Cheap Shot (14 page)

“No, I haven’t seen him since this
morning.” She laid in bed for a long time after he left, crying and feeling
sorry for herself until she realized she was repeating the same cycle she had
almost a year ago.

“Are things okay between you?” Dylan asked.
“You didn’t have a fight, did you?”

“Let’s just say we reached an
understanding.” While she considered Dylan a friend, it was Jaxon’s place to
tell him what had happened between them, if he chose to.

“I don’t like the sound of that. Does that
mean we can expect him to be all messed up again?”

“I don’t think so,” Sela said, trying to
ignore the sharp pain of regret. “I think this is the way things were meant to
be. I suspect Jaxon knows that as well.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.”

Sela turned around to see her mother. “What
are you doing here?”

Andrea glanced at Dylan. “May I have a word
with you in private before your shift starts, Sela?”

Sela knew there was no point asking her
mother how she’d found out what time her shift started. There was little she
didn’t know about her daughters. “I don’t have a lot of time.”

“This won’t take a lot of time,” Andrea
said, pursing her lips.

Sela wanted to remind her mother the
cosmetic surgeon had told her to stop doing that since it only exacerbated the
fine lines around her mouth, but she wasn’t in the mood to amuse herself at her
mother’s expense. Her heart still hurt from the way she and Jaxon had left
things, and not even sticking it to her meddling mother would take the sting
away. “Fine.” She touched Dylan’s arm. “Thanks again for last night. You were
great.”

“Anytime.” He raised an eyebrow at Andrea.
“I’ll always look out for my best buddy’s girl.”

Andrea raised her chin, looking down her
nose at Dylan. “If you’ll excuse us…” Reaching for Sela’s arm, she said, “Let’s
see if we can find somewhere to sit in this godforsaken place.”

“If you don’t like it here, you shouldn’t
have come.” Sela was in no mood for another war of words with her mother, but
if Andrea was determined to do battle, she’d make her sorry.

“I didn’t have a choice,” she said, sliding
into the only vacant booth in the V.I.P. section.

“This is for choice customers,” Sela
reminded her. “I doubt you’d fall into that category.”

“I don’t know about that,” she said, glancing
at the drink menu. “My daughter’s sleeping with one of the owners. I’d say that
gives me some clout.”

“Not that it’s any of your business,” Sela
hissed, looking around to make sure no one had overheard her mother’s comment,
“but I am not sleeping with Jaxon.”

“Nor will you want to when you hear what I
have to tell you.” Andrea barely spared the waitress a glance before she said,
“Give me a glass of chardonnay.” Her pink nail ran down the menu, pointing at
the most expensive wine she could find. “That one.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Becky touched Sela’s
shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re feeling better, hon. We were so worried about
you.”

“Thanks, Becky.” Sela forced a smile as she
tried to ignore her mother’s icy stare. “I’m feeling much better now.”

“Can I get you anything to drink?” Becky
asked.

“Just a water would be great, thanks.”

“Coming right up.”

Andrea waited for Becky to leave. “I know
you don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll get right to the point.”

“Please do.”

“Your father and I were having dinner at
your old workplace.” She pulled her lips back in a smile, no small feat given
the amount of Botox injected into her mouth.

“Why would you go there?” Sela asked. “When
I worked there, you said it was too blue collar.”

“It’s a sight better than this,” Andrea
said, looking around the upscale bar as though she’d just stepped into a smoky
honky-tonk blaring twangy county music.

“I don’t think your age group is High
Rollers’ target demographic, Mother.” Sela smiled sweetly at Becky as she set
their drinks down.

Her friend tried to hold back a laugh,
which further infuriated Andrea, if the murderous look on her taut face was any
indication. Andrea set her wine aside so she could lean forward. “I don’t know
what your problem is today, but I don’t appreciate the way you’re treating me.
Your father and I are just looking out for you, and this is the thanks we get?
You’re acting like a spoiled brat.”

If that’s not the pot calling the kettle
black…
Sela bit her tongue and checked her watch.
“I only have a few minutes before my shift starts. You said you had something
important to tell me?”

Andrea took a cleansing breath. “As I said,
we went to Joe’s. We thought we’d ask him if he would consider giving you your
old job back, you know, so you wouldn’t have to continue working for that…
that…
man
.”

“I decide where I work and for whom,” Sela
said, stunned by her mother’s nerve. “I told you not to interfere in my life.
I’m a grown woman, and I make my own decisions. Where I go to school, what I
study, where I work, where I live, and who I date. Any more questions?”

Andrea looked outraged as she reached for
her wine glass. “You think you’re the one calling the shots? You’re not. He’s
the puppet master pulling all your strings, whether you know it or not.”

