I watch him, listening to every word. “What was it?”
“There was a landslide at a mountain about a mile away. It displaced the water in the ocean. It all happened so quickly that we didn’t know what was coming. We had no warning.” He looks up at me with a stern stare. “A tsunami. None of us knew. It was traveling faster than my brain could process it. I didn’t have time to understand what was happening before I was swept away. The water was like a slab of concrete slamming into me. The water was strong—it pulled me under and threw me around like a rag doll in a washing machine.” He shakes his head again as if he can’t believe it. “The water was dark and dirty. I couldn’t see anything. Things were thrashing against my legs, my arms. I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was going to die. Just before I was about to run out of air, I popped up out of the water. It could have been seconds or minutes, I don’t even know. I managed to hold onto a tree and climb out of the water. I was swept over a mile away from home.”
He shakes his head and lets out a soft laugh.
“It’s so crazy to tell this story. It doesn’t even sound true. I mean, I still had the small ball in my hand when I popped out of the water. That’s how fast it all happened.”
I have my hands over my mouth as I watch him. “Oh my god. Gabe, that’s fucking insane. What happened once you climbed the tree?”
“Right away I was yelling for my mom… but there was water and sand in my throat, my lungs. I remember coughing and spitting, trying to call for her but she was nowhere to be seen. Everything was destroyed. It’s like I was in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by debris. I kept calling out for her even though, deep down, I knew she was gone.”
He stares off into the distance. His eyes look haunted as he recounts his story.
“In less than two minutes, my paradise was a horror scene. Buildings and homes were demolished as if a bomb had gone off. There was debris everywhere, bodies everywhere. The people who were still alive were either screaming or staring in shock. I was cut up—bleeding from gashes all over my body. Everything changed in an instant. I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t. Sometimes I wake up and it still takes a minute before I remember it wasn’t a nightmare—well, it is a nightmare—but not one I can ever wake up from. Sometimes when my phone rings, I still expect it to be her. We were so close. It’s hard to realize she’s gone sometimes.”
“Wow. Gabe, I’m so sorry.” I touch his hand again, hoping to give him a tiny bit of comfort. “I can’t even imagine what that was like.”
“Sometimes I wonder if it’ll ever sink in.”
I squeeze his hand.
He turns away. “It’s not fair. I loved her so much. We had so much left to do.”
Suddenly I feel foolish for complaining about my situation which pales in comparison to this. I may be broke and stuck in the middle of nowhere, but at least I didn’t have to live through such a horrific trauma. At least I still have two parents who love me, who want me to succeed.
“Why is it that bad stuff always seems to happen to good people?” He asks. “My mom was a wonderful person. And yet my father is the one who’s still around…”
“Life is random and uncontrollable… all we can do is focus on what we can control.”
He doesn’t react.
“What happened after the wave?” I ask, unable to help my morbid curiosity.
He shakes his head. “The water eventually pulled back into the ocean, leaving a mess of debris behind. Others told me to stay in the tree… that the water could come back. But I didn’t care. I jumped down and started looking for her right away. If she was injured or stuck, I needed to get her before the water came back. I walked and searched as long as I could, helping others along the way. Most people were scared and fled to the hills in case the wave came back. But I stayed down there, searching.” He looks up at me with empty eyes. “We never found her. Technically, her death is still unconfirmed. They still have her listed as missing. I held out hope for a long time that she’d show up… but after one and a half years you eventually have to accept it—as much as I don’t want to.”
He goes silent. The sound of rustling leaves and buzzing crickets fill the silence. Not knowing what to say, I stay silent.
Gabe continues. “Eventually a rescue crew dragged me to the hospital kicking and screaming. They treated me for infection since I was so cut up. I got thirty stitches.”
My eyes instinctively flash down to the scars on his arms and neck.
“I didn’t break anything,” he continues. “I was lucky in that respect. But I still feel the pain in my joints when it rains. I spent the next three months helping the rescue crews—recovering bodies, cleaning up debris, that kind of stuff. I put my skills to work and helped rebuild some temporary shelters.”
“That was brave of you.”
“That was my home for a while. I had to help. The whole island was in crisis—it’s like we were all grieving together and not at all. There was so much to do. Even now, I still feel the adrenaline and shock, even though it’s been so long.”
I take a step forward. “I’m so sorry you had to experience that. Losing a mother is difficult enough, but you lost so much more than that. It makes sense that you’re taking the time to process everything and figure out the direction of your life.”
“Yeah, well… my dad didn’t want me to take the time. He…” He pauses. “As soon as he found me, he flew me back here and got me back into hockey.”
“Why?”
“He wanted me to get back to normal life as soon as possible. He told me that’s the only thing that would help me recover. But what is normal life, anyway? Plus he…” He pauses. “Nevermind.”
He stares off into the distance.
“Victor didn’t even help, you know? All those people… their community in shambles…”
“Victor’s your father?”
He hesitates before nodding. “He didn’t even care.”
