Terri Osburn - Up to the Challenge

Kinzie pouted. “You’re far from innocent.”

“She didn’t have to tell me,” Sid said. “I could see it at the ball last Friday. If Manny can’t see how awesome you are, then that’s his loss. I’m convinced that boy couldn’t spot a bluefin tuna if it jumped out of the water and poked him in the ass.”

Opal laughed and nearly spit buttercream across the counter. Kinzie turned pink. “But he’s so gorgeous. And those eyes.”

“Eyes that can’t see how great you are.” Sid took a taste of the buttercream and felt her shoulders relax. Chocolate really could cure a broken heart. Or at least numb it a bit. “If you want him, make him earn it, Kinzie. Better yet, screw him. Screw all men.”

She reloaded her spoon and went on with the rant. “They don’t listen. They’re always looking for something more than what’s standing right in front of them. And we make it so easy.” Sid slapped a hand on the counter. “They flash those hazel eyes—”

“They’re blue,” Kinzie interrupted.

“—and we sigh and thank the Lord he’s noticed us at all. They kiss us and we fall into bed with them.”

“I haven’t fallen into bed with anyone,” Kinzie argued.

“Hush,” Opal said. “This is getting good.”

“Then we fall in love with them!” Sid yelled to the rafters. Her own words echoed in her ears, and the heartbreak returned, stronger than before. “I fell in love with that son of a bitch.” Tears spilled over as she leaned on the counter, chin dropping to her chest. “What am I going to do? This hurts so much.”

Gentle hands lifted her face. “You have to make a choice, honey.”

Sid wiped a tear from her chin. “What choice do I have? He’s leaving in a few weeks.”

Opal tucked a hair behind Sid’s ear. “You can let him go, or you can fight for him.” She winked. “You’ve always struck me as a fighter.”

Sid wanted to fight, but the odds were stacked against her. How could she compete with life in the city? The important people, foreign cars, and fancy dinner parties? And she hadn’t even decided if she was willing to forgive him for trampling on her dream yet.

Which was an idiotic thought. She’d forgive him anything if it meant being with him.

“Are you saying I should go after him? Beg him to stay?”

“Heavens no.” Opal stuck her spoon in the buttercream. “That’s the last thing you need to do. Keep your distance would be my suggestion.”

Sid glanced at Kinzie, who shrugged in a no-idea-what-she’s-talking-about way.

“How would keeping my distance be fighting for him?”

“If my instincts are correct,” she said, tapping a finger against her chin, “and they almost always are, that boy is just as in love with you as you are with him. Stay away and he’ll be at your door in less than twenty-four hours.”

This did not sound like a good plan. She’d kicked him out of her house. Told him to get his shit and go. Why would he come back? Especially if she stayed away. Then he’d believe she was still pissed, and leave her alone.

“Are you sure about this?” Sid asked. “Wouldn’t that just make him stay away?”

“You have much to learn, grasshopper,” Opal said, spooning chocolate into her mouth. “He’s going to miss you something awful. The longer you’re silent, the more determined he’s going to be to win you back. Mark my words. Less than twenty-four hours.”

Sid hadn’t decided whether she wanted to report to the restaurant or not. She was still mad about the garage, and spending the day pretending she wasn’t for the sake of ungrateful tourists didn’t sit well.

“Then it’s a plan.” Sid loaded her spoon with a double helping. “But if he doesn’t show up at my house by this time tomorrow, I’m never taking your advice again.” Licking the spoon clean, she added, “And I’m taking a bowl of this to go. I’m going to need it.”

Lucas had gotten his answer when Sid didn’t come to work. Instead, Georgette showed up with the message Sid had gotten a repair call. Interesting timing for the first call she’d gotten in nearly three weeks. Maybe there was no call at all, and she was just avoiding him.

Then his conscience slapped his ego with the thought Not everything is about you, idiot.

Sid wasn’t the type to lie. If she didn’t want to work, she’d have said so. Though the timing was either convenient or coincidence. Either way, his plan to apologize throughout the day was scrapped.

Plan B was to drive to her cottage after work and make her listen. But then he was being the arrogant asshole who barreled over people and demanding life happen on his terms. So he gave her the evening, had dinner with his parents, then tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep without Sid curled up beside him.

