Page 159 of GAF Factor

I snatched my phone out of my back pocket and shot off a text to Bowie. If I was going down with the ship, I was taking Riley with me.

“I just can’t believe how you’ve filled out,” my mom gushed. “And look at those muscles. My, you’re so handsome. Isn’t he handsome, Isla?”

“Mom—”

“I can’t understand why the two of you aren’t together anymore. Then again, Isla never did make good decisions. I know you’ve heard about her husband, Shawn. He was a real winner. Did you know he tried to blow her up? Of course, you did,” she rambled on. “I bet you were the one who saved her. And that shooting, the drug overdose…I just couldn’t believe all the things that man put her through. And she didn’t even bother to tell us!”

“Sharon,” Dad sighed. “Maybe let the boy breathe.”

Kavanaugh scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably, glancing my way. “Actually, Mrs. McKenna, I can’t take credit for any of that. For saving her life, I mean. Another man had that honor.” His head swung my way and a sadness filled his eyes that nearly broke my heart.

“Well, you’re here now and?—”

“You see, I never really was worthy of your daughter. She’s something special.”

“That she is,” my dad said proudly.

“But you came to get her back, right? Surely you came?—”

“Only to say goodbye,” Kavanaugh said with a smile. He pushed to his feet and held out his hand to my dad. “I’m sorry, I can’t stay. I wish I could.”

“But you just got here,” Mom said, baffled that he was leaving.

He turned to me then and my heart nearly stopped. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

I wasn’t sure I took a single breath as I slipped on my boots and grabbed a coat. Once we were outside with no ears pressed to the windows, Kavanaugh shoved his hands in his pockets and dropped his head, blowing out a harsh breath.

“I hope I cleared that up for your mother.”

“God, I’m sorry, Kavanaugh. I never wanted things to be like this. I never intended for any of this to happen when I moved out here.”

He smiled at me, making me feel better when I knew he was hurting. “It was never your fault, Isla. That rests solely on my shoulders.”

“I wanted this to be right, but…”

“Something was holding you back,” he finished. “Yeah, I felt it, too.”

“Then why did you come here?”

He chuckled at that. “Good question. Because you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Because I wanted it to be you.” He sighed heavily. “I guess I was holding onto a dream.”

Tears swelled in my eyes and I wiped my nose on my sleeve. “So, what happens to us now?”

“Well, I definitely can’t hang around you,” he teased. “Not only would that not be good for my ego, but I’m pretty sure IKE would kick my ass.”

Relief flooded me that I could say IKE definitely would. Maybe that was wrong, but that was all I felt at the moment. So, I laughed. “Yes, he would.”

His face turned serious as he brushed his thumb across my cheek. “You love him, don’t you.” He dipped his head, shaking it slightly. “Don’t answer that.”

“Will I ever see you around?”

“I’m sure you’ll see me at the grocery store, probably dragging Fox out of the Funyuns aisle and preventing him from staging another protest.” He shot me a grin, but it looked so painful that I pulled him in for a hug. He buried his face in my hair, and I knew he was inhaling my scent. He’d done that before. I was going to miss him. He was my childhood friend and that was something I didn’t want to walk away from, but this wasn’t meant to be.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he whispered. “And you tell me if that asshole doesn’t treat you right. I’ll be over here to kick his ass.”

I chuckled and stepped back. “Thank you for not hating me.”

“I could never hate you.” He wiped the tears from my eyes, giving me that fake smile he gave to the press when he worked with the senator. “I’m happy for you.”

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