Dangerous Curves Ahead: A Perfect Fit Novel (21 page)

Mike’s body went rigid. Ellis turned to see the owner of the gravelly voice that had that kind of power over Mike.

Oh shit.

The man had black hair liberally streaked with strands of sliver and eyes a shade of blue that Ellis had only seen in one other place. He looked exactly like Mike.

His father!

Ellis turned back to Mike to see his face expressionless, but she could feel the angry heat rolling off him.

“Mike…” The man sat down across from them. “I came here to see you. We need to talk.”

“Well, Harry, that’s too bad. I stopped wanting to speak to you twenty years ago.” Mike gave a gentle push to the small of Ellis’s back. “Come on, Elle. I’d rather be someplace else.”

Ellis rose, looking from father to son. They shared the same mulish expression but Harry couldn’t hide his feelings as well as his son. Ellis didn’t know what had happened, didn’t know if the man was even worth Mike’s time, but she recognized the look in his eyes. Regret. Shame. Sadness. Mike didn’t seem to notice or care. He didn’t bother to spare his father another glance as he grabbed her hand and led her toward the door.

“Son, wait.”

“Don’t!” Mike stopped but didn’t turn around to face the man who gave him life. “You lost the right to call me son the day you walked out on us. Stay the hell away from me.”

Chapter Fourteen

He clearly remembered the day his father walked out. It was a Thursday. His mother and older sisters were at the flower shop preparing an order for a big wedding that was to take place that weekend. He was home alone with his baby sister, Janice, waiting for Harry to return from work. He was supposed to be there by four, home in time to feed them dinner and take Mike to baseball practice. Four o’clock came and went, and there was no sign of him. So he waited, put on his uniform, and made Janice a grilled cheese sandwich when she got hungry. Five o’clock rolled around. No Dad. Mike started to worry. Car accident, work mishap, something gone wrong? Not wanting to worry his sister, he went into his parents’ bedroom to use their phone to call the shop. But as he reached for the phone he spotted a yellow piece of legal pad paper on his mother’s pillow.

I’m sorry Margie. I can’t live like this anymore. I’m leaving. Please forgive me.

The bastard couldn’t bother to tell them in person. The coward couldn’t face them to tell them good-bye. It was the next day they learned he had nearly cleared out the checking accounts, only leaving them enough money to make it through the end of the year. At thirteen, Mike knew what it felt like to have love die. His father, his hero, walked out on them the day before his birthday. The day before they were supposed to cut work and school and spend the whole day away from the women who ruled the house. Instead he spent it watching his mother worry and his sisters cry. It was that day he vowed never to let anybody get that close, close enough to make him feel more than indifference when they left.

Ellis’s rapidly clicking heels on the pavement alerted him to the fact that he wasn’t alone with his thoughts. Looking down at her he could see that her cheeks were slightly red and her breathing heavy.

“Ellis.” He slowed his pace. “I’m sorry. I was going too fast.”

“I’m okay,” she puffed. “All this speed-walking is a good way to burn off dessert. I only wish I wasn’t wearing four-inch heels.”

“I’m sorry, Elle. I—I wasn’t expecting to see him.”

She nodded and squeezed his hand. “So that was your dad, huh? At least he didn’t walk in on us having sex like my parents did.”

Despite himself he laughed. “No, he’s much better at walking out.”

She was quiet for a moment then tilted her head to study him. “Was that the first time you’ve seen him since he left?”

Mike nodded. “I didn’t recognize him at first. I wasn’t sure if he was dead or alive until a couple of weeks ago.”

“Oh,” Ellis pursed her lips. “How does that make you feel?”

Her question stunned him for a moment. Nobody ever asked him how he felt about his father leaving. “I don’t know. I’m done talking about him. He doesn’t deserve our wasted breath.”

“I’m sorry.” She pulled her lower lip between her teeth. “I wish I knew what to say in situations like this. I wonder if Hallmark makes a card?” She thought for a moment. “Something like: Sorry your deadbeat dad returned. Hope his tires get slashed.”

