Zayne linked his hands on top of his head and stared up at the ceiling. “There will always be people—your mother’s not the only one—who will never see me as more than that name. It’s not the same as you—your mom’s a snob. My dad died in prison. I’ll always be a Rutledge.” He looked back to her, his hands falling to his sides in defeat. “And that will stain you. I can’t do that. I won’t.” He wanted to take her hands, but touching her was more than he could handle right now. “I love you too much to do that to you.”

She stood frozen, staring at him. There, he’d said it. He wanted her to know. After what seemed like an eternity, she shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Oh my God. You’re just like her.”

“Like who?”

“You’re just like my mom. Thinking of no one but yourself.”

“I just told you I loved you. How is that not thinking of you?”

She wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hands and moved farther from his reach. “If you loved me, you wouldn’t be chased off by a few words from a woman who doesn’t think anyone lives up to her precious standards.” Her voice continued to harden. “You’re just as afraid of what people think as she is. So afraid that you can’t see what’s right in front of your eyes.”

She hit her own chest with the flat of her hand. “I’m standing here, loving you—really loving you. And all you can think of is some faceless, nonexistent mob out there and what they might think—instead of what I think. Instead of what your friends think.” She took a shaky breath, the hardness falling from her voice...replaced with sorrow. “Bad things happened in your youth. I know that. But I’m loving you right now. My mother controlled my entire world twenty years ago, and I was a coward. But I outgrew that. Now it’s your turn.”

“I’m not a coward.” The words felt false as soon as he spoke them.

Andrea shook her head, pity filling her eyes. That hurt far more than her anger. “You’ve just been waiting for me to remember you’re a Rutledge, expecting me to leave you as soon as that happens.” He shook his head, but they both knew she was spot-on. “Look how happy your brother is these days, and Luke had the same hard start that you did.” She gestured around the semi-dark shop. “You have a successful business. You bought a freakin’ farm. You have a dog. And my son adores you.” Zayne’s mouth twitched at that. He adored Hudson right back. Then he remembered how Marissa had snatched Hudson out of his arms at the diner.

“Your mother isn’t happy about that.”