Too Hard to Break (7 page)

“I don’t have a cat,” I mumbled.

She rolled her eyes and walked me over to the nearest chair.
I fell into it, letting my roses rest limply in my lap.

“I know you don’t have a cat, ya dingdong. But if you don’t
snap out of this funk and figure out what’s going on with Hank you might have
ten by this time next month. We’ll call you the crazy cat lady.”

I wanted to laugh but just didn’t have the energy. She
pulled up a second chair and sat facing me, waiting for my explanation. I
inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly to tell her my suspicions.

“I have a bad feeling about tonight. Maybe he’s finally
going to admit to having a girlfriend stashed somewhere.”

“What? You’re nuts, Elle. I just saw the way he was looking
at you. There can’t possibly be another woman.”

“Well, he said I’d want you with me tonight…after he shows
me whatever he’s got to show me.”

“Oh my god!”

She leapt out of her chair, hands over her mouth as she
danced from foot to foot. It was almost enough to make me laugh. Almost but not
quite.

“What?” I asked, totally exasperated. “What’s got you all
worked up?”

She finally dropped her hands and leaned over, one hand on
my shoulder, to look me in the eyes. “Don’t you see? He’s not going to
introduce another woman. He’s going to propose.”

It was my turn to jump out of my chair and stare at her as
if she’d lost her mind. “What the hell? You’re nuts, Megan. There’s no way.
After all I’ve put him through. Me?”

She was nodding hard enough I thought her head might fall
right off.

“Yeah, and he still doesn’t want you to move out, right? In
fact, I’ll bet all this talk of you moving has him spooked and he figures he
needs to hold on with both hands before you try to leave again.”

It made a weird sort of sense…and scared the hell out of me.
“No. No way. He can’t be that crazy.”

She laughed and plopped back down in her chair. “Why would
wanting to marry you make him crazy?”

I looked at her as if she were nuts. “I’m a mess!”

She smiled and shook her head. The sympathy in her gaze
almost started my waterworks going but I sniffed the tears back and sat too.

“Oh, honey, you’re really not that bad. You’re pretty
special to me and I’d bet good money to Hank too.”

I didn’t really know how to respond. Luckily a few members
walked in and I didn’t have to.

The remainder of my shift passed in a blur and before I knew
it Megan was pulling me along to the time clock. I had just put my card back in
its slot when Craig walked in to the break room.

“Hey, ladies, who wanted to know about vacations?” he asked.

Megan and I both pointed at each other and he laughed.

“Well, okay. It was me. But I’m sure she needs to know too,”
I said.

“That’s cool,” he replied. “Our fiscal year ends next month
so you only have about six more weeks before you can take some time off. You
both get two weeks this time around.”

“Really?” we asked in unison.

“Yup.”

“Cool,” Megan said. “I’ll have to tell Sean.”

“Yeah. I guess I should tell Hank too,” I said with much
less enthusiasm.

She turned a worried gaze my way but Craig didn’t seem to
notice.

“Just make sure you let me know the dates you want ASAP.
We’ll have to look at seniority if anyone else wants the same dates.”

“Okay,” we answered in unison again.

He just shook his head and walked out with a laugh.

“It might not matter after tonight,” I said.

“Oh, will you stop that? I’m telling you there’s nothing to
worry about.”

I looked at my best friend in the whole world and prayed she
was right. I just couldn’t think past the fear and dread in my gut. “Yeah,
okay.”

“Come on,” she said. “Our men are waiting.”

I followed her, not at all certain one of the men waiting
was really mine.

Chapter Five

We drove in silence with the low sound of a classic rock
station playing on the radio. Hank had tried to engage me in conversation but
must have gotten sick of my one-word answers. I was sick of telling him nothing
was wrong. Sean’s headlights shined in the rearview mirror and it was a small
comfort to know I had friends close by. Whatever tonight would bring, at least
I wouldn’t be alone to face it. I wanted to laugh at the thought, after all my
tough talk of being independent. Seems I was just a baby after all.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Hank said.

“They’re not worth that much.”

“Can I be the judge of that, sweetheart? It’s really
breaking my heart you feel like you can’t confide in me.”

I glanced at him but he was watching the road. His profile
held a serious expression that matched his tone.

“I’m sorry. I was just thinking…I’m never going to really be
independent, I guess.”

He sighed and ran a hand across the back of his neck,
keeping the other firmly on the wheel, but said nothing else.

A couple of minutes later he pulled off the main road and
turned into a neighborhood I’d never been in before. It wasn’t far from home
and I’d seen it plenty of times but had never had reason to explore it. I
briefly wondered if his girlfriend lived nearby and panic struck me before I
pushed it away. Hank would never be so cruel as to take me to another woman’s
house.

He turned onto a quiet street with well-manicured lawns and
pretty two-storied houses. When he turned into the driveway of one I damn near
fainted on the spot. Maybe he would be so cruel?

“We’re here,” he said unnecessarily as he killed the engine
and turned to face me.

I had no clue how to respond.

“Before we go inside there’s something I need to say to you,
Elle. I don’t know what’s been going on the past week or why, but I can tell
you’re ready to bolt at the slightest provocation.”

