Page 73 of Crossroads of Love

“So what were you digging through in your dad’s paperwork that was so distracting?” I ask, taking a bite of my burger.

He hesitates for a moment, his expression shifting ever so slightly. “I’ll get to that,” he answers softly. “But for now, let’s just eat.”

Something in his tone makes me pause, but I decide not to push. Instead, I focus on enjoying the meal and the easy conversation between us. Gavin is good at making me laugh, and tonight is no exception. Our playful banter feels light and natural, punctuated by moments when our eyes meet and the air thickens with unspoken words.

At one point, he reaches across the table, his hand brushing mine. The simple touch sends a spark up my arm, and I look at him, my heart pounding in my chest. His gaze is intense.

We might not make it through dinner.

Would it be disrespectful to have sex on this table?

“Lena…” His low voice is rough around the edges, tightening something inside me.

“Yeah?” I breathe, my eyes searching his face.

Without another word, he circles the table quickly before pulling me to my feet. His lips are on mine, his hands cupping my face as he kisses me deeply, desperately like he’s been waiting all night for this moment. I melt into him, my fingers tangling in his hair as I kiss him back, losing myself in the heat of the moment.

I didn’t realize how much I had missed him while he was gone.

When we finally pull apart, we are both breathing hard, our foreheads resting together.

“I’ve wanted to do that since you walked in the door.”

“You don’t have to wait next time.” I laugh.

He chuckles softly, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

We stand there for a few moments longer, wrapped up in each other, before he finally steps back, looking more serious than before. “Lena… there’s something I need to tell you.”

The shift in his tone gives me pause. I pull back slightly. His eyes flick to the floor before meeting mine again.

“I found something in my dad’s paperwork. Something about Aaron.”

The mention of Aaron’s name twists my stomach, but I force myself to stay calm. “What did you find?”

He takes a deep breath, his hands resting on my shoulders as he looks me straight in the eye. “Lena… Aaron was cheating on you.”

I force myself to keep my expression neutral. I already knew that Aaron had been unfaithful. There were too many late nights and too many unexplained absences. He admitted as much and promised me that it ended, but right before he died, I learned there was another woman. I had tried to ignore it and convince myself it wasn’t true, but hearing Gavin say it out loud makes it impossible to deny.

My breathing quickens, and I do my damnedest to slow it down. Tears prick at my eyes. I can’t help but feel embarrassed now that Gavin knows. What will he think of me?

“I know,” I answer quietly, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. “I knew he was cheating.”

He looks surprised for a moment but doesn’t interrupt as I continue.

“He promised me he ended things with her a few years ago. We tried to fix things, stay together for Jay. Right before he died, I found out there was someone else.”

His jaw clenches, his hands tightening on my shoulders.

“He was engaged,” he hisses. “To her. To the woman he was seeing. She didn’t even know who he really was. He had a whole other life with her, Lena. They had a kid together.”

The room seems to tilt beneath me as his words sink in.I want to vomit. I cough and turn around quickly.

Engaged? A child? How had I not known? How could he have kept that hidden from me?

My legs feel weak, and I stumble back, catching myself on the edge of the table.I can feel the tears filling my eyes.

I got so sick of fighting with him that I stopped asking questions. I stopped caring that he didn’t come home until late and was always on the phone. I shut myself off from everything.

---