“So two weeks together and suddenly you know my business better than I do? Wow. That’s one hell of an accomplishment.” He turned away from her and went into the other room.
Frantic to salvage this disaster, Ella scrambled out of bed and pulled on a robe before following him into the living room, where he was getting dressed. She was shocked to see him getting ready to leave. “What’re you doing? Where’re you going?”
“I’m going home. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but we both knew I would eventually, so it’s better that it happen sooner rather than later. You deserve someone who could receive an amazing gift like this with grace and appreciation. I’m not that guy.”
“Would you please stop and just talk to me? Tell me what’s really going on here.”
“I did tell you, but you don’t believe me when I say I can’t be away from work.”
“Okay, so we won’t go.”
“You should go. You spent all that money. You shouldn’t let it go to waste.”
“Go without you? To your friend’s wedding?”
“He’s your friend, too. You and your brothers and Hannah have known him for years.”
“Gavin, you’re being crazy. Why would I go to Dylan’s wedding without you?”
“Because you’ll be out all that money if you don’t go.”
“Please stay and talk to me.”
“What’s there to talk about? You’ve always wanted more from me than I’m able to give. This is the proof.”
“So that’s it? It’s over? Just like that? Because I tried to do something nice for you?”
“No, because you’re too good for me. You deserve better.”
“Gavin, I swear to God, if you walk out that door, don’t come back. You won’t be welcome.”
“I’m sorry, Ella. You’ll never know how sorry I am that I couldn’t make this work.”
With those words, he walked out the door, closing it behind him. As the lock clicked into place, Ella stared at the door, riveted by the memory of making love with him there. Her eyes filled with tears that she barely registered.
“What the hell just happened here?” It defied explanation. It defied belief. Never in her worst nightmares had she expected the reaction she’d gotten from him. She’d expected that he might be a little tense about work, but she’d thought that perhaps he’d call Clinton and go over everything with him and at least try to make it work.
But he hadn’t done that. He’d just said thanks but no thanks and then left. She couldn’t believe he’d actually left. There had to be more to this than work. But what was it and why wouldn’t he tell her rather than end a relationship that was making them both happy over a trip no one was going to force him to take?
It didn’t make sense. It didn’t add up.
Ella stared at the door for a long, long time before she turned and went into the kitchen to call his mother.
*
Gavin’s hands were shaking so badly he could barely drive. God, what had he done? It would be a very long time, if ever, before he forgot the shattered expression on her lovely face. He was a heartless bastard for letting this happen in the first place. That was where he’d made his first mistake.
The time with her had been amazing—the best days of his life—but all along he’d been waiting to fuck it up. He’d known he would. He couldn’t tell her why he didn’t want to go to the wedding. He’d never told anyone why he’d taken a step back from his brother’s friends after Caleb died.
How could anyone understand what he barely understood himself?
No, he’d done the right thing. He kept telling himself that over and over again on the lonely, dark ride home. For a brief moment he thought about driving out of town to a place where no one knew him so he could get drunk in peace.
But he rejected that idea and headed home, where he had plenty of whiskey and could tie one on in the privacy of his own space.