Tough To Love (6 page)

“Rally, I don’t think that would be a good idea. I’m quitting. I know I will be very easy to replace. I should also let you know that I’m moving out of the house since everything is going so well between you and Vanity now.”

She didn’t know why he was pretending to be so upset by this. He was getting what he wanted. “You’re going to want some privacy with her. I know a lot of times you wanted to bring her home and couldn’t because of me. You won’t have that problem anymore.”

“You have nothing to do with the reason I don’t bring Vanity home more,” he denied. “Why do you think you would? Tell me what’s going on. Sage, are you alright?”

Rally spun her around and forced her to look him in the eye. “Has something happened that has you doubting I want you living with me in your family home?”

She was dying inside and Rally had no clue, but she wouldn’t ever let him see it. She wasn’t ever going to allow him to see weakness in her again. “I think it would just be best for all if I lived by myself. Despite the fact he’s older than me, Shawn isn’t as mature as I am and he lives by himself. So, I know I won’t have a problem taking care of myself. It’s past time you didn’t have any more responsibilities.”

“Shawn is a guy. He should be out on his own,” Rally said, frowning at her. “He needs to be able to carry his own weight. It’ll help him become a man.”

Frowning, Sage jammed her finger into Rally’s chest. “You can’t be like that. I should get the same respect as him,” she complained, slipping out of his embrace.

Moving around Rally, Sage strolled into the small kitchen and found her coffee mug. She paused and fought back tears as the memories rushed her. Her favorite recollection was when Rally surprised her and she splashed coffee down the front of his new expensive white shirt.

“That shirt you ruined that day cost over two hundred dollars,” Rally said behind her.

Sage didn’t say a word as she walked back around Rally over to her desk and finished packing up the last of her belongings. “Did you get a chance to call the guy about this job?” she asked when she felt him standing behind her.

Rally stood back and continued watching her while she cleared out the last of her things, making the office look as if she was never there. If leaving this job was hurting her this badly, how was she going to feel when she moved out of the house?

He had been a constant in her life since she was a kid ; however, she was twenty-four now and it was time she found out if she could be on her own without him.

“Julian said something to you, didn’t he?” Rally accused, breaking the silence in the room and totally ignoring her question. “What did he tell you that had you running back here and so eager to quit? I’ve threatened to toss you out before and you didn’t go. Yet, after one lunch with my best friend, you’re practically out the door as if your life depended on it. Tell me what occurred between the two of you.”

Shocked wasn’t the exact word she would use to describe how taken back she was by Rally’s attitude. He usually handled situations better than this. Now, he wasn’t big on keeping his opinions secret, but Julian was one of his best friends since forever and for him to accuse his buddy of anything surprised her.

“Julian didn’t say a word about you. He listened to me while I talked, for God’s sake. He’s your best friend. He would never talk behind your back and you know it’s the truth. What’s the deal with you today? You haven’t been right since you came to work this morning.”

Rally continued to stare at her without saying a word. Sage took this time to let her eyes have one last look at him before she left. What Julian told her over lunch wasn’t true. He wasn’t hiding some undying love for her. No, he would marry Vanity and that would be the last of it for the both of them.

“I need to go and get my stuff over to the center,” Sage told Rally and waited for the fireworks.

“What center?” he asked in a low voice.

“Julian’s center,” she replied. “I’m going to work for him. He needed help and I offered to pitch in until I find another job.”

“The hell you’re going to step one foot in that place. You aren’t used to working with problem kids, especially teenaged boys. Call and tell Julian you changed your mind and you won’t be able to take the job.”

Sage was tired of Rally trying to run her life. He needed to learn she wasn’t ten years old anymore and looking for his advice.
Serenity
was one of the best shelters in town for runaway teenagers.

“Julian is well-known and loved throughout the entire community for the stupendous work that he has done. He is a perfect counselor every kid should have. I’ve so much respect for him and I’m thrilled he offered me a job working with him.”

Rally glared at her. “I told you that you can’t do it and that is the end of it.”