I automatically opened my mouth to protest, even if it was
the truth, but he held up a hand to stop me.

“Now, baby, you know it’s true. I don’t know what I’ve done
to upset or scare you but I’m really sorry that I did. I just want you to
know…god, I’m so in love with you, Elle. I didn’t want to tell you like this,
here parked in my truck. But I feel like you need to know that before anything
else comes your way.”

I froze and every thought of another woman flew from my
head.

“Wha…you…you love me?”

He smiled and my heart melted right in my chest.

“Yeah, baby. I love you so damn much I can’t see straight. I
have for a while but didn’t want to scare you off. I know you’re still trying
to get over that asshole and want to be out on your own for a bit. But I really
want you to stay with me…please.”

How in the hell could I possibly say no to that? I couldn’t
and didn’t even try. Instead I took off my seatbelt and climbed right over the
console, straight into his lap, or as much as I could be with the steering
wheel in my way. He laughed and put a hand on my hip.

“Hank, you have no idea how it makes me feel to hear that.”

“Good I hope. Good enough to want to stay with me.”

I sighed out a laugh more of relief than humor and nodded.
“Yup. Definitely.”

He grinned and I kissed him full on the mouth before I could
talk myself out of it. When I pulled back all the humor was gone from his face.

“You know, I think this is the first time
you’ve
kissed
me
.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. And I really liked it.”

We both laughed until a sharp knock on the driver’s side
window made me jump. My ass hit the horn and I jumped again at the sound.
Outside, Megan and Sean belted out laughter.

“Oh, really funny,” I said.

Hank chuckled and lifted me over the console and back onto
my seat. I went with a sigh.

“Come on, beautiful, let’s get inside so you can see what’s
kept me away from you so much lately.”

And just like that my fear was back. Irrational since he’d
just declared he loved me, I know. I climbed out of his truck on numb legs and
Megan ran to my side with a huge grin on her face.

“Well, I guess everything’s good?”

I shrugged and stared at the house in dread. “I guess we’ll
see when we get inside.”

Her smile melted away and she hooked her arm in mine as we
followed Hank to the front door. Sean brought up the rear silently.

It was a very nice house with a cute wraparound porch and
wooden shutters. The colors were warm and neutral like many on the street. It
didn’t really stand out in any way. The short wrought-iron fence surrounding
the front yard continued around to the sides where a taller wooden fence took
over. There were padlocks on the gates.

Hank didn’t bother to knock or ring the bell, just opened
the front door and waved us inside. Megan and I looked at each other with
identical expressions of confusion before stepping inside.

“Well, there y’all are finally. Welcome!”

Megan stiffened as a pretty blonde woman came toward us with
her hand outstretched. I shook her hand automatically and Megan followed suit
but didn’t seem too happy about it. As soon as the woman moved on to the men
Megan pulled me farther into the room.

“That’s her,” she whispered in my ear.

The slight scent of the woman’s perfume reached my nose and
I didn’t need further clarification. This was Hank’s other woman.

“Hank, I wish you had called me sooner so I could have
arranged dinner,” the woman said.

She stepped toward him but didn’t invade his personal space.
He smiled at her but it was nothing like the way he looked at me. When he just
shrugged and headed for me the pain in my chest started to fade.

“We’re going to grab a bite to eat once we leave here,
Gloria. I just couldn’t keep this place a secret any longer. It was killing me.”

Gloria nodded and the smile never left her face as Hank put
his arm around me. My gut eased further.

“Everyone, this is Gloria Hudson. She’s been an immense help
to me in organizing everything for this place. Welcome to the new home of the
Elle J. Woodard Foundation. It’s a private enterprise to help battered women
escape their dangerous situations.”

My jaw dropped as Megan squealed and Sean grinned. The air
in my lungs froze and all I could do was look around in shock.

“Oh, this is so awesome, Elle. It’s named after you,” Megan
said.

Hank tightened his arm around my shoulder, hugging me to his
side. A good thing since most of the feeling had left my legs.

“What?”

It was all I could think to ask. After working myself up to
the worst possible conclusions, I couldn’t wrap my head around what was
happening.

“This foundation is the new project I was telling you about,
baby. I was thinking maybe you’d like to help run things here.”

I pulled away and stared at Hank with my mouth still open.
His grin started to fade and I vaguely heard Gloria offer Sean and Megan a
tour. Soon Hank and I were alone in the front room.

“What’s wrong? Are you mad I named it after you?” he asked.

I shut my mouth and shook my head as tears started sliding
down my cheeks. Relief at what was really happening flooded my system almost
too fast to process. I sniffed and wiped my eyes with both hands before trying
to answer.

“N-no. I’m not mad. I-I’m overwhelmed. How can you be so
damn good to me?”

He sighed out a laugh and pulled me into his arms. “Oh,
Elle. I told you I love you. Isn’t that enough reason?”

I hiccupped and gave a slow nod. “I love you too, you know?”

He kissed me slowly before hugging me tight to his chest
again. “Yeah, baby. I know.”

We stood that way for a full minute before he let go. I
finally took a good look around what I had originally thought was an empty
room. There was a table with pamphlets and flyers on it just inside the front
door. A few folding chairs were set up in the center of the room with others
lining one wall.

