“I’m sure you don’t want to know any of my secrets.”
“Sure I do. I want to know everything about you.” He placed a hand on my leg. I loved how he always found a way to touch me.
“Yeah right.”
“I do.”
There was something so comforting about Gavin. Staring into his eyes for just a few minutes was enough to ease my nerves. In some ways, it felt as if we were in our own little cocoon. After talking to Molly, one secret was really on my mind.
“My parents didn’t want me.”
“What?” Gavin grabbed my hand. “Why would you say that?”
“You asked for a secret…”
“Okay.” He paused as if choosing his words carefully. “Why would you think that? I know your dad left, but you said you were close to your mom…”
“My dad left because my mom wasn’t around. I wasn’t exactly planned. Mom traveled for work, so my dad had to do a lot at home. He eventually snapped.”
“He just packed up and left?”
“No packing. He left for work. He was supposed to be home early to take me to a game. We were playing the Orioles. But he never came back. My babysitter had to call my mom who was in Paris for work.”
“Did you ever look for him?”
“Mom said there was no point. Why look for someone who didn’t want us?”
“You never got curious?” Gavin moved closer, letting me lay my head in his lap.
“My mom didn’t want me to, and I felt like she’d sacrificed enough for me that I could do that for her. He contacted me after she died though.”
“How was that?” Gavin played with my hair. I loved how he just asked questions. He didn’t go on about how bad he felt or anything.
“Awkward. He showed up at the funeral. I think he still expected to find a little girl. He wanted to reconnect, and he offered me some money. I told him no thanks, I was doing just fine. It just felt wrong, you know?”
“Yeah, I get that.”
“Your turn.”
“Hmm?” He ran his hand down my arm. I closed my eyes, enjoying the touch.
“Your turn to tell me a secret no one knows.”
“I want to coach.”
“That’s your secret?”
“Yeah. I’ve never told anyone.” He looked down at me.
“Then why don’t you? Couldn’t you get a job doing it?”
“I could… but I don’t think I’m ready to face the game again.”
“Oh. Maybe it’s worth trying?”
“Maybe one day…” He looked out at the water. “Are you ready to head back?”
“Sure. I think I’ve had enough sun.” I wanted to press him. I wanted to know what held him back, but I was pretty sure I knew the answer, and I wasn’t the one to give someone a hard time about confronting fears.
“Same here.”
Gavin brought the boat back in, and I realized I hadn’t even worried about being out on the water in hours.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Becca
Gavin had an arm around my waist when we walked into Molly and Ben’s backyard. We were the last to arrive, which wasn’t hard since it was just the usual crowd. Even I was getting used to seeing it that way.
Molly and Kelly’s eyes lit up when they saw us walk in, but I had other business to deal with first—Jake.
I nodded toward Jake, letting Gavin know what I was doing.
“Can I come?” Gavin grabbed two beers and opened one before handing it to me.
“Nope.”
“But I think it might be entertaining.”
“Too bad.”
“Fine.” He removed his arm. “Do what you have to.”
Jake’s back was to me, so I tapped him on the shoulder.
He spun around. “Becca—hey.”
“Don’t hey me. We need to talk.”
“Okay…”
I walked toward the dock. Molly seriously had the coolest backyard. Between a large deck, a dock, and a gorgeous view of the water, I could understand why she loved the place so much.
“Listen—I don’t remember exactly what I said last night, but I do remember you and Gavin taking me home, so I’m guessing it was bad.” He fidgeted.
“Oh, it was bad.”
“How bad?”
“You asked me to sleep with you.”
“Oh.” A slow grin spread across his face. “Is that really so bad?”
“Do you want me to slap you?”
“No. Just kidding. Listen, I’m sorry.”
“I can forgive you this once, but just know if it happens again, you’ll be in a mess of trouble.”
“It won’t happen again. I promise.” He shoved his hands into his back pockets.
“Good.” I hoped he meant it. I liked Jake and valued his friendship. I didn’t want him to ruin it. “I will also need your key.”
He pulled out his keychain, placing the key to the pool house in my hand before pocketing the rest. “I know you’re mad, but care to tell me what’s going on with you and Gavin? I thought you guys weren’t speaking, but you definitely were both there last night.”
“We’re seeing each other.”
“Seeing each other?”
“Yes.” I tried to hold back a smile.
“So it happened again?”
“None of your business.”
“What? I get drunk and try to seduce you, and now you won’t tell me anything?”
I laughed. Only Jake would say something like that. “You’re lucky I’m talking to you.”
“You forgave Gavin…”
“Jake…” I grumbled.
“Sorry, sorry. Okay, but I assume that it did happen. Is that a good thing?”
“I think so.”
“There is no way you’re telling Jake anything before you tell me ever again,” Molly arrived with Kelly right behind. “Beat it, Jake.”
Jake shoved his hands in his pockets. “Okay, okay. Seriously, you girls are all crazy.”
“Crazy, but loveable,” Kelly replied.
“I don’t know about that,” he mumbled before stalking away.
Molly didn’t wait long. “So spill, what happened?”
