The Captain's Dirty Little Secret

Chapter 229: Chapter 229 - Money

Roxie lay across the blanket with her head against Zac’s stomach while he moved his fingers through her hair.

The tree above them blocked most of the afternoon sun, and patches of light shifted across the grass whenever the branches moved. Raven’s Point was quiet except for the wind near the cliff and the occasional sound of a vehicle passing on the road beyond the trees.

Zac caught a strand of hair that blew across Roxie’s mouth and tucked it behind her ear.

”You’re the prettiest girl here.”

Roxie lifted her head and looked around the empty clearing. Dylan’s car sat near the fence, but no one else had arrived since Zac spread the blanket beneath the tree.

”I’m the only girl here.”

”Still counts.”

She smiled and reached for one of the sandwiches beside them. Zac had made them using what remained at the bungalow, then packed the last two apples, several cookies, and two cans of soda. He had cut the sandwiches into triangles, although one had already started falling apart along the edge.

Roxie took a bite and looked toward the clouds gathering above the cliff. They were thick near the center, with bright edges where the sunlight pushed through.

”That one looks closer than the others.”

Zac followed where she pointed. ”Which one?”

”The wide one.”

”They’re all wide.”

”The one with the bright edge.” Roxie lifted her hand and traced the shape in the air. ”The middle looks darker because it’s thicker. Less light passes through it, but the edges are thinner, so they look brighter. The ones behind it look flatter because there isn’t as much shadow between the layers.”

Zac kept running his fingers through her hair while she spoke.

When Roxie turned her head, Zac was smiling down at her.

”What?”

”Nothing.”

”You’re grinning.”

Zac looked back at the clouds. ”You can tell which ones are farther away because their edges look softer,” he continued. ”They almost blend into the sky.”

Roxie pushed herself up and punched his arm. She said that a few days ago.

”Are you making fun of me?”

”No.”

”You repeated what I said.”

”Almost.”

She narrowed her eyes. ”Do I talk about clouds that much?”

Zac caught her hand before she could hit him again. His grip remained loose, with his fingers resting away from the fading marks around her wrist.

”No. I just want to remember the things you say.”

Heat moved across Roxie’s face.

Zac released her hand and looked back at the sky as if he had said nothing strange.

Roxie studied the bruises across his cheek. The swelling had spread farther since morning, and purple covered part of his jaw. The cut beside his mouth had opened again after they kissed on the porch.

She reached up and touched the skin beneath his eye.

”Your face looks worse than it did during football season.”

Zac turned slightly into her palm. ”You saying I’m ugly?”

”Very.”

”You couldn’t stop staring this morning.”

”I was checking your bruises.”

”You watched me mow half the yard.”

”I wanted to make sure you didn’t fall over.”

”Mrs. Lancaster was watching too.”

Roxie sat up. ”She was?”

”She kept moving her curtain.”

Roxie glanced toward the road even though the bungalow was miles away.

Zac grinned. ”So I still have options.”

She pinched his arm.

He laughed and caught her around the waist before she could pull away. ”Damn, babe.”

”You said you had options.”

”Mrs. Lancaster is sixty.”

”She might like younger men.”

”She can keep looking.”

Zac kissed the corner of her mouth, then her cheek, then the other side of her lips. Roxie tried keeping her face serious, but he kept giving her small kisses until she smiled.

The softness made her stomach tighten.

Their kisses after fights always felt desperate. They kissed hard enough to avoid speaking, as though anger could be pushed back down if they held each other close enough.

This felt different.

Zac’s hands rested against her waist without tightening. He gave her time to breathe and moved carefully around the cut on his lip.

It almost felt normal.

An engine came down the road.

Roxie sat upright before she thought about it. Her hand moved to her hair, and she shifted away from Zac.

He raised an eyebrow. ”Where are you going?”

The vehicle turned toward the parking area.

Roxie realized what she had done. She had moved automatically, preparing to pretend they had only been sitting together.

”Old habit.”

Zac reached for her waist and pulled her back against his side.

”Let them see us.”

Roxie stayed against him.

The words felt better than she expected. He was claiming her without anger or jealousy. Nobody had touched her. No guy had spoken to her. Zac simply wanted whoever arrived to see them together.

A car door opened near the fence. Laughter moved through the trees, followed by two sets of footsteps.

Ava appeared first with her phone in one hand. Her boyfriend walked beside her carrying a small tripod.

Ava stopped when she noticed them.

”Captain?”

Roxie lifted one hand. ”Hi.”

Ava’s eyes moved between Roxie, Zac, and the picnic spread across the grass.

”I didn’t know anyone else came here.”

”We got here first,” Zac said.

