“First of all, thank you so much for coming, for protecting us.” She bit at her lip to keep from getting emotional. She was very grateful, no matter his reasons for coming. “I can’t imagine … Ridge and I would’ve been burned alive.”
He visibly shuddered and reached out and drew her against his chest. Breeze let him hold her and couldn’t resist snaking her arms around his back and laying her head against his chest. It felt comfortable and invigorating.
“It’s okay,” he murmured, his lips brushing across her forehead. “I’m here, Breeze. Nobody is going to hurt you.”
She swallowed hard and pulled away from him. “That’s the other thing. I really appreciate your help, but I don’t need you to be here for me.”
“Excuse me?” His brow squiggled and his bright blue eyes darkened with a turbulent look. “Why not?”
She folded her arms across her chest and stepped further back from him. “Look, it might be hard for someone like you to understand, but even though we’re dirt poor and live in a redneck trailer house that obviously meant nothing to Caleb—”
Seth tried to protest but she continued.
“He blew up my home, Seth. I know it probably seemed like a pile of junk held together with duct tape to him, but …”
“Breeze, stop. That wasn’t why he did it. It was for the distraction. Your home was going to go up in flames no matter what. You live in the middle of nowhere. You saw how long it took the fire trucks to get there.”
“That’s beside the point. He didn’t even try to save it.” She held up a hand. They needed to get this conversation back on track. “But don’t you see it’s just another discrepancy between us. I may not have a lot, or anything now.” She fought back the emotion. She truly had nothing and felt at the moment as if she were nothing. “But I still have my pride.”
His eyes narrowed. “So, because Caleb didn’t think, which by the way is par for the course with him, you’re mad at me?”
“I’m not mad at you, I’m just trying to say that …” Her face went red as she realized that he hadn’t exactly promised to steal her away from her miserable existence and here she was intoning that he wanted to, and she was saying no. He’d admitted earlier that he did miss her but that wasn’t why he’d come. He’d come because he knew Flint was coming and here Breeze was carrying on as if Seth wanted to carry her away on his white steed.
She changed the subject. “Ridge has been clean for the past three weeks. I know you said a month and I know it’s a lot to ask when we created the mess that injured Rachel and blew up your parents’ house, but … could he come work for you and work off that money? There’s nothing for him here and without my house and the money I’ve been saving I can’t really plan on earning that money to pay you back.”
Seth put a hand on her arm. “Of course Ridge can work for me, but Breeze, you aren’t listening. I don’t want you to pay me back. I don’t want you to feel like you owe me.”
“My pride is all I have left!” she yelled at him and was instantly embarrassed. She lowered her voice and said, “Please don’t take my pride away from me too.”
His gaze was tortured but it seemed like maybe he understood.
“Thank you for letting Ridge work for you.” She nodded as if it was all decided when truly she felt like everything between them was a mess. They’d kissed a couple of times and it had been incredible. He’d saved her multiple times, and she thought he was amazing and irresistible. Besides those little tidbits they had nothing between them but the pain of Rachel being hurt, his parents’ mansion and, now, her home destroyed, and the awfulness of Flint Brooks. She wasn’t about to let her pride go and beg him to take her along while he traveled the country waving to beautiful women as he went. What use would a waitress and hopeful elementary school teacher be to him? She would only be a charity case and she could never be that, no matter how hard she’d fallen for Seth Jewel.
Forcing a smile, she said, “Let’s go eat.”
Ignoring Seth’s frustrated grunt, she strode across the street to the restaurant, earning a honk from a truck that almost hit her. She was proud of herself that she kept her head held high and ignored Seth as he jogged to her side, held the restaurant door for her, and kept watching her as if she were a fragile creature. She’d go stay with a friend here in town tonight and work tomorrow as usual. Somehow, she’d find a new place to live and keep accumulating her savings. Ridge could earn the money to pay Seth back, as he should. Somehow, she’d survive without seeing Seth again. Would Ridge come visit her?
Ridge and Caleb talked animatedly through the meal as Seth and Breeze tried to pitch in. Seth cast her many longing glances, but she tried to ignore him. When they all said goodbye, she clung to Ridge for a minute before telling Seth and Caleb thank you and goodbye with as much dignity as she could. Then she turned and hurried down the side street east of them to her friend Caimbree’s apartment. Caimbree would take her in and somehow this pain would stop. She just didn’t know when.
* * *
Seth stood stunned as Breeze simply walked away from him. She’d acted like it was all settled at the park. That he’d take Ridge and she’d simply go on with her life. Did she not have any clue how hard he’d fallen for her, how much he wanted her in his life? How could he explain that he couldn’t care less about the twenty grand? To heck with her pride. Yet he respected her for not wanting the handout and for clinging to that pride. It was part of what made Breeze so impressive and appealing.
“What are youdoing?” Caleb demanded.
Seth turned to his brother and Ridge with his hands splayed. “What am I supposed to do? She doesn’t want me.”
“Are you an idiot?” Caleb asked. “Go after her. Of course she wants you. Every woman wants you.”
He looked to Ridge who nodded. “My sister gets on her prideful high horse sometimes, well, all the time, but I can tell she’s into you. She’s never acted like this around a guy.”
Seth took a breath, hoping they were right.
“Plus, that idiot Flint Brooks is still on the loose,” Caleb reminded him.
That unstuck Seth’s feet from the concrete. He doubted Flint was anywhere near here or would risk coming back with the police watching for him, but the guy was an egomaniac and thought he was above the law so it was the perfect excuse to keep Breeze with him. He needed any excuse. He needed to have more time with her. Time to hope she would fall for him, would forgive Caleb for using dynamite on her house, and to convince her that she didn’t owe Seth anything, though he would accept lots of kisses as a thank you for saving her.
“Breeze!” he called. “Wait!”