by London Casey
I took the atmosphere in. The bar. The quietness. The sadness. That was the crazy part. It felt so depressing in there now. The men at the bar were beaten down by life and were all waiting to die.
“Hey, Gavin,” I said. “I didn’t know you have a br-”
“I don’t feel like drinking at the bar all day, do you?” he asked me, obviously avoiding the conversation.
“No,” I said. “I’m supposed to be a business professional.”
“Well I don’t think there’s anything professional in this town, but we can pretend to be professional.”
I really wasn’t in the mood for professional as I stared at Gavin’s arms and the way they threatened to rip the sleeves of his t-shirt.
“Where to now, Gavin?” I asked.
“So I’m giving you the tour?” he asked with a sly grin.
“Sure. I’d love to see this place.”
“No you don’t.” Gavin stood up and leaned toward me. His lips were close enough that when he spoke my hair moved and a tickling feeling went through my body. “Little Miss Agenda…”
Gavin then walked to the door and held it open for me.
At the last second I looked back and saw Dinky standing there, giving Gavin a thumbs up.
Then I looked at Gavin and put my hand to his chest. Just for fun. Just to feel muscle.
“Are we going to have some fun?” I teased.
Gavin put a hand to the small of my back, sending more hot shivers throughout my body.
“Oh, darling, I got something in mind for you and me…”
Gavin held out the large axe and nodded at me to take it.
He held it like it was a bottle of water. When I grabbed and he let go the axe fell to the ground and I flew forward with it.
“Whoa, easy,” he said. “That’s kind of sharp.”
“What are we doing with this?” I asked.
Gavin turned and grabbed a chunk of a tree. He put it on what looked like an old tree stump. He pointed to the axe. “I think I’m going to use that fire pit tonight out back. Need something to burn, right?”
“You’re serious right now.”
“Serious,” Gavin said. “Why? You never swung an axe before?”
I titled my head to the side. Seriously? Come on…
“Oh, okay. Don’t tell me you’re one of those rich girls that can’t do a thing for themselves.”
I swallowed hard. I didn’t want my cover blown. Whatever cover that was. Why was I there? To snoop out the town like my father wanted? To pretend I wasn’t rich, even though I had a car and other transportation on standby with the click of a button? Or to just be there, in the moment, with Gavin, and feel something that seemed normal?
I didn’t answer his question but I did grab the axe. I wrestled with it and managed to give an attempt at a swing. It was more like a golf swing, hitting the log off the stump.
“Yeah, see, the goal is to actually split the log,” Gavin said.
“Funny,” I growled. “Let’s see you do it, hot shot.”
Gavin put the log on the stump. He grabbed the axe. And he swung it like nothing. Every muscle in both arms flexed as he came down. The axe hit the log and a piece fell to each side of the tree stump.
“There,” Gavin said. “Easy.”
I did all I could to not let my jaw drop.
This man was strong. Seriously strong.
He then put another log on the stump and nodded to the axe. “Your turn.”
“Fine,” I said.
I grabbed the axe.
It took me the same amount of time to lift it.
“Here,” Gavin said. “Let me show you something.”
Next thing I knew Gavin stepped behind me. My entire body stiffened and shivered. His large hands came around me and touched my wrists.
“Keep your wrists straight,” he said, his voice behind me, breath hitting my hair. “Use those muscles and focus on where you’re swinging.”
I lifted the axe again and this time I had Gavin’s hands holding me. I could feel his body inches away from touching mine. I was so wildly turned on, I sucked in a breath and swung the axe down. I wasn’t even paying attention, not with Gavin touching me. But lucky for me, the axe hit the wood. It didn’t cut the wood but it was stuck there.
“Nice,” Gavin said.
He let me go and backed away.
“What now?” I asked.
“Pick it up, wood and all, and smack it against the stump.”
I tried but the method wasn’t working for me.
“I’ll show you,” Gavin said with patience in his voice.
