We Are Us

Chapter 55 New York City

“Thanks for coming,” I say to Gavin, letting him pull me into his arms and exhaling a ragged sigh of relief and gratitude. I’d finally capitulated and told him about the man who’d broken into my apartment the other night.

“Poppy, you should have called me right away.” Horror is written in the tiny creases extending outward from the corners of his narrowed eyes. “If your apartment isn’t secure, you can’t stay here.”

I push my nose into the curve of his shoulder, breathing deep. Gavin still smells the same, even after all this time. Fresh laundry and pinecones. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

He rests his hands on the curve of my hips, pulling me flush against him. His voice turns gruff and protective, just about the most swoony combination there is. “Then you’ll stay with me.”

The idea of cozying up with Gavin at his place is far from unappealing, but I reluctantly shake my head. “You can’t watch over me night and day. And besides, I have Sadie.”

Gavin lifts his chin from the top of my head and looks around. “Is she home?”

“No. She’s out. A spin class, I think.”

I linger in Gavin’s arms for a long while, drawing comfort from his solid bulk and gentle hold. God, it feels good to be held. After my miscarriage, I spurned every attempt at affection. I haven’t wanted to touch or be touched, love or be loved.

But Gavin is making me want all of that again. He’s igniting a passion inside me, the kind that sweeps you away on a frothy, white capped wave. But he will never let me get swept out to sea, alone and frightened. Gavin is my safe harbor, his commitment an anchor I can count on. I was wrong to ever doubt him, and I won’t make that mistake again.

It will take time to fully immerse myself in another relationship, even with Gavin, because there is still much tying me to Tucker. Invisible wounds that have not yet healed. Potential criminal charges. The high-tech thug who let himself into my bedroom as if I’d rolled out the red carpet. Legally sworn vows. Complex financial arrangements.

I shift in his arms, hoping for a kiss. It’s wrong, I know. We’re standing in the apartment I shared with Tucker. But I feel like I might burst if I don’t feel the press of Gavin’s lips on mine, taste the warm mintiness of his breath, hear his ragged groan as our tongues slide together.

When he looks down at me, Gavin’s eyes are glowing like blue flames. He’s feeling what I’m feeling, I know it. But instead of a kiss on my mouth, his lips travel no farther than my forehead. I want to stomp my foot in frustration.

After everything I shared with him, Gavin is treating me like I’m made of fine porcelain, in danger of shattering at the slightest wrong move. “I won’t break, you know. Not from you.”

“I—”

“You think I’m fragile.”

To my surprise, Gavin actually laughs. “Fragile? Poppy, you’re the strongest person I’ve ever known.”

Of all the things Gavin has ever said to me, this is by far my favorite. I pull away from him and swipe at the tears leaking from my eyes before they can fall. “Well, now that that’s settled, I’ll show you around.”

Bringing him into my bedroom feels slightly uncomfortable, the mattress glaring proof that I’ve shared a bed with another man. Ridiculous, since it’s hardly a secret. But Gavin makes no comment as he diligently examines every fixture and piece of furniture for planted cameras or recording devices, then checks out the windows for any sign that they’ve been tampered with or opened recently.

After looking inside both our closets, he casually asks, “What’s next?”

My eyes automatically go to the closed door just beyond our bedroom. The nursery.

Gavin must sense the turmoil rising inside me. “You know what, I’ll go have a talk with the security staff first—see what their cameras captured that night. When I get back, maybe I’ll have a better idea of what I’m looking for.”

I nod, blinking back the sting of hot tears. My babies’ room is a sacred space for me. I could probably handle showing it to Gavin… but if he found evidence that that cruel, malevolent man from the other night had been inside, that he’d tampered with their things…

“Thank you,” I murmur, walking with him to the front door on weak legs.

“Listen, before I go, I want to show you this.” He pulls a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. A credit card statement for the one card not in my wallet. “This charge here, it’s from a boat rental company in Key West. As you can see, it was quickly reversed. I called, and the boat was rented using cash, but they require a credit card number to reserve it and someone accidentally ran it before realizing their mistake.”

“That’s not my credit card,” I say, quickly explaining the situation.

“Give this to your lawyer then. Not only is the card registered in your name, to your address, but the boat was rented by someone matching your description. The woman specifically asked for a fast, lightweight boat she could use to scuba dive off some of the more shallow keys, farther away. Sounds a lot like the Dry Tortugas.”

“I’ve never rented a boat in my life, but even if I had, it makes no sense. Why would I rent a speedboat when we already had one, plus the yacht?”

“A prosecutor might argue that you needed a getaway vehicle. Another boat, anchored off the coast of the island.”

“But I didn’t get away. I’m still here.”

“At the last minute, either you decided not to go or Stockton decided not to take you. There was a struggle, and he left you behind. Now you’re lying to hide your involvement.”

I feel my mouth go dry. “That’s not what happened. Gavin, you have to believe me—”

“I do. And that’s why I’m giving this to you. If you can prove someone else used this card, it will go a long way toward proving your i

I’m reeling with gratitude at Gavin’s faith in me, but I remember to put a restraining hand on his arm just as he turns to go. “Sadie might be here when you get back. I haven’t told her about us yet.”

He sighs. “There’s a lot you haven’t told her.”

Gavin never understood why I kept him a secret from Sadie, maybe because he’d been an only child. He never had to share anything, or be responsible for a younger sibling.

“I will though. I promise.” And I mean it.

After he leaves, I head into the kitchen to make making myself a cup of tea.

I’ve just taken my first sip when the front door slams shut and I hear Sadie drop her purse and keys on the side table. “Poppy, you home?”

“In the kitchen,” I call out.

She sets down a square brown bag in front of me, along with a Snapple bottle. “I couldn’t eat a burger and onion rings in front of you if you weren’t going to have any, and quite frankly, I’m not in the mood to share so I just ordered for two.”

I offer a wan smile as Sadie tears open her bag. She bites into an onion ring and groans. “Oh my God, these don’t disappoint.”

Surprisingly, my stomach gives an audible grumble and I reach into my bag too. Maybe taking a lunch break isn’t a bad idea. I send an appreciative glance Sadie’s way as I nibble at an onion ring. She wasn’t kidding. They are piping hot, and deliciously salty.

“See, told ya.” She grabs her burger with both hands. “Anything new to report?”