Page 56 of Reaching Gavin

“With any luck, I’ll be able to keep her longer,” Gavin said, his voice taking on a suggestive undertone. I knew he meant at the company. I couldn’t even consider us not being together.

It wasa weird feeling—this certainty that had settled inside me, centering me like an anchor.

“I have to finish school first,” I stammered, aware that I was gawking at him.

“But then you’ll come back to work there full-time?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” I dared a glance at Gavin. I didn’t want to assume anything. “Gavin might want a break from me during the day.”

Oh my God. Had I just said that? To his mother? I bit my lip before anymore presumptive comments spilled out. Rebecca only beamed. She looked like I’d just told her the wedding invitations were in the mail. Gavin squeezed my knee under the table.

“I doubt it,” he said.

I melted like the pat of butter on my stack of pancakes.

“What does everyone think of your relationship?” Richard asked, bringing us all crashing back to earth.

“We haven’t told anyone yet,” I jumped in.

Richard raised an eyebrow at his son.

He disapproved.

Crap.

“Better not keep it a secret. These things always come out. Remember transparency is the key to good leadership,” he advised his son.

“As you’ve told me about 1 million times,” Gavin said. “Everyone loves Cassie at the office.”

“Of course, they do,” Rebecca said as if she had already decided that I was worthy of such affection.

“She could always come work for me,” Richard said.

“Are you trying to steal my girlfriend?” Gavin pretended to be offended as he stabbed another piece of bacon off the center plate.

“I’m more interested in the CEO.”

Rebecca sighed heavily as if she’d heard this conversation before. “He’s got his own company, Richard.”

“Then when do I get to retire?”

“When you appoint a new CEO,” Gavin pointed out.

This was the first time I was hearing about this. Gavin had said he wanted to build his own business, but he had never mentioned that his father wanted him at Sound Coffee.

“I know you want to make your own mark,” Richard said, “but this family built this business and I’d like to keep it in the family. I need someone who will stay true to my vision.”

“What about Imogen?” I suggested.

Everyone turned to look at me. Clearly, they had opinions on that idea.

“If we could get her to stay in one place long enough, that might be a possibility.” Gavin chuckled at the thought

“Imogen is a free spirit,” Richard explained to me. “Maybe in another five years she might be ready.”

There was a lot of doubt in his words. I bristled a little. Imogen wasn’t a kid and I liked her. We were about the same age. Then again, I definitely wouldn’t be prepared to take over the reigns of a Fortune 500 company. They might be right.

“Then I guess you get to retire in five years,” Gavin said, in a way that suggested this conversation was over.

“So what are you two doing today?” Rebecca said quickly, as though she sensed the topic needed to change.

I looked to Gavin. This was his town. His vacation house. I was just along for the ride. He shrugged. “We hadn’t really planned anything out.”

“Spend the day with us,” his mother said. “I promise we’ll be on our best behavior.”

“And we won’t keep you to out too late.” Richard added. Rebecca shot him a scathing look, but he feigned innocence. “What? I heard these two need to get back to bed. It’s amazing that they look so young, but they’re so tired.”