Too Hard to Break (4 page)

“It’s a great day at Hardy’s. How can I help you?”

I smiled at the cheerful voice and tried to imagine my
friend Mari saying that line, but just couldn’t do it.

“Good morning. Is Sean available?”

“Yes ma’am, may I ask who’s calling?”

“You can tell him it’s Elle.”

“Okay, one moment.”

A familiar piano concerto came on and I tapped my fingers to
the rhythm. I was just getting into it when the line clicked over.

“Elle?”

“Hey, Sean.”

I couldn’t help smiling at his deep voice, the concern in
just my name was so evident.

“Hey, everything all right?”

I sighed at that loaded question and decide not to beat
around the bush. “Honestly? I just don’t know. I was wondering if your sister
ever decided to move into your house.”

He was silent a little longer than necessary for such a
simple question, but then got right down to business.

“Nope. She’s stalling for reasons only she seems to know.
Driving me nuts. You need a place to stay? You’re more than welcome.”

I released a breath in relief, cringing when it hit the
phone. “Uh, yeah. That would be really great. I think I’ve been here long
enough.”

“Did he say something? Is he kicking you out?” Anger crept
into his voice loud and clear.

“No! Oh no, not at all. In fact…I haven’t even told him I’m
moving out yet.”

“You’re moving out?”

I froze at the deep voice coming from directly behind me. It
took a second to clear my face of guilt before I turned around to face Hank.
Confusion was evident in his gaze but a hint of pain sat there too. In my ear,
Sean started talking.

“Was that him? He doesn’t sound too happy. Look, I get off
at three and can be there with my truck in twenty minutes. Just call me later
and let me know for sure, okay?”

“Yeah…thanks, Sean. I will.”

I held Hank’s gaze through my goodbye and hung the phone up
with numb fingers. As soon as I dropped the phone onto my bed Hank closed the
distance between us.

“What’s going on, Elle? Why are you moving out? Did I do
something to upset you, baby? Tell me, please.”

He cradled my face in his hands so gently, tears stung the
back of my throat at his care. He was the only man to ever treat me so well.
Was I doing the right thing?

“Hank, I’ve already disrupted your life for months. You’ve
got to be getting sick of me by now.”

I let out a weak laugh and tried to smile but he shook his
head with a frown.

“No, not even remotely. I love having you here, in my house,
in my care. I told you, Elle, I want to take care of you.”

I had to swallow hard and clear my throat twice before I
could respond. “Remember how I told you I needed to get my shit together? I
need to do this, Hank. I need to stand on my own two feet. You really want a
doormat like me in your life? What would your mom think? That woman is tough as
nails.”

I laughed again, a little stronger, to ease my words. He
didn’t buy it.

“I remember what you said and I think it’s as much a load of
bull now as it was all those months ago. You’ve been strong for years, Elle. No
one could have lived with Declan as long as you did and not be. Now it’s time
to be pampered and treated like the treasure you are. I want to do that for
you.”

Before I could say anything else he pulled me into his arms
and held me securely against his chest. I knew in his mind that was the end of
the discussion, but I just couldn’t give in again. Though it killed me to do
it, I eased out of his arms and stepped away.

“Please don’t think I don’t appreciate all you’ve done for
me, because I do. You’ve helped me in more ways than you can imagine. I just
can’t continue to rely on you for every little thing, Hank. I’m a grown woman.
It’s time I started acting like one.”

I deliberately turned away from him and pulled clothes from
my dresser. His gaze was like a caress against my skin. After I’d gathered a
full outfit for the day, I turned to face him again to see he hadn’t moved an
inch.

“I’m going to take a shower.”

He still didn’t budge. I bit my lip, judging the amount of
space to either side of him and knowing it would be a tight fit.

“Fine. You take your shower while I cook your breakfast, and
then we’ll talk some more.”

I opened my mouth to protest but he held up his hand to stop
me.

“I
am
going to cook your breakfast, just like I’ve
been doing for months. I like cooking for you and I’m going to be cooking my
food anyway. Now, go take your shower.”