“Who? What are you talking about?”

“Who do you think I’m talking about? Jaxon,
of course.”

“If you’re here to run Jaxon down again,
you’re wasting your time.” Sela stopped just short of telling her any hope
she’d had of a future with the man she loved were dashed yet again, but when she
saw Andrea’s smug smile, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

“I’m here to give you the facts,” Andrea
said, spreading her hands. “Do with them what you will.”

“Fine.” Sela knew the only way to get rid
of her mother was to let her say her piece. “What do you know that I don’t?”

“You lost your job because of Jaxon.”

“Excuse me?” she said, cupping her ear.
“It’s loud in here and—”

“You heard me right. Jaxon talked Joe into
firing you so he could hire you.”

Sela felt as if someone had kicked her in the
stomach. Jaxon knew her too well to think she’d stand for someone interfering
in her life that way. He’d observed firsthand her power struggle with her
parents. No way would he do to her what they’d always done. “You’re lying.”

Andrea took a sip of her wine, savoring it
before she said, “Am I? Why don’t you ask him? If he’s half the man you seem to
think he is, he’ll feel compelled to tell you the truth. If not, you can always
ask Joe or…” She snapped her fingers. “What was his wife’s name again, Marlie?”

“Yes.” Sela picked up her water, hoping to
coat her dry throat. “Assuming I believe you, which I don’t, how do you know
this?”

“We were seated behind Joe and Marlie.
Naturally they didn’t know we were your parents.” She smiled. “We asked to
speak to him when we went in, but the hostess said he was having dinner with
his wife. We asked to sit in the booth behind them. We figured we could
introduce ourselves and make a plea for your job when there was a break in
their conversation.”

“You had it all figured out, didn’t you?”
Sela was still torn about believing her mother, but the more she listened, the
more plausible her story sounded.

Ignoring her daughter’s comment, Andrea
said, “They were having a rather heated discussion. Marlie felt guilty about
what happened to you last night. She said if she’d known something like that
would happen, she never would have gone along with Jaxon’s plan to have you
fired.”

“Why would Joe agree to fire me? That
doesn’t make any sense.”

“Your father and I were wondering the same
thing.” Andrea grinned, looking positively gleeful. “So he decided to do a
little digging. Guess who owns the building Joe rents?”

Sela didn’t have to guess. “Jaxon?”

“That’s right. I guess being the poor man’s
landlord gives him the right to throw his weight around. Personally, I think
it’s dreadful manipulating people that way, forcing them to do things they
don’t want to do.”

“Right, because you’d never do anything
like that, would you?” Sela stood, glaring at her mother. “You’ve had your fun.
I believe we’re done here.”

Jaxon had snuck in the back door over
an hour ago. Sela’s shift was about to end, and he’d painstakingly set the
stage for a romantic evening in the private dining room. He hoped she would be
up to it after getting off work. Taking one last look at the table, he had to
admit everything was perfect. The crystal sparkled. The white linens looked
crisp. The red roses were in perfect bloom. The expensive champagne was
chilling, and the ring box was burning a hole in his pocket. He only hoped they
would have reason to celebrate.

After his therapy session, he’d called the
bar to set his plan in motion, but not before he hit his favorite jewelry
store. Dr. Masters had made him realize he’d already wasted too much time
living in fear. It was time to do what he should have done two years ago: ask
Sela to be his wife.

His hands trembled as he pulled the black
velvet box out of his pocket and opened it. Staring back at him was the most
perfect diamond he had ever seen. It was classic and brilliant, just like the
woman he hoped would be wearing it. At just over three carats, the round
diamond would stop traffic, and Sela deserved no less.

“Boss,” Becky said, tapping on the door, “I
told Sela you wanted to see her. She’ll be in in a minute.”

“Thanks, Becky,” he said, returning the box
to his pocket as he took a deep breath to calm his nerves.
She has to say
yes
.
Please God, let her say yes.

A tap on the door followed by Sela’s voice
forced Jaxon to put one foot in front of the other. Opening the door, he smiled
to break the ice. She looked a little tired after a long shift on her feet, but
he hoped she would accept his dinner invitation nonetheless.

“Becky said you wanted to see me,” Sela
said, looking apprehensive. “But if you’re busy…”

He saw her glance at the table. Did she
really think he would go to all that trouble for anyone other than her? “Come
in.” He stepped back, careful not to reach for her when she slipped past him.
It took some effort though, especially after he got a whiff of the perfume he’d
introduced her to when they started dating. He’d bought it for her for her
birthday, hoping it wouldn’t be construed as a personal gift that hinted at a
future. What a fool he’d been.

“About what happened this morning,” he
said, sensing she was still hostile about their talk. “I’m sorry.”

