Gavin (A Redemption Romance #3)

by Anna Scott

  The following weekend, I was off work, so Gavin and I had planned to go away together. Peter, his step-father had a small beach house on the Gulf, about four-hours away and Gavin could use it whenever he wanted.

  Gavin promised me that there were three bedrooms, and I’d have my pick, which had settled me right down, when he’d first suggested the trip. Now, I was sure that we’d only be using the one. I was excited to have the quiet time together, with no interruptions. It would also be nice to have the down time.

  I was busy trying to get shit done around my house, with plans to go away and my mom selling the home she’d lived in for over twenty years, a lot of things were coming to my house. I already had a stack of boxes in my living room, with no idea where to put them. There were more to come too, she’d already warned me that she’d kept some other things from when I was little, but they were all in the attic. There wasn’t much space in my tiny house, and I hated the clutter, but Tyler had promised to come over the following week after Gavin and I got back from the Gulf, and help me go through everything. I figured it was just his way of being a nosey friend, wanting all the dirt from my weekend adventure.

  Since Gavin and I had been spending more time together, I hadn’t been able to be quite as available for Tyler. He was cool with it, since he and Marc were still new, he got it, but his friendship was one thing I’d never give up.

  Wednesday afternoon, I had some time during my lunch, and decided to take Gavin a little treat from the Café that Gillian owned. I’d finally talked to him earlier in the morning, after they finished up with the call-out. He still had a full day of work to get through before he could crash. He’d been swamped and was starving too, that’s where I came in. I didn’t know if I was his girlfriend, but after everything he’d said the night before, we were definitely moving in that direction. Regardless, as a good friend, or whatever, I hoped to be his girlfriend someday and I’d be the kind to bring her man a treat when he’d had a rough night. Besides, I was still delightfully sore from his attentions, and wanted to bring him even a fraction of the happiness he’d brought to me.

  Knowing that he was crazy today I wrote his name on the bag and planned to leave it for him at the front desk at the station. I’d been there with him before and knew there was always someone up front. I didn’t want to bother him, but wanted him to feel special, loved maybe, it was a small thing I could do to maybe brighten his day.

  Parking just outside the front doors, I grabbed the bag of his favorite cookies and the Americana coffee, he preferred and walked toward the glass front doors. Feeling a little nervous, presumptuous even, I looked around as I opened them and walked inside.

  At the counter, was an older, plump woman with a bright smile on her face. There was a buzz of activity in the large room, but as I scanned the space, my eyes caught on Gavin’s smiling face.

  He was standing next to the woman. The one I’d seen him with at the deli several weeks before. His arm was around her back, and he kissed the top of her head. She was smiling up at him, too. They were walking toward the back where the office he shared with Trent and the other homicide detectives was. What the fuck? Holy shit.

  Holy. Fucking. Shit. Was I the biggest idiot on the planet, or what? There was no way He was a mother fucking liar. The dick had fooled me and good. He was a player. Fucking. Shit. Now, I needed to get tested for sure, fucking disgusting dirt bag.

  My entire body filled with rage, shame, unimaginable grief and heart rending loss. Stunned, I stood there in total shock, frozen, not knowing what to do as my mind raced. He’d looked so happy; did he ever look like that when he was with me? Obviously, he had serious feelings for her, it absolutely broke my heart. A cold sweat broke over me, I felt my heart beat speed up, it was so fast, I wondered if my pulse was visible.

  Right then, I knew, I absolutely knew that I couldn’t do this, not with him, not Gavin. I couldn’t be one of however many that he dated and fucked and fucking lied to. Part of me wanted to storm back there and ask that woman if he fed her the same bullshit he’d fed me.

  “Excuse me,” a man said, as I was jostled from behind. His hands shot to my shoulders, to steady me, and as I turned to look at him, I saw the concern in his handsome dark brown eyes. He was tall, his mocha skin was perfect, his hair cut short, and a gleam in his eyes. If it had been another time, I’d have taken the time to notice all that.

