by Kari Shuey
Gavin hesitated. He didn’t like entering the living spaces of others. It was a matter of mutual respect. No one entered his office and he would not encroach on others living under his roof. Yet, he knew he had heard something. He took a few steps into her room, hoping to peek into the bathroom and clear the area.
Abby rolled over and sat up in the dark, a gasp escaping her. They stared at each other. Gavin instantly regretted invading her privacy. He wondered if she was already awake or if he had disturbed her.
“Gavin?” What are you doing!?” Abby pulled the covers up to her chin. “Get out! Get out now!”
Gavin muttered an apology. Perhaps she was the one he’d heard, and he’d jumped to conclusions. Maybe this whole conspiracy he’d worked up in his head was wrong. What if Amara had been the one mixed up in something corrupt and she was targeted on her own. Then again, Windsor’s background and hot temper could have easily attracted the wrong kind of people. If that was the case, Amara’s death would have been linked to the tragic couple and Abby was safe. A small part of Gavin prayed this was the case and no one was after him or his new housekeeper.
With the door closed, Gavin returned the knife to the kitchen. He stood there, his palms against the cool countertop. Why did he allow himself to jump to such conclusions? This whole situation was eating at him and now he was spinning out of control. Gavin took a few deep breaths and resigned himself to needing some sleep.
That was when he heard the latch of a doorknob click. He looked up and watched Abby walk into the dark kitchen. She had a robe wrapped tightly around herself and she appeared guarded.
“You’re back. I thought I wouldn’t see you again until tomorrow.” She approached him slowly, cautiously. Her behavior didn’t make sense to him. She was acting like he had done something more than simply walk in on her personal space.
“Yeah, uh… I was able to find a person who could verify that Windsor went out of town during the week that Amara was killed. They said they needed to verify it and they would be looking for video proof as well… but if it all checks out, they wouldn’t be holding him any longer. I have a few tech guys going through some security footage from the airport he landed at. They may or may not be able to find something to prove without a doubt that Windsor is innocent. I won’t be holding my breath though.”
She looked down at the floor, nodding. “That’s good then – well good for Windsor… now they’re back at square one. I wonder how long it takes before they finally decide that the case has run cold? It seems to me this was an odd occurrence. Do you know of any reason Amara was attacked?”
Shaking his head, Gavin’s thought again went over every scenario that made sense to him. None of the pieces of the puzzle were coming together. There was absolutely nothing he could think of that would lead him to find motive – which is why he started thinking about the possibility that Windsor was the one someone was going after. “The only thing I can think of is that Windsor might have offended one of the many colorful people he interacted with over the years. One of them could have finally tracked him down and is now getting even.”
Gavin watched Abby make eye contact with a wide-eyed expression. “I never thought about that. Didn’t you say he was ex-military or something? I guess that would make sense.” She looked off, not focusing on anything in particular but deep in thought.
Gavin wished he could read her mind. He could tell the moment he startled her that she’d been going through something – again. Chuckling to himself, he wondered if he needed to stop leaving the house. When he did, Abby appeared to create more and more distance. If he wanted to have any chance of winning her back, he needed to stop that kind of behavior… he just didn’t know how.
“Hey.” He said quietly.
She looked up at him, expectantly. Curious.
“I’m glad you stayed safe.”
Something akin to anxiety filled her eyes, then left just as quickly. “It was pretty boring… being here all alone with no one to cook for… no one to visit with. Parts of it were pretty nice…”
“And the other parts?...” Gavin inquired.
“I just had a rough night is all,” she hedged. “It’s hard to get a good amount of sleep when you are having bad dreams.”
Gavin nodded in understanding. He knew what she was talking about. He didn’t get nightmares, but he did have lucid dreams when things continued to spiral out of control, and he couldn’t figure out how to fix them. He supposed those dreams bothered him so much because he needed that ability to put everything in its place.
He knew it didn’t compare to the average kind of nightmares that people usually struggled with. But one man’s nightmare, could be another man’s everyday experience. He understood that better than most.
Gavin looked at his watch. It was nearing four in the morning. He would be needing to go into the office in a few short hours. He’d neglected his office duties for the past 24 hours and he couldn’t afford to do that again for another 24. He could attempt to get a little shuteye, but he knew that effort would be in vain. He wouldn’t mind visiting with Abby. He missed the extra time they’d been spending together. It was something he had looked forward to each evening after work. But she needed her rest.
They stood for a few moments in comfortable silence, each appearing to appreciate one another’s companionship. If she’d had a nightmare like she admitted to, maybe she was also hoping they could stay up and visit. Gavin gave Abby a sideways glance, and for the first time didn’t have even an inkling of what was going through her head.
Chapter 22
Abby laid in bed, her back to the door. She’d heard noises coming from the house, and after that unnerving dream, she wanted to wrap herself up in her blanket and pretend she was anywhere but here. She was restless and cold, and she wished she’d grabbed her headphones so she could listen to something to help her go to sleep.