He grabbed the axe. Before he could lift it, I did something. I stepped behind him and reached around his body. My hands slid down his beautiful, muscle laced arms. My body pressed against his.
I couldn’t quite reach his wrists but I wasn’t there to really give a damn about cutting a piece of wood.
Gavin lifted the axe with the wood attached to it. With a quick slam down to the tree stump the log broke into two. For me, I got to feel his body move. His body flex. The hardness of his back that his t-shirt had been trying so hard to hide.
I couldn’t believe the mental notes my body was making about Gavin. A man who was so completely my opposite it turned me on even more.
I then stood there and watched him work as he cut a large pile of wood.
My mind raced with thoughts.
The town may have been a little beat up with time. The businesses may have been struggling. But the people here didn’t care about their balance sheets, if they even had one. They only cared about helping each other and getting to another day. I tried to envision my father’s vision of the town and it didn’t make sense.
Gavin split one more piece of wood and then slammed the axe in the tree stump. He glanced back at me. He raised an eyebrow. I knew he wasn’t stupid. I knew he was reading me. And I knew I was getting more and more exposed.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I don’t know, Gavin,” I admitted without thinking.
He then crouched and collected as much wood as his big arms could hold.
When he walked, I went with him.
“Hey,” I said. “I’ve noticed a few things around here.”
“Yeah?”
“Stacey. Nikki. What’s the deal there?”
Gavin laughed. “Years. That’s the deal. Years.”
“Years? Meaning?”
Gavin paused. “Women. Okay?”
“Really?” I asked.
“Things aren’t always as easy in life as you’d think,” Gavin said.
“Meaning what, Gavin?”
“Meaning we should just keep walking,” he said. He took a step. “Unless you want to tell me what you were talking about when you were drunk?”
“Okay. I get it. Fine. This is my escape right now. Okay? Maybe it’s wrong. Maybe I’m just using you, Gavin. I’ll admit it. This town. This house. This everything. It’s crazy. I know it’s crazy.”
Gavin then dropped the pile of wood to the ground and slapped his hands together. He turned to face me and grabbed my shoulders.
“What are you escaping from, darling?”
I shook my head. “Right now I’m not sure.”
“Do I smell bullshit?”
“Probably just your dog’s.”
Gavin laughed. “You are the most interesting and yet stubborn person I’ve ever met.”
“Not your typical one night stand, huh?”
“One night stand, darling? We haven’t come close to sleeping together yet. Not unless you count when you tried to take off your hoodie and pulled up your shirt. That was a nice bra you were wearing. Really fancy. Really revealing.”
“And you didn’t make a move,” I said. “What a shame.”
Gavin leaned in a little. “Darling, when I’m ready to make a move you won’t know what to do with yourself.”
“So you just assume I’ve got time?”
“That’s right. I forgot. You�
�re a big, bad business woman.”
“And I’ll huff and puff and blow your house down.”
Gavin laughed. “That house? Be careful. It won’t take much.”
He winked.
I was suddenly breathless.
Before he could let my shoulders go, I grabbed at his shirt.
“Gavin… I don’t know why you’re okay with my being here but I appreciate it. I don’t do this stuff, just so you know. And if there was something happening. My life is…”
I sort of wanted to just be me in front of Gavin still. Not the princess. Not The Princess… the woman in fancy dresses, diamonds, gold. I just wanted to be Olivia in a shirt and jeans. I just wanted to be Olivia staring at Gavin, thinking about a cool night and a warm fire. I just wanted to be Olivia… watching as Gavin started to close in…
He wanted to steal a kiss and I was willing to give him one. And then some.
Our lips gently brushed together, the moment finally winning.
It was such a soft kiss but with so much more waiting.
But it never came.
