Maya didn’t miss the disappointment on Gabe’s face, but she just couldn’t allow herself to be drawn in even further when he had given no indication that anything was going to change in his lifestyle. Ringing in the New Year with the man her heart yearned for when they had no future just seemed like she was setting herself up for even more heartache.
“Well, you’re missing the party to end all parties,” Mitch said with a laugh.
As the others around the table recounted events from years past, Maya had to admit it sounded like a lot more fun than where she was headed. She’d asked if she could leave at noon on New Year’s Eve, and Makayla had agreed without hesitation. Maya had needed the time because she and her mom were headed to New York City to spend New Year’s Eve with her dad.
They had a large party to attend which wasn’t Maya’s first choice, but after she’d bailed on the Paris trip with her mom, she didn’t feel it was right to refuse to attend the New Year’s Eve party. Especially since they would be taking the jet and her mom had promised that she would be back on New Year’s Day so she could be at work on January second.
“Can we go out for dinner tomorrow night?” Gabe asked as they left the restaurant a short time later. “Since I won’t see you on New Year’s Eve.”
Maya knew she should say no—she knew it—but instead, she found herself agreeing. The relief on Gabe’s face left her confused though. Was he that upset at the thought that they couldn’t spend time together before he left? Did that mean…?
No.
She wasn’t going to try to read anything into his obvious relief. This would just be a fun evening before he headed off for his next adventure.
“Is there anywhere special you’d like to go?” Gabe asked.
Maya rubbed her gloved hands together before shoving them into her pockets. “I’m going to say the only thing I want for sure is some place warm.”
Gabe chuckled. “Okay. No winter picnics then.”
“As interesting as that might be, I would say, no. No winter picnics.”
“I’ll surprise you then,” Gabe said. As they reached her car, Gabe opened the door for her. “Any chance you’d like to come to the gym tomorrow to climb?”
It hadn’t even crossed her mind to go, but she had really enjoyed it, and she wanted to maintain contact with the people there because she hoped to continue to go even after Gabe left.
“Sure. Maybe if you don’t pick a fancy restaurant, we could meet up at the gym first and then head out for dinner afterward.”
“Sounds good. I’m not really about fancy restaurants anyway, to be honest.”
Maya smiled as she slid behind the wheel of her car. “I would never have guessed.”
“I know. My penchant for wearing expensive suits would definitely seem to say otherwise.” His words made her smile even more, but it was his grin that warmed her heart. “How about we meet at three at the gym?”
“I’ll be there,” Maya said then waited as Gabe stepped back and closed her door before she backed out of the parking spot and headed back to the office.
Gabe was no more settled watching Maya drive away this time than he had been on Boxing Day. Something had happened that day, and he still didn’t know what it was. Since then, he’d tried to get together with her, but it just hadn’t worked out until she’d agreed to go to the gym and out to dinner the following day.
He knew that Mitch had spent some time with her, but when he’d tried to pump his twin for information, he’d been suspiciously tight-lipped. There was a part of him that wondered if Mitch had somehow managed to undermine him with Maya. Mitch had said that he didn’t have feelings for her, but he also had seemed very defensive of her. Like he had to protect her from Gabe—just as he’d said the other night. That didn’t sit well with him.
But he had a promise of some time with her the next day, and Gabe was going to grab hold of that. And hope she didn’t cancel.
Gabe went to the gym around two the next day, partly to have some time to climb himself, but also to just touch base with Hunter one more time before he left in a few days. He had complete confidence in his partners at the gym, but he always liked to make sure there was nothing that might need his attention while he was gone. Especially on a month-long trip where the internet might be sketchy at times.
Once he was done meeting with Hunter and Brent, he headed out for the wall he preferred to climb on. Brent worked with him, as he started up the wall. Usually, he found himself zoning out, focusing on nothing more than what handhold to reach for next and where to put his foot. It was just him and the wall for the time it took him to make his way up it and then out under the overhang.
But for once, he found thoughts of other things intruding on his zone-out. Well, other things meaning Maya. Though he still managed to reach the top, he didn’t feel as relaxed as he usually did when he climbed. And he had to focus twice as hard to keep his attention where it needed to be in order to complete the climb.
It wasn’t until his feet were back on the ground after reaching the top that Gabe realized that Maya was there, watching him.
“Still can’t believe how you guys can do that. You make it look so easy,” Maya said as he walked to her side. “I think a straight up and down wall is about the extent of my climbing experience.”
“Well, let’s get you ready to climb,” Gabe said and led her back to the office. It was amazing to Gabe how settled he felt just seeing her again.
This time around, he had no problem keeping his attention on the wall, making sure that Maya was safe as she made her climb. She was a lot more confident this time around than she had been the first time she’d come to the gym. Though she still wasn’t fast—and at this stage in the learning process, that wasn’t the goal—she definitely took less time between moves than the first time she’d climbed.
He wondered if she’d continue to come to the gym while he was gone. Hopefully, she would. Climbing had been something they’d done together in the short time they’d known each other, and he thought that they had connected even more because of it. He didn’t want to lose that connection while he was gone.
