Page 25 of Reaching Gavin

“Do you really think I’m falling for that?” I asked. Clearly, he wasn’t as prepared to tackle this project as he’d tried to let on before.

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” He winked in a way that I used to find charming, but now it made me want to gag.

“No thanks. I’ve seen enough of yours already.” I refrained from detailing how little interest I had in revisiting anything he had to show me.

Trevor’s forehead crinkled and his mouth drooped down as he shook his head in a sad, slow way. “You know, we were in love once.”

I didn’t know what to say to this. I couldn’t believe he was bringing it up here. Now. We hadn’t been in love. I had been in love. “If that was true,” I hissed under my breath, “then you wouldn’t have cheated on me.”

“We all make mistakes. You don’t have to keep punishing me.”

“Let me make this clear to you.” I sat up in my seat and crossed my arms over my chest. “I nothing you. I’m not punishing you. I’m not helping you. I nothing you.”

Trevor opened his mouth, the concerned look vanishing and morphing into white-hot rage, but before he could speak, we were joined by Gavin. He looked from Trevor to me and raised an eyebrow. Now that he knew about our past, it probably wasn’t hard to figure out what was going on, especially with me in protection mode and Trevor on stage two of a nuclear-level meltdown.

“Everything cool here?” he asked nonchalantly. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was just checking in on his interns. Except, I knew better, which made the checking in feel personal, like he was worried about me. I liked it.

“Yeah, we were just working together on the Majestic Theater project.” Trevor shot me a cocky grin while Gavin’s eyes stayed trained on me. I could sense Gavin searching for the truth in what he was being told. I hoped he found it.

“Yes, we were just talking about our separate proposals,” I said with emphasis. Better to spell it out than let him get the wrong idea. I’d told Gavin I could work with Trevor, but I didn’t want him to think I was choosing to do so. Somehow, that felt like it was sending the wrong message.

“There’s definitely a time and place for teamwork,” Gavin said, spreading his hands, “but I can see why you two would want to work on this project individually. If you have any concerns or want to bounce any ideas, come see me in my office.” His eyes never left mine when he made this offer. A low fire lit in my belly and I hoped its heat didn’t make its way to my cheeks. Technically, the offer extended to both of us, but I got the impression that it was meant for me. There was no stopping the flames from coloring my face now.

“Thanks,” Trevor interjected, “I’ll do that.”

Gavin gave him a terse nod and then disappeared toward the corner office.

Trevor watched him walk away before he straightened up and adjusted his suit jacket. “Well, I guess I understand why you don’t need my help now.”

I was too busy fantasizing about bouncing ideas off Gavin in his office for that to process immediately, but when it did, I startled and looked up at him. “What does that mean?”

“That it looks like you clinched this competition.”

“There is no competition. We’re doing our best to help the company.”

“I guess we weren’t sitting in the same meeting,” Trevor said. “There’s a job at the end of this rainbow, and it’s supposed to be mine.”

“Remind me how you got this internship again?” I asked, not able to stop from fuming. Did he honestly believe that he deserved that job? He hadn’t even done the legwork to find this internship. Now he wanted to steal the prize.

“You’d love to be the martyr on this one, wouldn’t you? But I didn’t think you’d sink this low.” He shook his head. This time his disappointed face looked a little too practiced.

“Exactly what are you accusing me of?” I knew. I could hear it hiding under his words, but I wanted him to say it.

He had the decency to lean down and lower his voice when he did. “I’m saying that if you think screwing the boss will get you this job, then I’m disappointed in you. I guess I really can’t help you out with your proposal.”

I didn’t have to tell him to get out, he walked away following his accusation. I sat at my desk, staring at my blank computer screen. How dare he claim he had a right to be disappointed in me? Gavin wouldn’t be the only one making the decision about how to pitch the preservation committee. And it wasn’t like anything had happened between Gavin and me. In fact, I’d been trying like hell to make sure nothing did happen. Was I guilty just because I’d had a few daydream fantasies and shared a glass of wine with him? So much for innocent until proven guilty. I wanted this job. I’d worked for this internship. I wasn’t about to let my reputation be skewered by an ex’s revenge- driven tactics. There was only one thing I could do. It took nearly a half an hour to screw up the courage, but I got up and walked toward Gavin’s office. I paused before knocking on the door, but I didn’t wait for an invitation before I strode in. Gavin looked up, obviously surprised, because he had a guest.

“Cassie,” he said my name with a familiarity that wrapped itself around me like a warm blanket. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“I’m s-s-sorry,” I stammered, losing some of my nerve. “I can come back later.”

Or never. If I didn’t do this now, I would never get up the guts again. I would just have to go into hiding. Maybe permanently. Maybe it was time to get a shopping cart and find a spot under a bridge and hide out forever. That suddenly felt like a much better life plan.

“It’s fine. I did tell you my office was always open,” he said. There was a double meaning in that. I could feel it.

Imogen, who up close was a more delicate version of Gavin with the same blue eyes and dark hair, bit her lip as if holding back a smile. Maybe I wasn’t the only one aware of the simmering attraction between him and I. Nope. The list of people who’d picked up on it was growing. Trevor. Imogen. George. If I wasn’t careful, by the end of the day, everyone in the office would know.

When I didn’t say anything, Gavin rescued me. “Actually, I wanted to introduce you to my sister. Imogen this is Cassie. Cassie this is Imogen.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I blurted out before rushing on. I had to get this out. “I was thinking about what you said—about the presentation—I won’t be needing any help. I really need to do this alone.”

“It’s really no trouble,” he began.

I held up a hand. “No. I need to do this alone.”

Gavin sat back in his chair, his shoulders slumping, and frowned. “I understand.”

I didn’t wait for him to ask me what was wrong. There was no need to confide in each other about this. We had almost taken things too far, and I just put a stop to that. He knew I wasn’t on the market. I’d told him. We’d both needed a little reminder of that.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Imogen added softly. I gave her a small smile before backing out of the office.

I wondered briefly if he had talked about me to her and what she must think of me after that bold intrusion, but it didn’t matter. Because I wouldn’t be getting to know Imogen outside this office. Because I’d made my choice. Because Gavin North and Cassie Hart were colleagues and nothing more.