Before we could kiss again I heard someone yell Gavin’s name…
Eight
A Hug, a Night, a Little Bit Too Far
(Gavin)
When I saw Stacey I thought about screaming. The world had been put on my shoulders a long time ago and there were times when I just wanted to put it the fuck down for a second. I wanted to keep kissing Olivia. I wanted to know about her. I wanted to know the reason why some city business woman was poking around my town, my garage, my life.
But there were tears in Stacey’s eyes.
I looked at Olivia. “Sorry.”
“Go,” she said. “Make sure everything’s okay.”
I met Stacey halfway. She was damn near in hysterics.
“She’s gone!” she yelled. “She took off! Gavin… she’s drunk!”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“Nikki.”
My heart sank. “What?”
“Nikki,” Stacey said. “June called me from over at the fire house. She said that Nikki had been looking for a drink. She told her to get lost. Then she got a call that Nikki went to the corner bar right outside of town.”
“Fuck,” I growled. That place was a rough spot to be in. A lot of nasty shit went down there. A place where bad things happened because police fought over who was responsible for the bar.
“I went there to see her,” Stacey said.
“You went to that place?” I asked. “Why didn’t you call me then?”
“I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to see what she was doing. Maybe have a drink and try to smooth things over. You said…”
“Fuck, Stace. Fuck. Where is she now?”
“I barely got ten words out of my mouth,” she said. “Then she freaked out on me. Told me it was all my fault. She said some really mean things to me. Then she stormed away. Some guy got in my way and I had to slap him to get him out of the way. When I got outside, Nikki was driving away. She’s drunk, Gavin. Drunk. I’m afraid she’s going to hurt herself. Or someone.”
“Shit,” I growled. “Okay. Let me get my keys. We’ll find her. Don’t worry, Stacey. We’ll find her.”
I turned and looked at Olivia.
I ran to her and asked, “You can get a ride?”
“Where?”
“Home, darling. Home.”
“Gavin…”
“Nikki is drunk and driving,” I said. “It’s a mess.”
“We better find her then,” Olivia said.
“No… you…”
“You’re wasting time,” she said as she pushed at my arm. “Hurry.”
I didn’t have time to argue. So I ran.
I had to hand it to Olivia, she was full of surprises. She couldn’t swing an axe. But she could keep up with me as I ran to my truck. I got into the truck and she was right next to me in the passenger seat.
I looked at her for a second and then started to drive. There was no time to waste. Stacey was right. Every second Nikki was out there, she was endangering herself and everyone around her.
My teeth gritted so hard I thought they were going to break. I pictured little Ava, probably sitting in fucking daycare, coloring a picture, as I sped along the back roads, trying to find her drunk mother. The shit was just piled high sometimes and there was no getting around it.
And Nikki had become my responsibility from the second Luke…
“What’s that?” Olivia asked.
I shook my head. “What?”
“Right there!” she yelled. “Look! It’s a car!”
Sure enough, there was a car pulled to the side of the road, tail end sticking up in the air. The car had gone off the road and into a little ravine. It was damn near close to the lake too. Hell, if Nikki had drifted without realizing it, then that ravine saved her from cruising into the lake.
I pulled over and saw Stacey do the same thing.
Before I could react, Olivia threw her door open and jumped out of the truck.
I chased after her and we both got to the car at the same time.
There was Nikki, sitting behind the wheel of the car, her head resting on the steering wheel.
“Nik!” I yelled and hit the glass.
She turned her head and looked at me. There was a little blood on her top lip. Tears in her eyes.
I grabbed the door and opened it.
She didn’t even have her damn seatbelt on.
I crouched and grabbed her.
“Gavin, be careful,” Olivia said. “What if she’s concussed?”
I looked at Olivia. “Look. She can’t get in trouble right now. Not with Ava…”
“My girl,” Nikki said. “What do I tell my little girl, huh? What do I do? How do I do it alone, Gavin?”
Nikki grabbed for my shirt and pulled hard.
I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her up. I carried her away from the car.
Stacey stood on the side of the road.
“Nikki?” Stacey asked.
