Page 18 of Take Me Slowly, Part 1 (Aurora Hollow duet #1)

LEAH

The place was dimly lit, but cosy. Low ceilings welcomed me inside, like a warm hug.

I followed Fiona into the small, open plan living and kitchen area.

Dark blue walls contrasted with white crown moulding and wainscoting. A brick fireplace off to one side was cold and empty.

"Hey, Gavin." Fiona placed the bags on the kitchen counter.

He sat on an armchair near the window, staring at a small television. I recognised the show, featuring a family who renovated a resort in the Bahamas. Somewhere I'd love to go someday.

At first, I didn't think he knew we were there, but slowly he turned his face. His brows dipped when he looked at me.

"This is Leah." Fiona flapped a hand in my direction before starting to pull out groceries from the bag. "Have you eaten today?"

"Leah." Gavin seemed confused, like his mind wasn't putting all the pieces together.

"That's right," I said softly. "Leah Kent. I'm new in town."

"Leah Kent," he echoed.

"She's my friend," Fiona said. "Now, have you eaten? You know what, let me make you something anyway. It doesn't look like anyone's made anything here today." She bustled around, pulling out a microwave meal and putting it in to heat up.

"Can I do anything?" I asked, directing the question to both of them.

"Can you take these?" Fiona dug through the fridge, pulling out items that needed to be tossed away. She handed me half a loaf of bread, a couple of half-rotten apples and a sock. "I don't know either," she said before I could ask. "Its pair might be around somewhere."

"Right." I threw the food away in the trash and the sock in the laundry hamper by the bedroom door.

I caught a glimpse of a big four-poster bed that didn't look recently slept in.

Unless someone came by during the day to make it for him.

Since the hamper was empty, I assumed he or someone else washed his clothes.

The microwave pinged happily. Fiona opened it and eased the meal out. Gingerly, her brow creased in concentration, she pulled back the wrap and let it sit too cool for a couple of minutes.

"How have you been, Gavin?" She leaned against the kitchen counter, her hands to either side of her.

"Same old," he said in a rough, gravelly voice that was strangely soothing. The kind of voice that could put someone into a comfortable, restful sleep.

The tune to an old lullaby came to mind. I couldn't remember the words, only a vague, soothing sound. I must have heard it on some TV show or movie, because I didn't think my mother ever sang me a lullaby. My stepfather definitely didn't. Gavin's voice was the same kind of soothing.

"Louisa came by with pie," he added. "Maybe that was yesterday." His brow creased again.

Fiona glanced at me, then back at him. "It could have been." Clearly she thought it was much longer than that. "Was it good pie?"

"Her pies are always good," he said. "The best. Almost as good as…" He blinked a couple of times, as if trying to remember.

"They are so good," Fiona said quickly. She grabbed a fork and stirred the meal, it looked like spaghetti Bolognese, before carrying it over and handing it to him. "Make sure you eat it all."

"Bossy," he teased. He gave her a sideways look before tucking into the food.

"I'm not bossy, I just care," Fiona said tartly. "We can't have you fading away, can we now?"

He grunted in response, but went on eating as though he hadn't seen food in days. I suspected he hadn't. At least, not today.

When I was engrossed in a piece of art, I sometimes forgot to eat, so I could relate to being that hungry. Losing his daughter must really have shattered him. He seemed totally aware at moments and completely lost in others. Thankfully he had the town looking out for him.

After a couple of minutes, he finished everything and looked mournful.

"Still hungry?" Fiona guessed. "Lucky I brought you a surprise." She took the empty tray and fork, and dug into one of the bags to pull out a plastic container. She peeled off the lid to reveal several cupcakes.

"Your favourite colour." She held the box out to him so he could take one.

"Purple was Coral's favourite colour," he said. He bit into the cupcake, leaving a smear of purple icing on his nose.

He reminded me of Riley with paint from my painting on his face.

"Purple is a great colour," I said. I picked up a cupcake when Fiona offered me the box. She took one herself before tossing the box back into the bag.

"Purple is the best colour," Fiona agreed. "It's like blue and pink had a lovechild."

I laughed before biting into mine. "This is so good," I moaned.

"Of course they are, Carly made them," Fiona said. "Everyone knows she's the best baker in town."

"Carly is the best," Gavin agreed. "I asked her to my prom, but she said no. She wanted to go with Henry Crane." He grunted in the back of his throat, like she should have had better taste.

"Riley's dad?" I asked. Of course, many of the families in town lived here for a couple of generations. It made sense they all grew up together, like my new friends all had.

"Yep," Gavin agreed. "But Henry only had eyes for Briony. He waited years for her to break up with Jacob, then he pounced." He mimed doing that with one hand before wiping the icing off his nose.

