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“The way you say the family reminds me of the Corleones.” The smile on her face eased me some.
Telling her that it reminded her of it because that was what it fucking was I couldn’t do. Dad would have to offer that information or tell me that I could trust her with it. But if he was in love with Fawn, then had he told her? No, I doubted it.
“The Hughes name is powerful,” was all I said.
Her expression was a cross of hopeful and unsure. “Some things you can’t be protected from. You have to handle that battle yourself.”
What the hell did that mean? If she needed protection, I sure as fuck could do it.
“No, Lollipop, you don’t. You need protection and I can promise you, it’ll happen.”
A knock on the door stopped her from saying whatever it was she was about to say, and then the door swung open as Fawn walked in, carrying the pizzas.
“Delivery,” she said, smiling brightly. “Ms. Jimmie was going to bring it up, but I wanted to.”
I jumped up and went to take the pizza boxes from her.
“Thank you, Trev,” she said to me, then turned to look at Gypsi. “I wanted to talk to you and see how you felt about something.”
Gypsi started to stand up, and her mom shook her head.
“It’s not a private thing. I, uh …”
She reminded me of Gypsi when she smiled like that.
“Would you mind if Garrett and I left for a couple of days? He wants to take me to Paris. Paris, Gypsi. I just … I hate to leave you, but … it’s Paris.”
Gypsi’s smile was genuine as she listened to her mother. “I would be mad if you didn’t go,” she said, then stood up. “Go have fun. Take pictures and text them to me.”
I watched as she went to hug her mom.
“You’ll be fine? Right?” Fawn asked her.
Gypsi laughed. “Mom, I’m grown. I’ll get a ride back to the camper in the morning since we don’t have the car here. It’ll give me time to look for a better-paying job with the car all to myself.”
Fawn was frowning, her eyes wide. “You aren’t going to stay here?”
“This isn’t my home. I can’t just stay here.”
“Yes, you can,” I interrupted.
She was not going back to the motherfucking camper alone.
Fawn looked at me, smiling again. “See, Trev doesn’t mind. Garrett wants you to be here so I won’t worry. I can’t enjoy Paris if you’re alone at the camper.”
Gypsi sighed heavily. “Mom—” she started, but Fawn cut her off.
“Please, honey. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me, and I get to be with Garrett. Let me enjoy it. Don’t go back to the camper. And why are you looking for a better-paying job? Do you need money? You know where the savings jar is. Get what you need.”
Gypsi shook her head. “That is our savings. Not just mine.”
Fawn grabbed Gypsi’s shoulders. “You would tell me if …” She paused, her gaze flickering to me for a moment, then back to her daughter. “If I needed to know something?”
Gypsi stiffened slightly. I didn’t like it. “Yes, of course. I just need to start putting back money for the future. That’s all.”
Fawn closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. “Listen to me. I need you to stay here. Where you are safe. Don’t go looking for a new job until I get back. We will talk when I return and figure out the future together. Just stop being stubborn. Stay here in that beautiful bedroom and enjoy yourself.”
Gypsi stayed silent for a few seconds, and I realized I was holding my breath, waiting on her answer. Not butting into this conversation and telling her that she was staying her ass in this house was hard.
“Fine. Okay. Go enjoy Paris. I will stay here like some spoiled heiress and mooch off Garrett’s hospitality,” she said grudgingly.
Her mom laughed. “You are so far from a spoiled heiress, and you’re not mooching. Garrett wants you here.” She waved a hand at me. “Trev wants you here too.”
“Yep,” I chimed in.
Gypsi just nodded.
Fawn beamed brightly, then kissed her cheek, hugging her tightly. “Okay. I was going to go back to the camper to pack, but Garrett is refusing to let me. He wants to buy me clothes when we get there.” She paused and bit her lip, looking unsure. “I feel bad, letting him,” she said softly to Gypsi.
“Stop worrying, Mom. If the man wants to dress you in Parisian clothing, let him,” Gypsi told her.
Fawn’s smile wavered some, unsure, but she finally nodded. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Gypsi replied.
Fawn hugged her one more time before she waved at me, then left the room, closing the door behind her.
Gypsi’s shoulders lifted and fell with another heavy sigh, and then she walked back over to the sofa and sank down beside me. I leaned forward and got a piece of the meat lovers pizza and handed it to her.