  “Are you okay?” He asked, I was blocking the door, I needed and muttered an apology, looked at the older woman who had been studying me, gave her a fake smile and walked toward her.

  “Can I help you?” She asked me, worry evident on her face.

  “Yes, I just wanted to drop these off for Gavin McNeil, can you see that he gets them please?”

  “Of course, but he’s here, I just saw him. Let me call him up here for you.”

  “No, no, thank you, um, I need to go. Thank you.” I stuttered, as I backed toward the door.

  I probably should have just kept them, but I’d been standing there looking like an idiot, and a vicious part of me, wanted Gavin to get them and to realize what I’d seen. I wanted him to wonder, to worry about it, because I’d never take a call from him again. I wasn’t that stupid, not even for him.

  Rushing to my car, I heard someone calling my name, but I ignored it and climbed inside. It was Trent, I could see him jogging toward my car.

  Tears were streaming down my face, totally uncontrolled now, but I wouldn’t let Trent see, I wouldn’t allow myself to be made a fool of anymore. He knew, fucking men stuck together, I knew it.

  Locking myself in, I pretended that I hadn’t heard him. I backed out and drove. I looked a mess, I knew Trent had seen it, my face was pale, I was shaking and my eyes were wide with distress and overwhelming grief, not to mention the mascara smearing down my cheeks. Unfortunately, at a stoplight, I’d looked, not a good idea.

  Within minutes, my phone began to ring. I let it go, not even touching it, the calls rolled over to voicemail. When there was a lull, I picked it up and asked Aurora if I could have a little extra time on my lunch. I was due back in twenty minutes, but I needed to clear my head. I was a bawling mess, and I knew that she could hear it over the line.

  “No, sweetie, you can take the rest of the day, we aren’t busy.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked, trying my best not to sniff, but I knew I had.

  “Of course, call me later, okay?”

  I agreed and we hung up. For the next three hours, I drove. It was my one solace, when I’d been young, first getting my license, it had been my only reprieve. I needed the clarity now. About forty-five minutes outside of town, in the middle of absolutely nothing, I flicked to Apologize by Timberland and put it on repeat. It was the perfect I’m sad and fuck off kind of song.

  My emotions ran the gamut, total sadness, mourning the loss of something I’d never have, something that didn’t exist, just like the idea of my fucking father, to supreme anger at the lying bastard. I couldn’t believe that Gavin had done that. I tried to remember his exact words from the night before, but he’d told me that it would only be me from then on. I knew he had. Fucking asshole.

  My phone had been ringing almost non-stop for the past several minutes, but I was driving way too fast to do anything about it just then. I wished he’d just stop. Just fucking leave me alone. Hadn’t he done enough, did he have to be the standard asshole that every other guy was? I thought he was different. Was he always like that? I had no idea. No fucking clue, though I’d believed that he was a good guy when we were young, I was four years younger than him, I had no idea how he’d treated girls back then. Maybe he’d always been a dick-player.

  A few hours later, I pulled up to my house and finally looked at my phone. I scrolled through all the calls from Gavin, but stopped on the seven from Aurora. She was alone in the store, but it hadn’t been busy, I worried that something had happened and she’d needed me after all.

  She sounded concerned, but I didn’t share. I wondered now
if she knew the woman that Gavin was seeing. Obviously, Trent knew, since they shared an office. Did everyone know? That thought hurt.

  “Sweetie, are you all right? I’ve been so worried all day.”

  “Yeah, sorry about today, I’m fine, just got a nasty headache.” It wasn’t a lie, after the hours of crying, I had a bad one now.

  “Huh, okay. Can I bring you anything later?” She asked, though she clearly didn’t fully believe me.

  “No, I’m going to lay down. Don’t worry.”

  As we disconnected the call, I thought about how Aurora and Amber had questioned me non-stop in the previous weeks, about my feelings for Gavin. Would they encourage me if they knew he obviously had feelings for someone else? I’d experienced first-hand how nasty women could be, but these women weren’t like that, were they? My entire foundation had been rocked. The man I’d believed Gavin to be, he wasn’t. He wasn’t stupid, he knew I had feelings for him. Why would he do that to me?

