Devil Creek

by Bond, Casey L.

  “You.” Aislin spins around.

  “Me? Why on earth would you be afraid of me?”

  “I wasn’t afraid of you, Mac. I was afraid of how I felt about you. How I still feel about you.”

  Aislin’s eyes train on his denim blue ones. The same eyes that he had given her baby girl. “And how is that? Wait! Let me guess. You realized what a loser you’d landed? How screwed up I was after Jeremiah got ahold of me? What a shitty best friend I had been? What? How did you feel? How did you…do you feel about me, Gabriel Church?”

  “I love you,” he chokes out. “I’ve always loved you. I’ve never loved anyone or anything the way I love you.”

  Aislin rolls her eyes and starts to walk back toward her house. A bullshit profession of love? That had not been what she’d expected when she’d posed the question. But, it’s what she got from him. How typical. She doesn’t get far. Gabe gently grabs her elbow, turning her around.

  “Right Gabe. You loved me so much that you left me. You loved me so much you ran and you loved me so much that I didn’t hear from you for four years!” she shrieks. Balling her fists, she hits him right in the chest. Then, she hits him again. And again, and again until she can’t hit him anymore and her wrists are caught up in his strong hands. Aislin’s body heaves with sobs and tears that she’d never allowed herself to release.

  “Look, Mac. If there’s anything I learned while gone, it’s that the thing you least want to hear is often what you most need to. Just listen, please. I. Love. You. I will love you for the rest of my life regardless of how you feel. You would be completely justified if you hate me and never want to see me again. After what I’ve done, I wouldn’t blame you at all. But, you need to know how I feel. I love you. And, if you let me, I want to meet our daughter. I love her, too. She’s part of both of us. The best part. And, I want this.” He motions between the two of them. “I want you and Gabby.” Rain streams down his forehead, alongside his nose and over his lips, all the way to his chin before they plunge toward the ground. “There is nothing in this entire world that I want more than I want you.”

  She backs up until her back is scraped by the rough bark of a pine tree, its boughs draping limply overhead, drenched with rain that cascades down to the ground around them. Gabe stalks forward matching her step for step. Maybe she should run? Run home and slam the door in his face. He would deserve it. Her pride would be sated. But her heart would break again, and Aislin is tired of being heartbroken. She still loves him. Still wants him. Damn if it doesn’t scare her, but she does.

  She whispers, “I want you, too.” Rain drops have clumped her eyelashes together. She stares through the thickly separated lashes as Gabriel looms close.

  “Say it again.”

  “I want you, too, Gabe.”

  “Say it again.”

  “I want you.”

  He claims her lips hungrily, almost painfully. “I love you, Mac. I swear I’ll never leave you again.” He cups her face gently and stares intently into her eyes. “Let me love you.”

  “I’m so scared.”

  “I swear I won’t let you down again. Please, say you’ll give me one more chance. I know I don’t deserve it, but damn if I don’t want it. I won’t mess this up. I’ll prove it to you, Mac. I love you.”

  “Okay.” The words barely leave her lips before his lips crash onto hers, swallowing them whole. Their hands roam one another’s forms under the soaking wet, clinging clothing that they both wear. Their lips crash together, then find the tender skin of the neck. Gabe kisses just under her ear tearing a satisfied moan from her lips.

  Chapter 19

  He takes in her shampoo, relishes in the velvety texture of her skin, of her lips. This is divine. This must be what heaven feels like, he decides.

  Aislin breaks away. She’s beautiful. Lips swollen and cheeks flushed. Sprinkled freckles across her nose from the summer sunshine. “We need to get back. Amy is going to bring Gabby home after lunch.”

  “Let’s go.” He smiles and threads his fingers through hers. She smiles up at him from his side. He had hoped that she would hear him out. She would fight. This was Mac. But, she had exceeded every expectation. She’d pushed back her fear of him and listened to her heart. He’d have to be careful not to let her down, never to make her doubt his love for her again. Even if Declan was alive, he would have to have her. Even if it cost him his friendship. She is worth it. And he will spend the rest of his life, making her understand that. Understand what she means to him and how much he loves and craves her.

