Page 18 of View With Your Heart

I once reminded Karyn of Gavin and of knowing one another when we were teens. She was in her twenties back then and married at the time. She didn’t recall meeting me, blowing it off as Gavin having so many girls in his life as a teen. I chuckled too, dismissing the hurt in my heart. He’d only had me that summer. At least, that’s what he told me, and he certainly spent enough time with me that I didn’t know how he’d fit someone else in his life. Informing her of our more recent encounter seemed inconsequential, so I never mentioned it.

As for Sarah Scott, his mother, she’d eye me like she knew my deepest secrets. I’d been in love with her son as a teen. My heart ached for him in my twenties. Now, I was thirty-six and stronger than those younger ages. Gavin would not get to me again.

“Why didn’t my sister ever mention you?” Gavin seems to wonder more to himself than to me, returning his gaze to the lake.

“Maybe because it doesn’t matter.” Gavin would have no reason to know I was here. He wouldn’t have cared anyway.

His neck twists, peering at me with piercing eyes. “You mattered to me,” he admits, surprising us both. The past tense in his statement does not go unheard, and I look away.

“What I mean is, why would she mention me to you?”

He ignores my question for his own. “How long have you lived here?” Gavin’s brows return to squeezing in question as if he’s still trying to solve a mystery.

“It’s been almost three years. I inherited the place when Leo died. We’d been coming here on summer weekends or week-long vacations most of Gee’s life.” Fondly, I recall the times spent here before Leo died, watching Gee grow to love this place as much as me. “When Patrick passed, I needed a change of scenery, and I thought it would be good for Gee.”

At the time, I wasn’t certain it would be good for Gee. He was nine and just lost his father after a rough bout of pancreatic cancer. He’d been confused and hurt, sad and angry. He didn’t understand how God could take people away from him. Gee didn’t remember Gertie as he was only a baby when she passed away, but he remembered Leo as the grandfather he never had and was equally distraught at the loss of him. Leo was actually his great-great-uncle. My mother hadn’t been much of a dedicated grandmother. She practically disappeared when I decided to move here. She lives in Florida now.

“I’m sorry again about your husband.” His continued apologies are unnecessary.

“Cancer sucks,” I mutter.

“Yeah. My mother has it.” Sorrow fills his words.

“I know,” I whisper. His head pops up again.

“How?”

Dismissing further explanation, I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s sad either way.”

Gavin continues to stare at me, wondering about the unanswered question, but I’m not giving him more details. Something more important is pressing on me, and I lick my lips. I need to tell him something, but as many times as I’ve practiced this in my head, I just can’t find the words. He has a right to know. Patrick always said that, but I hadn’t known where Gavin was, and even when I had better access to finding him, I still hadn’t inquired about him. Something always held me back.

“I should check on Gee,” I say instead of what’s really on my mind. Hitching a thumb over my shoulder, I point in the direction of the house as the front door swings open. I turn to see Theo exiting my place. He saunters up to me with all his seventeen-year-old swagger and hooks his arm over my shoulder. With blond hair around his ears and curling up on his neck, plus soft blue eyes, he’s a teenage heartbreaker in the marking.

“Going out, babe.” He teases me, pressing a kiss to the side of my head.

“Where are you going?” I softly demand.

Theo laughs. “Just a party down the street.”

“That wouldn’t happen to be at the Carter’s house?” Gavin interjects, and Theo’s eyes narrow on him.

“Maybe? Who are you?” His arm over my shoulder tightens, protective of me as his aunt. It’s sweet while unwarranted. Over the years, being up at the lake, I’ve grown attached to my cousin’s son. He has a wild spirit and reminds me so much of Gavin.

“I’m Gavin.” He holds out a hand to shake Theo’s, and Theo stares at the outstretched offering.

“Theo,” I hiss, knowing he has better manners than he’s displaying.

“Just kidding, man.” Theo laughs, clutching Gavin’s hand with his. “Nice to meet you.”

I don’t miss the subtle arched brow as Theo turns back to me, wondering about this Gavin person standing on the edge of the property.

“Home by midnight,” he states before pressing another kiss to my cheek and taking off toward the road. He’s such a good kid. I don’t even have to give him a curfew because he just gives one to me.

“Who is that?” Gavin snaps, and I turn back to him, taken aback by his sharp question.

“He’s Duke’s son. You remember Duke, right?”

“Of course, I remember Duke.” Gavin chuckles, bringing up his own memories of my cousin, who was Gavin’s friend back in high school.