  After talking to Aurora, my phone chimed with a text, glancing at it, I saw it was Gavin. I’d have to deal with him, but it wouldn’t be right now. No fucking way, so I shut it off. Then, realizing the time, I worried that he’d show up here, I’d turned my phone back on long enough to send a text.

  Dawn: Saw you called, can’t talk now. Later, k

  Before I could power the phone down again, his response came in.

  Gavin: Thank god, was worried sick. Sorry I missed you when you came by the station. Thanks for the coffee and cookies. Be there in an hour or so. Want takeout?

  I was sorry too, sorry that I’d seen what I had, but on the other hand, it was for the best. At least now, I knew, I was positive that I couldn’t continue to be friends while he dated other women, at least not now, maybe in a few months - years. My feelings had grown too strong; it was time I put some serious distance between us.

  There was a storm coming in strong and the winds were high. Seemed like the perfect weather for my mood, though I hated to drive in it. I stood and looked out the front window, watching the weather considering how I should answer. I knew I had to, or he’d show up. Eventually, I’d have to face the lying bastard, but this wasn’t the day. I needed to be stronger for that.

  Dawn: Yeah, can’t tonight. TTYL

  All of a sudden, my house went dark, it startled me out of my melancholy. Looking up and down the quiet street, I noticed that none of the houses were lit up, damn, the power must be out again. This neighborhood was old and one of the last ones to still have power lines up on poles, since most of the other areas had them buried.

  Thankfully, being the sort of person to prepare for any and every eventuality, I had all I would need for a long, dark night. It also gave me an excuse to not answer my cell, since I wouldn’t be able to charge it. I’d powered it down and I had every intention of leaving it off, to save the battery life in case of an emergency. I did, or course, have two cordless charges I kept for just such an occasion, but I’d use this excuse to stay incommunicado. Besides, Gavin would probably be held over at work now too, which sucked for him, since he’d already been awake about thirty hours. I wanted to feel bad for him, I really did, but it was difficult to muster up the pity.

  Candles were placed decoratively around my house, so I set to work lighting those, then retrieved the battery powered lanterns I kept for emergencies. My old gas stove worked too, I just had to light the burner by hand. I prepared myself a modest dinner, tomato soup and grilled cheese; the perfect comfort food for bad weather and heart break.

  Obviously, television was out, but my e-reader was charged and backlight. I settled into my warm bed and began to read. Of course, my favorite Stephen King novel, The Tommyknockers wasn’t the best choice for this night, but I’d already started it and wasn’t one to leave a book unfinished.

  After about an hour, I began to really get creeped out. The sound of wind whipping through the trees outside and the rose bushes scratching against the windows made the cozy room feel ominous, as well as the flickering candlelight that created odd shadows around the house.

  The shrill sound of my house phone ringing scared the shit out of me. I jumped, then glanced over at the dark clock. I rolled my eyes at myself, of course my digital alarm wouldn’t be working right now. Climbing out of bed, I slid my feet into warm slippers, picked up the lantern and walked into the kitchen. It was the only room with an old fashioned phone, one that didn’t require power.

  “Hello,” I greeted into the handset, knowing it could only be Tyler or my mom. No one had my house number, I never used it. Mostly, I got solicitor calls on it.

  “Oh, thank god,” Tyler breathed into the line. “I’ve been worried sick. The storm is nasty and there’s some flooding in the streets near you. I’ve been calling and calling, but your cell isn’t working.”

  “It’s dead,” I explained, not sure if it was a lie. I hadn’t turned it back on, though it probably was, the battery had been low earlier in the day and I hadn’t charged it. “I’m fine, are you all right?”

  “Of course, look, I’m almost there. I was freaked, then I remembered your house phone and thought I’d try that. So, watch for me, I’ll be there in like five, okay?”

  “You don’t have to, I’m fine.”

  “Shut it, I’m coming over. Unless, you aren’t alone?” His teasing question pierced my heart, I knew he was hoping that Gavin would be with me, but of course, he wasn’t and he wouldn’t be, not again.

