Gabe exhales and his shoulders relax. He looks away.
I furrow my brow. “Gabe, what’s going on? Why would anybody be asking about me?”
He shakes his head. “They wouldn’t be asking about you. They’d be asking about me.”
“Who?”
“The paparazzi.”
I raise my eyebrows and laugh. “Okay, seriously? The paparazzi? You’re kidding, right?”
He shakes his head. To my surprise, his expression is completely serious. Through the open window, lonely birds call each other in the distance.
“They found me,” he says in a soft voice. He raises his gaze to look at me. “They fucking found me.”
Wrinkling my brow, I shake my head. “I don’t understand. Who found you? Your father?”
“Everybody.”
“Everybody? I don’t understand.”
Gabe is barely paying attention to me. Instead, he’s standing at the window looking out at the shed.
“My motorcycle,” he says.
“What?”
“My motorcycle.” He turns to face me. “Chuck was looking at it back at the gas station. He recognized the brand.”
Completely confused, I let out a soft laugh. “Oh yeah. He was pretty impressed by it. He took a selfie with it… probably to upload it to one of his social media accounts or something. I bet you one hundred bucks that he pretended it was his.”
Gabe runs his hands through his hair. “It’s a limited edition one. Only a few people own it. This explains everything. Did he have a lot of followers?”
I shake my head. “Not really. What does it matter? What the fuck’s going on?”
He looks at me with a serious expression in those piercing eyes. “I haven’t been completely truthful with you, Phoenix.”
“Oh…” My heart lurches in my chest. I take a step back.
I knew it.
“Care to explain?”
He shakes his head again. “I don’t know how to— I can’t—”
“Gabe, for fuck’s sake. Please, tell me.”
He remains silent for a moment before pulling away and walking toward the shelves. Placing his hand next to the awards, he moves his hand along the shelf.
“I’ve had a crazy life,” he says.
“I know.”
“No.” His stern voice catches my attention. “There’s so much I haven’t told you.”
Turning around, he places both hands on the shelf and leans in, dropping his head as he takes a breath.
“Gabe?”
“Sorry,” he says. “I’m just savoring this feeling… the feeling of being a Just Gabe one last time.”
Opening his eyes, he picks up the golden plume award and slowly turns it so that I can see the name on the label. “You know who this is, right?”
“Harlow Valentine? Of course. Who doesn’t?” I look back at the statue. “I still can’t believe Marigold has this.”
“She doesn’t,” Gabe says. “It’s mine.”
I look at him in confusion. “Yours?”
He nods as he inspects the award in his large hands. “Do you know how Harlow Valentine died?”
“Well, I know she died last year… Let me think. I think she drowned?” As I say it, the realization hits and my eyes widen. “Gabe, oh my god! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize—”
I bring my hands to my mouth.
“Harlow Valentine was your mother?” I ask in a soft voice.
He nods. “I’m surprised you didn’t figure it out the moment you stepped foot in this place. We’ve got costumes, props, and a bunch of her things all over the house.”
He puts the award back on the shelf.
“I guess I’m less perceptive than I thought,” I say. “And Marigold? Is she actually your aunt?”
He nods. “Marigold Valentine. She’s my mom’s younger sister. She was in a few small productions when she was younger but she didn’t want an actor’s life. She worked behind the scenes—costumes and sets mostly. Artistic stuff. We were all really close. My mom was big on family, unlike my dad. Considering we moved so often, being back here was like being home. Especially now that my mom is gone.”
“Wow, Gabe, this is a lot to take in. I had no clue. I wish you told me earlier…”
“There’s more,” he says.
“Oh?” I swallow.
“Do you know who my mother married? Who my dad is?”
I furrow my brow. “Victor Chase?”
Gabe raises his eyebrows in surprise.
“He told me his name when I answered the phone in Marigold’s office,” I explain. My eyes widen again. “Holy shit. Chase like… Chase hotels? And the Chase motorcycle? That’s your dad?”
Gabe reluctantly nods. “My full name is Gabriel Lawrence Valentine Chase. I’m the son of a legendary actress and one of the most powerful CEOs in the world. I’m not a normal person.”
I let out a soft laugh. “Who is though?”
The corner of his mouth lifts into a subtle smile as if he wasn’t expecting that reaction.
“You don’t understand,” he says as the smile disappears. “I’ve been followed by the paparazzi since my mom announced her pregnancy. Magazines paid millions of dollars for my ultrasound photos. My family and I have been famous and treated like royalty for as long as I’ve been alive. My life is not normal.”
I nod. “Yeah, that’s… that’s a bit much. I’m starting to understand why you came out here to disappear.”
He runs his hand through his hair. “Yeah.”
“So, why didn’t you tell me?”
His dark eyes find mine. “You didn’t treat me like I was Gabriel Chase. And I liked that.”
“But you are Gabriel Chase.”
He shakes his head. “Not the one the world knows.”
“Why not?”
“The press and the public think they know me. They tell stories about me… stories that aren’t necessarily true. The outside world is a really crazy place for me.”
The sadness in his eyes makes my stomach drop.
“Does that mean…” I’m afraid to say it. “Does that mean you’re gonna bail on me?”
