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“Get your fucking hands off me,” the guy shouted. Gavin pinned him with a steely stare that made him bite back whatever else he was going to say. Wayne held the door open from a Miami cab company they utilized when their customers needed it. Giving the guy the finger, the girl got inside and slammed the door shut.
“Listen carefully, Derek,” Gavin said. “You’ve been coming to Bri’s job, where she hangs out, and asking around about her.” He pressed his palms deeper into Derek’s shoulder, so that his upper body was immobile. “Now, I am starting to think that I need to call Detective Abrams. See what he thinks about his son creeping on his ex.”
“I am no damn stalker,” Derek bristled.
“Could’ve fooled me,” Pierce said. “You sure been acting like one.”
After a beat, Derek said, “Please don’t tell my dad that—”
“Then don’t come to Paloma’s Edge anymore,” Gavin interrupted. “Don’t bother my sister or ask about her, either. Understand?” Derek’s Adam’s apple bobbled and his eyes drifted to his boots as he shook his head yes. “Because if there’s a next time you try to make my sister miserable, I don’t give a fuck. You won’t see it comin’; I’ll fuck with your life from every angle, you’d wish you’d gone after some other girl from the get-go.”
“His cab’s here,” Wayne shouted out to us.
Gavin shot Derek a look. “Perfect timing. Derek was just telling me that he’s gonna call it a night.”
Pierce and I stood at the front of La Florida with Wayne. Gavin said something else to Derek that made him look like he was about to vomit.
***
Beth was at the back of my car with Bri. After the cab had driven Derek away from us, we assured everyone that Derek wouldn’t be here again. Jake and Mariska had offered to drive Bri back home, but she’d declined. Pierce stayed at La Floridita.
“Did Jake ask to sleep with you?” Bet
h asked Bri.
“No,” she replied.
That was a point in Jake’s favor, because Joel had likely told Gavin about their kissing. Despite Gavin knowing that Bri was her own woman and could do as she pleased, he saw her as his kid sister. It was like he took her happiness and sadness as his own so much that it concerned Pierce and I. Tonight, Pierce had watched if Beth was having a good time and how I’d treated her, but not to the degree that Gavin would have had he been with us. Gavin had had fun with a girl at one of Pierce’s parties in his penthouse on his night off months ago, but other than that, it was like his life came second to Bri’s. And there was no sign that he had an issue with that. I know that she wanted him to do whatever he wanted and not feel compelled to put her first, but he appeared I don’t know how she’d do without his constant presence in her life.
“Whose idea was it to kiss?” Beth queried.
“Jake’s.”
Grinning, Beth made a sound that showed she wasn’t surprised.
“Mariska handed me a napkin because I was crying a little,” Bri explained, ducking her head from my view and dropping her voice. “I didn’t noticed until small tears trickled down my neck. Jake said that he’d show that asshole how it’s done, and I knew he was asking me if I wanted him to kiss me. I am not stupid.” She laughed a little. “And I don’t remember if I turned my face to kiss him first or if he did, but he can kiss. And it was uncomplicated.”
After we arrived at the house, Bri, Beth, and Mariska were in Bri’s house. I showered and got into my t-shirt and shorts. When I reached the kitchen, Jake was at the kitchen table with a can of ice-cold beer in his hand. He hadn’t had any alcohol when we were at La Floridita.
“What’s up?” I asked him as I opened the fridge and took out the pitcher of ice tea.
“I bought a six-pack. Have one if you want.”
I put the pitcher back in the refrigerator and took a can of beer.
I took the seat across from him, flipped the top up of the can open, and took a long pull. We’d looked at each other once when I’d been ready to stare him down if I had to.
“Thanks for the beer.”
Jake raised his head to me. Beth, Bri, and Mariska came down the stairs in brightly colored pajamas. I sometimes forgot that Beth liked to do girly things like paint her nails bright colors, even though I’d always noticed when she’d changed colors like she had tonight. Concern flitted across Beth and Mariska’s faces. Bri diverted her gaze as she slipped in between them and entered the living room.
The corners of Jake’s mouth twitched. “We were just having a beer,” Jake said.
Beth didn’t look at me for confirmation. She walked down the remaining steps and Jake stood up. By the time I pivoted around to throw away my empty can of beer in the recycling bin, Mariska was behind me.
She hugged me as if she’d done it before and I patted her on the back. “Night, Chase,” she said, and headed to Jake.
“Have a good sleep, Mariska.”
