Broken Hero

“I won’t.”

He nods, once, as if he hears my words but doesn’t really believe me. “We can’t do what we did today.”

“What do you mean?”

“Argue and then run away. The next time we fight, we have to talk it through. No more repeats of this not-talking thing.”

I bite my lip. “You’re right.”

“I’m including myself in that, you know. After we slept together the first time and I pulled away.”

“I know. We’ll be better.”

He wraps strong arms around me and tugs me back against my favorite place in the world. His chest is hard against my cheek, his skin warm even through his shirt. He smells amazing-like leather and ranch and man. I hope he never lets go.

“Ass,” I murmur, but there’s laughter in my voice.

He smiles against my hair. “Thank you for reminding me when I’m out of line.”

Despite his soft words, there’s relief in his voice. I wish I felt the same, but I have things to explain, too. There are things in my past that I haven’t shared with anyone in Claremont, a past I sought to bury. But maybe… maybe I can tell Oliver. Maybe I need to if I’m ever to get true closure.

A person can only flee for so long.

“I’m sorry I reacted so strongly earlier. There’s a reason for that, actually.” I take a deep breath. “Can I tell you about my last job?”

Her eyes are large as she stares up at me. Lucy’s nervous about this, about whatever it is she wants to talk about. My heart squeezes in my chest again.

“Let’s go to yours,” I say, wrapping my arm around her waist. I want to make the hollow-eyed look in her eyes disappear. We walk to the bakery in silence. I get the feeling that she’s preparing herself.

The words spill out, one after one, up there in her studio. I pull her against me and listen as she tells me about her old life.

“It was a great spa. One of the biggest in Dallas, actually. We were regularly featured in major national magazines. There were meditation experts, physical therapists, dermatologists, acupuncturists… everything.”

I shudder involuntarily at the last one she lists, and she shoots me a small smile.

“It’s not as painful as it seems.”

“I’m sure, but I’ll still pass.”

“I worked as a masseuse. We were a large team, and we were pretty close for co-workers. I thought we were friends, actually. One day, a VIP client came in. He’d been a patron of the spa for ages. Fancy last name and all that. He had booked an eighty-minute massage, and halfway through he…” she trails off and swallows, staring out into the distance. “He asked me for more. In no uncertain terms, I should add. I said no, but he just kind of laughed and told me that I wouldn’t last long at the spa if that was my attitude.”

Hot anger flashes through me. “What happened?”

“I finished the massage, without anything extra. He left, and later that day I went directly to my supervising boss. I told her everything.” Lucy’s eyes turn hard. “He’d already spoken to her. He told her that I was the one who had propositioned him and asked for payment in exchange for, well, finishing him off. She gave me until the end of the day to pack up my stuff.”

“She didn’t believe you?”

Lucy shakes her head. “No. I asked my co-workers to vouch for me, but it turned out that a few of the girls had taken him up on the offer. He paid well. He was a patron of the spa. It was my word against his. Maybe my boss knew, and she just didn’t want to say anything. I’ll never know.” Her hands are clasped tight in her lap as she finishes, eyes meeting mine. “I didn’t get any recommendations. Two years, I worked there, and I was let go in one day-just like that.”

“Is that why you came to Claremont?”

“Yes. I couldn’t get a job in Dallas after that. It’s a small industry, and rumors spread.”

Lucy is curved inwards, her shoulders sloping, and I hate to see her that way. Her story is like one of my worst nightmares. I can see her there, in that room, standing her ground against the rich fuck who tried to exploit a young massage therapist.

She stood up for herself-she ran away. I understand her impulses perfectly. The desire to start her own spa, to get away from the big city. The importance of handling Gavin herself.

I pull her closer. Her cheek rests against my shoulder and soft hair tickles my chin. She’s strong, this one. Sweeping into Claremont like a golden whirlwind, with smiles and laughter for everyone, despite running from something as dark as this.

Her finger traces the collar of my shirt. “Remember when you asked me if I’d come work for you? And I asked if you wanted references?”

“Yes.””I was so happy when you said no.”

I press a kiss to her temple. “You could have told me. I would have understood.”

“I couldn’t risk it,” she said softly. “What if you didn’t believe my side of the story? So many others didn’t.”

I tilt her head to meet my gaze. She’s never been more beautiful to me than she is in this moment. She’s offered me a piece of her past, hoping I’d be strong enough to carry it along with her. The trust she has in me is dazzling.

I kiss her, my lips moving softly over hers. “Then they’re fools, and they don’t deserve you.”

The ranch is dark and quiet when I drive back home much, much later. Austin is overjoyed that I’m home, weaving between my legs. He knows better than to jump, but I can see that his body is itching to.

“Missed me, buddy?”

He gives a low whine and rubs his head against my hand. I scratch his soft fur and sigh. What a night. Lucy had gotten deep, deep below my skin, and I wasn’t sure I ever wanted her to leave.

The following days are busy. Sarah is in prime DIY mode, preparing wreaths, styling bouquets, spray-painting seashells… the list goes on. The first wedding of the season is right around the corner, and while it isn’t a particularly big one, we have to make it memorable.

I’m even pulled into helping Sarah prepare more of the little vases that only fit one flower. We’re not even putting flowers in them this time, but some sort of eucalyptus branch. It doesn’t really make sense to me.

“Are you sure they want twigs, Sarah?”

She rolls her eyes. “Yes. It’s a vibe, very rustic. They requested it.”

“Alright, alright,” I say. “Reviews are everything, after all.”

She tsks. “The memories are everything. They’re only getting married once.”

“Well, if you want to talk statistically…”

“Don’t be a cynic, not today of all days.”

“You’re right. And hey, if we do a good enough job, they might choose us as their venue for their second weddings,” I say with a grin, loving the dismay on her face. Teasing Sarah always pays off.

“Idiot,” she says with an eyeroll. “Mandy can take photos, did you know that? She agreed to photograph all of the decorations before the guests arrive. We can use them to update the website.”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“Perfect.”