Breathe (Sea Breeze 1)

I wiped my hands on a paper towel and turned to Ms. Mary. “What do you have for me today?”

She smiled and pointed to the pantry. “I need you to go through and check all expiration dates for me. We need to throw out anything that is old and replace it.”

I nodded and went straight to work. With Jax singing in my ears, the morning flew by.

Marcus joined me at lunchtime. “How’s it going?” He grinned down at me and sat with his plate full of food.

“Good, thank you, and you?”

Marcus shrugged, “Same ’ol, same ’ol, I guess.” He studied me, as if waiting for me to do something.

I frowned. “What?” I asked, before taking another bite of my Reuben sandwich.

“Nothing, I just thought you might be a little upset. You didn’t talk much this morning, and I figured you knew.”

I frowned and sat my drink down. “What?”

It looked like he was trying to decide whether or not to answer me. “Well?”

“Um, why don’t we go outside and eat...and talk.”

A nervous knot formed in my stomach, but I wanted to know what Marcus knew and I didn’t. I picked up my food and followed him out to the gazebo. “All right, tell me what this is about.”

Marcus didn’t sit down. He walked over to the edge of the gazebo and leaned a hip against the railing. “Amanda has email subscriptions to several teen news websites. This morning she came running into my room before I left, asking me if you were still dating Jax. I told her ‘yes,’ and she showed me the Teen Star Follower. It has photos of Jax taken last night out on the town with actress Baily Kirk.”

My stomach quivered, but I’d been through this before with Jax, and I knew he couldn’t help the publicity photos and what the news reported.

I forced a smile. “It’s not a big deal. He has to take those photos for publicity reasons. I’m not concerned.”

Marcus sighed and reached into his back pocket to pull out some papers. “I printed it out.”

I took the papers from his hands and sank down into my seat with images of Jax holding hands with a beautiful, dark-haired girl. One photo showed him leaning down and laughing at what she was saying. The other showed him with his arm around her shoulders, pointing toward something and smiling. I didn’t want to read the words, but I found myself reading it anyway. “Last night Jax Stone was seen out for the first time in weeks on the arm of Baily Kirk (The Dream Date and Winters Way). Both appeared very interested in each other. We guess the rumors that Jax has been hiding out with a new lucky lady are untrue because he seems very interested in Miss Kirk.”

I handed the paper back to Marcus and stood up. “I’m not hungry anymore. I need to get back to work.”

He grabbed my arm when I walked by him. “He does not deserve you.”

I didn’t want him to see my face because tears were threatening to fall at any moment.

“I’m not a part of his world. He has another life outside of his life here with me,” I choked out in a whisper. I pulled free and started back to the house.

Marcus came up behind me and grabbed my hand. “Stop, Sadie.”

I stopped, but didn’t turn around. Tears were rolling down my face, and I didn’t want to humiliate myself.

“I know I have said this before, but you’re worth more than what he gives you. You’re beautiful, and smart, and kind, and funny, and you don’t care if your hair is messed up or if you break a nail. You’re not too busy to play chess with an old man, and you’re raising your mom and never complain.” He sighed, took my face, and turned it toward him. “Why can’t you see how special you are?”

I kept my eyes downward.

He wiped my tears. “I should kick his ass for making you cry.”

I shook my head. “I chose this. It is my choice. I chose him. I can’t help what my heart feels.”

Marcus clinched his jaw and nodded before dropping his hands and stepping back as if I’d burned him. He was such a good guy. I hated that the truth hurt him so much.

I closed the gap he created and reached up to touch his face. “You’re special, too, and one day someone is going to steal your heart and become one lucky girl.” I dropped my hand and turned to walk away.

“But what if she already has, but her heart is taken?” he asked in a hoarse whisper.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and then turned to glare at him. “Then she isn’t the right one.”

He walked toward me in one long stride. “But what if she is wrong?” he asked, right before his mouth came down on mine.

I was stunned at first, and then I panicked. I couldn’t be doing this. I put both my hands against his chest and pushed him away before turning and running. I ran straight to my bike and peddled home as hard as I could.

The phone rang. I’d just reached my road and was out of breath from peddling so fast. I pulled over, sank down against a tree, and took a deep breath. I needed to answer this. I would talk to him about the actress when he got home, but I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions while he wasn’t here to defend himself. Even if the pictures were rather incriminating.

“Hello,” I answered

“Where are you?” Jax voice sounded hard and strained.

“Uh...” I realized it was two in the afternoon, and I was almost home. How could I explain this?

“Well, I’m pulled over on the side of the road talking to you,” I said in the lightest tone I could muster.

“Why are you not at my house?” His tone sounded a little less hard, but still very strained.

“Well, um....” I did not want to lie, but I did not want to tell the truth either. At least not over the phone. “I’m going home early.”

He paused for a minute, “Are you going to tell me why?”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes, I think you need to.”

“I have a headache.” It wasn’t a lie.

“Jason just called me. He witnessed something from his window about thirty minutes ago.”

I sighed and laid my head back against the tree.

“This is something I wanted to wait and discuss when you got home.”

“It can’t wait. He said you were crying and he said...he said Marcus kissed you.”

The last part sounded so hard and angry I feared for Marcus.

“There is a lot more to it.”

“Then tell me.”

