“I’m okay, Mama.” She reached across and rested her hand on her mom’s arm. “And you were the best mom ever through all of that.”
The corner of her mom’s mouth lifted. “But not now?”
“Well, now you’re a little overprotective,” Maya said it with a smile, hopefully taking the sting out of the words. “But you’re getting better.”
And she had been. Her mom had stopped trying to track her every move and had even begun to ask her a bit more about the work she did at C&M. It was a good feeling, and Maya didn’t feel the need to keep her distance from her mom like she had at the end of the year. Of course, not having Gabe around to spend time with had helped, but he was due home the same day as her scan, so that might change.
That was another thing that was kind of weighing her down. Watching the videos and coming to understand what Gabe did and how dangerous it could be—such as the accident he’d had on the volcano slope when he’d broken his arm and collarbone—had made it pretty clear to her that their lives would never mesh. Like with the revelation she’d had during the hockey game, while viewing the videos, Maya had seen the joy that overtook Gabe when he was engaged in the risky adventures he went on.
She would never ask him to give that all up—and even if he offered to, she could never accept that. When she saw how much joy those things gave him, why would she want him to give that up? The flip side to that was that she couldn’t be with—love—someone like Gabe. She had fallen hard for him even in such a short period of time, and now she was getting ready to have her heart broken.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come for your scan?”
“Yep. You know it’s a boring drive, plus we won’t be getting the results then.” Maya paused. “But if you want, you can come with me to the doctor’s on Friday.”
Her mom smiled, but it wasn’t a happy smile, more like a resigned one. “I’ll be there.” She slid off the stool and came around to press a kiss to Maya’s forehead. “Love you, sweetheart.”
Maya slid an arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze. “Love you too, Mama.”
She picked up her mug and glided out of the kitchen with silent steps. Maya took a sip of her tea as she stared out the large bay window next to the breakfast nook. It had been a long time since she’d last dreaded something like she was dreading the week that lay ahead.
On the one hand, Maya wanted Gabe to come home so that she knew he was safe, but on the other hand, she didn’t want him to because they were going to have to talk. And it wasn’t just her thinking that. Gabe had sent a text stating the same thing. So now, in addition to her appointments, she had to prepare herself mentally for the conversation with Gabe.
She finished the last of her tea then put her mug in the dishwasher. After picking up her phone, she left the kitchen and retreated to her room. She hadn’t been sleeping well, so after spending some time trying to relax in a hot shower, Maya crawled into bed, determined to get some sleep, so she wouldn’t drag into work the next morning.
Just one more day to get through before the scan and Gabe arrived home.
Gabe looked at Makayla in surprise. “Maya’s not in today?”
“No. She’s taking a couple of days off this week. Said she had some appointments that she needed to go to.” Makayla leaned back in her chair, swinging it from side to side. “She actually booked the time off not long after she started working here.”
It wasn’t any of his business, but Gabe couldn’t help but wonder what the appointments were for. She hadn’t mentioned anything about them during their texting sessions. Mind you, their text messages recently hadn’t been very in depth…particularly after he’d told her that he wanted to talk with her when he got back. His biggest regret about the trip was not having taken the time to share with her about what was in his heart before he left.
“Did you come straight here?” Makayla asked, her gaze traveling up and down his body, no doubt taking in his wrinkled clothes and the scruff that was thicker than normal on his face.
“Yeah. I thought I’d stop by and see if Maya wanted to grab some lunch.”
Makayla frowned. “Are you still trying to get something going with her?”
“I had hoped to talk to her about things.” Gabe sighed, letting his breath puff out his cheeks. “I’ve missed her.” He paused, his brows drawing together. “Do you think she missed me?”
Makayla caught her lower lip between her teeth for a moment then said, “To be honest, I’m not sure. She hasn’t talked much about you.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly what he wanted to hear. He’d hoped that she’d take advantage of his siblings to learn more about him. That she hadn’t done that, made him rethink how he should approach her.
“To be fair though,” Makayla began, “she really doesn’t talk about personal stuff at work. Not about herself. Not about you. She’s very focused on her job, and rarely mentions anything that’s not work related.”
Gabe tried to take some comfort in Makayla’s words, but he just couldn’t. “You haven’t seen her outside of work?”
“Yes. I’ve seen her at church a few times, but whenever I’ve invited her to dinner at the house, she’s declined.” Makayla gave a small smile. “She’s a private one, that girl. I’ve wondered if she’s hiding something, but it can’t be anything too serious.”
At Makayla’s words, Gabe recalled how he’d gotten the same sense from her, reinforced by how she seemed to always change the subject without giving much information about herself. Perhaps he needed to ask more direct questions. Although he wasn’t sure that he had that right.
He pulled his phone out and brought up his text messages.
Dropped by the office after the plane touched down. Missed seeing you!
Though he hoped for a quick response, Gabe didn’t think he would get one since she had taken the day off for appointments. He slid his phone back into his pocket and got to his feet. “Guess I’ll head to Mom and Dad’s. Might try for a bit of a nap too. Jet lag is going to be a killer.”
“Better you than me,” Makayla said without an ounce of sympathy.