At what time did she give him permission to be the boss of her life? It was time for Rally to learn she was done hanging on his every word waiting for his approval. The old Sage was growing up.

“Julian is looking for a qualified assistant and I know it’s me. I’m taking this job and you can’t stop me. I’m not a child you can rule anymore. I’m an adult and I’ll live my life as I please.”

“Sage, I’m not trying to rule your life; however, I know this job isn’t for you.
Serenity
is located in the hardest part of town and I know why Julian placed it there, but you shouldn’t be working there with him on a regular basis. How about you volunteer there on the weekends?”

He wasn’t going to win this argument with her. She couldn’t let him continue to think she was that sixteen-year-old girl who looked at him with stars in her eyes. She knew Rally wouldn’t like her new position, but it wasn’t his decision to make.

“No, I’m not going to quit.”

“Yes, you are,” he yelled and then took a breath when she glared at him. “Sage, listen to me. I know Shawn and I spoiled you way too much. You aren’t used to dealing with difficult situations, especially like the ones those kids have experienced. You won’t be able to handle it. Stay here with me. I know what’s best for you.”

Did he really believe she was too naïve to know what was going on in the world? God, he had a worse opinion of her than she thought. Yes, it was way past time she left the nest and got out on her own.

“Rally, I don’t need or want your protection anymore. Stop pretending you are so worried about me. We both know it isn’t true. I’m an adult and I can watch out for myself.”

“How can I not be worried about you?” he questioned. “We get into one of our normal fights and, instead of letting it go, you quit and decide you would rather work with Julian. You’re important to me and I don’t want him taking advantage of you.”

Sage smiled faintly. “Thank you for your concern. I really do appreciate it; however, I’m too old for a big brother or a protector. Besides, the times I did need one, Shawn was there for me,” she said back, watching Rally’s jade gaze narrow on her face.

“Look, Julian is waiting for me. I’ve got to go. I’ll be home later tonight.” Picking up the box, she walked away from Rally and opened the office door, then went out the door without looking back.

Chapter Seven

Did she really think he was going to just let her break all ties with him?

For the longest time, Sage wanted things from him that he wasn’t ready to give her. Yet, after a while her refreshing and optimistic way of looking at life got to him. She never seemed to have a bad day until he started pushing her further away, but she failed to realize he had to do it.

Was there something wrong with him? How could he not give a beautiful woman like Sage a chance? His little brat was so full of life and experienced things at such a deeper level. She was the woman every man wanted to spend the rest of his life with, through the good and bad times.

Why were all of these entanglements hitting him now? Did it have something to with seeing Sage so comfortable with Julian in the hallway? They looked like two people who could become more than friends. She never smiled at him like that, and for some reason it pissed him off. Sage had idolized him since she was a kid. He never thought another man, particularly Julian, would take her away from him.

He couldn’t lose Sage. An unfamiliar aching sensation formed in the pit of his stomach and spread throughout his entire body. Just the thought of her not being in the house or here at the office, sitting behind her desk, bothered the hell out of him. He needed her around him. She was his, not Julian’s.

I’m going to get her back. We can work through this like we always do.
  Spinning around on his heel, he stalked towards the door. He hoped to catch Sage before she got out of the parking garage. Rally was about to open the door when it was flung open from the other side.

“Hey, baby. Where are you going?” Vanity asked, kissing him on the cheek. She had three designer bags swinging from her arm. He couldn’t even guess how much money she had spent on probably nothing.

“I’m going out for a while,” he answered, trying to move past her, but Vanity’s hand flew out and wrapped around his wrist.

Her eyes narrowed at him. “No, you aren’t. I need you to help me pick out something to wear for dinner tonight with my parents. I think they’re hoping to hear that we’re engaged.”

“Why would your parents think we’re engaged?” Rally asked, removing Vanity’s hand away from him. “I never told them that.”

Shit, she wouldn’t make a good wife for him, not with the way she spent money. Vanity would have him in the poor house in less than a year.

