Page 13

Chapter Thirteen

Griffin’s Beach Gavin

S itting in his apartment, Gavin contemplates calling Hailey. Getting the call from his mom that she was in trouble scared the hell out of him. And the way they found her kept him up all night. As did the conversation he just had two hours ago.

Emme wasn’t happy, but she understood. He knows part of her had to realize he still loves Hailey. It didn’t make it easier to handle her disappointment at his rejection when she showed up, ready to hop into bed. At least she didn’t put up much of a fight about it.

The fact he almost lost Hailey hasn’t left his mind since last night, and it made turning Emme down much easier. He almost really lost Hailey, and he hates that they were both so angry the last time they spoke before this whole mess happened.

BUZZ!

Walking to the intercom, he prays it’s not Emme coming back to try and talk him out of being done with her. Like she’d done via text. As much fun as he had with her, he can’t continue. Not after last night. “Yeah?”

“It’s me.”

Hailey. He can’t press the button fast enough, and he opens his door to wait in the hallway. His hands shake, and he all but bounces on the balls of his feet as he waits for her to walk towards him.

The moment her brown hair comes into view, he wants to run to her. Grab her and hold her as tightly as he can, and he wants to never, ever let her go again. He doesn’t, though. There’s no telling where her head is at and how much physical touch she can handle right now.

Hailey stops right in front of him, and he sees she’s been crying. Her eyes are slightly bloodshot, and they’re swollen. A look he hates to see.

“Hey,” he says after they’ve stared at each other for an awkward amount of time.

“Hey.”

Relief fills him as she jumps into his arms. Swooping her up, he takes her into his apartment, thankful to touch her.

“How are you?” he asks as he sets her down. “Can I get you something?”

“Water, please,” she says and moves to sit on the couch. “I’m… I don’t quite know what I am right now, actually.”

Quickly grabbing a bottle from the kitchen, he hurries to sit beside her. Being out of her sight for even a second too long has him feeling like she might just disappear. Poof! She’ll be gone.

“Hailey, how did this all happen?”

He’d been upstairs with Lindsey when she talked with Colt and Lex about it, and she recounts it for Gavin. He finds a strange relief knowing it wasn’t because she mistakenly trusted someone.

Obviously, that wouldn’t happen. She doesn’t trust anyone.

No, it was a case of wrong place at the wrong time. Her instincts were on-point, but she wasn’t in a position to get away. Not on her own.

“I’m not going back to school,” Hailey says. “Just the thought of having to go back to the campus, let alone that room, makes me feel like jumping out of my skin. I mean, we were supposed to be safe there, you know?”

“What about your stuff?”

“Lex and a few others got everything for us. Lindsey left a couple of hours ago to go back home to Oregon, and the rest of her stuff is getting shipped to her.”

He tentatively reaches out and takes her hand. “What are you going to do?”

Shaking her head, she shrugs and leans against the arm of the couch.

Her knee presses against the back cushion as she faces him.

“I’ll stay at home until I figure it out.

I kind of just want to stick around here, you know?

It’s the only place that really feels safe, which is ironic considering there’s, like, a serial killer lurking around. ”

She’s staying! “How were Colt and Lex about the whole situation?”

“They’ve been great. They’re always great. I was scared I’d never see Lucas again. Or the rest of my family. Or… you.”

I made the list! That’s something. “I can only imagine.”

“You have to understand something about me, Gavin. I’ve found it to be easier to expect the absolute worst out of everyone around me. In my experience, I’m always let down in one way or another. If I expect the worst, it’s not a surprise.”

He can’t blame her. Her life has been far from easy, but she creates some of the heartache she goes through herself.

“Or you might be putting the bad things out into the universe and getting what you ask for.” The moment he says the words, he pinches his eyes shut. “I didn’t mean that you deserved or even asked for what happened last night. I mean other shit. You know? I’m just going to stop talking now.”

Gavin expects Hailey to get angry. To bite his head off and yell at him and say he’s a terrible person. The one he fears is hearing her say she made a mistake by coming here today, but he pops his eyes open when she laughs.

“Hailey?”

“You’re right. I create self-fulfilling prophecies by expecting the worst. That night, though, wasn’t me putting it out there. My instincts were spot on, but I couldn’t get out of it.”

Shaking his head, he smirks. “You’re nothing if not a constant surprise, Hailey Lawrence.”