“Love you too,” Gabe said over his shoulder as he left her office.
He wandered down the hallway to where Bennett’s office was. His brother was focused on his monitor as he typed rapidly. Without announcing himself, Gabe wandered in and dropped down into the chair next to Bennett’s desk.
Bennett glanced over, his gaze widening. Abandoning whatever he’d been working on, Bennett swung his chair around to face Gabe. “Hey! I didn’t know you were back already.”
Gabe looked his brother over, noticing that the strain on his face from the last time he’d seen him was gone. His smile, which hadn’t reached his eyes before, was now filled with joy. “Yep, I’m back. For a few days, anyway.”
Bennett’s brow furrowed at that. “Just a few days?”
“Yeah. I’m heading to Colorado, and then I’m off with Matt and Damon to do some snowboarding for a sponsored video.”
Bennett leaned back in his chair. “Something tells me it’s not just regular snowboarding.”
Gabe hesitated before nodding. “Yeah. We’re being taken somewhere in a helicopter and dropped off on a mountain top.”
“Really, Gabe?” Bennett said with a shake of his head. “Why?”
“I have a contract with a company for this.”
“When are you going to stop with the adventure stuff? It’s not like you need the money.”
“I’m thinking of scaling back.” For the first time, Gabe voiced the words that had been rolling around in his head for the past month.
Bennett nodded. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Of course, he did. Bennett—and the rest of his siblings—had never really understood Gabe’s need for the adrenalin rush. So while he was willing to consider cutting back, he didn’t think he could go forever without that rush. Which was something he really hoped that Maya would be okay with.
“I hear things have turned arou
nd for you,” Gabe said, trying to move the focus of their conversation off him.
Bennett’s face brightened. “So much! I couldn’t believe it when Grace showed up with Olivia Joy and let me know that she wanted me to be a part of their lives.”
“That is so cool. I’m happy that you guys were able to work things out.” And he hoped that he, too, would have a similar result with Maya. “I can’t wait to see Grace and the baby. The pictures on Facebook are great, but seeing them in person would be much better.”
“I’m sure we’re going to be out at Mom’s at some point while you’re here.” Bennett paused. “How are things going between you and Maya?”
And wasn’t that just the million-dollar question. “Well, we’ve been texting a bit while I was in Thailand, but we didn’t really have any good conversations. I’m hoping we can talk while I’m here.” Gabe paused. “I have been praying about everything with her.”
Bennett had a serious expression on his face as he looked at him. “That’s good. I hope you’re able to work things out.”
“Me, too. I feel things for Maya that I’ve never felt for anyone before.” Gabe huffed out a breath. “I just want to see where the relationship might go.”
“Just remember that sometimes love requires sacrifice. If you’re not willing to do that, you need to step back from her now.”
“I know. I just want to make sure that she knows how I feel and see if she feels the same way.”
Bennett’s cell rang, and he hesitated a moment, his gaze going from Gabe to the phone.
“Go ahead and get it,” Gabe said as he got to his feet. “We’ll chat later.”
Bennett nodded as he picked up his phone.
Deciding he didn’t really want another round of questioning by a sibling, Gabe headed out to his truck. Mitch had agreed to pick him up from the airport with his truck, so he was able to go home without having to arrange a ride. Thankfully, when he’d arrived at the airport, Mitch had known better than to pursue too much conversation since Gabe had just spent the past thirty-three plus hours en route from Bangkok through Taipei and Toronto where he’d had a ten-hour layover before flying into Winnipeg just before ten in the morning.
Though he’d gotten a few hours rest here and there, Gabe really was exhausted, and if he wasn’t going to be able to see Maya, he was going to get some sleep. Hopefully, they’d make contact later in the day. It was that thought that got him through the drive home, a quick chat with his mom and a shower before crawling between crisp, clean, wonderfully scented sheets to fall asleep.
16
When Gabe woke, he lay there for a moment, trying to figure out where he was. The room was dark and cool, and the bed was familiarly comfortable. Home. He turned onto his stomach and reached out for where he hoped his phone would be. Thankfully, his hand landed on it, and he wrapped his fingers around it.
With a groan, as his stiff muscles protested the movement, Gabe rolled onto his back and lifted the phone to look at the screen. He blinked a couple of times to bring the screen into focus then smiled when he saw that he had received several text messages. He also saw the time and realized he’d been asleep for a solid twelve hours, which meant it was almost midnight. A bit late to call Maya, particularly since her text had a time stamp from around ten o’clock.
Gabe slid out of bed, went to the bathroom then headed downstairs to the kitchen, hoping his mom had put aside some food for him. The house was quiet and dark, the only light coming from the bulb above the stove.
With an easy familiarity, Gabe flicked on the overhead light and went to the fridge. He smiled when he spotted the large plate covered with plastic wrap sitting on one of the shelves. After removing the garlic bread and the small bowl of salad, Gabe stuck the plate with the lasagna on it into the microwave. Once it was heated, he settled down in the breakfast nook and after a quick prayer of thanks, took a bite of his mom’s delicious food. While he’d loved the food in Thailand, his taste buds were thrilled at that first bite of one of his favorite dishes.
