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Chapter 13
Gavin
Shit, dude. Couldyou have been any more of an asshole?
Gavin couldn’t believe how he’d spoken to Gen. He’d basically told her to mind her own business and stay out of his life. Of course, that’s what he really did wish people– not just her, but everyone – would do. But, still. It’s not something you just flat out said to someone.
God, the look in her eyes when he’d said those words. It had been heartbreaking.
And what had his response been? To turn around and walk away without a backward glance.
Way to go, Valentine. You’re a real class act.
That was the thing, though. The more he thought about it– and thinking about it had been just about all he’d been doing for the entire drive home– the more he realized that he didn’t want Gen to stay out of his life. She was the first person in a very long time that he very much wanted to be close to.
The problem with that, though, was that he didn’t know how to start. He didn’t know what words to say, or how to respond to her words. He’d lived a life of solitude for so freaking long that letting someone into his life at this point just felt unnatural and awkward.
As a pilot, he was all about precision. Being in total control. Flying wasn’t something you did. It was something you were. It was more than a job, it was an identity, and one that he was born for.
But you aren’t a pilot anymore. Are you, Valentine?
That thought drove a stab of pain and regret so deep into his chest that he thought he might be having a heart attack. But, no, he realized. His heart wasn’t failing. Not literally. Not physically.
The worst part was, he didn’t think he could fix this. As bad as he wanted to, he was afraid that being vulnerable might just be the one skill that was beyond his ability. And, because of that, he may have just taken the best thing he had left in his life right now and fucked it all to hell.
Climbing out of the car, he decided to put the whole incident behind him. After all, there was nothing he could do about it now.
Except call her, you idiot.
He was starting to develop a real hatred for the voice in his head.
Turning the key in the front door, Gavin hoped that the house would be empty. God knew he loved his siblings, but what he really needed right then was some time alone with his thoughts.
“Hey, bro! Is that you? I’m in the kitchen.”
Well, there goes that idea.
Gavin stepped through the kitchen doorway and saw his brother taking a frozen pizza out of the package and sliding it onto the middle rack of the oven. “So, I take it Mila’s not home, then?”
Troy flashed him a sheepish grin. “Yeah. I’ve got a night off from ‘healthy, well-rounded meal’ duty.”
“Sounds good to me. I’m grabbing a beer. You?”
“Obviously. If pizza’s in play, beer is kind of a foregone conclusion.”
“True.”
Gavin took the tops off the two cold beers and handed one of the frosty brews to Troy. “Deck?”
“Let’s do it.”
The two men settled into their seats and stared out at the view silently for a few moments, taking intermittent swigs from the amber bottles they each held. Just as Gavin was beginning to think that maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all, Troy said, “So, what happened?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, you came in looking like you’d seen a ghost or something. You look like crap. So, I’m assuming something happened. I’m asking what it was.”
“I saw a ghost,” Gavin deadpanned.