She turned to face him. “You’re sorry?”

“Yes, I—” Before he could finish, the
waiter knocked on the door and asked if he could serve the appetizers Jaxon had
ordered. Jaxon gestured to the table in the middle of the room. “Have a seat,
Sela. I took the liberty of ordering dinner. I know you must be hungry. I
thought we could talk.”

She looked hesitant, but when her co-worker
came back with a platter of decadent seafood, she took the seat Jaxon held for
her. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” He got an uneasy feeling in
the pit of his stomach. Something told him it wouldn’t be easy to convince her
he’d come to his senses.

They waited for Howard to open the
champagne and pour two glasses before they looked at each other. He saw
something in her eyes he hadn’t seen before. Doubt? Disappointment? Whatever it
was, it wasn’t good. At least she’d agreed to have dinner with him. She was
leaving the door open, and he didn’t intend to blow the opportunity to start
over.

Once Howard left, Jaxon raised his glass.
“To the woman who made me want to be a better man. I love you, Sela.”

She looked touched by his toast as she
tapped her glass against his, but she failed to return his smile as she brought
the glass to her lips. “Dom Perignon. It’s lovely. What’s the occasion?”

“I’m here with you. That’s reason enough to
celebrate.” As much as he wanted to propose, Jaxon didn’t want to rush it. He
wanted to savor every moment of the evening, hoping it would be one she would
remember forever.

“You went to a lot of trouble to plan this.
Why? Are you feeling guilty about something?” She set her glass on the table
and crossed her arms as she leveled him with her gaze. “Trying to soften the
blow, maybe?”

Jaxon didn’t know what she was implying,
but she was obviously still angry with him. “Can we just forget about what
happened this morning? I said things I shouldn’t have.”

“You told me the truth. It was a refreshing
change.”

“Ouch.” He splayed his fingers across his
chest. “That hurt.”

“It was supposed to.”

“I know you’re pissed I would start
something with you before I was certain I was ready to take the next step.” As
much as he wanted to hold off on telling her the reason he’d planned their
special dinner, he knew she wouldn’t grant him any more time. “But things have
changed.”

She looked amused. “Since this morning?
What? You had an epiphany? You realized you couldn’t live without me?”

She was being sarcastic, but he was serious
when he said, “Yes. I know you may have a hard time believing that, but it’s
the truth. I don’t want to live without you.” He walked over to her side of the
table and got down on one knee as he reached for her hand.

She look startled, her eyes questioning
what he thought he was doing.

“I don’t want to be alone anymore.” He
realized he should have planned his speech because his mind went blank. “But
that’s not the only reason I’m asking you this.” He reached into his pocket,
hoping the ring would speak for itself. “I realized that I want all the things
you want. I’ve just been too afraid to take the risk.”

When he opened the ring box, she gasped,
clenching the hand he held into a fist.

“I don’t want to live in fear anymore. It’s
already cost me too much. I want to take a chance. That’s why I’m doing this.”
He gestured toward the ring box. “Sela, I love you more than anything. Will you
marry me?”

Tears filled her eyes when she looked from
him to the ring and back again. “Tell me you didn’t deceive me.”

His heart pounded. “What are you talking
about?”

“Tell me you weren’t working behind the
scenes, pulling strings and trying to manipulate my life to promote your cause.
Tell me I can trust you to be honest with me. Always.”

Jaxon couldn’t swallow. He couldn’t even
breathe. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Did you ask Joe to fire me? Is it true
that you own his building and you called in a favor, asking him to fire me so
I’d be so desperate for a job that I’d have no choice but to come work for
you?”

Jaxon was getting a cramp in his leg, but
it was nothing compared to the pain in his chest. “I did that so we could spend
more time together. I was going to tell you the truth.”

“When?” she asked, freeing her hand from
his grip. “When were you going to tell me? Are you the reason my boyfriend
dumped me too? I saw you two talking at the wedding. Did you say something to
make him want to break up with me?”

Jaxon knew there was no easy way out of
that mess. He’d done everything she accused him of doing, so he just had to man
up and face the consequences of his actions. “I’m so sorry.” He braced his
hands on her knees as he snapped the ring box closed. He knew she wouldn’t
agree to wear it tonight, if ever. “I know I screwed up, but I was desperate to
get close to you again. You don’t know what it was like for me. I was going
through hell, thinking about you all the time. When I saw you talking to Dylan
the night of your sister’s bachelorette party, I felt like my prayers had been
answered. You’d walked back into my life. I just had to figure out a way to
make you want to stay.”

She looked unmoved by his words. “It wasn’t
a coincidence Dylan showed up at Joe’s right after I’d been fired, was it? You
had him doing your dirty work, didn’t you?” When he didn’t respond right away,
she said, “Answer me, damn it. I deserve to know the truth.”

