“Will tried to talk to him this week,” Cameron said softly. “He’s not talking about it. Not even to Will.”
Ella’s heart ached for her brother, who’d always been happy and lighthearted and fun to be around until recently. Seeing him so down and despondent broke her heart. Hopefully after the baby arrived he’d rebound and be able to put his focus on the baby rather than on the relationship that wasn’t working.
After several fast songs, the DJ slowed the tempo with “A Thousand Years.”
Gavin approached her, took her hand and led her from the group without a word to anyone. His sexy, possessive gesture did funny things to her insides, which only continued when he wrapped his arms around her and left no room for doubt that they were together with the way he held her close to him.
Ella felt every eye in the room on her and them as they moved together to the song that summed up the depth of her love for him.
“Relax, babe,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ve been dying to hold you all day.”
What else could she do when he put it that way but relax into his embrace?
The dance floor filled with other couples, including her parents, Will and Cameron, Hunter and Megan, Colton and Lucy, Hannah and Nolan as well as employees and their spouses. Surrounded by family and friends, Ella felt less on display but no less overwhelmed to be dancing in public with Gavin for the first time as his girlfriend or significant other or whatever they were to each other now.
Because the DJ knew exactly who he was working for tonight, the next song was one by the Beatles, “The Long and Winding Road.”
“Another song that suits us,” Gavin whispered, setting her on fire with his husky words, the scrape of his whiskers against her neck, the scent of his cologne and the tight squeeze of his arms around her. Between them, his arousal pulsed against her belly, reminding her of what to expect when they got home. She couldn’t wait.
Lost in the song, the moment, the magic of being in his arms, she was instantly aware when his body filled with tension.
Ella raised her head off his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s he doing here?” Gavin asked in a much harsher tone than she’d heard from him before.
“Who?”
“Ed Sheehan.”
“He works at the tree farm. Why?”
“Since when?”
“I’m not sure exactly when he started,” Ella said. “A couple of years maybe?”
“He’s the guy I fought with that night at the bar. He said—”
“I remember,” Ella said, sparing him from having to repeat the hateful words and filled with fury over what Ed had said to Gavin.
Gavin released her so suddenly she nearly stumbled.
“I . . . I can’t be in the same room with that guy. I’m sorry.”
He stunned her when he turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the middle of the dance floor surrounded by her employees, parents, siblings and their partners, all of whom looked on in surprise and dismay.
Ella started to go after him, but something stopped her. First of all, she couldn’t leave. This event was her responsibility, and it wasn’t over yet. Second of all . . . She’d gone after him for the last time. He’d chosen to leave, to walk away from her. It would have to be his choice to come back. She couldn’t continue to make that choice for him.
“Um, what just happened?” Charley asked after Ella walked off the dance floor.
“He saw Ed Sheehan here.”
“So?”
“Apparently, Ed told him we wasted our time in Iraq, which led to the bar fight last summer.”
“Oh damn. I didn’t know the fight was with him.”
“I didn’t either.”
“Tell Landon to fire him,” Charley said emphatically.
“Is it wrong that I want to do that?”
“Hell no, it’s not wrong. We lost our brother-in-law over there. How anyone in this town could say such a thing to Gavin, of all people, is beyond me.”
“What’s wrong?” Colton asked when he joined them.
Charley filled him in.