Page 17

Summer POV

“Would you like cheese on your burger, Grayson?” Gabriel asked as he flipped a patty on the grill.

Grayson glanced up at me.

“Do I like cheese on my burger, Mom?”

“Yes, you do,” I said.

Gabriel and I shared a smirk.

A jolt of pleasure shot down my stomach, causing heat to pool below my belly button.

Get a hold of yourself, Summer.

But it was hard to focus on anything other than Gabriel. His back was to me, and he only had on black swim trunks that hung low on his hips. His defined shoulder and back muscles made me think of when I scratched my nails down his back when his finger was…

Stop!

It was the day after I told Grayson that Gabriel was his father. We were spending the day by the pool. Even though it was the start of fall, the temperature was perfect for swimming. My aunt and mom were at the hospital to give us some privacy. My mom had texted me half an hour ago that there was still no change in my father’s condition.

When the burgers were ready, I helped Gabriel put them on a plate and carried them to the long, shaded table that was already loaded with freshly cut watermelon, grilled corn on the cob, and Grayson’s favorite potato salad that I had whipped up in Gabriel’s fancy kitchen.

Automatically, I began to make a plate for Grayson, but Gabriel lightly touched my hand.

“I was hoping I could do that,” he muttered quietly. “If that’s all right.”

My heart flipped as I handed him the plate, and our hands brushed.

“Of course,” I replied and sat down, handing a package of burger buns to Gabriel.

He was patient as Grayson rattled off his specific instructions of exactly how much ketchup he wanted on his burger, how he only wanted three pickles, and none of his food should be touching under any circumstances.

“Should I, uh, cut up his burger?” Gabriel asked. “Just so there’s no chance of him choking.”

A lump developed in my throat.

Which was ridiculous. Gabriel had just asked a simple question.

Yeah, but the fact that he’s trying so hard makes me feel things that I’m not ready to fully examine.

“No, he’ll be fine,” I assured him.

The three of us began to eat. Goose under the table, was hoping to catch any fallen food. Grayson picked up his corn, his legs swinging happily under the table.

“So, what should I call you?” Grayson asked after he swallowed his first bite. “Gabriel or Dad?”

Gabriel’s fork clattered to his plate. As he looked at our son, his eyes shone with affection.

“You can call me whatever you want to call me,” he said after a moment. “Whatever you're comfortable with.”

Grayson took another bite of his corn and scrunched his nose in thought.

“I think I’ll go with Dad,” our son said casually and continued eating. “That seems like the right thing since you are my dad.”

A wide smile bloomed across Gabriel's face, and adorable wrinkles creased around his eyes, which were shining with happiness.

During our meal, Gabriel asked Grayson questions like his favorite food — my potato salad — his favorite color — black like Goose’s fur, and his middle name — Theodore . The last question I’d had to answer for him.

My son became more chatty the longer the two of them talked. An hour after we’d finished eating, Grayson was concluding a long-winded story about the time one of Aunt Mia’s horses gave birth and how he wasn’t allowed to watch.

“Don’t you think that’s unfair, Dad? That I wasn’t allowed to watch?” Grayson asked. He had stood up and was now bouncing on his feet, hyper from the sugar in the lemonade he had been drinking.

“Oh, I think it's completely unfair,” Gabriel agreed, then subtly winked at me.

I rolled my eyes and suppressed a smile.

Grayson beamed in reply, and the two of them bumped knuckles.

“See, Mom?” Grayson said, turning to me. “Dad agrees with me.”

“Honey, I didn’t even want to watch that. It would have grossed you out,” I said gently.

“Nuh-uh!” Grayson’s brown curls bounced as he shook his head. “I don’t get grossed out.” He stopped bouncing and then looked back at the pool. “Can we swim now?”

“Yes,” I answered and stood up to get the blue swim floaties Gabriel bought along with mine and Grayson's swimsuits. “Come here, sweetheart.”

As I put the floaties on my son, Gabriel stood up, rummaging around in a shopping bag.

“Remember, you need to keep these on at all times,” I told my son. “You’re not the strongest swimmer yet, and these will keep you safe.”

“Mom,” Grayson whined and looked back at his dad, who was coming back toward us. “Not too loud. Dad might hear you.”

I grinned, and my heart lifted.

“I got goggles and sunscreen, too,” Gabriel said and proudly showcased both items.

My smile widened.

Was it strange that Gabriel bonding and taking care of our son made my former Mate even more attractive to me?

The two boys stepped away, and Gabriel sprayed sunscreen on our son, making sure he was completely protected. Once they were done, I walked over to them.

Gabriel’s eyes shot down and studied my bikini-clad body. His pupils dilated, and his mouth dropped slightly open.

It seemed like he had been momentarily stunned.