The dream unnerved her. It made her grateful she didn’t have to see Gavin again for another day. Maybe the sunlight could shed some insights on why she was having dreams that Gavin was trying to kill her. Then again, whoever really knew how to decipher dreams? It was something people did to make themselves feel better about their lives. Or it was a way for indecisive people to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Abby knew her dream was more of a collage of thoughts and fears. Fears she didn’t want to admit to having.
She was uncomfortable staying on one side so long, and now that she was finally starting to warm up, she attempted to get more comfortable and rolled over. Her door was open and a shadow was standing in the doorway. She wanted to scream but nothing came out – similarly to her dream. She gasped and peered into the darkness.
“Gavin!” She couldn’t believe he was standing in her bedroom after all of the rules to stay out of his own private space. She couldn’t stop the angry and scared voice that demanded he leave her room at once. It all spewed out and she clutched her blankets, trying to slow her heart rate.
What on earth was Gavin doing back… and why was he in her room in the middle of the night? What terrified her the most, was she thought she saw him holding a knife. Was her dream becoming a reality? Dizziness overcame her and her legs went weak. For a moment, she considered what she should do. Maybe it was time to gather her things and quit.
He’d long since left her in peace, and she was starting to feel more in control. Grabbing her robe, she made her way out into the main area of the house. If he was still out there, she could at least get an update on Windsor. She found Gavin in the kitchen, deep in thought. There was no knife near him, so she probably imagined it. A small amount of relief attempted to replace her anxiety, giving her more courage to approach him.
He told her about the person he found who could be an alibi for Windsor. And as they tried to come up with a reason for Amara’s death… they fell short. Sometimes random acts of hatred happen and no one figures out why it happened or who was responsible.
Abby knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight…
especially since Gavin was home and skulking through the house. After the nightmare she had, being in such close proximity made her skin crawl. Yes, she would be staying awake and alert until he left the property again. There was a part of her – clinging to the memories of the time they spent with each other – trying to convince her that she was safe. She could trust him, and he wouldn’t be so idiotic to put her in a dangerous position. And that was when the logical being in her body would slap that romantic airhead and remind her that there was no place truly safe. She would need to stay on alert for the time being.
Abby tried to watch Gavin from under her eyelashes. From the outside, he was the same old Gavin she had begun to develop feelings for. The same handsome, intoxicating, and almost annoyingly persistent man she was trying not to fall for. His ability to read her was unsettling so she reminded herself she needed to be more careful about wearing her heart on her sleeve.
The way they stood there in the kitchen felt awkward. She didn’t know if she should leave him in peace or if he wanted the company. She didn’t know that she wanted to spend any additional time with him after the nightmare she’d endured, but that feeling of being drawn to him was as strong as it ever was.
Folding her arms, she finally looked up at him with what she hoped was an expression filled with the ease she wasn’t feeling. “What are you going to be doing today – now that you helped out Windsor? Everything back to normal?”
Gavin shook his head. “Unfortunately, it’s not. Because I wasn’t in the office all day yesterday, I have quite a bit of catching up to do.” His eyes went out of focus. She could tell he was thinking about something specific and it was bothering him.
“Any way I can help out?” She knew the offer was ridiculous. She didn’t know anything about his business let alone a multimillion-dollar company. At this point the only thing she could offer was to make him a lunch to take to work or have a good dinner waiting for him when he came home.
“That would be nice, but unnecessary. When something has to be done right, you have to do it yourself.” Gavin put his hand in his pockets, and watched her – as was his norm.
Shifting from foot to foot, Abby shrugged her shoulders and glanced away. Gavin would be leaving for work soon, if he didn’t plan on taking the day off. “Well, I guess I will let you get to it then. It’s very nearly that time…” Abby inched towards her room, giving Gavin the opportunity to make his plans in peace. She wished things were more comfortable between them. It was hard going from being businesslike with someone to romantic to friends. It wasn’t something she would ever recommend to anyone… and yet here she was right in the middle of it.
Making it to her room without having to say anything further, Abby quietly closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She kept getting that feeling that they were meant to be in each other’s lives. If there was any such thing as a soulmate, he could be hers. So why was it so hard to give in and trust him?
Abby found herself thinking of her past relationships. There were fun ones, steamy ones, and even the simple comfortable ones… but the one she had with Gavin couldn’t be put in any of those categories. Perhaps it was the mystery he exuded. That, combined with their chemistry and the way he just made her feel cherished, put him into a category all on his own. He was the Gavin category. And she knew that she would probably compare him to anyone she started a relationship with. It wouldn’t be fair, but it would be inevitable.
The nightmare was something that threw a wrench into her fantasy. In a perfect world, he’d come to her and tell her he’d been a fool. He’d give some silly explanation for the letter she found, and they’d laugh over it. Then he would say he loved her and wanted to be with her forever.
But that dream. That dream in and of itself was something that made Abby question her subconscious. Why would she put him in that role in her dream? If she was hard-pressed to interpret it, she’d have to guess that it had more to do with the news circulating around him, not the way she really felt about him. At least she hoped that was what it was.