I knew this wouldn’t end until I told him everything. “Marcus’s sister Amanda saw pictures of you online taken last night with Baily Kirk, and you were really very friendly and touchy in them. You seemed happy. I had a hard time with the photos, and Marcus said a few things about our relationship I didn’t want to hear, and I cried a little. He stopped me and tried to console me, and I started to leave again and he just...he just kissed me.”

Jax didn’t say anything for what seemed like a lifetime. “He’s fired, and I am on a plane coming home now.”

“Jax, no! He, he...I think he is in love with me.”

Jax let out a hard laugh. “I know.”

“Well, he is just worried about me, and he was trying to convince me someone like him would be a much better match for me.”

Jax hissed. “He’s fired now! I told you I wouldn’t fire him unless he said something against you, and he did. He tried to convince you I didn’t love you.”

I sighed. I couldn’t stand this. It was all my fault. “I didn’t kiss him back, and I pushed him away quickly. No harm done.”

“I know you didn’t, and I know you pushed him off. Jason saw all of it. He also saw you run like hell and fly down the driveway on your bike at a breakneck speed. He called me immediately and told me. I walked out of a photo shoot and called my pilot. I’m on my way to you now.”

“You have explained the photos to me before. I just wasn’t prepared to see it first hand, and reading the reporters words weren’t much fun either. I tried to handle it without getting upset.”

Jax sighed, “Every one of those photos were taken last night by her publicist. She is going to be in a new movie, and they needed the buzz. They told me what to do in all of those pictures.”

Relief washed away the pain, but guilt still weighed on me because Marcus was going to be out of a job.

“Thanks for explaining everything to me.”

He chuckled this time, and it was the warm sound I loved so much. “Wait up for me. I will see you soon.”

“I will.”

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

Jax didn’t have to fire Marcus; he quit. Ms. Mary said it was for the best and for me not to worry. Marcus would be going back to college in a few weeks, and he probably needed this time off to get prepared. However, William quit, too, and it left Ms. Mary with a problem. No servers.

“I’ve seen two applicants today, and only one is suitable. But he is going to need some help for his first time.” Ms. Mary stood over a pile of resumes in front of her.

“I’ll do it tonight. I know how. The one suitable applicant can help me.”

Ms. Mary cut her eyes at me and frowned. “I don’t know about that. Master Jax won’t like it much. He’s already grumbling about you working out in the sun, and he made me promise not to make you touch shrimp or oysters again since he found out how much you hate them.”

I laughed. “Well, he will get over it. Besides, what else can you do?”

Ms. Mary chewed on her bottom lip, and then nodded. “Well, I guess you’re right. You’re my only way out of this mess.”

The door opened, and Jax walked in with a grin on his face. “Ah, just who I wanted to see.” He leaned down and kissed my nose, and then gave Ms. Mary his charming, little boy grin.

“Do you have any sweet tea?”

“You know I do. Just made some fresh.” She stood up to go fix his drink. “While you’re here, I wanted to go ahead and let you know that since you ran off my servers, Sadie here will be serving tonight with the new guy so she can train him.”

Jax frowned. “No, she isn’t.”

“Jax, I don’t see why not. Ms. Mary needs help.” I stood and put my hands on my hips, ready to wage a war.

He grinned and slipped his arms through mine. “The family will be dining out tonight, and I will be busy. We won’t have need of servers.” He turned to Ms. Mary and smiled. “Take the night off.” He looked at me. “Will you do me the honor of going to dinner with me?”

Ms. Mary chuckled, and I smiled. “I would love to.”

He took my hand and led me toward the entrance to the main part of the house. “Good night, Ms. Mary,” he called over his shoulder.

We walked to his room.

“I had my stylist buy you clothing for the trip you didn’t get to take with me. If we want to enjoy a fan free meal, then we’re going to have to go eat somewhere were the dress code is a little more strict than most.” He opened his massive walk in closet and went inside and came out with a long, white box. “For you,” he said smiling.

I didn’t like the idea of him buying me clothes, but the eager smile on his face made me bite my tongue and get over it. I laid it on the bed and opened it up. Inside lay a pale blue dress that appeared to be made with fabric so delicate it would break when I touched it.

“I’m afraid I will hurt it,” I whispered and looked at him.

He chuckled and walked over to stand behind me. His breath caressed my ear. “All you’re going to do is make it the envy of everyone around you.” He returned to his closet and came back out with a shoebox. “You’ll need these too.”

I opened it. A pair of silver, strappy stiletto heels lay inside. “I hope I can walk in these.” My voice sounded nervous, even to me.

He took one, slipped it on his finger, and let it dangle. “These do seem complicated, but I can just imagine them on, and the image I am getting is making me sweat. We need to get you away from me.” He took the dress and led me to a guest bedroom. “You have a bathroom at your disposal, and you will find it has all you could possibly need to get dressed for tonight.”

“Okay,” I said, as he laid the dress on the bed and walked back to the door.

He gave me a cocky grin. “I’ll pick you up at seven, if that’s all right.”

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It showed a quarter to six now. “See you then.”

He bowed and closed the door behind him.

I walked into the adjoining bathroom. Make up and bath gels, soaps, salts, creams and as many different body lotions, splashes, and powders filled the marble counter tops. I bit my lip to keep from laughing out loud. He’d been prepared for me to say “yes.” A piece of paper lay on top of the towels, bath cloths, sponge, loofa, and some other item I’d never seen before. I picked it up and smiled when I realized it was from Jax.