Lacey charged the short distance to him and took the cup he was holding out of his hand and put it back into the cup carrier before attempting to hand it back to him. “You need to leave.”
This time he stared at her like he was seeing everything beneath the surface—like he could actually read everything written on her heart. She shifted, tearing her eyes from him and looking away so she could get her bearings.
“Please,” Lacey whispered. Everything her mother had said to her yesterday—and all the years before—came crashing to the surface. Lacey wasn’t going to risk losing Bridger or being put under her parents’ thumb again. “Just…”
“Don’t,” he said firmly.
She lifted her eyes to meet his.
“Don’t say another word,” he continued. Mack placed his palm to her cheek, and his eyes searched hers like they had before. “I’m fully aware that you don’t want me here, but you’re just going to have to deal with it.”
Lacey opened her mouth, but he moved to place a finger over it.
“Listen to me and listen to me well. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Then you’re trespassing,” she blustered, her skin heating. “I can call the sheriff and have you forcibly removed.”
He shook his head. “You don’t get it. I’ll leave in a few minutes. But I’m notgoinganywhere. You can’t just lash out at me and expect me to run away with my tail between my legs. That’s not how this thing works.”
“What thing?” she demanded, wrenching away from his touch. “There is nothing. This?” She pointed a finger between the two of them. “This isn’t happening anymore. It was a mistake to start with, and it would be a huge mistake to continue. You’re going to take what you brought, and you’re going to leave. Then when you’re tempted to stop by unannounced, you’re going to remind yourself that I don’t want to see you.”
“That’s a lie,” he muttered softly, an edge to his voice. It wasn’t angry—not really. Rather, it was a combination of concern, desperation, and determination rolled into one. “You need me. And I need you.”
Momentarily distracted by his words, Lacey nearly gave in to the promise of it all. Then she shook her head. “I need to keep Bridger safe.”
“Who said he wasn’t? No one’s gonna hurt that kid. I’ll make sure of it.”
She gave up trying to get him to take the cup carrier and instead focused on giving him little shove after little shove toward the front door. He chuckled at her antics, which only spurred her frustration to a deeper level. “You can’t be here,” she repeated, finally getting him out onto the front landing of her apartment.
He folded his arms and leaned casually against the railing at his back. “You might be able to keep me out of your apartment, but this? Right here?” He tapped the ground with the toe of his boot. “This doesn’t belong to you.”
Lacey wanted to laugh and cry and yell at him all at once. “Bridger is going to be up soon, and I don’t want to have to tell him why you’ve chosen to become a stalker instead of a cowboy.”
The man actually laughed. He laughed! Then his eyes found hers, and he sobered, his voice a sultry, soft, and comforting sonnet. “I’m not going to give up on you, Lacey. I won’t.”
She gnawed on her lower lip, hating how much those words seemed to soothe her.
“I won’t give up on us,” he said firmly.
“Mom?” A quiet voice called from behind her. She jumped and glanced over her shoulder before tossing one more look in Mack’s direction and shutting the door.
Monday night was busierthan Lacey had expected. Most of the tables were full. Maybe there was an event happening locally she wasn’t aware of. She really needed to pay attention more to what was going on in her own town.
She smiled at the latest customers. A nice-looking young couple with a baby. The child had a fist wrapped tightly around his mother’s finger, and he babbled as his eyes swept over the restaurant.
“Hi,” Lacey jumped right in. “I’m Lacey, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. What can I get you to drink?”
“A coke for me,” the young man said, then glanced at his wife. “And she’ll have a water.” His wife grinned. They were clearly still so much in love, and it made Lacey’s heart hurt just looking at them. She didn’t mean to, but immediately, her thoughts drifted to Mack and what she’d lost when she pushed him out of her life.
Her smile tightened as she gave them a nod and hurried off to get the drinks. She’d just finished filling the plastic cups when the hostess popped her head into the small space where the soda machine was located.
“Lacey, there’s another table for you. He requested to be put in your section.”
The cup of water in her hand slipped from her fingers, connecting with the counter and clattering on the floor as water sloshed everywhere. Lacey gasped and jumped back. One other waitress nearby did the same.
Dang it! She already knew who was in her section. He could only be one person. And Lacey didn’t have the mental strength to see him tonight.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t simply tell him to leave. He was a paying customer—and he usually bought more than he could eat from the menu.
