Page 118 of Gabriel & Skye

The reality is, I don’t want anyone here. I know how hard this will be just facing her myself after all these years. But I’m ready. As ready as I’ll ever be.

* * *

I pound on her motel room door, noticing the shiny Mercedes parked in front. I’m sure the motel isn’t to her high standard, but it’s that or Moose’s. And I know which one I’d favor.

After a few moments, the door opens.

She blinks and takes a breath, one hand planting on her heart like she’s shocked to see me. “I see the townsfolk around here haven’t changed,” she says, a small smile forming on her face. She looks the same, but also different. She was always an attractive woman, but all I see is someone who ran away from her responsibilities. Cold, if I had to describe it, but that may have something to do with the fact she ruined my life.

“Hello to you too. What are you doing here?”

“Would you like to come in?”

“No, I wouldn’t. Why were you at Trinity’s school yesterday?”

She takes a breath and steels her shoulders. “You look good, Gabe. As handsome as ever. The years have been good to you.”

I snort. “Like you’d know anything about that. Answer my question,” I demand angrily.

She folds her arms over her chest. “I… I just wanted to see her. I didn’t expect she’d come up to the fence…”

“How did you know which child she was?” I don’t have Facebook, nor do I share pictures of her anywhere online. Obviously, she asked around, or one of the other kids in the playground. Which strikes me as creepy.

“It isn’t half obvious, Gabe. She looks exactly like you.”

“Why. Are. You. Here?”

“I was passing through.”

“Through Stoney Creek? I find that hard to believe. I swear to God, if you don’t start giving me some answers…”

“You’re very hostile. I thought we left things… amicably?”

The sheer audacity of this woman! “Amicably? I didn’t even care about myself in the end. I just wanted Trinity to know her mother. And you couldn’t even do that. You didn’t want to know her then, and you won’t be getting to know her now.”

“You really think I’d confuse her like that?”

I throw my hands up in the air. “How the fuck would I know? You waltz back into town and hunt my child down. My child, and I’m just expected to roll over and drool? You gave up any rights to her when you abandoned her.”

Tears well in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. I shouldn’t have come. But I’m leaving the country. I wanted to see her, just one last time. And you.”

My heart throbs in my chest at her words, but not for any good reason. “For old time’s sake?”

“It isn’t like that. I wanted to make sure she was happy and see how she’d grown up. You’ve done an amazing job with her. I’m so proud of you.”

“I don’t need you to be proud of me. I need you to leave. You’re not seeing her. You’re not taking her anywhere. She is mine. You gave up any rights you had to her years ago. I gave you ample opportunity, and you chose your career and other men.” Oh, yes. I know all about them, too.

“I don’t want to take her, Gabe, but she is still my daughter.”

I turn as a car pulls up, and I see Grayson in his truck. He parks, turns off the engine and sits there.

“The cavalry has arrived,” she mutters.

“Stop changing the subject. You may have given birth to her, but you will never know her. It’s confusing, and she’s happy. You being here will just make things messy. Deep down, if you have any heart, you’ll just get the hell out of town and leave us alone.”

She tries to reach for me, but I shrug away. “Please, Gabe. I’m sorry for what I did. But I never had it in me to be a mother. Wasn’t it better for me to walk away before she knew me? Before things got too far along and she was old enough to understand?”

How could she? How could anyone do such a thing? Hate me all you want, but our child? She’s despicable.

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