He turned away and strode out of the room without a backward
glance. Though he didn’t seem angry it was obvious he wasn’t happy. Was this
really the right thing to do? I honestly didn’t know, but often the right
choice isn’t the easiest one. All I could say for certain was being a
responsible adult really sucked sometimes.

I walked into the kitchen a few minutes later to find him
dishing scrambled eggs and bacon onto two plates. For a second I considered
saying I was feeling a little over-easy, but the expression on his face killed
my humor. He was as serious as I’d ever seen him and he wasn’t happy. I sighed
and sat at the rarely used kitchen table. We normally just sat at the island.
There was room behind the stovetop that doubled as a bar and countertop. I
absolutely loved Hank’s kitchen. It was all his design and was strong and
masculine like the man himself.

I settled into the high-back wooden chair and Hank set our
plates on the table. He sat beside me even though there would have been more
room for both of us if he’d sat across.

“Thank you,” I murmured before grabbing the salt.

“You’re very welcome. I enjoy cooking for you.”

I seasoned my eggs and bit my lip to keep from saying
something I might regret. I really didn’t want to pick a fight with him.

“So,” he said before standing back up and moving to the
coffee pot. “Where are you moving to?”

He made two cups of coffee and returned to the table. I took
mine from him with a nod of thanks.

“Sean’s house is empty right now because his sister doesn’t
want to leave New York yet. He said I’m welcome to rent it for as long as I
need.”

“And if she decides to move down here?”

I shrugged and took a sip of coffee. “It’s a three-bedroom
house. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind sharing with me. We could even split the
bills and it would be easier on both of us.”

He frowned and ate a few bites. “You don’t have to worry
about any bills here.”

I blew out a breath of annoyance but then smiled at him. I
shouldn’t be angry when all he wanted was to help me. It wasn’t fair to him. I
just wondered what his new girlfriend thought of this arrangement. Or did she
even know?

“I realize that, Hank, and I thank you kindly. I’ve actually
got money in my savings account now thanks to you. I really do appreciate it.”

“But?”

I sighed again and took another sip of coffee before
restating my argument. “But, I need to stand on my own two feet for a while. Do
you realize I’ve never lived alone my whole life? I’m almost thirty, Hank.
That’s just ridiculous.”

He shook his head and took his last bite before finishing
his coffee.

“I don’t see anything ridiculous about living with someone
who wants you to be there. I enjoy having you in my home, Elle. I like cooking
for you. I like taking care of you. I like watching the news with you after
dinner and trying to figure out the crossword puzzle. Who am I going to talk to
if you’re not here?”

I almost blurted out
your girlfriend
but stopped
myself just in time. He hadn’t fessed up and I just didn’t think it was any of
my business. If he wanted to keep the woman a secret, that was his choice. I
just needed to look out for me and my heart. It was time to go.

“I realize that, but I’m not your sister or a stray animal.
I need to take care of myself.”

Irrational anger spiked through my veins and I jumped up
from the table, barely remembering to stick my dishes in the sink before
leaving the kitchen. I stormed back into my room and shut the door, locking it
for the first time since my arrival.

My phone rang and I looked at the screen to find my sister’s
number flashing. Here was another person who thought I didn’t know what was
best for little ole me. Well, she was about to find out just how wrong she was
too. My promise to Hank was forgotten as I answered her call and finalized our
lunch plans.

When I left my bedroom ten minutes later Hank was on his
cell phone. He was pacing around the living room and nodding at whatever he was
being told. I waved at him but didn’t talk and he immediately pulled the phone
from his ear.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah, just for a couple of hours. I’ll be back this
afternoon.”

He huffed out a breath and put the phone back to his ear as
I opened the front door.

“Don’t tell Sean yes on his house just yet, sweetheart. Not
until we can talk about this some more. Maybe sit down and plan it out…okay?”

I wanted to argue but the pleading in his gaze stopped me.
He was really, honest-to-god upset about me moving out. His expression tugged
on my heartstrings and I found myself nodding in agreement before realizing I
meant to.

“Okay,” I said before walking out the door.