I took a seat, letting my legs dangle over the edge of the dock. Molly and Kelly took seats next to me. “I decided to give him a second chance.”
“Obviously…but what changed your mind? What’s been going on?” Molly threw a rock in the water. I noticed a whole pile of them next to her. I wondered if she or Ben had collected them.
I reached over Molly and picked up a rock from the pile. “You act like it’s been months. Everything happened in the last two days.”
“We’re waiting.” Molly leaned into me.
“I don’t really know what changed my mind. I wanted to see if I was just imagining things or if maybe he felt something too. And he was so sweet this week, leaving me gifts and everything. I knew I’d never be satisfied without closure—but now it’s definitely not closed.”
Kelly grinned. “I take it you had a good time last night?”
“Yes, it was a good night.” I was definitely not used to talking about this kind of thing. I tossed the rock out into the water.
“I think it’s awesome. You guys look so good together.” Kelly was so bubbly it was contagious. I felt myself getting giddy too.
“I think this could be good. You haven’t dated anyone in ages.” Molly smiled.
“Yeah, who knows? We’ll see what happens.” I tried to play it off as if I wasn’t too concerned, but inside I was a mess of nerves. It was all so new.
Molly peered over her shoulder. “Speaking of Gavin, his eyes are burning a hole in your back right now.”
I turned and caught his eye. He broke into a huge smile and gestured for me to come join him.
Molly saw the look of indecision on my face. “Go ahead. Have fun.”
I hesitated, wanting to check in with Molly about her own excitement first, but I wasn’t sure if Kelly knew.
“Are you doing okay?” I hoped she knew what I was asking.
“Yes, and Kelly knows.”
“Oh okay. Good. So how did it go?”
“Great. Ben was ecstatic. He’s already going back and forth over whether he wants a boy or girl.” She glowed.
“Don’t hold out on her. He proceeded to tell her that the gender doesn’t actually matter because the baby will be just the first of many,” Kelly supplied.
I laughed. “See, I told you he’d react well.”
Kelly leaned back on her hands. “I still can’t believe she’s going to have a baby… so crazy.”
“Crazy, but amazing.”
I turned. Gavin talked to Tom but still watched me.
“Go.” Molly shoved my arm.
“Okay, okay.” I got up and walked over to Gavin.
“I’ve missed you.” He pulled me to his side. Tom walked off with a smile.
“Missed me after twenty minutes?”
“I missed you after one.”
“What are you going to do when we go back to work on Monday?”
“Go into withdrawal. And in case you weren’t aware, we’re doing something Monday night.”
“Don’t I get a say in it?”
“Only if it’s the right one.” He laughed. “But really, you want to, right?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Good.”
After eating some amazing barbeque, we called it a night. I had a new appreciation for what barbeque really meant. Where I was from, it just meant grilling. I had no idea barbeque could mean using a smoker and creating some seriously juicy and delicious meat.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay at my place?” Gavin took my hand as he pulled up in front of the Mathews’s house.
“As nice as that sounds, I think I should go home tonight.” I wasn’t about to push things too much. They were finally going well.
“If you’re sure…”
I kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“No, you’ll see me tomorrow.” He kissed me on the lips.
I smiled. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
***
When I arrived at work on Monday, I got an awesome surprise. I heard two voices drifting through the front door of the office.
“Hi, you must be Becca.” A man with thinning black hair walked out of Matt’s office and held out his hand. He was wearing a suit, something I hadn’t seen on anyone else since arriving in town. I hadn’t even taken mine out of the garment bag.
I accepted his handshake. “Mr. Morgan?”
“Yes, but please call me Jim. It’s nice to finally meet you. Matt’s been telling me about your work. It sounds like you’ve been a big help.” He glanced down at the file in his hand like he had just remembered he was holding it.
I held back a comment about what Matt had actually been paying attention to. “I’m glad to hear that. I’ve enjoyed my time here so far.”
“Wonderful.”
I spent that morning getting to know Mr. Morgan senior, and Matt behaved like a totally different person: very professional, but still nice. The first moment I had alone, I let out a huge sigh of relief.
With Jim in the office, I found myself actually enjoying work. The days flew as I got used to the feel of a small town law firm. I really liked the casual atmosphere and how I wasn’t afraid to ask any questions. It was so different from working in Boston. Things got done, but the pace was much slower and relaxed.
I spent my evenings alone with Gavin or hanging out with Molly and Kelly and their husbands. I could tell Gavin loved that he wasn’t the single one anymore. Jake tagged along sometimes, but usually he’d just stop by at random times to hang out.
I attempted to keep things from getting too serious too fast with Gavin. He wanted me to stay over all the time, but I kept it to weekends and he respected that, although he always tried to make them long weekends. Occasionally, I gave in on a Thursday night. The truth was that I was falling, and falling hard.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Gavin
Becca and I walked down the beach together toward the Clayton Falls Festival. In the distance, we could already see the glow of the carnival lights.
She stopped short as the crowds came into view. “Is it always this, uh, festive?”