  The pair walk back to Aislin’s cottage as if they are taking a stroll on a nice day. The rain doesn’t bother them at all. Gabriel is so thankful that she let him back in. He would spend the rest of his life making up for the time he lost with her and with Gabby. He would become the man Aislin needs and the father Gabby deserves.

  “Can I meet her? I mean, really meet her, like as her Daddy?”

  “Yes. But, you really need to be sure, Gabe. I don’t want you to come into her life and then take off. I won’t do that to her. That’s why she doesn’t know about you.”

  Gabriel nods. She’s right. She shouldn’t have told Gabby about him. But, he will show her, prove his love and earn back her trust. It will take time, but he is willing to wait as long as it takes.

  “I know. I promise that I will never leave again. I love you both and I want to be a part of your lives, if you will let me.”

  Aislin nods. Fear is still settled in her once-bright eyes. And, Gabe wants nothing more than to erase it and make them bright again. Make them sparkle and dance when she laughs. They enter the back door and Aislin moves into the laundry room and throws a pair of basketball shorts and t-shirt at him. They should work. But, the clothes do not belong to Mac. Whose are they?

  “Those are Jude’s.” Gabriel’s entire body tenses up, as he recalls the kiss the night before, the way Jude had casually touched her, held her close to him.

  “So, what’s up with that guy? I saw you sing with him at The Barn the other night and then he was here at Gabby’s party. Are you with him?”

  Mac laughs. “No. We’re just very good friends. And, the kiss last night…he was just trying to show you what you’d lost.”

  “Well, believe me, he did. I wanted to pound the guy.”

  “I’m pretty sure he felt the same way. I haven’t spoken to him much about you, but he pretty much read between the lines. Besides, you and Gabby have the same eyes and I’ve never spoken about her father. Ever.”

  Gabe nods. He’ll fix this.

  †

  After both are changed and dry, Gabby bursts through the front door and clings to Mac’s legs. “Wuv you, Mama! I miss you at chuch!”

  “I missed you this morning, too. And, I’ll go to church with you next Sunday, okay?”

  “Awight.”

  Gabby’s dark auburn hair is in a French braid that extends to her lower back. Freckles are scattered across her cheeks and nose, just like her mother’s. But, the eyes. The eyes are Gabriel Church’s and he cannot stop looking at them. The little girl and Aislin wave goodbye to Amy who says she needs to get Maddy home.

  Aislin’s stomach is in knots. Gabe wants to be introduced to Gabby. Though he’d met her last night for the first time, this was different. He wants to be introduced as her father. Or, her daddy, as he’d put it. The pair step back inside after waving goodbye to the Harrison’s. Aislin leads Gabby to the couch in the living room. It’s still pouring outside. She sits down and Gabby lays on the couch, feet crossed with her head in her mama’s lap. “I love your braid. Did Amy braid your hair?”

  “Yep. It vewy pwetty.”

  “Yes, it is very pretty.” Gabe sits down in a recliner across from them and watches. “What did you learn in Sunday School today?”

  “We lewn about Danel in lion den. Dem lions wewe hungwy and den a angel shut da lion’s moufs! Es a weally gweat stowy!” Gabby nods emphatically.

  Aislin laughs. “It is a great story.
I remember that one.”

  “Who awe you?” Gabby asks, looking over at Gabriel. He looks to Aislin.

  “Baby, this is your daddy. Your father.” Gabby looks confused. She scrunches her little nose.

  “Whewe you been, Daddy?” she innocently asks, sitting up, looking at Gabriel intently.

  “It doesn’t matter where I’ve been, baby. What’s important is that I’m here now and I’m not ever going to be away from you again. Okay?”

  Gabby shrugs one shoulder innocently. “Awight.”

  Gabby runs to her room. The sounds of papers shuffling fills the air. Aislin smiles at Gabe. That went much better than she’d expected. Gabby squeals happily and returns, holding a piece of paper out for Gabe.

  “Dis is fowa you, Daddy.” Gabe accepts the paper and looks down at it. Tears flood his eyes and run down onto his cheek. He wipes them away, but more take their place.

