Paid him? And what did he mean her time here was over? It annoyed him that her father’s mind went straight to money. It wasn’t like that between him and Michelle. Yeah, he got to spend time with her and get some hours for his recertification, but this was never about classes that involved money. Was that what she’d said to them?
He didn’t know, because she wasn’t admitting or denying anything.
“Your time here is over?” he asked Michelle.
She opened her mouth to say something but her father cut her off again. “Yes, it is,” he confirmed. “Her business is—”
“Just fine,” she snapped. Finally, Michelle was looking like the woman he recognized. With fire in her eyes and heat in her words. But Dex couldn’t help but notice the small tremble she was trying to hide in her shoulders.
“Are you really okay?” he asked softly. “Is your shop okay?”
“No, it’s not,” her father said. “Perhaps if she spent more time using her accounting skills and less time gallivanting around the countryside with you, she wouldn’t be losing it.”
“I’m not losing anything,” Michelle interjected. But Dex’s chest was aching and burning up at the same time. Her father’s words smacked him hard. He was the bad influence, and Michelle was suffering because of him.
“I’m a business owner, something I’ve done on my own. Dex is nothing and has nothing to do with anything I’m trying to accomplish here. I’m not failing.” Her voice broke on the last word, but Dex was struck by the several that came before it. He was nothing. Nothing to her. Nothing in her world. Nothing. All the time they’d spent together, the training, the moments he thought there was more…he’d been wrong.
She glanced at him but then looked away. A mask of fear and anger was written all over her face, and Dex couldn’t handle the intense feeling of his chest drowning in his own blood. Surely that was because his heart was ripped open and pouring out everywhere.
“You can’t afford to stay,” he father said to Michelle.
“I’m not giving up,” she responded in a definite tone.
“You have maybe six months left before you’re totally broke.” Her father threw his hands up.
Dex frowned. He knew that would be a hell of a spot to be in, and despite his ribs splitting from the kick her earlier words gave him, he couldn’t help but offer… “We can figure something out,” he said quietly and for her ears alone.
“We?” she asked. “There is no we. I have care of me.” The way her voice gave out on that statement made his heart sink. “I won’t fail,” she whispered.
“Well, about the payment,” her father cut in, obviously trying to get rid of him. “What do those classes of yours run?”
“No payment is necessary,” Dex offered. He was too busy trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered soul out from under Michelle’s expensive stiletto.
“Nonsense, working man like yourself depends on this kind of income, I’m sure.” Her father reached for his wallet, and Dex looked at Michelle.
She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Maybe because she’d said enough earlier. Hell, Dex had heard enough. He knew when he wasn’t wanted. It had never hurt this bad. To make it worse, her father was on the brink of paying him for his services, which would make him—
No. No fucking way was this happening.
“I’m sorry to disturb your evening.” Dex turned to walk out before Michelle could insult him further or her father could pull a stack of hundreds from his wallet. He was done. So done with that conversation and her father’s assumptions. The whole damn thing.
He knew better.
And everyone had been right. Michelle was beyond him. She was the prom queen. The classy woman. And he was the town’s hardworking blue-collar boy. The guy in dirty jeans who wanted more of her but couldn’t offer her anything more than a good time.
There is no we…
He repeated her words in his mind over and over. The cool night air did little to chill him. His veins had already iced over, and the bitter taste of the past crept up.
He was just a novelty item to her.
Always had been.
Chapter Thirteen
Michelle had never felt more depressed in her life. Even the massive double chocolate cupcake Natalie had brought to her shop wasn’t helping.
Last night, Dex had walked out. And it was her fault. Everything she’d said came out wrong. Her father insulting her was one thing, but she’d panicked when he was about to make her look weak in front of Dex. The one person who’d helped her be strong.
Worse than that, she’d accidentally called him “nothing” and dumped him. Funny thing was, she hadn’t even realized they were together until he’d left. But she’d never forget the look on his face.
Pain.
Pain she’d caused.
Pain that came when you were in shock from being dismissed. Dismissed like you were nothing. Like a wave of her father’s hand or an annoyed eyeroll from her mother.