“I wouldn’t know. This is the first time they’ve had it since I’ve lived here.”
“Really? But everyone talks about it like it’s the event of the year.” Becca looked gorgeous in a pink sundress. Her hair was down, falling in waves around her face. I resisted the urge to reach out and touch it. I didn’t think anyone could have hair that soft.
“They cut it for budgetary reasons. It was easier than slashing another department. Clayton Falls was hit really hard with the recession and everything. The big manufacturing plant in town closed down about six years back. ”
“Oh… I didn’t know. I guess it’s good news the festival is back.”
“It definitely is.” I took Becca’s hand, and we walked the remaining distance to the boardwalk.
“I didn’t know that there were even this many people living in this town.”
“Yeah, I think everyone’s out for the occasion, and a lot of people came back to visit.”
“I know Molly was disappointed her family didn’t.”
“It’s a pretty big trip from Seattle.”
“Even for the event of the year.” She smiled.
“Hey, guys.” Jake caught up with us.
Becca grinned. “Hey, good, I needed a local for a guide today.”
“Should I be insulted by that comment?” I teased. I didn’t actually care, but I didn’t like her thinking she needed Jake for anything.
“Nope. You should be happy for the guide too.”
Glad for Jake’s company? Not exactly.
“Do you want the history lesson first?” Jake asked.
“Yes, history first.”
I had to smile at Becca’s enthusiasm.
Jake cleared his throat as if he was getting ready to give some important speech. “The Clayton Falls Festival started back in 1910. The first Festival was really the wedding of the mayor’s daughter, but it was such a hit that they continued it every year after.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. You’re eating this up, aren’t you?” Jake laughed.
“Hey, I love history.” Becca put a hand on her hip and got all pouty. She was so cute when she did that.
“Admit it, you’re a nerd.” Molly joined us out of nowhere, Ben in tow.
“Whoah, what’s with the tiara?” Becca and I looked at each other, surprised to see Molly with a crown on her head.
“Wait, you didn’t know?” Jake grinned. “Your friend here is a beauty queen.”
“What?”
“Oh shut up, Jake. It’s nothing that serious. I was just Miss Clayton Falls, my year. It’s not a big deal.” She brushed off the comment, but she looked oddly at home in the tiara.
“No? Tell Ben that. He went around town for weeks bragging about it.” Jake pointed to his brother.
“Hey, I was proud of her.” Ben smiled, putting an arm around Molly. Evidently, he was still proud. It didn’t bother me anymore. I had Becca.
Becca laughed. “Wow, Miss Clayton Falls. Pretty impressive. Were you Homecoming Queen too?”
“No, definitely not. But he was Homecoming King.” Molly pointed to Jake.
“You? You were Homecoming King?” Becca asked incredulously.
Jake pretended to be offended. “What? Does that really surprise you that much?”
“Yes, it does actually.”
“Yeah, that honor usually goes to the quarterback around here.” Ben grinned at Jake.
“Quarterback? How did I not know about your high school glory days, Jake?” Becca laughed.
“You never asked.” He grinned. He was definitely enjoying this. “What about you? Were you Homecoming Queen?”
“Not exactly. We didn’t even have a homecoming game. I went to an all-girls school.” Becca’s face wore a far off look. I wondered what memory the conversation had triggered.
“Really?” I guess there was a lot I didn’t know about Becca.
“Did you wear a uniform?” Jake asked with a smile. “Like those short skirts and stuff?”
I glared at him.
“We had uniforms, but the skirts weren’t that short.” Her eyes were playful. She didn’t seem to mind his question as much as I did.
“Too bad.”
She swatted at his arm playfully. “What about you, Gavin? Any high school secrets you’re holding onto?”
“Nothing too exciting. But if we’re done reminiscing about high school, are you ready to go on some rides?”
“Rides?” Becca’s eyes got big.
“Have you really never been to a fair before? Of course there are rides.”
“Naturally, I’ve been to a fair, but there are really rides here?”
I leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Yes, hon, and I think the Ferris Wheel has our name on it.”
“Ferris Wheel?”
I laughed. “Yes, the rides are set up on the other side, over there.” I pointed to one of the parking lots.
Molly jumped in. “The games are fun too.”
“Games? We have to do those first.” Becca literally bounced.
“All right, whatever you want.”
Becca and I walked down to the games. I put an arm around her, loving how childlike she looked. She was eating it all up.
“You’re going to have to win me one of those.”
We’d stopped in front of one of those knock-over-the-bottle games. I checked out the prizes to see what had caught her attention. “You would notice the one Red Sox bear prize in the whole place.”
“How’d you know that’s the bear I wanted?” She grabbed onto my arm.
“I’d pick the Brave’s one myself, but I doubt that would fly with you.”
“Nope.” She kissed me on the cheek. “Are you going to win it for me or what?”
I laughed and pulled a dollar out of my wallet.
“Here you go, sir.” The kid running the booth handed me two red balls the size of baseballs.
The first ball slammed against the back wall of the booth after knocking over all the bottles. I probably shouldn’t have used so much force, but I couldn’t resist showing off a little.
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