Page 4 of This Memory
His response made me feel sick. I placed a hand over my stomach.
“Then why go to the movies with her?” Lucas asked.
“Like I said, it’s nothing,” Gavin replied. “I felt sorry for her, that’s all. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“So itisa charity date. You’re a better person than me, I’ll tell you that. No way would I go out with that girl. She’s pretty, I’ll give her that, but she’s boring as hell, doesn’t utter a word unless it’s to answer a question in class, and I bet if youdidfuck her, she’d just lie there like a frickin’ log.”
A couple guys laughed, and I peeked carefully around the corner where I saw Gavin smirking.
I turned and quickly walked away.
Aurora caught up and wrapped her arm in mine. “Ignore them, Bry. They’re just a bunch of assholes.”
I wiped the tear from my cheek and nodded. As we were making our way out to my car in the school parking lot, I stopped and faced Aurora. “I can’t meet him there tonight. Ican’t.”
She took both of my hands in hers. “I’m going to tell my mom I can’t go this weekend.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. Go with your family. I’ll be okay.”
“It’s notfine. You’re my best friend, and you need me. Don’t worry about meeting him.I’llmeet him—and give him a piece of my mind!”
I hugged her and fought the urge to cry but ultimately lost.
Wrapping her arm around my shoulders, Aurora guided me to the car’s passenger side. “I’ll drive.”
As I slipped into the car and wiped my face, I saw Gavin walking out of the school, flanked by four other guys, all football players. They were all laughing, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was still at my expense.
Gavin suddenly looked directly at me in the car. He frowned as I wiped more tears from my face. I turned away and said, “Go, Aurora.Go.”
Gavin
Present Day
I sat in my patrol car and stared out the window at Memory Lane. One quick look at my watch told me she would walk up at any second. And bingo. There she was.
Right on time, Brystol Duggan, the owner of Memory Lane Toys, walked down Main Street holding a cup of coffee I knew she’d gotten from Timeless Cup, a coffee shop down the street from the toy store.
Brystol waved to a couple walking their dog and stopped to chat with them for a few moments before she unlocked the front door of the toy shop and slipped inside.
The knock on my window caused me to jump, and I turned to see Declan Gallagher standing there, a shit-eating grin on his face. I rolled the window down.
“What are you doing?” Declan asked.
“I’m sitting in my patrol car. What does it look like I’m doing?”
He glanced across the street and then back to me. “Were you watching the toy store?”
I laughed. “No.”
Declan raised a brow. “No?”
“No, Declan, I wasn’t. What are you doing here, anyway? Aren’t you supposed to be closing on the house today?”
He and his fiancée, Harper, who owned Crazy Daisies flower shop, were buying a house by the lake.
He smiled. “We close at noon. So, do you want to tell me why you’re spying on Brystol?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll have you know I’m dating Cindy, and I’m not the least bit interested in Brystol. She’s a pain in my ass.”