Her thoughts again visited the night before when Gavin kissed her. Those were moments to live for right there. If it wasn’t for his secrecy and the obvious murder case that was slowly going cold… Abby could see herself with this man.
Touching her lips, she allowed herself to relive the moment, for it was probably the last one of its kind. Abby went to her bed and collapsed into the covers. Now that Windsor was coming home, and Gavin was starting back at work, it would be time to return to normal. The normal of the nine to five work-week. The normal of pretending the man in the other room never flirted with her. The normal of never being kissed by him. The boring old normal.
Abby chastised herself. She needed to accept this new normal – or old normal again. Her sanity would depend on it. Rolling over, Abby looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was almost time to get up and start her day. Another restless night clocked. That would be one thing she wouldn’t miss as she shifted to the ordinary day-to-day.
Abby picked up her cell phone and swiped through some of her contacts. She wanted to talk to someone about her current dilemma. But this particular issue didn’t seem like the kind her brother would enjoy listening to. She would have loved to talk to Lori. But she seemed to still be MIA. The handful of text messages they’d sent each other wouldn’t have been able to put a dent in the amount of juicy details Abby wanted to spill. She shot off another text to Lori asking her if there were any updates on when she’d be back from her trip and put her phone down on the bed again.
The sound of Gavin rummaging in the kitchen could be heard. He was probably getting what he needed before he headed out for the day. He would be completely focused and in the zone at this point, and Abby didn’t really want to confront him right now. Her mixed emotions had completely torn her all up inside. And as he could practically see right through her, she didn’t need him coming to his own conclusions when it came to their relationship. She waited until the sounds stopped then lay in bed and debated about whether she should take a nap before starting on her daily work. To be honest, her job requirements weren’t a daily need and she could take a day off in the middle of the week and not get behind. This was due to her ability to clean efficiently while not compromising speed.
Abby pulled out her phone again and scrolled through her contacts until she got to Mr. Perkins’ number. She looked at the clock again and realized he wouldn’t be in the office for a few hours. Mr. Perkins might appreciate her need to stay busy today and put her on a job if he was short-handed. Just thinking about cleaning an empty house that didn’t belong to the Mr. Saxe sounded like a vacation from all the drama she was going through.
Getting up, Abby prepared for the day. If she could be on the road and in the city when she called him, Mr. Perkins wouldn’t be able to refuse her help. She smiled. He’d probably be pleasantly surprised she was available today. And if she gave him no choice about volunteering, he’d be further thrilled. Maybe she’d take a coffee in her favorite coffee shop down the street. It would be like old times.
Chapter 23
Abby pulled into the familiar parking garage near her old apartment complex. She drove all the way to the top level, where fewer cars parked. As she opened the car door, she breathed in the familiar air: a mixture of cars and cement. It wasn’t that the smell was pleasant, rather it was one that allowed her the security she had felt she lacked lately. The dank aroma gave her an unusual peace of mind. The elevator was only a few yards from her favorite parking space and she quickly got inside. Abby made her way to the coffee shop, the nostalgia that overcame her was potent. The smells weren’t the only things that gave her a sense of rightness, seeing the familiar shops and even the occasional person on their way to work made her heart happy.
A few people she recognized smiled and waved at her. Waving back, she wondered why she took the job with Mr. Saxe in the first place. Sure, it was new and exciting - and it couldn’t even be considered a promotion… but
all the craziness was wearing her down.
Abby went into the shop and ordered a cup of her usual hazelnut coffee. Taking it with both hands and letting it warm her, Abby sat down at her favorite table. The only thing missing was her newspaper that she liked to browse. The coffee hit the spot and as time passed faster than she expected, she gathered her purse and jacket to walk over to the offices.
Abby made her way inside the door and waved enthusiastically at the receptionist. Her expression was one of surprise and excitement. She flagged Abby down, and Abby complied. “What’s up Susan?” Abby beamed. “Long time, no see.”
“Abby! How have you been!? Where have you been? There were some rumors you were going to be one of the new housekeepers Mr. Perkins was trying to send out. But then we never saw you!”
Abby chuckled. “Yeah, I got one of the housekeeping gigs. But it’s a live-in situation. Since I’m not married or anything, I was a good choice for it.”
“Oooh, a live-in housekeeper? What is that like?”
Abby smiled again at the girl. Susan really was a sweetheart, even though she liked to gossip. One simply had to be careful with what they shared with her. “It’s definitely different. But kind of a fun experience. At least there, if I find something that isn’t done all the way, I can only blame myself.”
Susan nodded expectantly. Abby could tell she wanted more. She probably wouldn’t stop until she got some kind of juicy information. The problem with that was Gavin didn’t want to have his life out in the public eye. His housekeeper was required to use discretion when talking about her position.
Susan nudged her, “And?...”
“And nothing really. Just a wealthy client wanting someone to be on the premises. Look, Susan, I need to go talk to Mr. Perkins. I will catch up with you later.”