  “Thank you, baby. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he chokes.

  He holds the paper up for Aislin to see. It’s a crayon drawing of three stick figures. The first is tall, with black hair, blue eyes and a big, red smile. In the center of the page is a stick figure woman with black, red and purple hair, teal eyes and a big red smile. The third is a small stick figure with blue eyes matching the first figure and hair matching the second. Her red smile is the biggest.

  “We foun you, Daddy!”

  “Yes, baby. You did. Can I give you a hug?”

  Gabby doesn’t even answer. She just jumps up and throws her little arms around Gabriel’s neck and holds on for dear life. She pulls her head back and plants a wet kiss on his cheek before squeezing again. He pretends to choke and the three erupt in laughter, their happiness running over.

  Gabriel wipes more tears from his face as Gabby uses her alphabet magnets to hang her drawing on the refrigerator.

  Aislin joins him, wiping away the tracks of her tears as well.

  Chapter 20

  Aislin pulls at the bust line of her dress. Surely, a wardrobe malfunction will occur today. She’s felt the stupid thing slipping down more and more since she put it on. It needed alterations, but Aislin had to skip the final fitting. Kids and planes don’t mix well, so she hasn’t been to visit Ella in quite a while. But, Ella would be both graduating from law school and getting married this weekend. Talk about busy.

  Aislin has booked a hotel for an extra couple of nights so that she Gabe and Gabby can tour New York City after the wedding this evening. The commencement was beautiful this morning and she’d watched her best friend proudly as she stood and received her diploma. Juris Doctor Antonella Elena DeLuca! Attorney Antonella! Aislin, Gabe and Gabby had stood alongside her family and whooped and hollered when she crossed the stage. Ella had graciously accepted her framed diploma from the Dean of the University of New York’s College of Law, before curtseying to the crowd sassily.

  Now, Ella is having her make-up touched up, while shimmying her blue garter up her leg. “Girl. Stop pulling at the dress. Your boobs look great! Let ‘em breathe.”

  “Shut up! They’re gonna pop out and there will be a picture of me circulating on the internet by the end of the night. I just freaking know it!” Aislin gives one last jerk and then decides to give up. The dress has won.

  “Alright, alright. It’s not about you. Let’s go, girl. Aislin is Ella’s only bridesmaid—her maid of honor. Wing-woman. Partner in Crime. The two exit the room together and join Ella’s father at the closed chapel doors. The wedding coordinator sticks her head in and then motions for Aislin who winks at Ella and then slips into the chapel. She gingerly walks down the aisle, in her coral colored chiffon strapless dress, which truly is beautiful, albeit dangerous. If it only fit, she thinks.

  She sees Gabe and Gabby and gives them a secret little wave. The wedding march begins and then the doors are opened and Ella all but struts down the aisle, blowing kisses and waving at everyone. As she approaches Aislin and her groom, Braden in the front of the little white church, she mouths, “I love you,” to Aislin and then “You, too,” to Braden. Aislin’s heart clenches a little. She feels like she’s losing her best friend. Although, Braden has earned her approval, repeatedly. Who better to hand over your best friend to, than someone who will treat her like a princess. As the songs are sung, verses read and vows exchanged, Aislin smiles tightly. How she wishes that she might be in Ella’s shoes one day. She imagines a night-time wedding and reception with twinkle lights dripping from the barn’s trellises, potted trees lining the space, filling the air with ethereal fragrance. Gabby would wear a pretty little white dress and throw petals from a small wicker basket, a crown of flowers around her little head. And, who else to take her hand, but Gabriel Church, the boy she’d loved for most of her life, even when she didn’t realize it herself.

  Ella and Braden’s ceremony is short and sweet. Cheers erupt at the couples kiss and everyone waves and claps as they make their way down the aisle. The reception is at a downtown hotel. The evening is spent with friends, great music and expensive champagne and hors oeuvres. Ella style.

