Page 88 of Secret Billionaire

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Jesse walked into The Pelican the next day and found Faye in her office hunkered over some spread sheets. His eyes hungrily roamed over her and he hesitated before knocking. Taking in her pale face and dark circles beneath her eyes, his chest felt hollowed out. He tapped the door frame and she looked up startled.

She sucked in her breath, “Jesse!”

“Can I come in?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Faye about yesterday… I’m sorry I wasn’t able to talk to you. I just had to have some space.”

She leaned back in her chair. “I know.”

“I’m going to take a few days off from here, Stan needs me at the job site. The timing’s good. I’ll still be able to get the kitchen finished by the end of the week in time for the grand opening Saturday.”

“Jess…I…please don’t let my father ruin this for us. He’s already taken so much, I couldn’t bear to lose you because of him.”

“Faye, its complicated. I’m not abandoning you here. I’ll still bartend on Saturday; I’ll finish the kitchen…we’ll just have to give things some time.”

“I understand,” she said.

“I don’t think you can, really. It’s not your fault Faye. Maybe if I were a different person, less prideful, I’d see it differently. I’m working on it.

Plastering a fake smile on her lips she said, “Take whatever time you need. I don’t blame you for running as fast as you can away from my family’s baggage. You’d have to be a superhero to take it all on.”

Jess bowed his head, “I’m not running Faye. But I’m no superhero, that’s for sure. I wish I were a guy that takes everything in his stride, that lets stuff just slide off my back, but I’m not.”

“I’m too much trouble…high maintenance, isn’t that what you guys would say?”

“You’re about the furthest from high maintenance of any girl I’ve ever known. Faye don’t do this to yourself. You didn’t do anything wrong!”

She turned her face away before saying quietly, “Then why does it feel like I’m the one being punished?”

Jesse squeezed his eyes shut. “Faye, all I’m asking for here is a little space to get my head on straight. As a guy, I’m conditioned to think of myself as the bread winner, the protector and provider. I know that makes me sound like some Neanderthal, believe me, I’m disappointed as hell in myself. I thought I was coming to terms with the juxtaposition of our situation, until I realized I’d just buried it…never really dealt with it at all.”

“I’d walk away from it all…to be with you…money, wealth…it all means nothing to me.”

“I believe that, I know that about you. I’m the one with the problem and I’m sorting it out. Give me time, that’s all I’m asking for right now.”

She lifted her shoulder in a half shrug, “I don’t have much of a choice.”

“I’ll be back tomorrow, Wednesday at the latest.”

She raised her chin, then said, “I hope you find that clarity you’re looking for. It takes courage for a man to walk beside his woman instead of always leading the way.”

Jesse winced. “I guess I deserve that. Faye, when you put it that way, it makes me sound like the most pathetic bastard on the face of the earth. I want you to understand, my family is everything to me. I don’t want to be the one that comes between you and yours.”

She gave a mirthless laugh, “I’m afraid that there isn’t much to come between with me and my father. I’m sorry Jess, I know that wasn’t fair to imply you lack courage. Go, do your thing. Get your answers. I won’t try to stop you.”

Jesse turned and quietly left the room. Seeing her blue eyes filled with pain would haunt him. He had done that to her. Damn. Why did love have to be so complicated?

* * *

“Hey Faye, I just passed Jesse. Is he coming back?” Ty asked.

“In a couple of days. He’s got to catch up on some things at his own business for a change.”

“He loves you. You know that don’t you?”

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