He’s about to say something when he stops himself.
“It doesn’t matter,” he says. “They found me anyway. This isn’t a hidden place anymore.”
“So… if nobody found you, you wouldn’t have left? You would have stayed here?”
“What’s this pressure?” He says. There’s a hint of anger in his voice. “The reason I came out here was to escape the pressure from Victor and—”
“And?” I ask.
“The pressure from Victor,” he continues. “And now, here you are pressuring me to go back to a life that I don’t want.”
I take a few steps back. “But I thought you wanted to be with me.”
“Yeah, but not like that. Not on your terms. What about my terms? What about me?”
“I see.” My throat tightens. “So, you’re gonna bail on me just like Chuck did.”
“Oh, don’t compare me to that guy.”
Tensing my jaw, I lift my chin and look into Gabe’s dark eyes. “Gabe, why did you make so many promises when you had zero intention of helping me leave?”
“I will help you leave,” he says. “I promise you.”
My heartbeat is pounding in my ears. I suddenly feel like I’m experiencing déjà vu. How many more promises will be made before I get the hint?
“I don’t know if I can do this again.” I pull back.
“Amber, wait.”
I stop in my tracks. “You don’t get it, do you? There’s only one day left until the Rock Heart Festival. This is my dream. This is what I’ve been looking forward to all year. All my life, really. I’ve worked so hard and if I can’t rely on you… I’m sorry, but I’ve been hurt and lied to too many times before. I deserve more than that. And, honestly, if you don’t want to leave, don’t let me get in the way of that. I have my own life to live.”
He hesitate
s as I watch him. If he has nothing to say, then I’m done. Pulling away, he follows me.
“Amber, what can I do?” He asks. “Tell me what I can do to gain your trust again.”
Turning around, I face him. “Leave with me.”
“What?”
“Leave with me right now. This instant. Let’s get our things and go.”
He hesitates a second too long.
I shake my head. “Sorry, Gabe.”
The color drains from his face. I suddenly feel the air chill between us. He looks at me with a cold expression. Without saying anything, he pulls away and pushes past me, disappearing inside the house.
My mouth suddenly feels very dry and my face burns with heat. I inhale in an attempt to cool myself down. I’m gonna have to go to New York alone. I should have known better than to put all my trust in a guy again. And this one especially hurts. Gabe was supportive and sexy and… so many things. But he turned out to be an immature asshole. Why did he have to keep this from me? Why did he have to make those promises?
Tensing my jaw, I make my way up to my room and start packing. I’m gonna get out of this place. I don’t know how but that won’t stop me from trying.
22
A NEW DIRECTION
Gabriel
As I head to my room, I feel the heat in my body rising. This isn’t how I wanted this to go.
What do I want?
I know I want to be with Amber. I just want it on my terms. I sigh as I drop onto my bed. Maybe I’ll never get anything on my terms. Distracting myself with a cold shower, I pull on some clothes and head to the dining room for dinner. Rita, Marigold, and Amber are all sitting at the table which is set up for our last night together. I feel Amber’s searing gaze on me as I sit down.
“So!” Marigold says, clapping her hands together. She’s dressed in an orange gown and a daisy chain crown on her head. “I know this is our last meal with Amber—”
Amber and I exchange a tense gaze. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
“It’s your last meal?” I ask. It’s only Thursday night. We’re not supposed to leave until Saturday morning.
She nods. “I’m getting a ride tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Earl is coming tonight,” Marigold says. “By the way, I’ll need your help unloading the delivery from the truck, Gabe.”
My eyes widen.
Earl is coming tonight?
Looking across the table, I look into Amber’s eyes. She doesn’t look sorry or sad. Instead, she looks tough and unbothered.
Dammit.
I suddenly feel an emptiness in my chest and my stomach. I pushed her away and she took the hint. I’m annoyed that I let this happen. And for what? Because I can’t stand up to my father? To Sophie? Because I’d rather just hide like a mouse in a hole? By coming out here, I thought I would find myself. Instead, I’m simply hiding from myself.
“Gabriel?” Marigold asks.
I look up. “Yeah?”
“Thinking about something?”
I look across the table at Amber. “Always.”
She lifts her gaze to meet mine.
“Well, you’re thinking too much. I can tell.” She grabs a bread bun and rips it in half. “Remember to balance all that thinking with action and feeling. They must all be in balance!”
As we eat in silence, I stare across the table at Amber. She knows what I want to tell her. I can see it in her eyes.
“Excuse me,” she says, pulling away from the table. “I should get some stuff ready.”
She thanks Marigold for the meal before heading upstairs. I get up to follow her but Marigold grabs my wrist.
“What happened?” She asks in a stern voice.
I sigh. “I told her.”
Rita rolls her eyes. “She likes you too much to care that you’re a celebrity.” She uses air quotes around the word celebrity.
“Thanks, Rita,” I mumble. “But it’s not that. She doesn’t trust me. I lied about who I was for too long.”
“It wasn’t necessarily a lie,” Marigold adds.
“Not telling is a lie’s cousin.”
“Gabe,” Marigold says. I look down at her. “I’m proud of you.”