Moving away from him, Vanity tossed her bags on Sage’s empty desk. “I might have hinted at it a few times”

She looked back at him over her shoulder. “Was that so wrong? We have been together for almost a year now. There’s nothing else left for us to do but get married, because I refuse to be one of those women who wait like five years for a wedding ring.”

What had he gotten himself into?

“You shouldn’t have let them believe I was going to marry you,” Rally complained. “I haven’t even brought a ring up to you. You know that we’re together, but I never said there was a wedding in our future. I’ve too much going on right now to even think about making that kind of commitment to anyone.”

Vanity rushed up to him with fire blazing in her eyes. “Don’t you dare try pulling that bullshit on me. You know that we’ve talked about getting married. I would make the perfect wife for you and you know it. What made you get cold feet all of a sudden? Is there something going on that I need to know about?” The accusation hung in the air between them.

“Vanity, I’ve changed my mind.”

“No shit,” she snapped. “Why do I think Sage has something to do with this? Has she been bad mouthing me again? You know she’s jealous of us. ”

“Stop it, now,” he demanded. “Sage isn’t in our relationship and I’m tired of you constantly picking on her. She doesn’t deserve it and I should have stopped you sooner. I was the one who allowed this to go on too long. She does have a life of her own. Not that it’s any of your business, but Sage quit working for me today and is on her way to her new job.”

Rally hated that Vanity pushed him to tell about Sage, watching how her face lit up with pleasure. “Little Spice is gone? Where did she go? Who’s she working for? Is she gone for good?”

“Julian, at his shelter,” he bit out roughly.

“Wow, she’s smarter than I gave her credit for,” Vanity said. “Julian is one sexy man. I wonder how long it will before he asks her out on a date.”

Jealousy clawed at Rally as he thought about Sage going out with Julian. No, it wouldn’t happen. They were only friends and they were never going to take it any further.

“Julian isn’t interested in Sage in a romantic way. He has the same relationship with her that Shawn does.”

Vanity snickered at him as she picked her bags back up. “I’m not trying to be Sage’s cheerleader or anything. We both know I don’t like her. However, she is gorgeous and Julian is a man. Don’t you wonder why he gave her a job so quickly? Certainly you don’t think he offered her a job out of the kindness of his heart, do you?”

He wouldn’t believe anything Vanity was telling him. Julian wasn’t attracted to Sage. He just celebrated his buddy’s fortieth birthday last month, which made his friend older than him. “You’re wrong. He’s a good guy and decided to give Sage some help. Besides, Julian isn’t Sage’s type. She would never go for a guy like him.”

“Julian is every woman’s type,” Vanity corrected as she brushed past him. “He’s rich, successful, and having a killer body doesn’t hurt, either. There might be a boyfriend in Sage’s future and I think it’s a very good thing for the both of you.”

“Why would you tell me something like that?”

“Sage was getting too attached to you. I mean, it’s obvious to everyone in town. You should be really happy to have her gone as your shadow.”

“I’m not going to tell you again about talking about Sage. If I do, you won’t like what I have to tell you. In addition, you need to stop assuming you know what’s going to happen between Sage and Julian She’s only going to be working for him and nothing else. Julian wouldn’t ever date an employee.”

“Sure, believe whatever you want to. But, I know a guy who looks like Julian will want to do more with Sage than just work. If you don’t then you need to have your eyes checked,” Vanity tossed back as she opened the office door.

“I’m done talking about your adoptive sister. I have to drop these packages off at home and then head back to work. Don’t you dare forget dinner with my parents. The reservations are at six o’clock sharp. I’ll expect you at my house by five o’clock.” Vanity sauntered out the door, snapping it shut behind her.

Rally started after Vanity, and then swore under his breath. Raking his fingers through his hair, he wondered. Sage actually quit today and she wasn’t coming back. In addition, she was moving out of the house and he didn’t know where she was going. Lastly, Vanity tricked him into a dinner date with her aggressive parents.

Shit, why did he even bother getting out of bed this morning?