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She smiles sadly, pinched lines at the corners of her eyes appearing.
“After Mum died, I volunteered for the UN. I needed to get away. There were too many memories here.”
“You were grieving. It makes sense you needed fresh surroundings.”
“But I left Dad. He was grieving too, but I could only think about myself. Self-preservation.” She sighs. “I couldn’t stand to be reminded of her everywhere I looked. I left him to grieve alone. What kind of daughter does that?”
I place my hand over hers on the top of the bar. “One who was dealing with her own grief. You said it yourself, there were too many memories. You did what you needed to. He’ll understand.”
She places her other hand on top of mine so she’s holding it between both of hers. “I can’t leave him again. Not when he needs me.” She strokes my hand in hers, her brow furrowing as she looks at it. “He’s sick, Logan.” Her eyes flick to mine, shining with unshed tears. “Maybe he hoped I wouldn’t see it. But I’m a doctor, after all.” She blinks rapidly, drawing in a slow breath.
“Sick?” Nausea balls inside my gut.
“I need to talk to him about it. But every time I try, he changes the subject. Changes it onto you.” She continues to stroke my hand in hers. “You know he thinks us getting married is the answer to everything?”
“No wonder he and my dad are friends. They’ve both gone mad.”
Gabrielle laughs softly, and I try to smile, but something heavy is pulling down inside my chest making breathing difficult, that way when your instincts are telling you to prepare. Because shit is about to hit the fan.
“I don’t want to hurt him again. Everything he’s worked for his entire life, his company, it means everything to him. Just like it does to your dad. We can make them both happy. I can make it up to him for leaving him. I can be the daughter he deserves.” She looks up at me and all I can do is swallow as she furrows her brow and continues to stroke my hand.
“You don’t want to marry me, Gabrielle.”
I need to say it out loud. Because, fuck, whatever is happening here cannot be real. She was as adamant as me when I called her from Italy. She laughed about how ludicrous our dads were being. We both did.
“Are you in love?” Her question catches me off guard and I stare at her as she studies me, looking deep into my eyes. “Logan, are you—?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
“If you love someone else, then it’s out of the question.” She bites her bottom lip, her eyes shining with desperation. “But if you’re not, then…”
“Then what?” I slide my hand away gently and Gabrielle picks up her glass and takes another sip.
“We know each other. Welikeeach other. It could work.” She lifts her shoulders, her lips pulling into a twisted line, the crease in her brow deepening as she thinks. “People marry for family reasons all the time.”
My eyes almost pop out of my head. I force myself to take a slow, deep breath as I lean back in my seat. My heart fires into palpitations against my ribs.
“Your father is dangling a lifeline in front of mine and using you and I as fucking pawns in his game. That’s the reason,” I hiss. “He’s told my dad if we divorce, he’ll want all the money back with an insane amount of interest. Dad could never pay it.”
Gabrielle’s throat quivers as she swallows. “You’re right. He is. But he’sdying, Logan. And this is his way of doing what he thinks is best for me. He wants me to be secure. His business is doing well. And if you come and bring Vex with you, it’ll thrive.”
“Then why doesn’t he just ask for a merger? Fuck, I’d do it to help my dad. You know I would.” I shake my head, huffing out an angry breath despite my heart clenching with sympathy for her.
“Dad knows contracts are easily broken. Companies are sold all the time. He’s hoping if you and I marry and have a family that….” Gabrielle looks at the ceiling before bringing her eyes back to mine. “He’s hoping I’ll not be alone when he dies. It’s worried him ever since Mum...” She swallows, unable to finish her sentence.
“Jesus.”
I rest my elbows on the bar and drop my head into my hands, tension spreading through my shoulders until I no longer feel like I can even move. I’m frozen in place. Bound by the constraints of other people’s wishes and desires being forced upon me.
“I’m not sure how long he has.” Her voice cracks. “But the prescriptions I’ve found in the house and the way his hands shake when he thinks I’m not looking...”
She fixes her eyes on mine, driving her point home.
“You’re willing to sacrifice your future for your dying father’s warped idealistic dream?”
“He just wants to see me happy, Logan. It’s what dads want for their kids, isn’t it?”
I think about Drew and his dad, sourness creeping over my tongue.