  The couple leave the reception a few hours later in the back of a stretch Hummer. Ella and then Braden pop out the sunroof of the giant vehicle and wave to the crowd. Whistles and claps ring out in the warm New York air. Ella looks like a beauty out of the 1920s. Her hair is pinned back in finger waves, a headband with delicate fabric flowers, feathers and floating jewels adorns it. Her crimson lips curl in an evil smile. “All the Single Ladies,” blasts from the vehicle’s speakers. Aislin is pushed forward into the crowd of single women, all readying themselves to fight over the yellow rose bouquet in Ella’s hand. Ella waves the bouquet around and then turns her back on the crazed women. She looks back over her shoulder and winks at Aislin, then turns around quickly and launches the bouquet overhanded into Aislin’s arms. Aislin’s eyes are wide! She can feel the floral stems in her hand, the organza ribbon around them, but it had all happened so fast. Ella has an arm!

  “Don’t look so shocked, Ais. All of my brothers played baseball!” Aislin holds up the bouquet proudly, making sure all of the women now giving her the stink-eye see her treasure.

  She turns and makes her way back to Gabe and Gabby. They wave at the couple as they depart upon the biggest journey of their lives.

  “Ready?” she asks Gabe and Gabby. The pair nod. Gabe offers her his arm and holds Gabby in his arms. She is exhausted. Gabe hails a cab and tells the cabbie to head to Times Square. Their room at the Marriott is waiting with a warm, soft king size bed overlooking city and bustling square below. Though she isn’t sure about Vegas, she is sure that New York City never sleeps either.

  The trio sleep in on Sunday and order breakfast from the room service menu. They shower and dress for the day and take off to see the sights that the city has to offer. Riding on the top floor of the double-decker tour buses thrilled Gabby. Aislin marvels at the old architecture, massive sky-scrapers, street performers, artists, and parks. The three exit the bus occasionally, snapping pictures and posting them on their social network sites, eliciting comments from the Harrison clan back home. Even Julia and Jacob Church enjoy seeing their photos. They exit at the stop nearest Rockefeller Center. Gabe pulls them through crowds and down sidewalks—away from 30 Rock.

  Gabe stops in front of the facade of tan stone, three doorways cut in upright rectangles, and the largest in the middle stare back at them. An American flag flies on either side of the building and an old, but functional clock stands guard overtop the main entrance. Realization fills Aislin’s heart as she looks from the sign to Gabriel. They are at Tiffany’s. He nods and drops to one knee, which Gabby promptly sits upon. “Aislin MacKinley Evans and Gabriella Elena Evans, will you marry me?”

  “I wiw mawwy you, Daddy. Suwe!”

  Aislin is stunned. Tears flood her eyes and she nods, covering her mouth. The three head inside where Gabriel Church picks out a beautiful diamond ring for each of his girls.

  Chapter 21

&n
bsp; Gabriel waits at the end of the aisle of the small white church nestled that Aislin and Gabby had been taking him to every Sunday morning. He pulls the collar of his starched white shirt away from his neck, trying to cool his flesh. He is sweating. Light beads of moisture form on his brow. He swallows thickly. Parker nudges his arm and smirks, laughing quietly at his side. Easton chuckles with Jaxon beside him. The preacher clears his throat and sternly looks over at the men to his left, as if chastising young boys chattering away during a sermon. His bushy white eyebrows pull together atop his wire-rimmed glasses. He looks away and a smile pulls on his lips. The beautiful notes of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” stream from the organ across the room.

  The room is filled with light in the shades of the watercolor palette that Gabby paints with every day. The stained glass windows, three on each side of the room tell the story of Christ. His birth, death, resurrection and ascension. Gabriel smiles. He had been reborn the day that Aislin had accepted him into her life again, into Gabby’s life. He’d been feeling different in church as well. It was as if someone or something were pulling him toward something intangible. Something wonderful. Something more.

  Melissa walks slowly down the aisle, whose pews are lined with tulle and mason jars filled with wildflowers of every color. Her sage green satin dress swishes with her step for step. Melissa smiles at Easton. Amy bounces quickly down the aisle, giggling as she waves at Parker. She mouths, “You look so hot!” and shakes her bouquet-free hand limply.