Page 67 of Inviting Trouble
“Are you in the car?” Mad asked.
Hailey’s voice came back loud and clear. “Yes. The security system is supposed to be installed next week. Mad, I don’t want to go to work tomorrow.”
“Do you have to?”
“I have three appointments, but I can’t! It’s like the place is haunted or something. I feel all jumpy like someone is just waiting around the corner or hiding in a closet.”
“Remember you’re strong, you’re fierce—”
“I’m not you.”
“You did great in self-defense class.”
“We’ve only had two classes. I’d hardly call myself qualified to face off with an intruder.”
“I’ll go with you tomorrow. You’ll be fine, I promise.”
“Thanks, Mad.”
She hung up to find Park staring at her. “What?”
“What’re you doing for Hailey?”
“Just checking out Hailey’s work with her after someone stole something. The police already gave the all clear.”
His hazel eyes narrowed. “Wherever you’re going, I’m going with you.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m a black belt.”
“Don’t care.”
“I’ve fended off men twice my size at the bar I used to work at in the city.”
Park blanched. “Geez, Mad, what happened to you? When I left you were an honor student. Then no college—”
“I went back.”
“Why were you working some crap bar where you had to defend yourself?”
She tried to grab the remote, but he held it out of reach. “Answer the question,” he ordered.
“Because of you, okay?”
His head reared back. “Me? But I told you to study hard and stay in school.”
Her throat got tight. Fine. She’d put it all out there. She had absolutely nothing left to lose at this point. “Because I was devastated when you left,” she said quietly. “I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep.” She met his eyes. “You broke my heart.”
His brows scrunched together. “You were fifteen.”
“My heart didn’t care,” she choked out. She dashed at her eyes with a fist. Dammit. She’d told herself she wouldn’t cry over Park anymore.
His arms wrapped around her, his hand cupping her head against his chest. His voice came out low and soothing. “I wish I could redo all that for you. It was like we weren’t ready for each other then. I needed to make a man of myself, to prove I could. You weren’t even technically an adult.”
“And now?”
His hand dropped from her head and he gazed down at her. He cupped her cheek and her breath caught. Was it possible that he could want her after all that he’d seen? That he could look past all that and see her on the inside?
There was a knock at the door. Mad heaved a sigh. “To be continued.”