“There’s only so much one person can do.”
“You don’t know my father. He had connections. He had…”
“He had what?” I ask.
Gabe clears his throat. “He had a hotel out there. He didn’t even offer to house the refugees. Can you believe that?”
“Oh.”
“I mean, he threw money at the situation to appear helpful but that was the bare minimum he could do.”
Not knowing enough about the situation to give an opinion, I look down at the wood.
“You’re pretty good with your hands.” I only realize what I say after it comes out. My cheeks burn with heat.
He lets out a soft chuckle. “So you’ve noticed.”
“You always jump on the opportunity to make fun of me, don’t you?”
“Always.” He smirks.
I look at the swirls of honey and brown colors. “You have a good eye.”
“You like it?”
“The colors are beautiful.”
“Thanks. There’s just something comforting about working with wood.” He touches the wood with his callused hands. “I like the idea of creating something useful, something beautiful, just like you do.”
His dark eyes watch me. I smile.
Grabbing a rag, he wipes the sawdust off the surface and throws the rag aside.
“Come. Put your hand on it.” He gestures toward the wood with a rough hand. His sparkling dark eyes pierce mine. “Don’t worry, I’m tame to the touch.”
I place my hand on the wood. He places his hand meaningfully over mine, moving it over the swirls and ripples. The textured surface is a treat for my fingers, and so is Gabe’s warm touch. Though his callused hands are rough, his touch is gentle, sending a thrill through my bones.
“Feel how smooth it is?” His deep voice rumbles. He presses his finger against mine, pushing it into the grooves, tracing along with me.
I nod as I look up at him. His muted eyes study me. His lips are inches away. I want to say yes, but my voice catches in my throat.
“You learned this just from creating sets for small-time theater productions?”
He laughs as he releases my hand. “I learned a lot in those three months where I helped the locals rebuild. There’s an art to it.”
I watch him with newfound appreciation.
“What?” He asks.
“I think your mom would be very proud of you.”
He smiles a certain way—a way I’ve never seen him smile before.
“She loved learning new things. It was her life’s goal to make sure I went on as many adventures as possible. If we saw a lake, we had to stop and jump in.” He laughs as he remembers. “If we were in South Korea and a live octopus was served to us on a plate, she’d insist on eating the thing whole. She lived for trying new things.” There’s a warmth in his tone as he speaks. And there’s something else—a sense of peace, a tenderness.
Leaning my elbows on the slab of wood, I smile as I watch him. “She sounded like quite the woman.”
“She was. I just… I just miss her. I miss my home, you know?”
As I watch him, I notice the sadness in his eyes.
“Well, I can tell you that after hitting the road with my band, I’ve learned that home is a state of mind. You bring your home wherever you go… so, in a sense, your mom is here with you right now. So, this is home just as much as that house by the ocean was.”
He smiles wide enough to show off his dimples. “Thanks for listening to me. I already feel better.”
“Thank you for telling me your story. I feel like I know you a little bit better now, just Gabe. I feel like I know the real you.”
He lets out a soft laugh. A hot gust of wind blows past, breathing softly against my skin and through my hair. He looks up at me with those dark eyes.
“I feel comfortable around you,” he says. “That’s a rare thing.”
Smiling, I stare at him for a moment.
“You know,” he says, “if you’re here long enough maybe I can make you a new guitar.”
I let out a soft laugh. “Don’t worry, I won’t be here long enough for that.”
“That’s too bad. I’m going to miss you when you’re gone.”
I lean on the wood with my chin on my fist. “Or maybe we can make a pact that we both leave this place together.”
Instantly looking uncomfortable, he shifts his weight. “You know, I shouldn’t even be telling you any of this.”
“Are you sure? Because I like it when you tell me about yourself.”
A spark of interest flashes in his eyes. “You do?”
“Yeah. I feel like I’m finally seeing the veil slip.”
He pulls his gaze away. “Excuse me.”
Grabbing the sander, he pulls a tarp over his project and heads toward the shed.
Confused, I look up at the gray sky which seems to be getting darker each moment.
Walking toward the house, my heart beats hard in my chest. Is he finally opening up to me? Or did I just blow it? For a second, I envisioned an alternate future where we both get out of here together. For a second, I thought he might say yes.
Stopping in the doorway, I look back out at the shed in the forest. If Gabe opened up to me today, maybe there’s more. Maybe he just needs a push.
14
SINNER
Gabriel
After a refreshing shower and a satisfying dinner of chicken pot pie and pineapple upside-down cake, I head upstairs to get ready for bed. What a crazy day. I finally let Amber see a little piece of me. The true me. I’m not sure if it’s what I wanted to do but after a few days—and months—of stewing in anger, it felt good to get it off my chest. I’ve never vented to anyone about this before—not to Marigold, not to my father, not even to my former hockey Captain, Rory. I’ve kept it all in for a year and a half and it finally came out all at once. It feels good to get it off my chest. And now Amber knows a little bit about me. I’m not a total stranger anymore.
