Page 8 of Everything We Left Unsaid

“Gavin,” Abby begins with a defeated sigh. “I’m sorry to do this on such short notice, but I’m going to have to cancel our plans for tonight. Now’s just not a good time.”

He pulls her in for a hug, tucking her head under his chin. My face falls at the sight of him comforting her, at how perfectly she fits into the crook of his neck. Dave Grohl’s voice echoes through my head as “Best of You” blares in my mind. Is this putz getting the best of Abby? Fuck, I hope not.

“It’s okay,” he assures her. He lifts his gaze to mine, unmistakable anger glowing in his eyes. What has she told him about me? “I understand you’ve got a lot on your plate right now. I’m here if you need anything.”

“Thank you.” She tilts her head back to look up at him and he wastes no time moving in for a kiss. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing myself to erase what I just saw from my memory. When I open them again, their lips part and Abby pulls away.

“Do you need me to stick around?” Gavin shoots a quick glance my way, as if I’m some kind of threat to her. “I can order a pizza if you’re hungry.”

“No, thank you. Chloe and I had a late lunch.” He pauses, unsure how to proceed. He needs to go so Abby and I can hash things out. “I’ll call you later?” she offers, a clear message for him to leave. Good girl.

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s fine.” He pulls her into him again, pressing his lips to her forehead. My jaw clenches and I have to turn and walk away. Nobody but me should ever kiss her like that.

I hear the soft click of the door shutting and wait for her to speak before turning back around.

“Jacob.” Her voice is shaky, unsure.

I hate it, but at the same time, I’m so angry right now. I feel like she deserves this. She shouldn’t have kept this from me. You reap what you sow, so why do I feel like such an asshole for thinking this way?

Looking at her makes it even worse. Her face is drawn, her eyes reddened with unshed tears. She looks so small and frail standing across the room from me. I want to pull her into my arms and comfort her. Or throttle her. I can’t decide which. A war wages inside me, my emotions in turmoil over this woman.

“I think it’s best if we call it a night.” What? No, we have so much to discuss. This matter needs to be settled. Immediately. But before I can protest, she raises her hands to stop me. “Look, a lot has happened today. I need some time to think, to process all of this.” Her eyes plead with me, the fire I once saw in them dimmed by heartbreak.

“You’re right,” I relent. “A lot has happened today. I think we both need a little time to figure things out.” Her shoulders sag in relief, happy to avoid an argument with me. I head to the door, knowing it’s time to leave, but halt in my tracks. Something else is off. Something is missing, though I can’t quite put my finger on it. I glance around the open space, looking for anything that seems out of place. Finally, I realize what it is. There are no dog bowls or oversized dog bed, rawhides, or chew toys. Where the hell is Abby’s dog?

“Where’s Cero?” I ask, turning back to face her. My regret is instantaneous, and I wish I could take back the question. Her lip quivers and pain flashes in her eyes before misting with unshed tears.

Oh, no.

“We don’t have him anymore.” She sucks in a shuddering breath before continuing, “He went into the woods one day and never came back.” My hands itch to reach out to her and pull her into a hug. That dog meant everything to her and now he’s gone. She’s heartbroken over the loss and I just inadvertently dredged up all that pain. I’ve never felt like more of an asshole in my entire life.

“When?” I ask softly, not wanting to prolong her pain but needing to know.

“Last winter,” she says with a sniffle. “During hunting season,” she adds, and my stomach clenches violently, bile churning in my gut. Oh, God. A hunter could have mistaken him for a full-blooded wolf and shot him out of fear and self-preservation. Or maybe they saw a flash of light-colored fur and mistook him for a deer.

“I’m sorry,” I offer quietly, wishing I could cup her face and lift it so she could look into my eyes and see that I mean it. I truly am sorry for her loss. Cero was a part of her family, and the thought of something so horrible and violent happening to him makes my already shredded heart ache even more. I’d offer her comfort in any way that I could, but she’s already shrank back from my touch once already.

My spine straightens at the thought, reinforcing my resolve. We have a serious mess to work through because of her web of secrets and betrayal. I can’t let her sad eyes and heartbroken face derail my intentions to get to know my daughter and find out why she kept her from me. Steeling myself against her sorrow, I turn my back to her once more and take the few steps that separate me from the front door and my reprieve. I have to find somewhere to crash tonight, since I hadn’t planned on staying and didn’t book anything in advance.

Abby follows, no doubt anxious to see me gone. I open the door and turn to her. Instinct takes over and I step up to her, leaning in. Her breath catches, our intimate proximity startling her. I’m close enough to pull her into my body and ravish her mouth with an urgent kiss. She stares up at me, her green eyes filled with uncertainty. For a moment, I let her wonder what my next move will be, enjoying her reaction to me. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her eyes filled with a mix of fury, sadness, and need. My tongue darts out to lick my lips and her gaze drops to my mouth, following the movement. I wonder what she would do if I kissed her right now. Would she melt into my touch as she once did, or push me away and slam the door in my face like she wanted to do only an hour ago?

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say, taking a step back. I turn and walk back to my car. She’s watching me. I feel the heat of her gaze on my back.

“Sorry I ruined your plans with Garrett,” I throw over my shoulder, knowing damn well his name is Gavin.

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