"It all sounds really incestuous, doesn't it?" Fiona giggled. "My parents met when they were five. They've never dated anyone else. So they say, at least."

"That must have been nice though," I said. "Always knowing who you're going to end up with."

Fiona finished her cupcake and washed her hands. "I suppose so, but I've always been a big fan of ‘try before you buy’. I don't want to get stuck with someone who can't…" She glanced at Gavin and her cheeks turned pink.

"Get you off, " he finished for her. "I'm not all there sometimes, but I wasn't born yesterday. I know what orgasms are."

"Of course you do," she said with an awkward laugh.

He hummed his agreement. "Don't marry anyone who can't give you lots of them." He tossed the rest of the cupcake into his mouth and chewed slowly.

"That sounds like good advice," I said.

He looked confused. "What does?" In a matter of moments, he disappeared back into himself.

Fiona sighed softly. "Us going and letting you get some rest. I'll make sure someone comes by in the morning to be sure you have breakfast."

"Suit yourself." His shoulders dropped and he curled in on himself, his eyes back on the TV screen.

I watched him for a moment, my heart hurting for him.

What would his life have been like if his daughter hadn't died?

He could be laughing with her, maybe a couple of grandchildren.

Not here by himself, trapped in his own brain.

I wished I could help more, but all I could do was feel incredibly sad.

And remind myself to live my best life as much and as often as I could.

I had no choice but to slow down on flare-up days, but the rest of the time? I should be out there living better.

Although, I was living better here than I was back in the city, so that was a start.

Fiona watched him for a minute or two before grabbing up the bags and starting towards the door.

"Good night, Gavin."

He didn't answer. The only sign he heard was a twitch in his cheek. Otherwise, he didn't move.

"Should we…?" I whispered.

"There's nothing we can do," she whispered back. "Trust me, we've tried. Once he's had enough, he's had enough."

I hated to leave him there like that, but I stepped towards the door.

"Good night, Gavin," I said softly.

I didn't know why I expected a different response to the one he gave Fiona, but it seemed rude to walk away without saying anything.

"Good night" he said without glancing at me.

Fiona looked surprised as she gestured out of the door in front of her. "I think he likes you."

"I'm probably a novelty," I said. "New face in town and all." Like I was with Connor and Riley.

"I guess so," she agreed. "I never expected him to say the word orgasms." She smiled before pulling the door closed behind her.

"It really was good advice." I walked beside her as we headed back to our cottages.

"Is that why you went up to the lookout with Connor and Riley?" she teased.

"You really want the answer to that?" I turned to raise my eyebrows at her.

"Now you mention it, not really," she said with a laugh. "That would be like listening to you talk about fucking my brother."

"I won't answer the question then," I said. I wouldn't want to hear if she got involved with my stepbrother. Although, I suspected they'd loathe each other. She was a small town sweetheart and he was a city asshole, through and through. She deserved a lot better than Brooks Kent.

"Thanks for coming with me tonight," she said. "It was nice to see Gavin a bit more lively than usual. Sometimes he just watches the TV and doesn't seem to notice I'm there. I could do a dance routine in front of him and he wouldn't blink."

"You dance?" I asked.

"Badly," she said with a laugh. "That could be why he wouldn't watch. I'm pretty bad."

"I'm sure you're not that bad," I said. I would be. Right now in particular. My legs and feet were starting to ache. The sooner I got off them and into a bath, the better.

"You haven't seen me," she said. "Wait until I get a few tequilas in me and then you can enjoy the show. I'm the definition of 'dance like no one is watching.' Of course, I never say anything like this in front of Sarah. I don't want her to grow up thinking it's okay to put herself down."

"I like that," I said. "We're really good at being mean to ourselves too much of the time."

"We really are." She nodded vigourously. "And we don't need to be, especially with guys like Riley and Connor around. I think they get off on being mean to us on our behalf." She said it lightly, like she didn't really believe it.

For all their barbs toward each other, it was more teasing than it was nasty.

She made the comparison to siblings; that sounded accurate to me.

They bickered like brothers and sisters, but at the end of the day they all had each other's backs.

If anything happened to Fiona, I didn't doubt guys would come running.

Ready to take a swing at anyone who'd try to hurt her.

"I'm glad I found this place," I said softly, as we crossed a street and stopped in front of my cottage.

"I'm glad you found it too." She threw her arms around me and squeezed me tight. "I hope you never leave."

"I might not." I squeezed her back. "Why would I want to?

"I can't think of a single reason." She laughed. "I guess you better stick around." She lowered her arms and waved at me while walking backwards a few steps to her place.

I watched her until she turned around, then headed inside for a long soak.