen.”

“I’ll be right back,” the guy told Kyle who just shrugged.

Dillon needed to leave, too. But instead of heading out, he heard himself say, “That was a piss-poor excuse for an apology.”

The kid snorted and rolled his eyes. “Her insurance will cover the damages.”

“Heard you might get sent away for this.”

“Listen, just because you helped me last night doesn’t make you my savior.”

“True.” He wasn’t anybody’s savior. Not anymore. Dillon started to leave before turning back. “You been to juvie before?”

“Not yet.” Kyle smirked. “You can fill me in since you know all about being sent away.”

Dillon fought to keep his expression neutral, to not grab the kid and try to scare some sense into him by telling him exactly what it was like to be put away. If he got sent away, he’d learn soon enough how things worked behind bars. He’d experience it all first hand.

The kid’s smart-ass attitude wouldn’t help him then.

“Besides, maybe Joe can talk the bakery lady into helping us out,” Kyle said.

Hope. The one thing Dillon had numbed himself against while in prison. The first thing he’d lost when he’d been locked up. The one thing he’d never gotten back.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t introduce myself before,” the man said as he reentered the room and held a hand out to Dillon. “I’m Joe Roberts.”

“Dillon Ward.”

“I know. Nina told me. Thank you for your help last night.”

“All I did was get the kid out of the car,” he said uncomfortably. “The EMTs bandaged him up.”

“Still, my wife and I appreciate it.” He crossed to Kyle and laid a hand on the kid’s shoulder. “We’d better get going. We’re supposed to pick up dinner. Thanks again.”

After they left, Dillon stared blindly at the door. Kyle reminded him of Kelsey as a kid. She’d always been reaching out for something. And while he’d believed he’d been protecting her, he hadn’t really. He’d told her to smarten up but hadn’t done enough, hadn’t made those big gestures that show people what they mean to you. Show them the difference between right and wrong. He should’ve taken Kelsey away as soon as possible, gotten guardianship or something. Instead he’d just hoped she’d listen to him and not cause problems. And that their stepfather, Glenn, wouldn’t hurt her.

Look how well that had turned out.

Why hadn’t Nina returned from the kitchen? Obviously she didn’t want to see him again. He crossed the room but couldn’t force himself to walk out.

He lowered his head. Why did he have the feeling he was about to make a really big mistake?

But what the hell? It wouldn’t be the first time.

Chapter Four

DILLON WALKED into the kitchen and stopped short when he noticed Nina at the small table.

Damn.

He stared down at the top of her bent head. Her shoulders shook and she was making these soft, hiccupping sounds—as if her entire world was crumbling.

He rubbed a hand over his face. Tears. God, he could handle just about anything. Imprisonment. Having the living hell beat out of him by three other prisoners. The days he’d spent in solitary confinement because he’d had to…protect himself.

But not a woman’s tears.

Indecision made him edgy. Should he put his hand on her shoulder? Murmur useless platitudes about how everything would be fine?

At a loss and way out of his element—not to mention his comfort zone—he scowled. “You going to swallow those tears back?” Startled, Nina lifted her head, her cheeks wet, her lips parted. “I never would’ve taken you for one of those women,” he added gruffly.

She sniffed and wiped her cheeks. “One of those women?” she asked, her tone surprisingly frigid for someone who’d just been bawling her eyes out. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“One of those women who cries when things don’t go their way, instead of standing up for themselves. Who whine and complain but never do anything to change their circumstances.”

Women like his mother.

“If I want to cry because my business, my finances and any chance I have at giving my children a decent life are all in danger, then I’ll damn well cry,” she told him as she stood. With her hands on the table, she leaned forward. “And if you can’t suck it up and take a few tears, then leave.”

Huh. Maybe Nina wasn’t like his mother after all. Leigh never stood up to any of the many guys who used her and she sure as hell didn’t stand up to Glenn or try to leave him. No matter how badly he hurt her or her kids.

“That Joe guy say something to you to set you off?” he asked.

“Of course not. He just wanted to let me know that Kyle’s not really a bad kid.” The disbelief in her tone made it all too clear how she felt about that. “The court-appointed psychologist thinks Kyle was testing his foster parents. Seeing if he could push them away before he got too close to them.”

Smart kid.

“You think that’s what happened?” he asked.

She straightened, her hands fisted at her sides. “You know what? I don’t give a rip about what Kyle was doing when he crashed that SUV. My life is in the toilet, but I’m the one feeling guilty. Like I should be more understanding. More forgiving.” Her voice broke and she turned her back to him.

Dillon ordered his feet to move. But knew he couldn’t walk away. “When do you want me to start?”

She faced him again. Wiped the back of her hand under her pink-tipped nose. “Start what?”

“The job. Tomorrow soon enough?”

“I thought you weren’t interested in saving me.” Her venomous tone made him want to smile. “What changed your mind?”

“A couple of things.” He shrugged. “I figured I might as well make some money before I move. And my working here will piss off all the people who wanted me out in the first place.” He paused. “All the people you listen to.”

Her pretty mouth popped open. “So this is revenge?”

He couldn’t tell if the idea appalled her. Or thrilled her. “Does it matter?”

“I…” She shook her head and rubbed her temples. “You know, at this point, I’m not even sure.”

He grinned. He couldn’t help it. She was just too damn cute with her nose wrinkled in disgust.

Thank God he didn’t find cute appealing.

“You might want to decide,” he said. “The offer’s not going to be on the table forever. But before you make up your mind, you should know I do have one condition.”

“Virgin sacrifices every morning?” she mumbled.

He froze, unsure if he heard her right. Then he allowed his gaze to roam over her lush curves.

Color flooded her cheeks. “What’s the condition?”

“I want Kyle to work with me.”

She blinked. “What?”

“I want him to work with me so he can show he’s taking responsibility for what happened and wants to make amends.”

“No,” she said, stepping around the table in front of him. “No way.”