Something tugged at his heart again. It was the same feeling he got in the park yesterday. It was the same feeling he had this evening he was with her in her store. Somehow Ellis had firmly planted herself under his skin.

It was the last possible thing he wanted.

It scared the shit out of him.

Twenty years ago he’d promised himself that nobody else would ever have that kind of power over him, the power to change his world as he knew it. Ellis might be able to do it, might be able to affect him. He couldn’t let that happen.

“You should apply for a job with them. You seem to have a knack for writing greeting cards.”

She shrugged. “I’m multitalented.”

He nodded and continued to walk her back to her store, his chest feeling heavy, his brain racing. He’d moved to Durant to get away from his hectic former life. He never guessed that he would run into a whole different, more troubling set of problems.

A few minutes later they were standing beside her car. She stared up at him and he could see in her eyes she wanted to say something. Whatever it was he didn’t think he could bear to hear it.

“Good night, Ellie.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek, but she turned her face so that her lips connected with his. She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a comforting kiss. In that moment he knew he didn’t want to go home alone. He wanted to stay in her soft hold all night, forgetting about every unpleasant thought that clawed at his brain. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t let her have the same kind of hold over him that his father had over his mother.

Breaking the kiss, he stepped away. “Text me when you get home.”

He opened the car door for her, helping her in, and when the car started he walked away from her, forcing himself not to look back.

*   *   *

Nine days had gone by since Ellis had seen or heard from Mike. She hated herself for knowing that it was nine days, for counting their time apart. She hated herself for finally letting go of the little piece of doubt that plagued her. She should have trusted her gut. She should have kept him at a distance. She shouldn’t have let herself care about him so much. One night, she told herself. One night of earth-shattering, heavenly sex, but her statement was quickly forgotten after spending a few hours in his company. He was like potato chips: One night was not quite enough.

At first she was understanding. She thought he needed a day or two to sort out his father’s reappearance. It was a big deal but after five days of ignored texts and unanswered phone calls she realized that maybe it was more than that. That maybe she had read more into his feelings than she should.

She made a pact with herself to forget him. Her life had moved on without him. She had lunch with Dina twice. The shop was getting busier. She had taken in more altering. The wedding dress she was working so hard to complete was coming to life. Her display case had been fixed. Her finances were less dismal. Her life was good. She just hated that she felt so damn crummy.

She was going to fix that. She had two whole days off. Two whole days to herself where she would see nobody and do absolutely nothing. Maybe she would take a bubble bath and read the book she had been putting off for a year. Maybe she would sleep all day and not bother to get out of pajamas. It was rare she got to do anything for herself. It used to be all about Jack-ass, seeing that his wants and needs were met. Before that it was making her way through law school and studying for the bar exam. Now her life was consumed with making the store work. Ellis had never taken personal time. She never relaxed.

Which was probably why she was wide awake on a Sunday morning, filled with restless energy. She glanced at the clock: seven oh two. She shouldn’t be up this early. She turned over, trying to find a new spot that would make her instantly comfortable and drag her back into dreamland. That spot didn’t exist.

She sighed. Maybe she would visit her parents or check out the local vintage store for inspiration. Ellis was no good at doing nothing.

The doorbell rang as she sat up. It had to be her mother. Nobody else would dare to visit her this early on a Sunday. If Phillipa had on her jogging gear Ellis would scream. No amount of restless energy would ever make her want to go jogging.

It rang again and this time she forced herself out of bed and rushed down the stairs. She didn’t want her mother calling her name, waking up the entire neighborhood in the process.

When she opened the door, the hairs on her arms rose. It was the last person she expected to see. The one she had just put out of her mind. “What are you doing here?”

Not you. Not now. Not today.

Just when she starting to forget about him he showed up and knocked her on her ass. Mike stood before her, looking a little tired, unshaven. Not himself. Her heart squeezed painfully. She wanted to pull him in and hug him. She wanted to slap him.

“I want to spend the day with you.”