“Nichols.”

“Pardon?”

Sniffling, she looks at the couch cushion between them and pulls her hand from his as she hugs her knees to her chest. “I asked Colt and Lex to adopt me.”

“Wait, are you serious?”

She nods and looks up into his eyes. “They love me even though I make it incredibly difficult.”

“They understand.”

“They love Lucas just the same. I mean, the adoption is more of a formality at this point, but I’m going to change my name. I think I’m going to test out calling them Mom and Dad, but that might take some time. It’s time to put the past behind me.”

“They’re over the moon, aren’t they?”

She smiles, biting her bottom lip as she nods. “I was scared they’d say no.”

“You didn’t see them last night. Lex held it together for Lucas, but I know how she looks when she’s terrified. And it’s rarely ever for herself. And Colt… man, anyone who got in his way was going to lose their life. He told Mel he came to bring his daughter home.”

“The whole club showed up for me,” she says and begins to cry. “No one has ever done that before. Not since Dad died. It was humbling to need saving because I’ve always had to save myself.”

Taking the chance, he reaches out and pulls her towards him, wrapping his arms around her as he leans into his side. “It’s how it works in this family, babe. You just gotta get used to it.”

She sniffles and nods. “I know. It’s just… It’s not something I’m used to. It’s nice. Really nice.”

She sobs into his chest, and Gavin just holds her. No matter what he thinks, he can’t even begin to imagine how she feels right now. It has to be overwhelming on different levels, and she’s used to always taking care of herself. What’s normal for Gavin is brand new for Hailey.

“Are you dating the waitress?”

“Her name is—”

“I know, but it’s easier for me to just call her the waitress.”

Chuckling, he shakes his head. “It was never like that. We just… spent time together.”

She pulls back and wipes her eyes before searching his face. “What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said women mean something to you when you take them to bed, but it doesn’t sound like she means anything to you.”

His eyes cast down to her knee as she shifts to face him again.

“I was upset. You just surprised me when you slept with me and then dumped me. Then you showed up that night, took me to bed, and disappeared again before I woke up. Went back to school like it was nothing and broke my fucking heart all over again.”

“It’s my fault.”

“Hailey—”

“I’m not angry, Gavin,” she says. “I thought I was going to be able to move on if we made a clean break, but there was nothing clean about it. And I was so wrong. It didn’t go according to my poorly thought-out plan.”

This feels like a trap. Something I can’t win.

“How did it go, then?”

Licking her lips, Hailey waits for him to look at her. “I don’t want to ruin whatever you have going on with the waitress.”

“Fuck the waitress. I mean, I was fucking the waitress, yes, but forget her.”

“Forget her?”

Nothing Gavin says comes out right. “It’s over with her. I already told her. After what happened last night, I couldn’t keep seeing her. Please, Hailey… Tell me what you mean.”

“It’s scary for me,” she whispers. “I don’t really do the whole feelings thing.”

“Please?” He hates how he begs, but he needs to know. Like he might die if she doesn’t tell him.

“I missed you,” she says as tears fall. “Damn it, it’s like I’m a fucking faucet these past twenty-four hours. I cry at everything I never would have, and I’m pretty sure I’d gone, like, seven years without crying like this.”

He laughs and reaches out to wipe a tear from her cheek. “I miss you, Hailey. Every fucking day. When you’re here, there’s no one else. It’s only you. That’s why I told Em—the waitress that it’s over.”

“Gavin, I…” Hailey pauses and swallows. “I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you.”

If his heart could jump from his chest, grow wings, and fly to the heavens, it would right now. “Really?”

She nods and quietly asks, “Do you still love me?”

“More than the air I breathe.”

Her lips press against his, and he wraps his arms around her as though she might flee in fear. Panic and backtrack. He’ll be damned if he lets her.

She doesn’t try to run away, though, and it feels like a dream. A wonderful dream he’s been hoping would come true since he first met this frustrating and amazing woman.

“Gavin?”

Panting, he rests his forehead against hers. “Yeah?”

“Would it be okay if we just… took a nap? I’m still so tired.”

My poor girl. Brushing her hair from her face, he tucks it behind her ear. “As long as you promise to still be here when I wake up.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Gavin smiles and stands, holding his hand out to her. “Yeah, we can do that.”