“Shut up,” Gracie yelled up at him.
“Get on the bike,” he said.
“I'll walk,” she snapped.
“No,” he said. “Get your ass on the bike.”
He shoved his helmet over her head, got on, and grabbed her arm to help her on.
Gracie knew there was no use in fighting him. He was going to win. She'd already learned he wouldn't give up until he did.
The second he pulled up in front of her apartment, she hurried off the bike. Then she took his helmet off and shoved it at him. She saw him move to get off the bike and reached out to stop him.
“Don't bother,” she said.
Gracie knew she had to get away from him. The feelings that ran through her when Jen touched him had her freaking out inside. There was no way she needed to be feeling anything but irritation when it came to him.
“Your girl's still there if you hurry back to the bar,” Gracie said, as she turned and walked toward her apartment.
Would he go back, she wondered? It took all she had to walk in and close the door behind her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he did hook up with Jen, she tried to tell herself. He'd be too busy to bother with her anymore. The only bad thing about that was that she'd have to find someplace new to go. At least he'd be leaving her alone though.
It was bad enough that Gavin was messing with her weekends, but he'd just shown up on a weekday too. That was not okay. She was in charge of her own life, and he wasn't taking that away from her. There was no way she was going to let him tell her what she was or wasn't going to do. He'd ignored her for months and then been a total ass when he'd finally gotten home. What she did was none of his damn business. There was no way he was pushing her around. The sooner he learned that, the better off they'd both be. Gracie wasn't planning on backing down. He'd give up eventually.
“Bring it on, Gavin,” she said to herself, as she crawled under the covers. “I've got all the time in the world to show your ass who's in charge here.”
Chapter 34
Gavin
Gavin sat through work Monday and couldn't stop thinking about what Gracie had said to him. She was right, he didn't want to work with his dad. He couldn't stand sitting behind a desk or in meetings. It was driving him crazy. Do something important, she'd said. Like what, he wondered? What else could he do? Maybe she was right. Maybe there was something else he was supposed to be doing.
He thought about that kiss. Why had he done it? He was supposed to be looking out for her, but he couldn't help himself. How could Gracie say that he didn't care?
“You okay?” his dad asked, as he approached Gavin's desk.
“I'm good,” he answered.
Gavin barely made it through the rest of the day. His mind was spinning. The second he got out of there, he hurried home, got his bike, and took off.
It was late before he headed back home. When he passed the bar, he quickly turned his bike around and pulled into the lot. What the fuck was she doing there during the week, he wondered?
He walked through the door and the woman behind the bar came around and started flirting with him. Gavin watched Gracie and knew she thought that shit was funny. He couldn't help the pissed feeling that gave him. Maybe she didn't care, but he didn't need her rubbing it in his face. She'd told him the night before that she was worried about him. She'd even cried. There she was, the next day, laughing while a woman flirted with him. The exact second Jen touched him, he saw it. There was a huge change in Gracie. She was off the stool and across the floor in seconds. He could tell she was pissed. For a moment, he considered flirting back with Jen just to show Gracie that fucking with him was not a good idea. Not one part of him wanted Jen though. He had too much shit going on in his life. There was no way he needed to add her to the mix.
When Gracie hopped off the bike and put her hand on him to stop him from following, he felt the warmth from her touch shoot through him. Gavin wanted to pull her closer and feel her lips on his again, but he knew he couldn't. He'd already betrayed his best friend. Kissing Jack's sister once was a mistake. Doing it again would be a very bad decision.
Gavin went home, less than a block away. He knew she would be so pissed if she knew where he lived. Just the thought made him laugh. He went to bed, but she was all he could think about. How could her parents or Ethan not know how bad things were for her? How could they not see her pain? She was hurting, and not one person was there for her.
Gavin woke up to the same dream he had been waking up to each night. His body was soaked in sweat. He hadn't slept through the night in weeks, and it was really starting to get to him.
The thought of going into the office made him sick to his stomach. He was exhausted. The last thing he felt like doing was sitting behind a desk for eight hours kissing clients asses. His dad would have a huge smile on his face. He loved what he did, but Gavin couldn't stand it. He knew Gracie was right. He had to do something different.
Gavin worked hard at the gym, thinking about what he could do. He'd gone into the service right out of high school. He hadn't gone to college and was still really young, only twenty. What could he do that was important? What would make Jack proud?
Gavin showered and dressed for work. As he drove to work, it hit him. He turned his car around and pulled into the lot of the fire station. When he got out, he looked up at the building his friend had spent so much time in and wondered what it would be like to work there. He'd always admired Jack with his save the world attitude. Being in the service, knowing he was helping people, had been amazing. He just couldn't imagine seeing what he had while he was deployed again. Gavin hadn't been to the fire station since Jack left. He wasn't even sure how the guys would feel towards him. Would they blame him like Gracie, Jack's parents, and he did, he wondered?
“Gavin,” he heard a voice come from a few cars away, and it pulled him from his thoughts. “Is that you?”
Gavin looked over to see one of the guys Jack had gotten along really well with.
“Hey,” was all Gavin could get out.
The guy walked over and patted Gavin on the shoulder.