  “I’m alone. See you in a few.”

  Five minutes was more like twenty. I sat in the living room, wrapped in a blanket, and waited for the headlights to shine in the window. When he finally got there, I opened the door and saw just how hard the rain was coming down. Tyler was soaked, just walking from his SUV to my front door.

  “Come in, let me get you a towel.” I told him, opening the door wider. The rain was falling sideways, so I stepped back to get out of its path.

  “I’ll hug you after I’ve dried off.” He chuckled and waited on the entry way rug. Thankfully, not getting my old wood floors wet. Once he was dry, he started a fire in the fireplace and I boiled water to make coffee in the French press. I had a feeling we’d be up for a while.

  Settling in on the couch, we shared the large fluffy blanket, Tyler brought in from the second bedroom.

  “What’s the sadness I see in your eyes? You’ve looked so happy lately.” Tyler asked me, always knowing just what I was feeling. It was unsettling at times, not being able to hide anything from him.

  Of course, I spilled it all. He already knew that Gavin and I had been hanging out for a few weeks, and that we'd made out, but not much more, until the previous night, of course. I gave it all to him.

  When I told him about today, showing up at the station and the beautiful woman we’d seen Gavin with before, I noticed Tyler’s fists clench, then looked up to see the angry look on his face. Ty was nothing, if not protective.

  “It’s okay, Ty, I’ll be fine. Don’t do anything crazy.”

  He grunted, but didn’t answer verbally.

  “I’ll be fine, but I’m glad to find this out about him now, and not later.” I tried to reassure him, but I could tell that it wasn’t working.

  We stayed quiet for a long time, watching the lightning shoot across the dark sky outside. It was an eerie sight, with the power out, there weren’t any streetlights to lessen the severity of darkness.

  Tyler, being the sweet man he was, changed the subject and told me a hilarious story. He’d been in the locker room after a game last week to interview one of the players. Of course the guys were showering and changing, in different stages of undress, when the door swung open and one of the player’s very pregnant wife waddled in.

  She was shouting for her husband, screaming, “it’s time, it’s time.” Obviously, she’d gone into labor. Her husband was so freaked out that he ran out of the shower, grabbed his keys, picked her up and started running out, and down the hall toward the back entrance to the parking lot, completely
naked.

  Tyler had a gift for making me laugh uproariously, even under the worst circumstances. He was the best friend anyone could ask for. A couple of hours later, I was startled awake when I felt movement, I was being lifted.

  “Gavin?” I asked sleepily, forgetting all that had happened.

  “No, sweets, it’s Ty, I’m going to crash on the baby bed, okay.”

  “Okay,” I answered, the memories flooding back in. My head was against Tyler’s chest, so he didn’t notice when a tear dropped from my eye. He laid me down in my bed, kissed my forehead and left to sleep in the other room.

  He called it a baby bed, because it was a twin and his feet hung off the end. It was a running joke between us, but that room was so small, I couldn’t keep a larger one in there. Every time he stayed over, I offered him my bed, I could easily sleep in there, but he’d never let me do that.

  Before falling asleep again, I thought about Gavin. The heaviness in my chest was crushing. It was juvenile that I hadn’t been honest with him, but I felt silly. The thing was, he hadn’t come over. When I didn’t answer his calls, I thought he would have shown up at my house, especially after I’d blown him off. He hadn’t, which told me all I needed to know. I would have to turn my phone on tomorrow and let him know I wasn’t going away with him over the weekend, if he hadn’t already figured that out and decided to take someone else.

  Chapter 8

  Gavin

  It was ten in the goddamned morning and I couldn’t get Dawn to answer her mother fucking phone. I was about to go out of my mind. I knew her neighborhood had no power the night before and I had wanted to head over there after not being able to talk to her. During the chaos of the storm, a little girl went missing. It was all hands after that.

  I thought about calling Luke to go check on her, but then realized that he was at work too, when I saw him during the multi-agency brief. The search for the girl had encompassed three counties, but thankfully, someone had found her around four in the morning.