Page 50 of Crossroads of Love

“On it,” she says, hopping off the counter and grabbing plates from the cabinet. Gavin steps closer again, this time withoutthe pretense of stealing sauce. He leans against the counter, watching me.

“You’ve got that look,” he says.

“What look?” I glance at him, raising an eyebrow.

“The one that says you’re pretending to be annoyed, but you’re actually glad I’m here.”

“You’re delusional,” I reply, but my voice lacks conviction. His grin widens, and he nudges me with his elbow.

“Admit it, Lena. You missed me.”

“Like a hole in the head,” I say, but I’m already laughing.

“Uncle G, Mom said you’re staying for the whole year,” Jayla gushes. “Is that true?”

“It is. I have some things to finagle back home, and I’ll have to fly back and forth some, of course, but I’ll be staying at the farm for the near future. You’ll be seeing me daily.”

Hearing him say that out loud causes heat to wash through me. My heart wants that so badly, but it’s so damn wrong to want that. Isn’t it?

“That’s the best news ever!”

We sit down to eat. Jayla chatters about school, and Gavin’s asking her questions like he genuinely cares about the answers. He probably does. For all his teasing, he’s good with her. Better than I expected.

Is this what it’s going to be like with him back in Hicks Creek? Is he going to be here all the time and a big part of my daughter’s life?

Because I want that more than anything, but I don’t know that I’m ready for it.

After dinner, Jayla heads upstairs to finish her homework, leaving Gavin and me alone in the kitchen. He’s drying dishes while I wash, and for a few minutes, the only sound is the clink of plates and the rush of water.

“You’re good with her,” I say finally, breaking the silence.

“She’s a good kid,” he replies. But when I glance at him, a softness in his expression catches me off guard.

My stomach flips, and I feel my heart melting a bit.

“She adores you,” I say, turning back to the sink. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah, well, the feeling’s mutual,” he says, nudging me with his elbow again. “You did good with her, Lena.”

The sincerity in his voice makes my chest tighten. I focus on scrubbing the pan in front of me, not trusting myself to respond right away.

“Thanks,” I say after a moment, my voice quieter than I intended.

“Hey,” he says, and I feel his hand on my shoulder. I look up, and he’s closer than I realized, his eyes searching mine. “You’re allowed to accept the compliment, you know.”

“I know,” I say, but my voice is still shaky. He’s too close, and the way he’s looking at me… it’s too much.

He flashes that dimpled smile of his, the tension breaking, and he steps back, giving me space. But the warmth of his hand lingers on my shoulder, and I can’t seem to catch my breath.

My entire body responds to his closeness and his touch, and I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep my distance from him.

“We should go over the stuff that Mike sent.”

“I’ll take care of it,” he says quickly as he turns away from me and wipes the kitchen table down with a rag.

“It’s not your mess to clean up.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to handle it. Let me do that for you.”

---