Changing into a pair of clean sweat pants and a white shirt, I brush my teeth and make my way to my bedroom.
“Psst.”
I look up to see Amber sitting out on the balcony at the end of the hall. Seeing her makes me smile, I can’t help it. I walk down the hall and join her outside.
“Hey,” I say. “What are you doing out here?”
“Listening to music,” she says. Her phone and headphones are on the table. She’s sitting on one of the wicker chairs with one knee pulled in against her chest. She’s wearing the same black dress and ripped black leggings she’s been wearing all day. Her hazel eyes watch me carefully. “Are you feeling any better?”
I give her a subtle smile. “Yeah. Thanks again for listening to me.”
“Sit,” she says, tapping the other chair with her foot. I notice the dark purple nail polish on her toes.
I do as she says as I sit in the chair next to her. She stares at me with those searing hazel eyes.
“I have something for you.” She reaches for her headphones. “Here.”
She hands me an earbud.
“What’s this?”
“I want you to listen to something.”
“Your music?”
She shakes her head. “Just something I know you’ll like.”
I pause and stare at her for a moment.
Hesitating, she smiles. “What?”
“It’s just… why are you so nice to me?”
“What, I’m not allowed to be nice?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just… not many people are nice to me. I mean, Marigold is and so was my former hockey captain. But most people don’t really care about how I feel.”
Normally I’m surrounded by vultures, constantly grabbing for a piece of me.
“Being nice to each other is what friends do,” she says.
I smirk as I realize how lucky I am to be stuck here with her. I grab the earbud and place it in my ear. She does the same with the other one. We stay close, connected by the wire. She presses play, starting a hypnotic beat.
My eyes widen. “Is this…?”
Henry Sinner’s raspy voice sings along with the crescendo of violins.
Amber nods. “The latest Henry Sinner album. I thought you could use some new music.”
I smile as I watch her listen. Her eyes close and she gently sings along. After a few moments of this, she opens her eyes and her cheeks turn pink.
“Sorry,” she says. “There just this feeling I have when I share music with someone… it’s like I’m listening to it for the first time, with fresh ears.”
“It’s cute,” I say.
She pulls on her lip and smiles as she looks down.
“Amber—”
“Shh.” She puts a finger to my lips. “Listen.”
I give her a lingering look as I let the music possess me. The drum’s frantic heartbeat and guitar’s primal wail stir something in me as I stare at her. As the music continues to build, the beat becomes dreamier, like I’m in a surreal dream. The guitar plays faster and the drums become more chaotic. As the song reaches the climax, I see the power of music in her eyes. There’s a glimmer of magic in her gaze. I can see lust, want. The song comes to an abrupt end forcing us to listen to the jagged pattern of our breath. She bit her lip, suppressing a smile. Being this close to her, I can hear her heartbeat on her breath and I wonder if she can hear mine too. I take my time studying her face, taking in every detail—her plump rose-colored lips, her hazel eyes, her lush eyelashes.
I want to touch her, to kiss her, but I exercise restraint with every passing second. I know it’d be easier to pull away and make this situation a lot less complicated. After all, I shouldn’t complicate things between us. But my body feels like iron, anchoring me to this spot. I can’t pull away. Not now.
I lean in closer so that my lips are lingering close to hers. “Amber?”
“Yes?” Her breath still smells sweet like pineapples from dessert.
Running my fingers through her hair, I push forward and press my lips against hers
. Her lips part as she kisses me back. Cupping her face, I sweep my tongue against hers, exploring her. Her sweet scent tingles in my nose as I breathe her in. Closing my eyes, I forget everything. I forget about the fake life I’m living out in the real world, I forget about the fact that I’m Gabriel Chase, and I forget the fact that I’m supposedly engaged. Slipping my hands around her waist, I pull her closer. Burying my hand in her hair, I tilt her head back so that I can kiss her deeper. God, I want to touch her everywhere, I want to take her like I want to. Her calloused fingers slip around the back of my neck as she presses harder against me.
Eventually, she breaks the kiss and inhales like she’s been underwater. My body feels like it’s sizzling. I press my nose against the soft skin of her neck, breathing her in.
“Wow,” she says.
I smile. “Yeah.”
It’s only once we’re done kissing that I realize that the dream-like music is still playing in one ear. In the other ear, I can hear Amber’s jagged breath, hot and heavy. My body feels like it’s singing. I can’t even remember that last time I kissed someone like that—or if I ever have. I want to keep going. I want to sink like quicksand into this experience, but I know it’ll only complicate things. Amber pulls back and looks into my eyes. Her face is flush with heat.
“I didn’t mean to do that,” she says in a breathless voice.
“You didn’t?”
She raises her eyebrows. “Did you?”
I smirk. “Of course. I told you I wanted to do something stupid.”
She laughs gently. “I don’t want to get you into trouble.”
“It’s too late for that, Phoenix.”
She smiles.
Chase: A Secret Millionaire Romance Novel Page 11
