Worth Fighting For (Fighting to Be Free 2)

I never allowed myself to think of the bad things that happened before we left or the fact that I killed a man. I blocked it all out and just got on with my life. Ed and the Salazar people wouldn’t steal any more of my life and happiness—I wouldn’t let them. We moved on, all of us, and we were happier than we thought possible after losing my dad.

The bell above the door chimed and in stepped the genius who created the beautiful jewelry that I sold here. Simone was a thirtysomething single mom with pink and green in her hair, her style quirky and different. She lived just down the street from my nana’s house and was a lovely woman. “Hi, Ellie.”

“Hey, Simone.” My eyes zeroed in on the box she was carrying and I squealed. “Is that the new line you were telling me about?” I asked, haphazardly hanging the last couple of dresses on the display rack before rushing to her side excitedly.

She nodded, lifting off the shoe box lid, exposing her beautiful creations. I gasped and my mother leaned in too, her eyes excited as we all reached into the box and pulled out pieces, setting them on the counter. “Oh, they’re beautiful! I can already see these selling out,” I gushed, picking up a silver bracelet with a bumblebee design intricately engraved on it.

My mom nodded in agreement, reaching into the drawer and pulling out her camera. “These are going straight on the website and social media pages. Great work, Simone.”

Simone’s face lit up; everybody liked compliments from my mother and took them to heart. “Thanks, ladies,” she chirped before turning to me. “Hey, I just saw your man getting into his car and driving off. Where’s he going in the middle of the day?”

“No idea,” I answered, absentmindedly heading to the front window of the store and looking out across the street. When Jamie had sold his apartment, his club, and all of his cars so he could buy my store, he’d also purchased a little something for himself that just so happened to be across the street. A large brick warehouse that he’d opened up the front of and converted into his own workshop and garage. Jamie was living his dream too, fixing up cars instead of stealing them.

I loved that he was so close because it meant I got to eat lunch with him every day, and if I so desired, at any given point throughout the day, I could look out the window and marvel at the sight of him dressed in his greasy overalls, with his cap on his head, bent over a car with that delectable ass in full view. Every single time it made my heart thunder in my chest and my knees weak.

Jamie hadn’t moved with us at the start, but after he drove to my nana’s house practically every day for two months, my mom had finally suggested that he just move in too because he was already there so damn much anyway.

Until I lived with him and woke to him every single day, I hadn’t realized I could love him even more than I had before, but I was wrong, oh so wrong.

Simone was right, though; he’d closed up shop and his car was gone. I frowned, hoping he drove safely in the snow. More than likely he’d gone to pick up a part for a car. There wasn’t any other real place he would need to go to today, unless...

I gasped and turned to my mom. “Oh my God, do you think the sale has gone through? Maybe he’s gone to pick up the keys or something?!” I jumped on the spot, my excitement bubbling up inside me like I was a little kid. I couldn’t stand still. “The lawyer said it wouldn’t happen until late in the afternoon, but it could have gotten done early, right?” I prattled.

Simone cocked her head to the side. “This for the house you two are buying? Is it going through today, sugar?”

I nodded, reaching up to cup my cheeks as my face flushed with heat and excitement. “Yes!”

“Calm down, Ellison. He’s most likely gone to collect a part for a job he’s on or something. If it’s not due to go through until tonight, then it’ll most likely be tonight, not lunchtime.” My mom was always the voice of reason. That was my first thought, too.

My excitement slowly fizzled out. I’d been on tenterhooks all day, waiting for the phone to ring and tell me that Jamie and I were homeowners, but I could wait a few more hours for it. I sighed and nodded, resigned. “Yeah, I guess. Anyway, let’s get these new beauties photographed and on display,” I suggested, trying to keep my mind off our new home as I headed back over to the new array of jewelry we had to sell in the store.

* * *

Less than an hour later, Jamie was back. I heard the roar of his car engine as he pulled up outside. I resisted the urge to run to the window and just continued staring at the phone, waiting for the lawyer to call with good news.

When the bell above the door chimed again, I looked up in time to see the love of my life walk in carrying a bunch of pale pink roses. His smile stretched across his face and my heart skipped a beat. “Hey, little girl,” he called.

I spun on the stool I was perched on and hopped off, heading around the counter to meet him. “Hey yourself.” I went up on tiptoes, and his mouth came down and connected with mine. His face was chilled from the wind, his hair messy where it had been hidden under a cap all morning, but he had never looked more appealing. Jamie could be covered in mud, and I would still want to jump his bones.

He pulled back, his eyes sparkling with excitement. I smiled and looked at the flowers. “Those for me?” I inquired, biting my lip.

He shook his head quickly, reaching in and plucking a single rose from the bunch. “This one is,” he replied, holding it out to me. “But the rest are for...” He looked up and smiled at my mom before walking over and handing them to her. “...You,” he finished.

My heart melted even more at the sweet gesture. My mom gasped, her eyes widening as she put them to her face and inhaled their sweet aroma. “Aww, Jamie, they’re lovely. Thank you!”

My boyfriend had completely won my mother over with his charm and sweetness during the last nine months. She’d been hesitant about our relationship at first, but her new philosophy in life, after losing my dad, was that people needed to live life every day and grab happiness wherever they could get it. She just wanted me to be happy and recognized that he was the one who was going to make that happen. Now she treated him like the son she’d never had.

“What are these for, then?” she asked, inhaling the flowers again, her eyes shining with gratitude.

Jamie shrugged and turned back to me. “For having such a wonderful daughter and for letting me be part of her life.” He reached into his pocket and brought out a bunch of keys, dangling them from one finger. “And as a going-away present, because we’ll be moving out soon.”

My mouth popped open. He had gone to get the keys earlier! “What? Are you freaking kidding? Are they seriously the keys to the house?” I bounced on the spot, staring, transfixed, at the keys and our new beginning that was just around the corner.

“Not kidding. I just went to pick them up.” Jamie grinned. “Want to go check out our new pad?”

I squealed and nodded, already running to the back to grab my jacket and scarf. When I was all bundled up, I headed back into the shop, seeing Jamie fin

ishing off my hot cocoa that Mom had made ten minutes ago.

Mom grinned, coming to my side and reaching out to zip up my coat the last couple of inches and fiddle with my scarf. Her eyes were misted with tears as she smiled over at me. “I’m so happy for you two, and I just want you to know that your dad would be incredibly proud of the young lady you’ve grown into.”

I smiled and reached out, pulling her into a tight hug. “Thank you. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” she replied. That was another thing she’d changed since the accident—she was now very forthcoming with her affection. It was a little weird to accept at first, but now I reveled in it. We had a superb relationship.

I pulled away and turned to Jamie, who was holding out a hand to me. “Ready?” he asked.

I nodded. “Hell yes!” I’d been ready to settle down with him since I was seventeen years old. This day hadn’t come soon enough.

JAMIE

As we stepped out of the store and into the chilly wind, a young couple sitting on the wooden fence, kissing, caught my eye. I smiled but then cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted, “Kelsey Pearce, put that boy down!”

She jerked away, her face flushing pink, just like Ellie’s did when she was embarrassed. “Shut up, Jamie,” Kelsey called back, laughing and reaching up to wipe her mouth with the back of her mitten-covered hand.

Kelsey had turned fourteen last week, and as far as teenagers went, she was pretty cool and a good sister to Ellie. We actually got along great. She was around the same age my sister would have been now, so I liked to step in and do my big brother part.

“Just let me know if this gets serious so I know if I have to come kick his ass.” I winked at her as the boy’s body stiffened and his hand dropped from around her shoulders.