Page 79 of Hold

She couldn’t tell them. She was cringing enough herself at the wordsbecause he found me in Gabe’s arms; she couldn’t bear to see the same expression on their faces. “Because I have to give him a chance to rebuild his relationship with the boys, and I can’t ask Liam to stick around for that.”

They all looked around, suddenly remembering that Benji was usually with them. But he was with his father tonight.

“That’s a craptastic reason,” Chloe said.

“I told you—it’s complicated,” Thea said miserably. “Can we get back to the lesson now?”

“Sure,” Seth said kindly, but Chloe got up and a minute later came back with a tumbler filled with vodka and a splash of cranberry juice. At least, that was what it tasted like when she made Thea take a sip.

“I’ll be drunk as a lord in about five minutes,” she said, but she squeezed Chloe’s hand. The burn of the liquor counteracted the ache in her chest better than the wine.

Gabe brought Benji back at eight thirty on the dot, as arranged. When the front door opened, Thea jumped up, as if trying to shelter the group from Gabe—or maybe him from them, she didn’t know.

Benji, tired and overexcited, was pissed that he had to come home. His complaints covered the first awkward moments as Gabe took in the stony faces in the room. Everyone stared unashamedly at him. Thea might have laughed if she hadn’t been so unnerved.

“You have to get your sleep,” she said to Benji, not looking at Gabe. “You’ve got camp tomorrow.”

“Why can’t I hang out with Dad tomorrow?”

“Because he has a job, hon.”

Benji pouted. “Jake gets to hang out with Liam at his job.”

Thea held her breath. This time she did look at Gabe and just caught a fleeting glimpse of fury and… something else… in his eyes before he shuttered them into that bland expression of self-satisfaction he’d had since he’d arrived. Had the others seen it?

Interesting, that Benji didn’t see any conflict between Liam and Gabe. To him, there was room in his and Jake’s life for both of them. She was grateful for it, but the boy was only five and had no idea that the presence of one of the men in his life would probably mean the absence of the other.

“Jake is working for Liam,” she reminded him now. “Dad can’t babysit you all day. But”—she risked another look at Gabe, who perked up at thebut—“maybe he can pick you up from the bus tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yeah! You can, can’t you, Da?”

“Sure I can,” Gabe said, holding Thea’s gaze. Then, a little late since he’d already promised, he added, “What time?”

“Five thirty. At St. Bernard’s parking lot. You remember?”

“Of course I remember. I did live here for thirteen years.” That was debatable, but he’d already turned to smile down at Benji. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yay!”

“Go get ready for bed,” Thea said. “Say good night to everyone.”

Benji grinned at them all and ran into the kitchen.

“Hello, all,” Gabe said comfortably into the room.

Her friends, bless them, said nothing at all.

“So I guess from this warm reception that Thea’s told you all about me,” he went on, leaning on the doorframe like he was a fixture.

“Enough,” Chloe muttered.

“Goodbye, Gabe,” Thea said. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the bus.”

He turned his gray-blue gaze back to her. “Don’t you trust me?”

“No. But even if I did, I have to sign a form for you to pick up Benji. They don’t know you from Adam, you realize.”

“I’m his da,” he pronounced, as if that were enough evidence for anyone.

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