Breathe (8 page)

“Hey, guys,” I said, forcing a smile. Butterflies had settled in my stomach, but I acted casual.

“Sadie, you can work with me,” Preston offered with a wink, and Marcus elbowed him.

“Stop it, or I will send you home without the money.”

Preston sighed and shrugged. “Can’t a guy be nice?”

Marcus rolled his eyes. “Now, everyone, remember what I said. Girls ignore and discourage any advances.” We all nodded.

Ms. Mary cut in. “It’s show time! I want you all lined up so I can inspect you.” Seeing Ms. Mary get all serious caused me to smile. In the beginning, she seemed intimidating, but now I knew better. Ms. Mary was just the sweethearted lady who kept things under control.

“Your trays will always be on the receiving table lined up and in the same place. You will go to your assigned pick up and get whatever tray I have set out for you. There is no time for breaks, and if you must go to the bathroom, I have to approve it. I hope none of you smoke 'cause I won't tolerate you taking a break for a puff.” She wiped her hands on her apron and nodded. “Let’s get moving”.

Everyone stepped forward and took their tray. Marcus led us down the hall into the dining room. “We will enter through here. When I send you out, I am going to instruct you which way to go first. Do as I’ve instructed and this will be the most interesting cash you’ve ever made.” He grinned at us, and the other girl giggled.

I wanted to roll my eyes at her giddy expression over the fact she was about to meet Jax, who was at least two years younger than her. I wanted to tell her to grow up, but I remembered the butterflies in my stomach, and as bad as I hated to admit it, I knew they were there because of Jax. I really couldn’t cast stones.

My turn arrived, and I stepped up to the door.

Marcus smiled at me and winked. “I’m here, you will be great. Now, head left and work your way around the room in a big circle.”

I took a deep breath, stepped out into the dining room, and made my way directly into the ballroom. A familiar band warmed up on a stage, obviously brought in for the occasion. The guests all reminded me of walking Abercrombie ads. They were mingled together, dancing and talking. I tuned out the overload of sight and sound, focused on the oysters on the half shell on my platter, and began my circle. Things were going smoothly. I smiled as I walked up to each group of gorgeous people, some of whom I recognized from television or magazines.

They took the oysters as if I were serving something that actually tasted good and slung those nasty things down their throats before placing the shell back on the tray. It ranked high on my chart of one of the grossest things I’d ever seen. I kept my smile in place and watched Marcus and the others out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget anything. I found Marcus, whom a guest was flirting with openly, and bit back a smile. Warm breath tickled my ear. I froze, but didn’t turn to find the source.

“It appears my guest likes your friend,” Jax whispered in my ear.

I turned my head toward him. “He is an interesting person.”

Jax studied me as if he were trying to gauge my attitude. I offered him the tray, and he grinned. “Your feelings won’t be hurt if I choose not to take what you’re offering, will they? I just can’t bring myself to try one of those things.”

I stifled a laugh and shook my head. “I don’t blame you,” I whispered.

Jax raised his eyebrows. “We have something in common.”

I gave him my best carefree smile. “Apparently.”

I knew standing and talking to Jax would start talk, and I didn’t want attention, so I nodded my head as I left him. Without a backward glance, I walked up to the next group. It took all my concentration to forget the warmth still clinging to my ear and focus on my job.

“I’ll only eat one if you let me feed you one first.” A tall ‘all American blond’ winked at me, and I woke up out of my Jax daze. I gave him a forced smile, and then shook my head.

“Sorry,” I managed to get out without my voice betraying my nerves.

“You won’t let me feed you oysters, huh? Well, what about a little stroll down to the beach?”

I started to say no when the guy next to him stepped beside me, and I recognized him instantly as Jason Stone. “Trey, leave the help alone. Jax will send you packing.”

Trey frowned and turned his attention back to me. “I would think if she is all right with a walk, then after she gets off tonight Jax would have no say in the matter. Besides, what did he expect when he let a gorgeous, blond southern belle serve food? He is flaunting her in front of people. He should expect this.”