12
When Maya reached the point where she’d stopped previously, she didn’t even seem to consider stopping there this time. Gabe grinned as he watched her move a couple more times, her feet now at her previous high point for her hands. Seeing the way her legs were trembling, he knew that she was going to be stopping soon. There was no need to push it when she was just starting out. He would push himself past the point of exhaustion because that’s what he did with his life: pushed himself. But he didn’t think that was the case with Maya.
When Gabe finally lowered Maya back to the ground, her legs gave out almost immediately. He went to kneel beside her, glad to see a smile on her face.
“You did even better this time around,” he told her, not sure that she was aware of that.
“Really?” Maya tilted her head back, her silky dark hair sliding over her shoulders. “How far did I make it?”
Gabe told her the color of the handhold she’d last gripped before letting go, pointing to it on the wall. “Your foot was level with where your hand was last time.”
“Wow!” She looked over at him, her eyes wide and sparkling. “I never would have imagined. I mean, I have been trying to increase my strength.”
“You have?” Gabe sank cross-legged onto the mat beside her. “What have you been doing?”
She looked away from him, tipping her head back again to watch someone else head up a nearby wall. “Just some more walking and a little lifting, and exercises that might strengthen my core. From what I’ve read, a strong core is important for climbing.”
“Yes. It definitely is.” Gabe found that he was strangely thrilled at the thought that Maya had taken it upon herself to try to make her body stronger and better able to do wall climbing. “Clearly what you’re doing is working.”
“It could also be that I’m not as scared this time around.” She gav
e him a small smile. “I was pretty nervous that first time.”
“Most people are,” Gabe reassured her.
“Were you?”
“Uh. Well, let’s just say that I’m not most people in this regard.”
“Something tells me you say that about a lot of things.”
“How long have we known each other?” Gabe asked with a laugh.
“Long enough for me to have picked up on that.”
Gabe flopped onto his back, spreading out his arms to the side. “Well, the mystery is gone.”
“On your end maybe,” Maya said, humor lacing her voice.
He sat back up, wrapping his arms around his knees. “Do tell.”
She laughed at that. “Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose of retaining some sense of mystery?”
“In every other situation, sure, but in ours, I think it’s important that you reveal everything.”
“Oh, not gonna happen.”
Gabe sighed. “You’re gonna make me work for it, eh?”
An unrecognizable emotion passed over Maya’s face before she smiled. “You bet.”
“Okay. On that note, let’s go spend some more time together.” Gabe jumped to his feet and held out his hand for Maya.
After she grasped it, Gabe pulled her up. She walked to a nearby bench and picked up the duffle bag that was sitting there. “Is there some place I can freshen up before we head out?”
“Sure.” Taking hold of her hand, Gabe walked with her to the office. “We have a private set of change rooms in the back. You can use the one Cathy usually does, but you’ll have to ask her for the key.” Gabe grinned. “She absolutely will not let any of the male gender set foot in her change room.”
“Smart woman,” Maya said as they approached the front desk.
“Hey, Cath,” Gabe said to the woman behind the desk. “Can Maya borrow the key to your inner sanctuary?”
Cathy’s gaze went back and forth between the two of them before settling on Maya. “You know that no one with an XY chromosome is allowed inside it, right?”
Maya nodded. “Gabe told me you don’t allow guys into the changing room you use.”
“He is quite correct. So I will give this key to you only, and you must return it directly to me.” She held the key ring up and shook it. “No male hands must touch this. Those guys leave a mess behind. Old gym socks. Sweaty shorts and T-shirts. It’s nasty. I don’t want any of that where I’m changing.”
“I absolutely promise that I will be the only one who touches the key to your room.”
“Then you may use it.” Cathy held the ring out.
Gabe made a grab for it, but her reflexes were quick, and she jerked it back with a frown in his direction. He sighed and crossed his arms. “Fine.”
This time when she held the ring out to Maya, he allowed her to take them without any interference. “How about I show you the room as well?”
“I’m going to talk to Hunter in the office,” Gabe said with a smile. “Come find me when you’re ready to go.”
Gabe watched the two women head for the door down a little further from the front desk. Once they’d disappeared inside, he walked to the office and dropped down into the chair across the desk from Hunter.
“You ready to head out in a couple of days?” Hunter asked him.
“Yep. We’ve been planning this trip for ages, so it will be good to finally get it underway.”
“Are you connecting with the group somewhere this side of the ocean or just meeting up in Thailand?”
“We’re all flying into Chicago and then will make the rest of the trip together.”
Hunter gave his head a shake. “I just can’t imagine flying around the world the way you do, never mind doing the things you do. I’m so thankful to just go about my boring life here in Winnipeg.”
“And I’m thankful for that,” Gabe said with all sincerity. “It gives me peace of mind to know that you and Brent are here keeping things running smoothly while I’m off gallivanting around the world.”
Hunter gave him a quick smile. “Just stay safe. Well, as safe as you can be, and yes, I know…”
“Safe isn’t fun,” they both said together then laughed.