”That’s obvious.”

Her boyfriend looked toward the cliff. ”We can go somewhere else.”

”You’re fine,” Roxie said. ”What are you doing here?”

”Pictures.” Ava raised her phone. ”We bought VCU clothes, and now he thinks watching three videos makes him a photographer.”

”It was five.”

”That changes everything.”

Ava looked at Roxie again. ”Are you feeling better? Coach Miller said you were sick yesterday.”

Zac became still beside her.

Roxie felt the change through his arm. ”I’m fine.”

Ava studied her face for a moment.

Roxie had used makeup beneath her eyes, but some swelling remained.

”Just tired,” she added.

Ava nodded, and Roxie quickly looked at the shopping bag hanging from her wrist.

”Where have you been?”

”The mall. Bobby and I bought stuff for the VCU. He chose this dress himself.”

The boy nodded and went back to his phone without looking at them.

VCU. Some are already preparing for the State Championship. Roxie remembered Angela sending pictures and asking who wanted to come. Karen had plans with her aunt, so Angela has pestered Roxie.

Roxie told her she was busy.

She had already planned the day with Zac, but she also had no money for shopping.

Ava’s boyfriend adjusted the tripod. ”We’ll take the pictures and leave you alone.”

”You can stay,” Roxie said.

Ava glanced at Zac. ”I value my life.”

Zac smiled without showing his teeth.

Ava laughed and pulled her boyfriend toward the fence.

Roxie rested against Zac while they posed near the cliff. Ava kept checking the pictures and making him take another whenever she disliked the angle. After several minutes, they waved and returned to the parking area.

Roxie watched their car disappear down the road.

VCU was a week away.

She needed food for the trip unless the school covered every meal. There would be team contributions, supplies, and something Coach Miller forgot to mention until the day before they left.

Her thumb began rubbing against the side of her index finger while she calculated what remained inside her account.

The electricity bill was due soon. Her phone payment could wait several days, but delaying it made her nervous. The bungalow needed groceries. She had enough gas for school, practice, and work if she went nowhere else.

The grill barely paid her.

Babysitting paid better, but she could no longer imagine walking into the Robinson house and pretending nothing had changed. Cynthia would smile and ask about school. Jason would run toward her. Mr. Robinson would stand somewhere nearby knowing Roxie was his daughter while his wife remained unaware.

Before Friday, Roxie had planned to ask Cynthia for more hours.

Now even taking the payment she had already earned felt humiliating.

She could cover more shifts at the grill before VCU. Closing after practice would leave her exhausted, but it was only one week. Another restaurant might be hiring, though finding something that worked around school and cheer would take time.

Zac’s fingers stopped moving through her hair.

”What are you thinking about?”

”Nothing.”

”VCU?”

Roxie kept her eyes on the road.

”I have everything I need.”

Zac stayed quiet.

His hand remained behind her head, but his fingers did not move again.

Roxie waited until the silence started bothering her.

”What?”

”Nothing.”

”You’re making that face.”

”What face?”

”The one where you’re trying to decide if you should say something.”

Zac reached for his soda. He worked his thumb beneath the edge of the label and started peeling it away.

”How much more do you need for VCU?”

”I said I have it.”

”I heard you.”

”Then why are you asking?”

He rolled the loose strip of paper between his fingers.

Roxie sat up. ”Just say it.”

Zac stared at the can for several seconds before looking toward her.

”Maybe you should take some of Mr. Robinson’s money.”

Roxie stopped moving.

The wind shifted through the branches above them.

”What?”

”I said maybe.”

”This morning you agreed he wasn’t my father.”

”He isn’t.”

”But I should take his money.”

Zac rubbed the back of his neck. He did not look certain about what he was saying. He looked like he already regretted starting.

”It was meant for you.”

”I don’t want it.”

”I know.”

”Then why are you bringing it up?”

He looked toward the food beside them before answering.

”You have VCU. There’s that electric bill on the counter, and the refrigerator’s almost empty.”

Heat moved across Roxie’s face.

”You looked at my bills?”

”It was sitting there.”

”So you looked.”

”I saw the amount. I wasn’t going through anything.”

”And now you’re checking my refrigerator?”

”I opened it to make breakfast.”

Roxie turned her face away.

Zac let out a breath through his nose.

”I’m not trying to start something.”

”You’re doing a good job.”

”I just thought maybe you could take enough for VCU. Or the bill. Whatever you need first.”

Roxie looked back at him. ”I know what I need.”

Zac lowered his eyes to the soda can.

Roxie felt the fight waiting between them.

She could push harder. She could ask what he thought she had inside her account and whether he had been watching every bite she ate. Zac would become defensive, then she would say something worse, and they would end up shouting in the same place that had felt safe minutes ago.