Jason glanced over to where Jax stood, but I didn’t dare do the same. I noticed Jason seemed a little nervous. “Listen, Jax doesn’t hire people. We have someone else to handle the hiring of employees. He didn’t purposely put her here as if on the menu, so leave her alone.”

Jason nudged me, and I took it as my cue to leave. I took a step toward the next group with my hands shaking and my heart racing.

“Wait, I never got my oysters.” Strong fingers clamped around my arm, and I fought the urge to jerk free and run. I let him pull me back since my other option would involve dropping oysters all over the floor. I quickly searched the crowd for Marcus, worried he would come flying to the rescue and lose his job. I needed to remain calm to keep him from knowing about my predicament. Keeping the pained expression off my face from the tight grip of his hand was starting to prove difficult. Suddenly, another set of warm fingers gently, but firmly, took my other arm.

“Let her arm go and pray she has no bruise,” a familiar voice said in a low angry tone.

I shuddered from relief at the sound of his voice.

Trey released my arm and shrugged, grinning. “I just wanted an oyster, and she wouldn’t serve me.”

I opened my mouth to protest when the warm fingers holding my arm softly squeezed me for reassurance. So, I stayed quiet.

“Jason, please escort your friend to the door. I have no other reason to speak with him unless Sadie has a bruise, or any lasting mark from his hands, and then he will see me again.”

Jax took the tray from my hand and handed it to Marcus. I hadn’t realized he was standing there. Marcus took it with a concerned frown on his face. I gave him a small smile, hoping to ease his worry.

“Come with me,” Jax said in a voice only loud enough for me to hear.

I let him lead me down the hall and into the room I knew as the library. He closed the door, and then turned me around to face him.

“Are you all right?” he asked in a concerned voice. Chill bumps covered my arms.

I nodded. “I’m fine, really. Marcus warned me something like this might happen. I came mentally prepared.”

Jax muttered what seemed to be a curse and pulled me over to a large leather chair. “You shouldn’t have been serving tonight. I don’t know what Mary was thinking.”

His words stung. I immediately felt the need to defend Ms. Mary as well as myself. “I am a very hard worker and I believe she entrusted me to serve and follow instructions well. I don’t see how it is her fault some jerk thought I was on the menu as well.”

Jax gazed down at me confused, and then grinned. He stepped over and sat down beside me. “I didn’t mean I thought you were not capable of serving. I meant you’re too young and too beautiful to be flaunted in front of guys who think they have enough money and power to take what they want.”

My throat went dry at his words.

He smiled and leaned over and asked in a soft voice, “Do you know you’re beautiful?”

I swallowed, hoping my dry throat allowed the words through without making me sound all choked up. “I wouldn’t say ‘beautiful.’ I realize I have nice hair and eyes. I got those from my mother. But I don’t have a good personality. So it really takes away from the others.” My words sounded stupid being said aloud, but I realized I managed to bare my soul to this boy yet again. The power Jax held over me disturbed me.

Jax smiled and took one of my loose curls and played with it absently. “So your personality is bad, is it?” He laughed then, and I stiffened. He traced my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose. “I hate to be the first to break the news to you, but your personality happens to be your most charming asset.”

I searched for any sign in his perfect face telling me he didn’t mean what he said. “I can’t believe you said that.” I finally heard myself say.

He touched his finger to my lips. “I think these rank right up there next to your personality.”

A warm tingly sensation worked its way through my veins, and I shivered.

“Ah, and you go, do something as enchanting as shivering, and almost break my resolve.”

He dropped his hands from my face and stopped doing those incredibly wonderful things to me. He stood, walked over to a bookshelf, and leaned up against it as if he were posing for a camera. “I can be good over here. This is safer territory.” I frowned, and he gave me a guilty smile. “You tempt me, Sadie White. You’re sweet, honest, caring, perfectly unique, and because of all those reasons, I am keeping my distance from you.”

I frowned unsure why all of those things meant he needed to keep me at a distance.

“Sadie, I have always got what I wanted. Even before I became rich and famous, I had a gift for getting what I want. Now, I have the fame and fortune to get what I want when I want it and for the first time in my life, I want something I can’t have.” He gave me a sad smile. “For the first time, the object of what I want is more important than fulfilling my desires.” Before I could form words to reply, he opened a drawer and pulled out several magazines and laid them in front of me. “These are from my mother’s collection,” he explained.