“How's it going, man?” he asked. “We haven't seen you in forever. Someone mentioned you're working for your dad.”
“I am,” Gavin said.
“I never saw you behind a desk,” the guy said. “Come on in. We're just changing shifts, so a lot of the guys are here.”
Gavin thought for a second and wasn't sure he should. Maybe he shouldn't of come, he thought.
“Come on,” the guy said, as he nudged his shoulder. “They'll be happy to see you.”
Gavin followed him into the station to see five other guys inside.
“Look who I found outside,” the guy said, as he walked into another room to put his stuff away.
Each of the guys walked up to say hello, do the bro hug, or shake his hand. They all started asking how he'd been doing and what he'd been up to. Gavin had been on his guard, ready for them to ask about Jack or tell him what he'd done wrong, but that never happened. They were getting ready to eat and offered for him to eat with them. He sat down and watched them each grab some food and go right into talking about their night and what they'd been doing or watching on television. Before long, he was right in there with the conversation.
When breakfast was over, he watched them all clean up. Some of them left, and some of them were just beginning their shift. The ones that stayed sat around him at the table and began telling stories about Jack. It wasn't a sad mood they were creating, it was a happy one. Some of the stories they told had Gavin doubled over laughing. That was something he hadn't done since the accident. He hadn't done that since he was with Jack. Some of the stories were heartfelt and pulled at his chest too. Jack had saved someone from a burning car right before it exploded. If he hadn't been there, they would have died. That person was a father of three kids. His best friend really had made a difference.
The guys made Gavin feel comfortable, like he belonged. Not once did they s
ay anything negative toward him or about Jack. By the time they were done talking, Gavin felt like he belonged. It was the best and lightest he'd felt since getting home.
The men jumped the second they got a call. He watched them scurry around, and then they were gone. Do something important, he could hear Gracie's voice in his head. That was it. He was going to make a difference. He was going to make Jack proud. Gavin was going to be a firefighter.
Gavin walked out to his car and headed to work, knowing it wouldn't be long before he wouldn't have to walk through those doors anymore, not as an employee anyway. The minute he walked through the office toward his desk, he saw his dad standing against the doorway of his own office glaring at Gavin.
“Nice of you to show up,” his dad said.
“I'm sorry I'm late,” he replied.
“We have a lunch meeting today,” his dad responded with irritation in his voice. “You need to be there.”
Gavin put his things down and turned toward his dad who'd turned away and was just walking into his office. When Gavin followed him in, he was sitting behind his desk.
“Gavin,” he said.
“I need to talk to you,” Gavin said.
“Can't it wait until after lunch?” his dad asked.
“I don't know,” he answered. “I told you Julie was the one that needed to take over here.”
“Now you're here,” his dad said. “Julie's not talking to me much right now. I don't know what's going on with her. She didn't even come home to work for the summer.”
“I don't want to be here, dad,” he said.
“I thought you agreed to give it a shot, Gavin,” his dad said. “ You've barely given it any time. What's going on?”
“I'm going to be a firefighter,” Gavin said.
“What?” his dad asked, as his eyes widened and he stood up. “I don't think that's a good idea. You belong here.”
“Why not?” Gavin asked. “I tried, I really did. I can't sit behind a desk all day hearing people talk about code. It's just not me.”
“Being a firefighter is?” his dad asked. “Once you take over, your salary will triple at least. You know how I feel about making a way for yourself. I just want you kids to know you worked for what you have. You could buy a nice house for when you settle down and have a family of your own.”
“I'll be just as proud of making my own way as a firefighter. I want to help people.”
“We already lost Jack,” his dad said. “We won't lose you too.”
“You're not going to lose me. Jack was a firefighter before we left. What about Josh?”
“I don't want to talk about it,” his dad said. “I don't think it's a good idea.”
“So that's it,” Gavin said louder than he should have. “You don't think it's a good idea, so it doesn't matter. I want to help people. It's what Jack would be doing if he were here.”
“Gavin,” his dad snapped.
Gavin shook his head, turned, and walked out of his dad's office. As soon as he rounded the bend, he heard her laugh. Shit! He'd totally forgotten about her delivering food. When he looked up, he saw her standing at that same punk's desk she'd been at the last time, and they were both smiling and laughing. Gavin couldn't help the feeling he got seeing her laugh with someone. All she'd been giving him was shit. He'd never been a jealous guy, at least not the way he was feeling at that moment. He walked over, grabbed her arm, and started for the door.
“I'll help you,” he said.
“Gavin,” she yelped. “I was just talking to someone.”
“Not anymore,” he said.
“You're such a caveman,” she said with a shake of her head.
He stepped into the fresh air and sucked in a huge breath. When they got to the back of her car, he stopped.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Fine,” he snapped roughly. “You don't need to be in there laughing with that asshole.”
“Why not?” she asked, as she opened her trunk. “There's nothing wrong with that.”
“Whatever,” he said, as he pulled a few trays out of the trunk. “Don't distract the employees. He has a job to do.”
Gavin walked toward the door and opened it for her. She walked in ahead of him. Gavin knew he was glaring at the guy on his way by but he didn't care. There was no way that guy was going to be the one to make her laugh.