“Err… thanks? For what? I messed everything up.”
“Hogwash! You’re standing up for what you believe in and that takes guts.”
“Thanks, Marigold.”
“Now, go do it. Stop thinking and start acting!”
I’m momentarily transported back to the hallway outside the Blades locker room when Captain Rory was telling me to do the same thing. That moment led me here… but I can’t stagnate. I need to keep moving, keep evolving. Pulling away from the table, I make my way upstairs and knock on Amber’s door.
“What?” She asks from inside her room.
“It’s me,” I say. “Let me talk to you.”
She pulls the door open. I can see that she’s got clothes in one hand and her bag in the other. Her eyes are glassy and I can see the emotion on her face.
“What?” She asks.
“You’re not gonna leave with Earl, are you?”
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“Yes, you do. Amber, please. Let me take you to New York. I want to go with you.”
“And your dad?”
I shrug. “Who cares about him? This is about us.”
“And what about the crazy outside world and their fake assumptions about you?”
“I don’t care about that. I care about you. Please, don’t leave with Earl. We can leave tonight.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know… why should I trust someone who lied to me for weeks?”
It’s a good point. “Amber, you know me. I see it in your eyes.”
She stares at me for a moment. “How do I know you won’t change your mind in half an hour?”
“Because I want that date in New York City. Just you, me, and a bottle of wine.”
The corner of her lip flickers into a fleeting smile that disappears as fast as it appears.
“Gabe… I want to believe you. I want to believe you so bad. But I don’t even know if you believe in yourself.”
I’m momentarily stunned by her words. The doorbell rings and my heart doubles its beat. Earl’s here.
“Gabe!” Marigold’s voice calls out from a distance.
“Amber.” I lean against the doorframe. “Please stay and we’ll leave right after I’m done unloading Earl’s truck.”
“Gabe…”
“No, don’t even think about it. Let’s just do it. I have the motorcycle keys right here.” I hold them up.
Her gaze moves from the keys to my eyes. “Gabe…”
“Trust me, Phoenix.”
She stares at me as she bites her lip. “I don’t know…”
“Gabe!” Marigold calls more forcefully.
“Look, I’m gonna go help Marigold as quickly as I can because when we’re done, I’m going to drive you to New York City. Okay?”
She doesn’t respond.
“Okay,” I say. I slip the keys back into my pocket. “I’ll be ready for you when I’m done.”
Pulling away, I head downstairs to help Earl unload the truck. Over the next twenty minutes, I bring box after box of food inside, rushing it down to the cellar. As I walk to and from the kitchen, I search around for Amber. She’s nowhere to be seen. When I’m outside, I look up at the large bay window but I don’t see her. My time is running out.
Sweat is dripping down my body as I work. There must be twenty pounds of flour, several boxes of wine, and all sorts of other stuff. I’m torn between working quickly so that I can see if Amber changed her mind, or working slowly so that I can give her more time to think about it.
When I finally bring the last box in, I see Amber walk outside with her bag and guitar. Earl is closing the back of the truck and my heart is about to explode out of my chest. The sweat is dripping down my body.
“Hey,” I say as Amber
walks past me.
She stops and turns around.
I slip my hand into my pocket. “I have the keys right here.”
“You have to understand why I’m doing this,” she says.
I swallow. “I do. I know the last guy fucked up. I know I fucked up. And you don’t deserve to be treated like that. I’m an idiot for hiding parts of my life from you. But I’m figuring this out as I go. I’m not normal. I might be normal here, but I’m not normal out in the real world. You make me a better person… I want to keep getting better with you.”
“Gabe… I think you can be better. I do believe that. But this is my dream. I can’t take any more chances.”
“This isn’t a chance. It’s a guarantee. I want to support you. I want to help you get to that concert. We’ll leave right now.”
She thinks for a moment. “Like… now now?”
I wipe the sweat off my brow. “We’ll go to the shed and start up the bike as soon as Earl pulls away.”
She’s gnawing on her bottom lip so hard that I’m sure she’s going to break the skin. The truck’s horn honks so loud that it makes her jump.
“Well? Are you gettin’ in or not?” Earl asks as he hangs out the driver’s side window.
“Yeah…” Amber says. “Give me a minute.”
“Alright, but just one! Got a lot more stops to make.”
“Oh, Earl.” Marigold rushes to his window. “Are you sure you don’t want to come in for some banana bread and coffee? It’s the last loaf before the new cycle!”
“I wish I could this time, Miss Marigold, but I’m on a tight schedule.”
Amber looks back at me. I can see the hint of sadness in her eyes.
“You can trust me,” I whisper.
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Gabe. I’ve gotta look out for myself.”
I hesitate before nodding. “If this is really what you want… I won’t stop you.”
I take a step back. She swallows as she watches me back away.
“Bye, Gabe.” She waves half-heartedly before walking away and climbing into the passenger side of the truck. The sky above roars with thunder and the sky instantly becomes darker.
Marigold walks over and pats me on the shoulder.
“At least you tried,” she says.
Without waiting to watch the truck drive away, I turn around and walk back into the dark house.
Chase: A Secret Millionaire Romance Novel Page 17