That was going to be a problem once he was back in Richmond. Maybe his dad was right. Maybe he should let her go now. Save them both from any more heartbreak.

As if anything was going to make leaving easier. Then again, for all he knew, Sid would give him a wave and get on with her life. At least after the calls he’d made yesterday, she could get on with the life she’d planned. The way she’d planned it.

Now he needed to make sure she’d remember their time together with something other than hurt and anger. Even if this summer would never be more than a memory, he’d be damned if that memory would be one she’d regret.

That meant plan B would have to work. Will had agreed to cover for him at Dempsey’s, because what he had in mind would take all day to execute. Pretending Will needed training had gotten old quick. The woman was more capable than anyone he knew. She could mix two drinks one-handed and total out a bill in her head before he could unlock the screen on the computer.

That freed Lucas to unleash what he deemed Operation Sweep Sid Off Her Feet.

The rain that set in overnight had slowed to a steady drizzle by daylight. He knew because he’d given up trying to sleep around four and watched the steady downpour taper off to a misty fog by dawn. By six he’d showered. By seven, he was headed for Sid’s.

By seven fifteen he was sitting in her empty drive, cursing his own stupidity. Where would she have spent the night? Not Joe and Beth’s or he’d have seen her truck. Would she have stayed with her brother? Or Will? Not that he knew where either of them lived.

The worst hit. What if she’d gone to Manny?

No. Sid would never do that. Or would she? Then he remembered her old routine and his grip on the steering wheel loosened. Running. She had to be on the beach.

Lucas didn’t breathe again until he slid the BMW up next to Sid’s truck. Thank God the woman was a creature of habit. He spotted her thirty yards away heading in the opposite direction. Good. He could catch up before she saw him.

When he reached her, she stopped, but he kept going. Sid’s competitive side would get her moving again. Or so he’d hoped. Sadly, he was wrong. Ten yards up he stopped too and turned around to find her in the same spot, hands on her hips.

As he trudged through the sand between them, Lucas tried to gauge her mood. For once, her face was unreadable. Now she had to master the art of bluffing? Really?

“Hey,” he said. Not the powerful intro he’d planned, but the urge to touch her was shorting out his brain.

Sid shook her head. “No shit,” she said. Then she looked down. “Less than twenty-four hours. I can’t believe it.”

“I know it’s only been a day and you’re still mad,” he said, taking advantage of her calm response to his presence. “I just wanted to let you know the garage is yours.”

“Did you hear nothing I said yesterday?” she asked. “I wanted—”

“I heard you. I mean I withdrew my offer.” Lucas put his hands in his pockets to keep from pulling her in. “The paperwork wasn’t signed so I told the Realtor I changed my mind. It’s all yours,” he added. “On your terms.”

“Withdrew your offer?” Sid shifted, glancing over to the waves pounding against the beach. “So it’s on the market again? Free and clear?”

“That’s right.”

Her shoulders relaxed a bit, but her eyes stayed on the water. “You’re walking away?”

Lucas held silent, waiting for her to meet his eyes again. When she did, he said, “From the garage, yes.” He stepped closer. “But not the other. Not yet.”

Sid dropped her gaze again, but didn’t back away.

“I hope you’re not ready to walk away either.” He lifted her chin with one finger. “I want to make this up to you. Will you let me?”

She stared into his eyes as if trying to determine whether he meant the words or not. He put every feeling he had out for her to see, and took her reluctant grin as a good sign.

“You’re not going to buy me a truck or something, are you?”

“No more buying. This time, I’m going to make you something.”

Sid raised a brow. “You? Make something?”

He couldn’t fault the skepticism. He hadn’t shown her any of his skills outside of the bedroom. Time to correct that.

With relief flooding his body, Lucas moved closer and slid his hands around her waist. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have respected your wishes.”

She moved her hands up his chest. “Yeah. You should have. Do you understand why I need to do this my way?”

Lucas still wasn’t sure he agreed with her plan, but he did understand. “It’s hard for me to see you want something and not do what I can to give it to you. I hope you know that my intention was never to take the dream away. Quite the opposite. But I respect your decision. And I respect you for it.”

A light shone through her eyes as if he’d just given her the world. “Thank you.” She lifted on tiptoe and took his mouth with hers. Leave it to Sid not to wait for him to make the move. God, he loved this woman.