Hustle Him (Bank Shot Romance #2)(25)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Before I could even understand what was happening, Logan ran over to Ramsey and hugged him at the waist. “Thanks for the best day ever. Sorry my mom is being a meanie.” Then he ran into the house.

I threw my hands into the air. “Great! Now I’m the bad guy.”

Ramsey leaned against his truck. He pulled off his hat and ran his hands through his thick hair. “Listen, I think it’s best if I just head home. I get why you’re mad, Vessa, but you need to know that I would never put a child in harms way. I’m pissed that you think I would be drinking.”

I covered my face. “I’m sorry. I know I am overreacting. I just didn’t know and with Gavin being such a bastard, I have to be careful.”

“Look, I was going to suggest that we stop what’s been going on anyway. I told you from the beginning that I wasn’t the kind of guy you wanted to be friends with. It’s obvious that this isn’t going to work. You have problems and I’m not the man that everyone thinks I am. It’s for the best.” Ramsey turned to climb into his truck.

My heart began beating out of my chest. I don’t know what it was, but I began to sob. This wasn’t me playing games with him to get him to open up. This was me desperately trying to not lose whatever I was feeling for this man. I rushed up next to him and put myself between him and the truck. He backed away and held up his hands. “I’m sorry. Don’t be like this, Ramsey. I don’t want you to go.”

I knew he was telling me goodbye. Not the kind of goodbye, like I would be seeing him around. He was closing the doors back up. “You need to know that you’re a beautiful woman. If things were different, maybe I could have showed you the way you deserve to be treated.”

I kept shaking my head as the tears fell down my face. “I know what you’re doing. Don’t shut me out, Ramsey. I want to be your friend.”

He looked away, perhaps to think of what to say without having to hurt my feelings so much. I closed my eyes, realizing that I was in no control of what his decision was going to be. I felt his hand brush across my face and wipe away the tears. “Don’t cry on my account. I’ll never hurt you again. Just tell the kid that I got a call. He’ll think it was cool and let you off the hook about it.” He moved me out of the way and finally got into his truck. With the ignition started, he turned and looked down at me. “I’ll never be what you want me to be, Vessa. I’m broken and there is no way to be fixed.”

He backed out of the driveway and left before I could say anything else to him. I didn’t understand what had gotten into me. He was just a man. I barely knew him. Sure, I knew more than he thought, but was it really enough to get myself all worked up about? Was I crying because I failed at being his supportive friend?

Maybe he hated me for asking him to kiss to me.

For someone that wanted to avoid men, I’d gone and gotten myself infatuated with one.

After the devastation wore off, I was left standing in my driveway alone. I ran into the house and called the bar.

She must have recognized the number as her house.

If you’re calling to yell at me, save it. I’m too busy right now.

Why did you let Ramsey take Logan today without my permission? I knew I shouldn’t have told him about Gavin last night. I need to keep my mouth shut.

I really hope you weren’t too hard on him. I had to really beg him to take the child this morning. He was completely against the idea.

What do you mean? It wasn’t his idea?

Of course it wasn’t. Think about who were are talking about here. Ramsey Towers doesn’t volunteer to be sociable, well, not unless it means he gets a meal out of it.

Oh no!

What do you mean, oh no?

I have to go. I’ll see you tonight.

I didn’t wait for her to ask for details. My aunt, who also thought she was a matchmaker, had been the one to set everything up, not Ramsey. I’d chewed him out and accused him of being drunk when he’d been doing something out of the kindness of his heart. It was no wonder that he wanted nothing more to do with me. I was so ashamed.

Of course, I couldn’t leave the children unattended and Ramsey finding out that I knew where he lived wasn’t going to go over well. After running down the street, I managed to talk the teenager two doors down to babysit for me. Her family attended our local church and she had volunteered her services when I first moved in. I gave her my cell phone number, kissed the kids, ordered a pizza and ran out the door.

I don’t even remember driving to Ramsey’s cabin, but as I pulled in, I realized that I had no idea what to say to the man. As soon as I climbed out of my car, I heard his porch door opening and saw him coming out of his house. His shirt was unbuttoned, but from the look in his eyes, I knew he didn’t care. “Vessa, what are you doing here? How did you find where I lived?”

I played with the keys in my hand, afraid to look him in the eyes.

He walked right up to me. “Nobody knows where I live. Tell me how you found me.”

I refused once more to look at him. He took his hand and reached for my chin, forcing me to look at him. “A couple nights ago you came into the bar in bad shape.”

“What are you talking about?”

This was it. I had to tell him the truth. I couldn’t keep it from him anymore. “Can we go inside and talk?”

He hesitated before waving his hand in the direction of the porch. Once inside, I sat down on the couch. He stood over me, like a pissed off dad when you broke curfew. “Vessa, you need to start explaining how in the hell you found me and I don’t want some made up story.”

I put my hands on my knees and looked down at the floor, while taking a few deep breaths. It wasn’t like we were vested in a relationship. Ramsey had made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with me. I had nothing to lose. “You came into the bar already intoxicated. We were slow that night and I couldn’t let you drive yourself home. I managed to take your keys and eventually you were able to show me where you lived. Once we arrived here, I got you situated in your bed and straightened up for you. Then I had my aunt pick me up so you wouldn’t be mad at me and accuse me of prying. I swear I was just trying to help you. You were in no shape to drive.”

He took his hat off and threw it on the chair beside us. “You know don’t you?”

I caught him glancing at the stack of papers that had been in his truck. He looked back at me and I was sure all the color left my face. “Yes. I saw them in your truck that night.”