Page 50 of Runaway Pride

“Oh, he said that to you?” Sarah asked. “Rick isn’t normally hotheaded like that. He must have been riled up.”

“Does it matter? It doesn’t change how he feels. He doesn’t want me. He thinks I’m going to end up screwing him over like his mother.”

Sarah’s eyes softened. “There’s always more to it. He doesn’tnotwant you. He’s just paranoid and scared about what happened with his parents.”

“Even so, he’s taking it out on me, or whichever woman who’sgoing to be in his life.” The thought of another woman in Rick’s life left a bitter taste in her mouth. “If she’s rich, he’ll run the other way. At least he’s not a gold digger.”

“But he didn’t run from you, you realize,” Sarah said. “He still wanted you around. You went out, talked,kissed, and much, much more.”

But being interested could mean so many things. Yeah, he was interested in her. Interested in hanging out with her, kissing her, and having sex with her. Not interested in having her in his life for the long run. That was most insulting. She was no better than a booty call.

“He’s so intelligent and mature. I just didn’t expect him to be so… shortsighted,” Charlie mused. “He was so wonderful with me. Gentle, thoughtful. Romantic. But what was all that for? To turn and tell me he didn’t really want me seriously?”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that.”

“He’s your brother-in-law. I don’t think there’s a chance you’ll speak ill of him.”

Sarah frowned. “Hey, not true. I will never side with assholes, no matter who he or she is. I’ve gotten to know Rick since Alex and I got together. They’re totally different from each other. Alex is easygoing and carefree. Rick is more scrupulous and guarded, which kind of makes him a grouch, but he has a good heart.”

“His good heart isn’t being offered to me,” Charlie said ruefully. “He seems very devastated about what his mother did, and it explains his behavior towards me all those years. He thinks I’m a spoiled rich girl with no real mind of my own.”

“Charlie! That is also not true!” Sarah huffed, annoyed by Charlie’s self-deprecating remarks. “You are not a spoiled, rich girl. You’re rich, yeah, but that’s not your fault. You work hard and you’re a kind and caring person. That speaks louder than your status!”

“Rick doesn’t think so. He made a point that everything I’ve had was all given to me by my rich parents. And he’s right! Mybusiness, everything, it was because of my parents. I didn’t do it on my own.”

An exasperated breath fell out of Sarah’s mouth. “God, Rick. What gives?” She shook Charlie before saying, “Honey. Everyone needs help. You think a business is easy to start? My mom loaned me the money for my college tuition, since my grants didn’t cover everything. Rick helped Alex pay for his college, too. There’s nothing wrong with accepting help.”

“Rick didn’t need help,” Charlie muttered. She was only guessing, but the man sounded like he could do it all with how obnoxiously he preached.

“I’m sure he had help. No one could go at it alone,” Sarah comforted. “Stop being so hard on yourself. Rick was probably just talking out of his ass because he’s confused.”

“Confused?” Charlie sniffled. “About what?”

Sarah clicked her tongue. “If he truly dislikes you, then explain all the making out behind our backs and coming close to having sex? That’s not the behavior of a man who doesn’t like you. He does. He just doesn’t know what to do about it.”

“Thank you, sweetie. That does make me feel better.” It did, but not by much. Plenty of people liked her, few took her seriously.

When looking back at Sarah, Charlie noticed the wavering expression on her friend’s face. Sarah had something on her mind.

“What is it?” she asked.

Sarah sighed. “I don’t know if I should share this story because it’s Alex’s. But he shared it with me one night when we got drunk and emotional—it was how we got together, but that’s another story for another time… and I’m the wife, so I get a pass.”

“Sarah…” Charlie laughed.

Smiling sympathetically, the civil lawyer said, “Their mother did a number on Rick, for sure. But it was more than that.”

“What is it?” Sarah sounded crestfallen, which made Charlie nervous.

“When their mother left, obviously everyone was shocked and hurt. When nothing else worked, Rick went after her.”

“He did?” Charlie already didn’t like where the story was going.

“Two weeks after she left, he ran away from the apartment to find her. He was about nine years old then. Alex was five and sleeping in the room. It was raining, and Rick found where their mom was staying at,” Sarah sighed before continuing. “Rick knocked on the door and asked for his mother. She came out, and he started begging her to come back?—”

Charlie gasped, her heart hurting as her mind wandered to imagine Rick, a little boy, fighting to bring his family back together. He was so innocent then…

“—but she turned him away. When he wouldn’t leave, her family had people drive him back.” Sarah’s mouth quivered. “Alex saw his brother escorted home by strangers. Rick was soaked and angry.”

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