Nine days. Nine whole days without a word. She cared about him. She worried for him and he ignored her. It was like the night of her party all over again.

No. She wouldn’t let that happen. This was her life. She wouldn’t play on his terms.

“I’m busy.” She tried to push the door closed but Mike caught it and pushed it opened again.

“You aren’t. I called Belinda yesterday and she told me you have two days off.”

She paused at his words. He called? She shook her head, her resolve strengthening. “I do and I plan to spend them in bed. Alone.”

He grabbed her wrist when she began to step away. “You’re mad at me.”

“I’m not. I don’t care enough to be mad.”

“Bullshit,” he spat. “You’re mad at me for walking away. I get that I—”

She wrenched herself away from him. “I’m not mad at you for walking away. I’m mad at you for ignoring me and thinking you could just come back whenever you please. I don’t know what kind of woman you think I am, but I’m not here for you to pass the time with when you get bored. I’m not just a good time. I’m not just sex when you want it. You don’t get to stroll in and out of my life when you want to. This thing goes both ways.”

He shook his head, his expression softening. “It’s not that, Ellie. I—I just—”

“What? Found somebody who looks better naked?”

His jaw tightened. “Don’t go there, Ellis.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have gotten involved with you. I should have run the other way.” She pinched the bridge of her nose to lessen the throbbing in her head. “Screw you, Mike. Getting involved with you is always a mistake.”

She turned and left him where he was, not bothering to slam the door in his face. She didn’t expect to be so angry. With him for thinking he could walk in and out of her life whenever he wanted—and with herself for falling for the last man she should.

*   *   *

Mike watched Ellis stomp up the stairs toward her bedroom. He should leave. He should shut the door and walk away for good.

Mistake.

She’d used that word and it hit him in the chest. There were many words he would used to describe what they were.
Mistake
wasn’t one of them.

He knew he’d been wrong to ignore her. He wanted so badly to pick up the phone and hear her voice. But he didn’t. He knew he was getting too attached to her. His body craved her in bed but his mind and every other part of him craved her conversation, her naughty smile, her presence in his world. He wasn’t in Durant for a serious relationship. This place was just a rest stop—a place where he could gather his thoughts before he moved on. He didn’t want to fall in love. But staying away was too damn hard. He had to proceed with caution.

He shut her door behind him and ran up the stairs to her bedroom. He could tell by her anger that the last nine days had been just as rough on her as they had on him. He’d counted their time apart, hating himself for doing so. The thing he hadn’t counted on was missing her.

She was huddled under the covers when he arrived in her bedroom. Unsure of what to do next, he stared for a moment. He’d never had trouble with women before, but when it came to Ellis he never seemed to do the right thing. It was as if he never found his balance when he was around her, and that was one of the things that bothered him the most. Stripping off his boots, jeans, and sweatshirt he slid in bed beside her, his body sighing as her soft figure came into contact with it.

“Go home, Mike.” Her muffled voice came from beneath a pillow.

He yanked it away. “I’m not leaving.”

“I won’t let you do this to me.” She turned to face him. “I’m not a doormat. You can’t just walk in, out, and all over me.”

“I’m not going to. I was dealing with—”

She cut him off. “I would have been there for you.”

“I know.” And that’s what scared him. He stroked a lock of hair from her face. He pulled her closer and was glad to feel her body slightly relax against his. “I’m sorry.” He kissed her forehead. “I missed you being mean to me. I didn’t know what to do with myself.”

“You should have jumped off a cliff.” She frowned up at him, but he could tell she was softening. “Your beard is scratching my skin. Oh, and I hate you.”

“That’s my girl.” He pulled her into his body, wrapping both arms around her. His lids grew heavy. He’d spent nine days restless, jumpy, unable to relax, but now all that left him.

“Mike?” Ellis called as he was shutting his eyes.

“Hmm?”

“I was serious, you know. If you walk out again, don’t expect to ever come back.”

Chapter Fifteen

Back Fat Bitch Fest

I generally like the way I look. Most days.

I stare in my full-length mirror and think I’m looking all foxy.