Her thighs ached beneath her jeans when she shifted.

She closed her mouth.

Zac stayed quiet too.

After a few seconds, he peeled another piece from the label.

”I’m not saying you should forgive him.”

Roxie looked toward the cliff.

”Taking the money doesn’t make him your father.”

”I said I don’t want it.”

”I heard you.”

”Then leave it.”

Zac nodded once. ”Okay.”

He took a drink and looked toward the road.

The argument should have ended there.

Roxie still felt exposed.

”You think I can’t handle it,” she said.

Zac sighed and lowered the can.

”I didn’t say that.”

”You didn’t have to.”

”I said maybe take the money.”

”Because you think I need it.”

”You do need money.”

Her face burned harder.

Zac closed his eyes for a moment.

”That came out wrong.”

”No. It came out fine.”

”Babe.”

Roxie pulled her knees closer and wrapped her arms around them. The bruises beneath her jeans hurt when her thighs pressed together.

”I can ask for more shifts.”

Zac looked at her, then down at the can again.

”You’re already tired.”

”I can still work.”

Zac’s mouth tightened. ”Okay.” He rubbed his thumb over the crushed part of the can. His shoulders had gone stiff, but he kept his voice even.

”You’ll figure it out.”

Roxie stared at him.

”I always do.”

”I know.”

The answer should have reassured her.

Instead, it sounded like Zac expected her to survive it somehow, even if it made her miserable.

She looked away before the thought became another accusation.

Zac picked at the grass beside the blanket.

”You shouldn’t have to work yourself sick over money that was already yours.”

His voice was quieter now. He was not looking at her or trying to force the idea. He sounded like he was still working through it himself.

”I don’t want anything from him.”

”I know.”

”I don’t want him thinking I accepted him.”

”He might.”

Roxie looked at Zac.

He lifted one shoulder. ”I don’t know. Maybe he will.”

”That’s what I mean.”

Zac sighed again and rubbed both hands over his jeans.

”I saw you counting in your head. That’s all.”

”I wasn’t.”

”Okay.”

”Stop saying okay like that.”

He looked at her. ”Like what?”

”Like you know I’m lying.”

Zac held her eyes for a moment, then looked away.

Roxie wanted to push him. She wanted to ask how much he thought she had and whether the entire team could see she was barely managing.

She remembered broken glass across the bungalow floor and his hands locked around her wrists.

She stayed quiet.

Zac waited, but when she did not say anything, his shoulders dropped.

”I shouldn’t have brought it up here.”

Roxie looked at the sandwiches. The bread had started drying along the edges, and one apple slice had turned brown.

”I wanted one normal day.”

Zac leaned forward with his arms across his knees.

”I know.”

There was no anger in his voice.

That made her throat tighten.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke. The wind moved through the grass while the clouds Roxie had been talking about crossed farther over the clearing.

Zac did not reach for her again.

Roxie wanted him to, but she also knew she might pull away if he did.

She reached for the sandwich container and pressed the lid into place.

”Let’s go home.”

Zac raised his head. ”You sure?”

She nodded.

He watched her face before letting out another breath.

”Okay.”

This time, the word sounded tired rather than doubtful.

Zac packed the picnic without arguing. He closed the drinks, returned the fruit to its container, and folded the plastic bags together. Roxie moved to the edge of the blanket while he worked.

His movements were slower than when they arrived. One hand pressed briefly against his ribs when he leaned too far, but he dropped it before she could ask.

Roxie wanted to tell him they could stay.

She could not make the words come out.

Zac folded the blanket after she stood and carried everything toward Dylan’s car. Roxie followed several steps behind.

He placed the basket and blanket in the back seat. Most of the food remained inside.

Zac got behind the wheel while Roxie sat in the passenger seat and turned toward the window.

The car started.

Neither of them spoke as Zac pulled onto the road. He rested one hand on the center console. His fingers touched the side of hers.

Roxie moved her hand into her lap.

He returned his hand to the steering wheel.

Several minutes passed before he spoke.

”Are you mad at me?”

Roxie kept looking through the window.

”No.”

Zac sighed.

She knew he did not believe her.

”I wanted one normal day,” she said.

His grip tightened around the steering wheel.

”I know.”

There was no argument in his voice.

That almost made her cry.

The bungalow appeared through the trees. Zac turned into the yard and parked near the porch.

Neither of them moved immediately.

The picnic basket sat in the back seat beside the folded blanket, with the sandwiches, fruit, and cookies still inside.

Roxie had wanted people to see them together.

Now she only wanted to get inside before anyone saw how quickly their good day had ended.