Page 82 of Hard to Handle
When she looked up at me again, I noticed tears in her eyes, and I instantly wanted to kick myself.Tears weren’t my thing.I didn’t handle them well at all.And to see Reagan cry … that was my worst fucking fear.
“This is…” She exhaled roughly.“Amazing.”
“Really?” That wasn’t what I'd expected her to say.
“Yeah.”A smile formed, then grew bigger.“This ismybar,” she said in a soft whisper.
“Of course it is,” I assured her.
“No.”Her eyes met mine.“What I mean is this isme.This ismystyle.It’s… Holy shit, Lynx.This is incredible.”
Probably for the first time since I'd drawn the damn thing, I felt the pressure on my chest release.I'd figured it could go one of two ways.She’d like it or she’d hate it.
This, of course, was what I'd hoped for.
But not at all what I'd expected.
Reagan
I felt as though I was in some sort of alternate universe.
And once again, Lynx Caine had rocked my already unstable world with his kindness.
Turned out, the bad boy of Embers Ridge had the biggest heart of anyone I knew.
And to think, I had wasted all this time running from him.
As I stared at the sketch—the reallygoodsketch—of what his vision was for my new bar, I couldn’t help but think this man really knew me.
“The old bar,” I explained, “it wasn’t really mine, you know?”
I looked up to see him watching me.
“I mean, it was mine according to the piece of paper I have showin’ it is.However, it never really felt like mine.But this…” I glanced down at the notebook again.“This is incredible.”
“It’s a rough draft,” he said, his voice soft.
“No, it’s perfect, Lynx.It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”I frowned.“But I don’t know when the insurance company’ll be able to pay out.”
“We’re not worried about that right now,” he said.
My gaze snapped to his.“Of course we are.I can’t build this when I don’t have the money to do so.”
“Like I said, Reagan, we’re not worried about that right now.There’re a lot of people willin’ to help, plenty of donations comin’ in.”
I shook my head.“No.Absolutely not.I will not take handouts.”
Lynx sighed heavily.“Jesus Christ, girl.It ain’t a handout.Do you realize how many people come into your bar on a weekly basis?Hell, half this town stops in at least once a week.Some damn near every day.”
“I get that,” I countered.“But that doesn’t mean they have to help me rebuild.”I shook my head again and got to my feet, but not before Lynx was on his.
When he pulled me toward him, I started to push him away, but resisting him was impossible.
“What happened to you that night … it happened to the whole town, Reagan.”He lifted my chin with his finger.“Don’t offend them by refusin’ their help.”
“You don’t get it,” I argued.“I don’t have the money to do any of it.Shit, I’m lucky I even have a place to live right now.”
His eyes narrowed.“You’ve got everything you need.Just ask.”