“So…we good?” Hank asked.

I looked up at him and nodded. “Yeah. I think we are.”

He smiled and kissed me again before taking me by the hand
and heading for an open doorway. “Good. Let me show you the rest of the house.”

It was a very nice, spacious four-bedroom house. Three of
the rooms were furnished to accomodate two people each and the fourth held a
single full-sized bed.

“This one’s for you,” Hank said. “In case you’re ever here
late and just need to rest for a bit.”

He had decorated it in my favorite colors and I was
speechless. The kitchen had brand-new appliances but wasn’t stocked just yet.
The dining room held a long table with enough room for twelve. There was a
washroom with an industrial-sized washer and dryer set. The backyard sported
two picnic tables and a wooden playset.

“The plan is to house women here transitionally until they
either get on their feet or move on with family,” Gloria said.

“I’m still trying to secure funding,” Hank said. “I’m hoping
to have enough put aside for at least two years to start.”

“I can’t believe you’ve done so much without me even
realizing it,” I said.

Megan laughed. “You are easily distracted, you know.”

“Very funny.”

She just grinned and gave me a hug.

“So, now that the tour is over, you ready to eat?” Hank
asked.

“Yes,” I said.

We said our goodbyes to Gloria, who was finishing paperwork,
and headed out the door. I was almost giddy in my relief that all my fears had
been unfounded. Hank helped me into the truck and kissed me before shutting my
door.

We held hands as he drove to the restaurant, not needing
conversation to pass the time. Megan and Sean were already there.

“God I could eat a whole pizza just by myself,” Megan said.

Sean patted her on the ass and I laughed.

“Don’t tell me you want her to fatten up her ass too,” I
said.

He grinned but was too smart to reply. She slapped him on
the arm anyway.

“My ass is perfect just the way it is. But if tonight’s
pizza adds a pound or two it will just be
more
perfect.” Megan said.

“That’s right, babe,” Sean said.

Hank and I just laughed.

Megan and I found a booth near the back of the busy
restaurant and sat down while Hank and Sean went to the counter to place our
order. The food was great but the service was spotty. We frequented the place
because it was in Megan and Sean’s neighborhood.

“So, what was that all about in the truck, huh?” Megan
asked.

I laughed at the look of anticipation on her face and pulled
a napkin from the dispenser to wipe crumbs off the table. “If you’re thinking
he proposed, you’re wrong. He did tell me he loves me though.”

She squealed before slapping a hand over her mouth and
looking around. Our men were still at the counter.

“Oh my god. I knew you didn’t have anything to worry about.”
I raised a brow at that and she laughed. “Well, okay I wasn’t
one-hundred-percent positive. But I was pretty sure. So, what now?”

I shrugged and balled up the napkin.

“Nothing new, I guess. I’ll stay at his place like I have
been and deal with this new place he started. God…I can’t believe he did that
for me.”

Tears threatened again and she took my hands in hers,
squeezing them for comfort.

“I know, right? He is so seriously awesome, Elle.”

I laughed and took back one hand to wipe my eyes. “Yeah. He
is.”

“Well, ain’t this cozy?”

We pulled apart and looked up to find Declan and two of his
friends glaring down at us. I couldn’t see past him to the front counter where
our men were.

“What the fuck do you want?” Megan asked.

I turned to face them fully and moved as far back on the
bench seat as I could, putting my legs on the seat so he wouldn’t try to sit.
That wound up being a serious mistake.

“I just want to talk to my girl here, that’s all,” Declan
said before grabbing my ankles and pulling me toward him. He grabbed my arm and
yanked me off the seat before I could protest while his friends blocked Megan
in the booth.

“Motherfucker! Let go of her. Elle!”

Declan dragged me through the crowded restaurant where
Megan’s yells blended with children’s screams of joy and anger, the beeping of
various video games and sounds from the kitchen. I didn’t have a chance of
stopping my forward momentum. None of the other patrons seemed to notice, or
care, that I was being dragged out the emergency exit against my will. Too many
people stood between us and the front counter where I could just make out
Hank’s back.

“Look all you want, sweetheart. He ain’t coming.” Declan
pulled me through the door and into the humid night air.

I dragged my feet but didn’t fight too hard to get away just
yet. I knew his moves and struggling just pissed him off more. I was so sick of
it, sick of him and his abuse, sick of being afraid. This was the final straw.

He pulled me to where his car was parked on the road behind
the restaurant and finally released me. He held his arms out and tensed as if
he expected me to run but I just turned to glare at him under the streetlight.

“You are such a fucking idiot,” I said. “Do you have any
clue how long you can be put away for kidnapping?”

True confusion crossed his face and I wondered how he’d
lived so long.

“Kidnapping? I didn’t fucking kidnap you.”

“No? You just forced me against my will out of a public
place in front of my best friend. What do you think she’s going to tell the
cops when they get here?”

“What? No. No…”

He sputtered for a few seconds and I thought maybe he would
just jump in his car and leave. But then he turned his ugly scowl my way and I
knew he was ready to fight.

“That fucking bitch better not call the cops.”