Page 30 of Crossroads of Love

He’s barely keeping his temper under wraps. His hands clench the back of the chair he’s standing behind as if he’s about to throw it at any second. He would never, but…I can’t imagine any of this is easy for him to hear.

I can’t believe I flinched when he lifted his hand. I know that he’d never hurt me physically, but I still have fears from when I was married to Aaron. He’d never hit me, but he definitely threw a lot of things other than insults around.

Gavin stares at Michael as if waiting for him to say he’s joking, but Mike shrugs solemnly.

“That’s right,” he answers, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “You’ve got a week to decide what you want to do, Gavin. If you choose not to stay, the farm, along with everything on it, will go to auction. That includes the contents. There won’t be any removing memorabilia that belonged to your mother. The money will be donated to the hospital’s partial scholarship in your mother’s name. They’ve already earmarked a scholarship fund for the school in Aaron’s name.”

I flinch at the mention of Aaron. His name still hurts even though it’s been two years. Gavin, too, goes rigid beside me, his knuckles white. Aaron has always been a sensitive topic for him.

The people of Hicks Creek wanted to do a scholarship in Aaron’s name. I always found it laughable that they chose the school, making him out to be some great sports dad or human being.

He wasn’t the doting husband and father they all thought he was, but who am I to shatter that memory for them?

Gavin runs a hand through his hair, his frustration mounting. “This is… I can’t stay here for a year, Mike. You know that. I have work, responsibilities—”

Michael raises a hand, cutting him off gently. “I understand, Gavin. I do. But these are the terms. Your father was adamant about this. It’s not just about you. This is about the farm, about the legacy. He wanted to make sure it stayed in the family.”

“If that were the truth, he wouldn’t be trying to bully me and blow up my life right now.”

I take a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves twisting in my stomach. This farm wasn’t just a piece of land or a relic from our past; it was where Jayla felt closest to Henry and remembered Aaron the most. I have so many memories there, too. The thought of it going to auction, strangers tearing it apart, makes me feel sick. I glance at Gavin, who still looks like he wants to bolt out the door.

He's being so stoic about all of it. Doesn’t he care?

Tears prick at my eyes. I should have known he’d fight about this. Aaron was right; Gavin is so selfish that he’ll probably let strangers have everything.

“Gavin, Henry isn’t trying to blow up your life. He’s always been incredibly intentional about everything he did. There’s a lesson here whether you want to see it or not. Also, Aaron and Henry always told Jayla that the farm would be hers someday. She’s grown up with that idea, which means the world to her. This place is more than just land. It’s where she feels closest to them both.” I pause, searching his face for any sign of understanding, but his eyes are distant, lost in his own thoughts. “It’s where you always felt the happiest at one point in your life.”

His eyes flit to mine as if I let out a secret to the world that no one else knew. He shakes his head and turns around to look out a window.

“I get that this is a lot,” I continue,“but… maybe it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can do your work remotely most of the time, right? You could go to the city when needed, but youcouldstay here. Be part of the community again. Get to know Jayla better. She’d love for you to watch her play basketball and… She hardly knows you, and you’re her only uncle. We could work something out together.”

He lets out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Lena, I can’t run a farm. I wouldn’t even know where to start. I don’t have the time, and honestly, I don’t have the skill set anymore.”

I lean forward. “Henry had staff to help him. He didn’t do it all himself. He managed things, sure, but when it got to the point where he couldn’t physically do it anymore, he hired people. You wouldn’t have to break your back every day; other people handle the hard labor. You’d just be telling them what to do. You’ve always been good at that.” I can see a small fraction of a smile tugging at his lips. “It’s about keeping the farm in the family, preserving what your mom and dad and your grandparents cared about.”

He rubs his temples, clearly frustrated. “I left this place for a reason. You’re also asking me to take on a liability; running a farm isn’t cheap.”

“I may never understand why you never came back, but things are different now.You’redifferent. We all are. Just… think about it. For Jayla. For your mom. For Henry and Aaron.”

He doesn’t answer right away, and the room feels like it’s closing in on us. I can see the internal struggle in his eyes, the pull between the life he’s built in the city and the ties he still has here, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. I can feel the tightness in my chest, the anxiety of not knowing if he’ll stay or go.

Maybe he has a girlfriend there, and…yikes, I should have thought this through better.

“There’s plenty of room for you and your girlfriend.”

He snorts and shakes his head. “It’s just me. I can’t trust anyone else, clearly.”

It takes everything in me not to blow out the breath I was holding. He doesn’t need to know that I was worried about that answer.

Please stay. Please hear the words and stay, Gavin. Please.

The silence stretches on, and when he finally looks at me, his gaze is intense, searching, like he’s trying to figure something out.

Shit. I remember when he used to look at me like this.My vagina remembers, too. I can feel my panties getting soaked as the memories hit me.

Slowly, he stands from his chair, and I do the same, not knowing what’s coming next.

I know what I want to come next.

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