The doorbell rings again. With a curse, I walk up front, buttoning the blouse as I walk. Whoever it is clearly isn't going away.
“Who is it?” I yell out. I zip my jeans right before I reach the door.
"It's me. Gabe."
I rush to the door and then look through the peephole. Shock zips through me and then just as quickly, a rush of heat.
What is he doing back here?
My hand runs over my hair, ensuring none of my wild curls have escaped my ponytail holder. When I realize what I'm doing, I shove my vanity aside and open the door. Gabe spent days looking at me when I was either vomiting or sleeping. He's already seen me at my worst. At least I took a shower today. That's already an improvement.
"Hey! What are you doing here? Did you forget something?" The breezy, cheery tone of my voice sounds fake even to my ears but I’m determined not to let on that he hurt me.
When he looks up, my heart almost stops. Why does he have to be so handsome? I teased him when we first met, calling him pretty boy, but he really is masculine perfection from the sharp dominant lines of his cheekbones to those firm, perfectly shaped lips. God, even the way his thick dark hair flops over his forehead is sexy. It's seriously not fair that he looks like this when I'm working so hard to pretend he doesn't exist.
"I'm here for my music lesson." He lifts the strap of the guitar slung over his chest. Then he leans closer and whispers, "This is for the benefit of your nosy neighbors."
He steps in and closes the door behind him. Then he takes off the guitar and drops it on the couch. It lands with a muffled sound.
"Is there actually something in here? I thought you were just faking." I unzip the case, shocked to find that there really is a guitar inside. My mouth falls open. It's a Gibson.
"Yeah, it's one of Zack's. I figured he wouldn't mind."
I cover my mouth to keep from laughing. Gabe loves to tease his brother but in this case, I don't think he actually knows what he's done.
"Um, Gabe? This is a really expensive guitar. Did you ask him before you took it?"
He shrugs and takes a bite out of one of the muffins from Kay's gift basket. "I haven't seen him play it in a long time so I figured it was one he wouldn't miss."
I stroke a finger over the strings. "You are crazy, you know that? Your brother is going to be pissed."
He walks over and taps me on the nose. "I'm willing to take that risk. I wanted to check on you."
His eyes are warm as he looks me over. I have to resist the urge to fidget under his gaze. It was strange enough having him in my house for days on end but to have him show up out of the blue because he's worried about me? It makes me feel things, things that bring me a shade too close to caring about him. I can't allow that to happen. It's definitely not a smart move on my part to allow myself to fall for someone who has been clear that he has no intention of falling back.
"I'm fine. Feeling much better. Now that I'm not contagious I'm going to visit my sister, Brenna. She's been worried about me and after the way we left things … Well, I want her to know there's no hard feelings. Maybe they don't think I'm an entrepreneur but we're still family. I don't want this to come between us."
"That's good. I have to get back. I should probably put that guitar back before Zack notices it's gone."
"That would be a good idea."
He slings the guitar case over his shoulder again. As we walk back to the front door, my eyes roam over him greedily, taking in every detail. I got spoiled seeing him days on end. I'm probably going through Gabe withdrawal and that's why I'm fighting the urge to invent a reason for him to stay. But I know I can't.
"It was sweet of you to come check on me but you really didn't need to do that. I could use a little space after … everything."
Hopefully he can read between the lines. I don't regret what happened. My body is still humming from the things he did to me so I could never regret it. But it's better that I don't get too used to having him here. Nothing good can come of that. As much fun as I had spending time with him, I have to accept the fact that he's not mine to keep.
Just before he opens the door, he leans over and kisses me on the cheek. "I missed talking to you."
Then he pulls the door open and leaves without looking back.
* * * * *
One of the most pure joys in life is the sound of a child’s laughter. I have to cover my ears part of the time as my nephew runs past squealing, wearing nothing but a Superman T-shirt and a diaper. Brenna looks up when he runs through the room again and then shakes her head.
"I hear screams even in my sleep. I get no peace around here." She smiles faintly as she says it though, nonchalantly turning another page of the magazine in her lap.
"Let me know if you and Evan need a night out. Aunt Sasha is always happy to help out. You know I love spending time with him."
"And he loves you. You're going to be such an awesome mom someday. Speaking of moms, ours is on her way over. Evan kept hinting that he wanted an apple pie so Mom made him one. I swear, she spoils him just like she does her grandson.”
"I guess I should go then." My parents visited me when I was sick but Mom was distracted by fussing over me. Now that things are back to normal, any interaction with my mom will revert back to her usual questions about my personal life and career, or in her opinion, my lack thereof. My mom loves me, I know she does, but I can't handle a motherly interrogation right now.