“But?”
“It just reminds me...”
His voice trails off, and my mind starts wandering. “What? Reminds you of what exactly?”
He lifts his hand and covers mine. He’s pressing my palm into his belly and holding it there. His face is torn, and I can see the inner battle he’s having with himself. “It reminds me that you’re too good for me... for this place.”
“I’m not,” I tell him, shaking my head side to side.
He sighs, and I know he’s about to break my heart by the thick emotion in his voice when he says my name. “Lakelyn.”
“No.” I release him and step back. He’s not going to end this. I’m not going to let him, not for some insane way he sees me.
He says my name again. “Lakelyn, honey.”
“Lakelyn!” Kameron hollers.
I sniff loudly and do all I can to hold back the tears, but one big fat one rolls down my cheek.
“I have to go to work,” I tell Tate before turning around and running toward Tara. She’s going to have her work cut out for her because I can’t stop the tears. Tara sees me coming, and with a dirty look over my shoulder she hustles me into the tent. Damn him.
* * *
Tate
I royally fucked that up. I was up all night thinking about Lakelyn. I let myself believe that there could be a chance between us... that maybe we could just see where it goes. But as soon as she walked out of that tent, I got all twisted up inside.
I need to leave. I should have been at the garage an hour ago, but here I am still standing here, putting myself in misery.
I just can’t leave until I know she’s okay. Then I’ll leave.
A few minutes later, I watch as the man Kameron walks into the tent. I can tell he’s mad, and it takes everything I have not to follow him in there to make sure he’s not yelling at Lakelyn. I have my hands on the caution tape, about to rip it into shreds when he comes back out... with Lakelyn and the other woman behind him.
The woman pats Lakelyn on the back as Lakelyn makes her way to the staging area. I should go, but I’m fixed to the spot. Today they’re shooting the commercial. It’s been all over town, and when I went to grab a biscuit at Red’s this morning, everyone was asking me about my relationship with Lakelyn.
I didn’t realize she was shooting as a couple today, but that’s obviously what’s happening. I feel like I’m about to lose my breakfast when the man is holding Lakelyn’s hand and they’re smiling at each other. They’re taking pictures of different poses... holding hands, hugging, even a brief kiss that makes my fists clench at my sides. I can’t watch this... but at the same time, I can’t look away.
When they’re finally done with the pictures, I start to breathe easier until I realize they’re shooting the commercial now when someone hollers, “Quiet on set.”
I cross my arms over my chest, eyes glued to Lakelyn.
“Hard to watch, huh?”
With a jerk, I look over at the woman that was with Lakelyn earlier. She holds a manicured hand to her chest. “I’m Tara. I do makeup.”
I nod. “Tate.”
She nods and puts her hand on her hip. “Oh, I know who you are.”
I wait for her to let me have it for upsetting Lakelyn. I won’t blame her if she does. I deserve it. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to warn me off your friend.”
She shakes her head. “Warn you off her? That’s the last thing I’m going to do... obviously there’s some kind of misunderstanding or something between the two of you. But I’ll tell you, I’ve worked on a lot of jobs with Lake, and I’ve never seen her happy like she was this morning... I’ve also never seen her so upset.” I start to talk, and she holds her hands up to stop me. “All I’m saying is don’t judge her... she’s not judging you for being... well, you... so don’t judge her. There’s things you don’t know about her.”
I rub my hand right over my heart when Lakelyn is holding the asshole’s hand again. “I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me those things.”
Tara laughs when she sees my reaction to what’s happening. “No, that’s for her to tell you. But I will tell you that he”—she points to the man with Lakelyn—“is gay.”
With that, she slaps me on the shoulder and walks away. That should make me feel better, but it doesn’t. Gay or not, I don’t want another man’s hands on Lakelyn. I only want mine.