It took twenty minutes to get to the small diner where I’d
agreed to meet my sister. Cheryl was older than me by three years and she never
let me forget it. Her light-blonde hair was teased up an inch above her head in
a halo any true Southern woman would be proud of. Light-blue eye shadow ringed
the space above both eyes and out to her hairline. Her eyebrows were perfectly
shaped and her false eyelashes looked authentic to the untrained eye. She was
Southern Barbie from head to toe, just as she had been my whole life.

“Elle! Yoohoo, Elle, over here.”

She waved one long-fingered hand in the air as if I could
possibly miss her among the blue-collar workers filling up the place. I just
pasted on a smile and made my way to the booth she had commandeered for our
late breakfast meeting. I didn’t dare tell her I’d already eaten, but instead
ordered a fruit cup and ice water. One brow rose when I placed my order but she
didn’t say a thing.

“So, sister dear, how are things going in that man’s house?”

I rolled my eyes and sipped my water, wondering why she
never bothered to use Hank’s name. It was amazing how quickly she and my mother
had taken to Declan. And after winning their loyalty he’d been able to keep it
with random visits and well-timed gifts. They hadn’t actually met Hank yet
because he was angry at them over Declan.

“Things are fine at
Hank’s
, Cheryl. How have you
been? How’s Mom?”

She snorted in a very unladylike fashion as she opened three
little pink packets at once for her iced tea. “Mamma’s fine. I’m fine. I’ll
tell you who isn’t though.”

I rolled my eyes again and tried to think of any way to not
have this conversation. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. My mother and I
had never had a good relationship and Declan had played us off each other for
years, seemingly for his own amusement. I hadn’t even realized it until much
too late. Unfortunately, Cheryl always took her cues from our mom.

“Declan is the one who looks like death warmed over lately.
I swear, girl, I can’t believe the way you just up and left him after all those
years he gave you.”

This time I snorted, not giving a damn how unladylike it
sounded. “Oh yeah, I remember. He gave me so much in those years. Let’s see,
one sprained wrist, a broken ankle, bruised ribs, numerous black eyes and
busted lips. Hell, the list just goes on and on. Lord knows he was
so
generous.”

She frowned at me but remained silent as the waitress set
our food before us. I wanted to laugh out loud when I realized Cheryl had
mimicked my order without my realizing it.

“Now, Elle, we both know sometimes men can be real…pigs.
It’s up to us to better them. We have to take care of them.”

This wasn’t the first time I’d been given this speech. It
had been the gospel according to our mother for years. I figured it was how she
justified living with so many loser boyfriends all my life. All I really knew
about my daddy was I shared him with Cheryl…amazingly.

“Cheryl, that may be the way you want to live your life, but
I got sick of being Declan’s punching bag. There’s just no reason for me to
live that way when I don’t have to.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “If you’re talking
about that man who took you in, I think he’s just after something.”

This time I laughed out loud. I laughed until my gut ached
and I was holding it as I slapped the edge of the table. Cheryl just glared.

“What is so dang funny, Elle Jean?”

“He’s…he’s a-after something? Really? So what, you think I
never had sex with Declan those five years I lived with him?”

She blushed brightly and looked all around but no one was
paying any kind of attention to us.

“Will you lower your voice?” she hissed.

“Oh puleeze. There ain’t a single person here who gives a
damn what we’re yakkin’ about.”

One thing I hated about arguing with my sister, it always
made my drawl deeper. I took a breath and tried to calm my pulse before
continuing.

“Look, Cheryl, I don’t really understand why you and mom
have always supported everything Declan did no matter how I looked. He beat the
hell out of me, okay? He beat me, lied to me and hurt me in so many ways I
can’t even count them all. But the worst thing was how he talked to me. He
never once talked to me like I mattered, and that was what hurt the worst.”

For the first time a gleam of understanding seemed to shine
in Cheryl’s gaze. She had always taken Declan’s side in every argument over the
years to the point I wondered if they had something going on. But this once
when she opened her mouth it wasn’t to berate me for bad-mouthing him. She
sighed and with a somber expression simply said, “I know.”