Page 24 of Perfect Cowboy

That’s when the power goes out and the cabin fades to black.

Chapter 7

Gavin

Ishouldn’tgiveashit that Ashley is alone in the woods during what’s panning out to be the worst snowstorm I’ve experienced in two decades.

But, fuck, I do.

Despite what we meant to each other in high school, I can’t forgive her after what she did. But that doesn’t mean I want her to freeze to death, even though I’m sure the townspeople have wished worse on her.

Hell, they’d probably lynch me if they found out I saved her.

“Gavin?” Victory calls, from the entryway to my parents’ kitchen.

“Yeah, doll, what’s up?”

After checking on my folks, I should be back outside helping Cameron and the guys. Instead, I’m staring out the window at the quickly accumulating snow and thinking about a woman who should mean less than nothing to me.

Scout is lying at my feet, picking up on my unease and not willing to leave me alone.

“Are you okay?” Victory asks softly.

I haven’t turned around, but her footsteps get closer until her hands rest on my shoulders. I didn’t realize how tense I was until she gives me a quick massage.

“I don’t know,” I reply. “Ashley being back in town has stirred up a lot of shit for me.”

“And kissing her?”

“That, too.”

When Ashley is back in my arms, it’s very easy to forget why I hate her.

“There are always three sides to every story – her side, your side, and the truth, which is somewhere in the middle. Maybe you need to have a conversation about what happened.”

“We all know what happened, doll.”

“Wethinkthat we know. But Ashley was my friend at one point, and everything that went down… It never rang true to who she was as a person. The facts were there, but…”

“Who we thought she was,” I grumble.

Victory turns me around, and the sympathy pouring off her brings tears to my eyes. She immediately wraps me in a tight hug, and I’m so grateful for all the times she’s been here for me over the years.

“Look, I’m guilty of calling her a bitch and worse,” Victory admits, “But seeing you all torn up… If you need to talk to her, we’ll support you.”

Closure is something that you decide to have. No one can give it to you. It’s when you’ve finally had enough of obsessing over the actions of someone else, when you finally recognize that you can’t control how other people treat you, and when you choose to move forward.

At one point, all I wanted to do was talk to Ashley and have her magically make things right between us. To tell me that everyone else had it wrong and explain what happened in a way that made sense and brought love back into my heart.

But that never happened, so I had to fill in the gaps for myself, make assumptions, and then protect my peace by pushing her out of my mind.

“I love you,” I say gruffly.

No matter what else is happening in my life, I have the best friends in the world.

“Love you back.”

Aidan comes running into the room with a burst of energy that is unique to toddlers. He charges at me full speed, and I scoop him up, throwing him into the air and catching him over and over until he’s laughing so hard that he’s squealing.

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