By me.

His reaction caused desire to pulse down my spine. The way he was studying every curve of my body made my confidence rise, and I had to stop myself from smirking.

“Why don’t you two swim without me?” I suggested. “I’m going to clean up lunch.” I put on my black swimsuit cover-up.

“Are you sure?” Gabriel said. “I can help you clean up, then we can go swimming.”

Grayson got bored with our conversation and crept back over to the table to sneak more lemonade, even though I told him he couldn't have any more. I didn't know who that kid thought he was fooling. The squeaking of his floaties gave him away instantly.

“I think that it will be good for you and Grayson to spend some alone time together,” I said. “Just please make sure that he keeps his floaties on and just keep your eye on him. He isn't the best swimmer.”

“I promise to protect him. You can trust me with him, Summer.”

I grinned and stepped an inch closer to him, our eyes meeting.

“I know I can.”

***

“Have you heard of the boxing maneuver?” I asked Gabriel as I paced around his office.

“No, I haven't. It sounds interesting. What is it?” he asked, his fingers poised over his keyboard, ready to take notes.

“Essentially, it's used to ‘box’ your opponent in. We need to surround them from all sides,” I said.

“That's a great idea,” Gabriel said, his fingers flying over his keyboard as he typed. “If the ‘box’ is tight enough, there will be no way for them to escape, and we can pick them off one by one.”

“Yes!” I snapped my fingers and pointed at him. “Exactly.”

We shared a quick smile.

It was eleven at night, and after Gabriel and I put Grayson to bed, he had asked me if I wanted to help him prepare for his battle strategy meeting tomorrow morning. After he explained his brilliant plan to defeat the Rogue army, we'd been brainstorming for three hours, and time had flown. My military studies degree and growing up with a dad who was in charge of WaterLock's safety had come in handy.

And I had to admit, Gabriel and I worked well together. He listened to every idea I had and expanded upon it.

“I think I'm ready for my meeting tomorrow, Summer. Thank you so much for your help.”

He stood from his office chair and stretched his arms above his head. His black shirt rode up and showcased his tanned, toned stomach. The black shorts he had on hung low on his hips, and I noticed a smattering of light-brown hair that traveled below his shorts.

My hands shook with such an intense need to touch him that it scared me.

I still held bitterness for the man before me. But seeing him with Grayson today…it cracked the wall I’d put around my heart just a little.

Was it safe to allow my former Mate back into my heart? What if he just broke it again? If he did it a second time, how would it ever beat again? I’d barely survived the first time.

Gabriel yawned and came around his desk to stand in front of me.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said and leaned against his desk, crossing one of his ankles over the other. “What if you joined me at the meeting tomorrow morning? I’m sure your aunt or mom would watch Grayson for you.”

My eyes widened, and I clasped my hands together in excitement.

“Really?”

The fact that he trusted my opinion enough to want me to join a meeting with other Alpha inheritors and Alphas made happiness flow through me.

“Of course, you’ve been such a big help tonight, and your military degree will be really useful. I’d love to have you contribute even more ideas to help defeat the Rogues. And you have the right to be there after what happened to you and your father,” Gabriel said.

The wall in my heart cracked directly down the middle, like it had never been there in the first place.

I threw my arms around Gabriel’s shoulders, hugging him, my head pressed against his strong chest. I could hear his heart beating.

Gabriel pulled me closer and buried his face in my hair, letting out a low chuckle.

“If it makes you this happy, you can join every single meeting I have for the rest of my life,” he said.

I pulled back to look at him and quietly gasped.

The urgent look in his green eyes gave me pause.

My stomach churned, and I couldn’t tell if I was scared or excited—probably both.

I grabbed onto the back of Gabriel’s soft shirt because I needed something to hold onto.

“Summer, there’s something I need to say. Something I should have said the moment I saw you again after all these years.” His voice was much deeper than it had been a moment ago.

I nodded for him to continue.

“I am so deeply sorry for breaking our bond. It is the biggest regret of my life. Not only because it lost me time with Grayson, but it kills me that it lost me time with you. You are the only woman I’ve ever loved, who I will ever love. Every single day you were away, I thought about you. When you left, you took my heart with you, and you still have it, even now, even after everything.”

My breathing became shallow, and my heart felt like it was trying to escape my chest.

I had no idea how to respond to that. My emotions were so tangled together that it wasn’t possible to pull them apart, so that I could examine each one.

Of course, I loved Gabriel.

That wasn’t the important question, though.

The question I didn’t have the answer to was if I trusted him enough to be with him. I didn’t know if I trusted him not break my heart again.

But when Gabriel looked deep into my eyes and leaned forward, his eyes fluttering closed, all of my doubts jumped out of my head.