“What did we do to deserve this?” he heard his dad ask just after they'd set the food on the table. “You've never brought us cheesecake before.”
“I was making them for the restaurant and had an extra one,” she said.
“So you didn't bring it for your boyfriend out there?” Gavin asked, feeling more irritated than he'd been in a long time.
“What crawled up your ass today?” Gracie asked.
“Don't mind him,” his dad said. “He's just pissed at me. He was late for work this morning. Then he walked into my office to tell me he didn't want to work here anymore. He'd rather be a firefighter. Can you believe that he'd give up what he could have here?”
“A firefighter,” Gracie whispered.
Gavin could have sworn he'd seen worry in her eyes before she looked up at his dad.
“I want to do something important,” Gavin said roughly.
“That's not what I,” she began, but was cut off by Gavin's dad's secretary.
“Your client is here.”
“I better go,” Gracie said, as she turned and walked out without even a goodbye.
Gavin finished getting things ready while his dad walked out to greet the client. It took all Gavin had not to take off after Gracie, but his dad was already pissed enough at him.
Gavin made it through the meeting with a smile on his face. Then he sat behind his desk willing the clock to move faster. As soon as five o'clock came, he was out of there.
The minute he told the guys at the station what he wanted to do, they all jumped in to give him pointers. One of them began writing down what he needed to do and even got him the paperwork he'd need to start. He knew he needed some schooling, and he couldn't wait to get started. The guys had all been busy working when he'd gotten there. There was a lot they did between calls. Not one of them hesitated in welcoming him into their group. They told him he could come by and hang out every day until he was officially one of them. It was the first time since getting out of the service that he'd actually looked forward to something, and he had Jack to thank for that. The stories and things they had to say about his best friend were unbelievable.
When Gavin finally left the station, he hurried home, changed, and switched his car for his bike. Then he was gone. After a three hour ride, he was exhausted and knew he'd be able to get a few hours of sleep.
When he got to the bar, he slowed down. Then he turned into the lot more pissed than he'd been yet. He got off his bike and swung open the bar door. The woman behind the bar smiled so damn wide. Gavin tried his best not to make eye contact with her. Gracie hopped her ass off the stool and came toward him. He held the door open, and she walked out.
“This shit's getting old,” he said roughly.
“Do we have to do this every day?” she asked.
“Sure do,” he said.
“I'm not going to stop,” she said, as she got on his bike behind him. “This is my life. I'll just get here earlier.”
“Neither am I,” he said, before pulling out and taking her home.
Gavin couldn't help but notice her arms around his waist a little tighter than before. So much warmth filled him. He wondered if she felt it too, but he knew better.
“Thanks for the cheesecake,” he said, as she got off the bike.
“It wasn't for you,” she said.
“I was just thanking you,” he said. “It was really good. It almost made that meeting tolerable.”
“You tell your mom the good news yet?” she asked with sarcasm in her voice.
“Not yet,” he said. “I went to the station today and started the paperwork. I need some schoolin
g first. The guys seemed cool with me coming on board.”
“I didn't mean you should risk your life,” Gracie said. “That's not what I said.”
“It helped being there. They talked about him. They didn't judge me there. I felt like I belonged.”
Gavin hadn't said much to anyone about things he'd been feeling since Jack had passed. The little things he did let slip seemed to always come out at Gracie, and she was the one judging him the most.
“I can't believe he rode,” she said, as her hand moved over Gavin's bike.
“He did,” Gavin said. “We both planned to get bikes one day.”
“He liked it that much?” she asked.
“He loved it,” Gavin answered.
“Why?”
“It's relaxing,” Gavin said. “It gives you time to think.”
“Does it help?” she asked.
“With what?”
“Dealing with shit?”
“It does,” he replied. “It really does. Let me know if you ever want to go for a ride.”
“No thanks,” she said, as she turned and walked toward her apartment. “I'll see you tomorrow.”
Gavin sat and watched her walk in and close the door. Was she counting on seeing him tomorrow, he wondered? He was lost in thought for a few moments. For one of those moments he wondered if she was going to the bar because of him. Of course she was, he thought to himself. Who was he kidding? It was his fault she was there. He was the one that had taken her brother away.
“She'll never care about you,” he said, as he pulled out and headed toward the tattoo shop for a little therapy.
Chapter 35
Gracie
She'd watched him from the corner of her window. He'd sat on his bike, looking up at her place, for more than a few minutes before he pulled out and rode away.
A firefighter, Gracie thought. Was he serious? How could that be what he'd gotten out of what she'd said that day? She said something important, make Jack proud. Why was firefighter what he'd decided on? Her father had been a firefighter forever. Without that job, her parents wouldn't have gotten together. She wouldn't exist. Then her brother joined the group, the same one their father had been a part of. What was Gavin thinking? Didn't he know he'd be risking his life again. After being deployed, losing his best friend, and seeing things she couldn't even begin to imagine while he was gone, why would he risk his life again? Do something important, he'd reminded her. It was her fault. She was the one that had pushed him. Shit!
Saved by Love (Bachelor Billionaire Kids #1) Page 13