“Yes, okay, he was in on it.” He hung his
head. The only time he’d ever felt lower was the first time she’d walked out on
him. But this time, he was in so much deeper. “But don’t blame him. This was my
fault. I heard you were involved with someone else and that it was serious. I
had to do something. I knew I was running out of time.” He looked at her,
praying she felt how much he loved her. “I couldn’t lose you to another man,
Sela. It would’ve killed me.”

She closed her eyes, her cool façade slipping.
He wanted desperately to hold her, but he knew she wouldn’t let him comfort
her. So he had to sit and listen to her heart break all over again, knowing
that once again, he was the cause of her pain.

“You don’t know how many times I’ve
imagined seeing you down on one knee like this.” Her voice cracked when she
said, “I read somewhere about the power of visualization, and I’d tried it. I
had nothing else to lose. Every night for the last few months we were together,
I’d go to sleep and imagine you proposing to me.” She glanced at the flowers in
the silver vase. “I imagined you telling me you loved me, that you didn’t want
to live without me. There were flowers in my fantasy, and champagne.” She
sniffled. “But in my fantasy, I knew I could trust you. I knew you were a man I
could always count on, someone who would always be honest with me, never
deceive me or go behind my back and betray me.”

His head fell as her words crashed down on
him. “Please, just give me a chance—”

“I gave you a chance. I told you I loved
you for months only to have you ignore me. I warmed your bed, cooked your
meals, held your hand when you had a bad day…” She slid a finger under his chin
and whispered, “I want you to look at me. Even after you destroyed me, I was
willing to let you back into my life. That’s how much I loved you. But you
can’t ask me to get past this.”

“Don’t do this.” He couldn’t erase what
he’d done, but he’d do everything in his power to try. “Don’t quit on us.”

“Do you know how I found out about this?”

He shook his head. It didn’t matter. He
wasn’t interested in exacting revenge on the person who’d outed him. It was his
burden to bear.

“My mother told me, and she took great
pleasure in it. Do you know why?”

“Because she hates me.”

“Maybe, but this made her day because she
thought she would finally get exactly what she wanted. She and my father have
been trying to manipulate me my whole life. They wanted me to go to law school
and join the firm, so they thought if they dangled a big enough carrot, I’d
bite. When I didn’t, they thought they could manipulate me by refusing to pay
for my education.”

“Please don’t think I’m anything like
them,” he said. “I’m not. I’ll always support you. I won’t question your
decisions or tell you how to live your life. I just want to be your partner,
your lover, your best friend. Please, Sela, let me be those things for you.”

She shook her head. “Did you just say you
wouldn’t question my decisions or tell me how to live my life? When you offered
me a job, I said no. But you were determined to get what you wanted. You didn’t
care what I wanted. That’s not love, Jaxon. That’s control. I’ve lived with it
long enough to know.” She shifted her chair so she could stand.

Jaxon didn’t have the will to stand, so he
remained crouched, his eyes pleading with her to rethink her decision. “Don’t
do this. Please.”

“I didn’t do this,” she said, walking
toward the door. “You did. Now you’re the one who has to live with the
consequences.”

*   *   *

Sela was curled up in a fetal position when
her sister called a few hours later. It was nearly two a.m., so she lunged for
the phone, fearing it might be an emergency. “Kiki, what’s wrong? Is everything
all right?”

“I was just about to ask you the same
question.”

“You’re on your honeymoon. Why the hell are
you calling me?”

“I talked to Mommy Dearest earlier. She
told me what she did, honey. I’m so sorry.”

“As much as I’d love to blame her, it’s not
her fault. Jaxon did this.” Sela sighed. He wasn’t the only one to blame. If
she hadn’t been so quick to let him back in her life, this never would have
happened. “I guess you know Sheldon broke up with me the night of your wedding,
huh?”

“Yeah, why did I have to hear that from the
old lady? You should have called to tell me yourself.”

Sela couldn’t help but smile at her sister’s
description of their mother. Andrea would hate that, which made her love it all
the more. “I didn’t want to bother you with my problems. You’re supposed to be
having the time of your life with your new husband.”

“Hey, that’s what sisters are for. They’re
the ones who drop everything when you need a shoulder to cry on, and don’t you
forget it!”

Sela thought all of her tears had been
spent, but her sister’s words squeezed a few more out of her. “Thank you for
saying that, sis. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You may not feel that way when I ‘fess
up.”

Feeling her gut tighten, Sela wondered if
she should hang up. After going a round with her mother and Jaxon, she didn’t
think she could handle an argument with Kiki. “What did you do?”