They were pictures of him with movie stars, rock legends, and even the president. His name was linked with several famous females, and his personal life laid bare for everyone to see. I had seen articles like these before, but after actually meeting Jax and finding a real person, it seemed hard to think of him as the rock star the media portrayed.

“See these,” he said with a grimace. “My life isn’t normal. There is no room for me to have a friendship, or any relationship, with someone like you. I want to spend more time with you, and to be honest, friendship isn’t really what I want anymore when it comes to you. I find myself wanting much more, but any girl who enters into a relationship with me has to be cold to put up with the life I am forced to live.” He smiled and walked toward me. “You’re everything I write about in my songs, but can never have.”

I studied the pictures in my lap. It was easier than watching him say things I didn’t want to hear. Even if he was right. If I spent more time with him, I would want more, too, and I didn’t know the guy in those photos. He was someone completely foreign to me. I just knew Jax. The sweet guy who wanted to go into a grocery store and buy himself a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and took the time to be kind to little girls. I’d never be able to fit into his real world. I wanted to disagree, but I couldn’t. He lived in a world I could never fit into, and I couldn’t make myself protest.

He stepped forward and stopped in front of me. “There will be transportation for you out front within moments. Ms. Mary will be given directions to let you leave for the evening. Wipe the frown from your pretty face because, by now, she knows what happened, and she will be worried about you.”

He stepped around me and went to the door. “Stay here as long as you need. I have a room full of guests wondering what I am doing with the gorgeous blond I abducted.” He grinned wickedly at me, and immediately it faded to a sad frown before he left the room.

Chapter Six

Everything stayed the same. Ms. Mary still gave me a smile and a hot breakfast every morning. Mr. Greg told me stories of his time in World War II and beat me at chess most days. Marcus and I still talked on our way home at night. I even went waterskiing and knee boarding with Marcus, Preston, Rock, Trisha, and Dwayne on Sunday. But even with new friends and a job with people I really cared about, my life seemed to be missing something. There was a void, and I knew why. The frustrating part was I missed him. I’d forced myself to come to grips with the fact I’d lost my heart to Jax Stone the night in the grocery store. The night in the library when he admitted to having an interest in me put another nail in my coffin. I loved Jax. He starred in my dreams both day and night. My heart raced at the chance of a glimpse of him. His words haunted me. Those times when I couldn’t believe Jax would ever notice me enough to want me. I remembered the sadness in his eyes when he walked out the door, and I really believed he meant it.

Nothing changed the fact I worked in his home. He signed my paychecks. If nothing else but for those two reasons, anything between Jax and I would be impossible. Yet those weren’t the only two. I would never fit into his world.

I sat out on the beach, waiting for Marcus to finish his shift so he could take me home. Mr. Greg left early due to his not feeling well. It left me with nothing to do. I pulled my knees up under my chin and enjoyed the view. The waves were smooth tonight. I let myself think about Jax and his face when he smiled. It helped to remember him smiling and happy, instead of the expression on his face when he left me in the library. It was depressing enough to be a Shakespearean tragedy. The girl who never thought she would fall in love falls for the guy who can never love her back. Somehow, the fact I sat here comparing my life to Shakespeare proved just how badly I’d fallen.

Footsteps drew my attention out of my Jax-centered thoughts, and I realized Marcus must be finished. I didn’t turn around. I stayed put and waited until he stopped behind me. “Beautiful view, isn’t it?”

“Yes it is. Are you in a hurry to get home, or can we enjoy it together?”

He shrugged and sank down beside me. I smiled to myself when I realized he wasn’t very graceful either. I was more on common ground with Marcus than with Jax. Even if he didn’t make me get goose bumps and go all warm and tingly. Those feelings were addictive, and they couldn’t be healthy.

We watched in silence for a few minutes before Marcus turned to me. I met his gaze and smiled. My friend. That thought made me smile even bigger. He sighed and shook his head.