That had been his motto for as long as he could remember. It had all started when his mom—and then later his stepmom, Emily—would tell him to stop doing something because it wasn’t safe.
Don’t climb so high in the tree, it isn’t safe.
Don’t go so fast on your skateboard, it isn’t safe.
Don’t put the bike ramp so high, it isn’t safe.
Don’t skate so fast or don’t play with the bigger players, it isn’t safe.
But seriously, skating with other six-year-olds had been beyond boring for him. He’d much preferred skating with Kenton and his team who were in the ten to the twelve-year-old range. It seemed that everything fun that he wanted to do had been squashed because it wasn’t safe. Eventually, he’d started telling his parents that safe wasn’t fun. They hadn’t agreed and had continued to prevent him from doing anything they viewed as unsafe. But the moment he’d turned eighteen, every penny he’d saved from working with his dad at C&M Builders had gone to pay for his first skydiving jump.
His parents had continued to object, but since he was of legal age, they couldn’t threaten to ground him, take away his electronics or confiscate his bike or skateboard. All through his university years, he’d continued to work hard to save money for his adventures. His parents and grandparents had set aside some money for each child to go to university but had expected them to save half of all the money they earned working for the company business to put towards the remainder of the cost of their education. While Mitch had spent his half of the money he’d earned on a car and all the associated costs, Gabe had saved every dime he could for his adventures.
He knew his parents had hoped his desire to travel the world in search of adventure would change once he graduated. But as luck would have it, he had been able to land jobs he could handle remotely, and then he’d started posting his videos on YouTube and had built up quite a following. The videos had brought in some money for him, and before he knew it, he was also fielding offers from companies wanting him to try their products—such as rock climbing gear and workout equipment—or their resort or destination.
This trip to Thailand was, for the most part, something he had planned with his friends and had paid for himself. There was one activity that they’d be doing that had been sponsored by a company, but the rest of the itinerary was full of things that they’d chosen and planned together. And then he and another guy he often did stuff with had a sponsored trip planned in February, just a few days after they got back from Thailand.
“You just need to come with me on one of my trips,” Gabe said. “Then you, too, would learn what real fun is.”
“No, thank you,” Hunter said, shaking his head firmly. “Not gonna happen. Climbing a wall here is about the extent of risky behavior for me. I’ll just watch your videos on YouTube. I’ll even sit through the commercials, so you get the ad revenue.”
Gabe chuckled. “You are a true friend, Hunter. A true friend.”
Hunter leaned back in his chair with a grin. “And don’t you forget it.”
Voices drifted in through the open doorway, quickly getting close enough that Gabe could recognize them as Cathy and Maya’s. He pushed to his feet and then rapped on the desk. “You going to be out at Mom and Dad’s for New Year’s Eve?”
“Yep. I have a new recipe that I want to prepare and get your mom’s opinion on.”
“Just don’t poison us, and we’re all good.” He turned to the open doorway and smiled as Maya appeared. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, I am.” She smiled at Hunter and said hi to him.
“Are we going to keep seeing you while Gabe’s gone?” Hunter asked as he got to his feet.
“I hope to be in a few times. Surprisingly enough, I’m coming to really enjoy the climbing.”
After they said goodbye, Gabe led her from the gym. “Still okay to take one car? I can bring you back here afterward.”
“Sure, that’s fine. Just let me put my bag in my car.”
Gabe walked with her through the cold afternoon air and waited as she popped the trunk and dropped her bag inside. “Nothing in there that will freeze? We could leave it in the gym if you want.”
“No, there are no liquids in there. I kept them in my purse.” She turned slightly so he could see the slouched bag that bumped against her hip. “This thing has room for a lot of stuff.”
Gabe reached for her hand as they walked across the parking lot to where he’d parked earlier. He felt her fingers flex against his, and for a moment he wondered if she was going to pull away, but in the end, she didn’t. It just made him wonder once again what was going through her head. His experience with Makayla and Sammi had made him well aware that a lot of women didn’t tend to just spill whatever they were thinking. Even though a lot of the women he met through adventuring tended to just say whatever came into their head, he knew better than to assume all women would be that way.
He’d debated where to take her, wanting it to be casual but not fast food casual. So he ended up pulling into the parking lot of Mongos. “Is this okay?”
“I’ve never been here before,” she said. “But I’m up for trying anything.”
“I can’t believe you haven’t been here. It’s a more interactive form of eating. You choose what you want from their buffet, and then they cook it for you.”
“Sounds fun. As long as they cook it for me. I’m not much of a cook.”
He hopped out of the truck and rounded it to open the door for Maya. “Hopefully they’re not too busy. We’re here early enough that it should be okay.”
As they stepped into the restaurant, they were immediately met with a low hum of conversation and the aroma of spices. The hostess wasn’t at the entrance but appeared a couple of minutes after they arrived. She showed them to a table that was bistro height with one side being a booth and the other side having chairs. Maya slid into the booth side leaving Gabe to settle into the chair across from her.
The Love of Her Life: A Christian Romance (The Callaghans & McFaddens Book 3) Page 15