As he ate, Gabe began to read through his messages.
Jill: Hope you made it home safe and sound. Guess I’ll see you in Colorado in a couple of weeks. Can’t wait!
Matt: Guess the break was a permanent thing in Em’s eyes. She’s moved on already. No need for me to turn down any more contracts. Gotta look on the bright side.
Damon: Give me a call when you get this. Or maybe text me first to see if I’m awake. Jet lag is killing me this time.
Maya: Welcome home! Glad you’re home safe and sound. Hope to see you soon.
Gabe stared at the message. It gave him some hope that she wanted to see him soon. He was disappointed, though, that he couldn’t call her right away given the late hour. So he settled for texting Damon to see if he was awake, and when his phone rang right away, he contented himself with chatting with his friend instead of with Maya.
Once that call was over, Gabe put his dishes in the dishwasher then stood for a moment trying to decide what to do. He was wide awake, but everyone else was sound asleep. It was possible that Matt and Jill were awake as well, but he really had no interest in talking with either of them.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to talk to Matt because he didn’t want to think about the difficulty of having a relationship while balancing the lifestyle he wanted to lead. And Jill… He wasn’t sure how to deal with her. The Thailand trip had been different with Jill than previous trips. She’d seemed to be around him all the time. And she’d started hinting that she wanted something more with him, which was especially annoying because he’d talked about Maya and how he felt about her. Had she really thought he was just joking around about Maya?
The awkwardness had lingered throughout the trip, and even some of the others had noticed it, which had added to the awkwardness, so he’d definitely not be calling Jill. And if she didn’t let this go, he’d have to talk to her directly about it, which wouldn’t be comfortable for either of them.
Gabe shut off the kitchen lights and went back to his room. With nothing else to do, he pulled up the page for his YouTube channel and began to read comments on the videos Dalton had edited and uploaded for him. There were the usual negative, trolling comments, but most were positive. Some asked questions about different aspects of the trip, wanting more information on places they’d visited. A few asked if he and some of the others in the videos had significant others. Gabe always laughed at those comments but never responded to them.
After checking the video comments, he moved on to taking care of some of the financial stuff needing his attention. Sent some emails to Tennyson and Hunter. Checked his online accounting program to see how the businesses were doing. His accountant took care of the financial side of his businesses, once again freeing him up to travel and be away from work, but he always liked to check through things after an extended period of time away.
Finally, he settled back down in the bed, thinking if he could sleep a couple of hours, he could then make it through until the next night. He needed to get his days and nights straightened out as quickly as possible.
Before he shut off the lamp beside the bed, he looked at his phone for a bit then tapped out a message to Maya.
Can’t wait to see you. Can we go out to dinner tonight?
He didn’t expect an immediate response, so he put the phone back on the nightstand and then stretched out beneath the blanket to try to get a bit more sleep.
Maya wished she could have taken the whole week off work. The days between having blood work done, the scan completed and the doctor’s appointment to hear the results stretched on interminably. Before—when she hadn’t had a job—she’d spent those ‘waiting’ days playing online games, pretending to be someone else. Someone who wasn’t waiting to see if their bloodwork was clear. Someone whose scan hadn’t picked up something that shouldn’t be there.
But she had to be Maya and go to work and pretend that nothing was wrong. The what-ifs were on an endless loop in her head. What if th
is is the appointment when the doctor tells me the cancer is back? What if the battle I thought I’d won isn’t over? What if I have to fight this battle all over again? What if I can’t do it?
The door leading into the building opened, and Maya looked up to see Gabe walk through the door. There was no mistaking him for Mitch this time around. Her heart leaped at the sight of him. His tan had deepened even further, and his face bore a bit more scruff than when he’d left. But his smile was the same. Bright and engaging as he quickly came around the desk to where she sat.
She got to her feet and found herself engulfed in a chilly but welcome embrace. Gabe’s jacket bore the crispness of a cold February day, but along with that was the scent that she recognized as his. Maya sighed, letting herself sag against him in relief that he was really okay and home once more.
“It’s so good to see you again,” Gabe said, his voice close to her ear, his arms tight around her.
Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, as she held him close, knowing that she wouldn’t have the right to be that close to him much longer. Her heart hurt at that realization, and made her hold him even more tightly. “It’s good to see you again too.”
When he moved back a bit to look down at her, Maya was finally forced to loosen her embrace. He cupped her face in his hand. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too,” Maya said, feeling a bit like a parrot as she kept repeating what he was saying to her.
His blue eyes were intent on her, filled with emotion she’d longed to see, but at the same time, feeling the hurt at finally witnessing it, knowing where things were going to end up. It would make what she had to do that much harder.
“You still on for dinner tonight?” he asked, his hands sliding down to take hers.
Maya really didn’t want to be in a restaurant while having the conversation she knew they needed to have, but she wasn’t sure where else they could talk. They certainly couldn’t meet at either of their homes.
“Uh, sure,” she said, still wishing they had another option. “Where are we going?”
The Love of Her Life: A Christian Romance (The Callaghans & McFaddens Book 3) Page 20
