Page 54 of Seized by Love at Seaside
“You’re my daughter, and I love you.” Her mother reached for Lizzie’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We all make mistakes. Some are just bigger than others.”
They finished dinner in silence, and before Lizzie and Madison left, their mother embraced them both and said, “This will just take some time,” to Lizzie.
When Lizzie dropped Maddy off at her dorm, Maddy hugged her tightly and said, “You’re the best sister I could ever have, and I love you and appreciate your ability to be a ho in private.”
Maddy had always been able to cheer Lizzie up, and after their tense dinner with their mother and being shunned by their father, she needed to remember why she was doing the show in the first place. And when it came to Maddy, she still felt like no concession was too big.
Chapter Twenty-Three
BLUE WORRIED ALL evening about Lizzie telling her family about the webcast. As proud as he was of Lizzie for wanting to finally tell her family the truth, the more he thought about it, the more concerned he became. He’d had hours to be introspective about Lizzie’s webcast, and among other things, he realized that while complete honesty was vital to him, that didn’t mean it was right for everyone else. He didn’t want her to come home to an empty house if the evening didn’t go well, so he’d driven to her house a half hour ago and had been waiting for her on her porch ever since.
When his cell phone rang, he hoped it was Lizzie, but wasn’t surprised to see Sky’s name on the screen. He answered the call knowing he hadn’t been fair to Sky either. “I’m sorry I didn’t return your calls.”
“I hope you have redeemed yourself. What the heck, Blue?”
“Don’t you think this whole thing was a freaking blow to me?” He paced the yard. “First, she completely steals my heart, then she reveals that she walks around in an apron and heels for strangers. It’s not like she’s onRachael Ray, fully dressed.”
“She’s not naked, Blue. I watched a video. I think she looks hot as a blonde.”
“She’d look hot bald.” He smiled, thinking about how true that was. “That’s not the point. She owns me, Sky. Heart and soul, and now…”
“She owns you? And this is the first I’m hearing of that? Now who’s blown who away?”
He smiled. If anyone knew how much it meant for Blue to fall for a woman, it was Sky. She’d been there every step of the way over the past few years, and she knew he rarely dated, much less opened up to anyone but family.
“I should have been in touch. I’m sorry. It’s been a crazy week, and now we’ve got this to deal with. But, Sky, make no mistake about it. I love her, and I admire her—I just have to learn to deal with this other stuff.”
“Oh, Blue.” Sky sighed, and her voice turned stern again. “When I first met Sawyer and had a hard time with his boxing, you told me that boxing wasn’t who he was; it was what he did. So where do you come off holding this over Lizzie’s head?”
He pictured the scowl on her face as she challenged him. “That’s just it. I’mnotholding it over her head. I’m trying to deal with my own jealousy—and you know me, Sky. I don’t get jealous. Besides, this is different. You opposedwhathe did, not…”
He walked around to the side yard and headed out back, away from the lights of the porch, which made him feel exposed. His gut burned as he bit back what he really wanted to say.I love her so much it hurts, and I can’t protect Lizzie and her reputation from all the things they say about her online.
“Not what?” Sky pushed.
“You were opposed to Sawyer’s fighting, but—and don’t you dare think for a second thatIbelieve this—but it wasn’t like he was out doing something where people could think that he was slutty. Women weren’t watching him seduce the camera like a pro.”
“So what? So she’s good at seduction. That’s a feather in her cap. You’re being a jackass. I hope you know that.”
“Didn’t you hear me? I told you thatIdon’t feel that way. I’ve read the things people write online about theNaked Baker, and it makes me want to kill someone.” Renewed anger simmered inside him. He wished he had the answers and the wherewithal to be able to ignore the things he’d read online about Lizzie, but it made him want to hurt the people who wrote it.
Sky sighed. “So, what are you going to do?”
“The very best I can. I’m trying to work through my own issues. That’s our biggest hurdle. And you know she’s doing this for Maddy, right? For hersister. She’s just so incredible. Who else would do that?”
“SOMEONE WHO PUTS family first.” The anger in Lizzie’s voice resonated through her with a vehemence she had no idea she possessed. “Of all people, I thought you’d get that.”
Blue spun around, and the phone dropped to his side. He hadn’t even heard her car pull up. “Lizzie!”
“Stupid me. I got your messages and rushed home after dropping Maddy off. I thought you really wanted to talk, but this—”
“It’s Sky!” He held the phone out toward her. “She called to give me a hard time.”
Lizzie stormed past him toward her kitchen door. She heard him tell Sky he had to go as she went inside and stalked into the living room. Seconds later he grabbed her arm from behind.
“Let go, Blue.” She was too mad to talk rationally. “I’m justslutty, seducing the camera like a pro.”
“You heard that out of context.” He reached for her, and she shrugged him off. “Come on, Lizzie. You heard part of what was said, but it wasn’t meant the way you’re making it sound. Do you really thinkIthink you’re slutty? If you heard that, then you heard me say I read the stuff online about you and I wanted to kill the people who wrote it. I’m defending you, Lizzie,notdemeaning you.”
