Page 76 of Perfect Imperfections

“I’ve never heard him talk about another woman, let alone bring one around Charlotte. Not until you.”

That statement would have made her heart soar if it wasn’t for the grim expression still affixed to Gavin’s face.

“Is this the part where you warn me off?” She lifted her chin. “Because there’s no need. Sullivan and I agreed this wasn’t anything serious. He doesn’t want to get remarried.”

Gavin arched one eyebrow. “And what do you want?”

It didn’t matter. He’d made his line in the sand clear, and she wouldn’t cross it. No matter how much her heart screamed for her to race right over it.

“I want Sullivan and Charlotte to be happy,” she said truthfully.

“And what if what my brother thinks makes him happy actually makes him miserable?”

What? The man was talking in circles, and she couldn’t follow.

She frowned, brow furrowing as she tried to catch the hidden meaning in Gavin’s words. Why couldn’t people just say what they meant? Why all the double-speak and inference? “I don’t understand what you mean.”

Gavin shook his head, the hint of a smile returning. “Look, my brother can be pigheaded sometimes. All I’m saying is, I think you’re pretty damn perfect for my brother.”

Taken aback by his declaration, her mouth dropped open and it took her a moment to find her voice. “You do?”

“Yup. And you and Charlotte obviously have a special bond.”

“We do.” She loved that little girl. She’d never been much for connecting with others, but dang if that sweet child hadn’t wormed her way past all Ellie’s defenses and right into her heart.

“That’s great. Charlotte needs some positive female influence with only me and my knucklehead brother around.”

She chuckled softly, Gavin joining in, but then he turned serious again. Her heart kicked up, body tensing, bracing herself for whatever warning he had to give. Because no matter what the man said, she sensed a warning in this little chat.

“I love my brother and my niece. Very much.”

She nodded. She did too. Not that she’d share with Gavin how she felt about his brother. First, she needed to gather the courage to tell the man himself.

“Sullivan has always looked out for everyone. He came home to look after me after our parents died. Left the ER, switching to private practice when Claire left so he could be there more for Charlotte. Sully always puts others before himself.”

She knew that. The man did everything in his power to make sure she was comfortable and at ease. He’d even been happy to forgo the Ferris wheel when he noticed her panic attack. Which was why she made herself go on the damn thing. Sullivan sacrificed for people. Anyone who spent more than two minutes with the man would realize that.

“He’s so use to ignoring his own needs, I’m not sure if he can stop.” Gavin sighed. “He hides his fear behind protecting his daughter, so just…don’t let him push you away, because I can tell he cares.”

With that, Gavin turned and headed back into the house, leaving Ellie standing there wondering if the man was right about his brother. If she should let this tiny flame of hope for a future with Sullivan grow. Could she do that? Could she take risk knowing it could either spark a bright future…or burn down her entire world.

CHAPTER 27

The zoo had a perpetual smell of animal feces. Who knew? Not Sullivan, that was for damn sure.

“Sorry,” Ellie winced as she noticed him wrinkle his nose. “It gets kind of smelly around here toward the end of the day. Especially when it’s hot. The sun kind of accentuates the animal's enclosures.”

He brought their joined hands up to place a soft kiss on her knuckles, enjoying the slight blush that rose on her cheeks. “No need to apologize. I grew up with Gavin. From age eight to eleven, he refused to take a shower. Had some vendetta against soap or something. Our mom had to douse his clothing in air freshener just so he wouldn’t get sent home from school for smelling so bad.”

“It was one week in eighth grade,” Gavin called over his shoulder from a few feet in front of them. “And I didn’t have an aversion to soap. I had a massive sunburn made even more painful by pounding water on my skin.”

His head turned, and Gavin aimed a death glare directly his way. “A sunburn I received because my big brother said he put sunscreen on me, but in fact, only wrote the word dork on my back.”

“Sullivan, you did not!” Ellie gave him a light smack on the arms, her face aghast. But there was a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.

He shrugged. “What can I say? He ate the last peanut butter cup, and I had already called dibs.”

“I hope you don’t also enjoy chocolate and peanut butter goodness, Ellie. Because my pig of a brother does not share his candy well.”

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