AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gabby refused to look away. If this woman wanted to scare her off and tell her to stay away from Dane, she could look her in the eye.
“Thank you, Gabriella.” She turned her gaze to the setting sun, nearly put to bed for the night. “Thank you for showing my son what life should be about. You’re perfect for him. He probably doesn’t even realize how much.”
Huh?
Well, maybe she wasn’t mad about her taking Dane away from work.
But she knew his father was. She feared what his father would do to break them apart.
They finished their glasses of wine, talking about the upcoming wine festival that she and Mia loved to attend every year. They had the best Strawberry wine. She could usually devour an entire bottle at the event itself. Plus, she usually bought a case before she left because it was the best. She could never find it in stores, so buying it in bulk until the next year rolled around for the festival had to do.
Dane joined them. He gave his mother the present he had painstakingly shopped for. A simple gold necklace with a pendant shaped like a penguin. Apparently, his mother loved penguins. She had stuffed animal penguins. Pictures of penguins. She even had a few garden statues of penguins lingering in her roses.
She, of course, loved it. Considering he didn’t have a card and had pulled the tiny box out of his pocket, she knew it only came from Dane. Gabby saw a moment of pain echo in her eyes when Champ came out on the porch with no gift.
Gabby didn’t feel an ounce of remorse when Champ’s cheeks flushed a light shade of red when he said he accidentally left her present on his kitchen counter. But he said he’d deliver it straight away tomorrow morning. His mother cooed with happiness as if she believed the bald-faced lie.
The man sure had a way with words.
Dane insisted they leave shortly after. Gabby didn’t argue one bit.
The ride back to her apartment was silent. She didn’t know what to say. Obviously, Dane had no idea either.
She liked his mother. She could mention that, but then it’d bring the topic of she didn’t like his father and brother. Awkward.
He walked her up to her apartment and followed her inside. He even locked the door behind him. When they got to the living room, she turned around and looked at him. He stared back.
Still, neither said anything.
The silence stretched.
“This isn’t going to work.”
Her voice held finality to it.
She couldn’t even believe the words came out of her mouth. They were a mistake. Except she didn’t take them back. She didn’t say she was wrong and hadn’t meant to say that. She simply waited for him to argue the fact.
He sighed and nodded.
He. Nodded.
Oh, shit. He actually agreed.
So, she didn’t protest; she hadn’t meant to say it.
“Thank you for coming with me tonight. It was more bearable with you there.”
Then he turned around and walked out. The soft click of the door confirmed his departure.
The best relationship of her life and it was over.
And she had no one to blame but herself.
19
Aknock sounded on his door. He thought about ignoring it, but he told himself—forced himself—to be more vigilant about how he acted toward others. Just because he was unhappy and miserable, didn’t mean he should make the people around him unhappy and miserable.
“Come in.”