“Go the fuck away!” Nikki screamed. She let me go and tried to go after Stacey. She made it two steps and tripped over her own two feet. She fell to the ground hard and grabbed handfuls of rocks and threw them at Stacey. “Fuck you, bitch! I hate you! I’ll never forgive you!”
I saw the look on Olivia’s face. She was in shock.
I got in front of Nikki. “Stacey…”
“I got it,” she said, nodding, her chin quivering. “Jesus, Gavin, I didn’t mean…”
“Of course you didn’t,” I said. “Just please get out of here. I’ll catch up with you later. I’m taking her to my house.”
“What about her car?”
“I’ll call Rich,” I said. “I’ve got a truck. I’ll take care of it.”
Stacey nodded and walked away, wiping her eyes.
My heart broke for her. And for Nikki. And for Ava. And for Luke.
I turned and was ready to face the hell that was Nikki. To my complete surprise, Olivia was on her knees next to Nikki, an arm around her.
“It’s okay,” Olivia whispered. “It’s going to be okay.”
Nikki sobbed. She had no idea who was holding her.
“My little girl,” Nikki said.
“She’s fine,” Olivia said. “Right, Gavin?”
I crouched in front of Nikki. “That’s right, Nik. Ava is fine. We’ve got this, Nik. You and me. Together. The way it’s been. Okay? It’s okay to have a bad day.”
“My car… I fucked it all up, Gav.” Nikki blinked and looked at me with sudden clear eyes. “I woke up and took Ava to daycare. I went back home to just have alone time. And I saw the bed. I saw the fucking bed, Gav. The fucking… bed… empty… nothing even smells like him anymore…”
She started to shake.
Olivia hugged Nikki tighter. “Hey, hey, hey. We’re still here with you. Can you stand up, Nikki? Maybe we can get you somewhere more comfortable. Then we can talk. Okay?”
Ni
kki looked at Olivia. “You’re the one night stand… that left before breakfast…”
“Not a one night stand,” Olivia said. “More like a two day pain in the ass.”
Nikki laughed. “Good. He needs it. Oh, fuck, I’m a mess…”
Olivia touched Nikki’s face. “We all are.”
“Come on,” I said, offering my hand to Nikki.
I helped her up and she fell into me. I offered Olivia my other hand and helped her up. I lingered for an extra few seconds, staring at Olivia.
Nikki let out a sob.
I got her to the truck and called Rich. I made it very clear that Nikki had swerved to miss a deer and got stuck in a ditch. That she was scared, a little shocked, but fine. I told Rich to come get the car quietly and not to say or ask a fucking thing.
And there we were… me, Nikki, and Olivia, in the front of my truck.
Nikki had her head on Olivia’s shoulder. Stuck between drunk groans and grieving sobs.
Olivia didn’t know the truth and maybe never would.
Some things were maybe best left never talked about.
I put a cup of coffee on the table along with a glass of water. Nikki had eaten half the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I made for her. Olivia had gotten Nikki into the bathroom when we got to my house and held her hair back as she threw up. In some way it was like a little bit of payback for what Olivia did to me, right? I wanted to laugh but couldn’t. My heart was destroyed.
Nikki begged for food, which was why I made the sandwich.
Now she was asleep on the couch.
The coffee would go to waste, but whatever.
“She’ll be fine,” Olivia said to me as I crouched next to the couch.
I touched Nikki’s forehead. “No, she won’t.”
“She threw up. She’s sleeping. She’ll wake up and feel like hell, but she-”
“I’m not talking about the booze,” I said. I stood up. “You know?”
“I don’t know,” Olivia said. “But I get it.”
“Do me a favor?” I asked.
“Sure.”
“I need to go get Ava.”
“Right.”
“I’m going to get her and then swing by Nikki’s place to get some stuff. I’ll pick up something to eat and come back here. When I get back, you take off. We can figure something else out some other time.”
