CHAPTER TEN
Caitlin
Gabe’s fuck buddy answers on the second ring and seems eager to help which is partly a relief, and partly…worrisome.
I have a hard time believing this woman would be so amenable if there weren’t more emotions on her side than Gabe’s. Still, I decide to go with him to hand over the keys. It would be less awkward for me to stay in the van, but I don’t want to let Gabe out of my sight. I realize I’m being paranoid, but I just got him back. I don’t want to risk him disappearing on me again.
I park the van behind Gabe’s Beamer and join him on the sidewalk, slipping my hand into his as the door to the apartment building opens, and two pretty women dressed in jean shorts and tank tops step out. One is tall, with stick straight brown hair to her waist, and clever brown eyes that look familiar. I’ve met her at least once, though I can’t pinpoint where, but I know immediately that the brunette isn’t Gabe’s girl. His is the petite blonde, with the big blue eyes, the one, who except for the eye color, natural kink in her hair, and much bigger boobs, could easily be my twin.
My jaw drops. The resemblance is that uncanny, and I know the other girl sees it, too. She does a double take and casts a meaningful look at her friend, who makes a vaguely disgusted sound I know is intended for Gabe’s ears.
“Hello, Kimmy,” Gabe says with a smile, apparently the only one who doesn’t feel intensely awkward. “This is Caitlin. Caitlin, Kimmy.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say, though it certainly isn’t. At all.
“You too,” Kimmy says, but her eyes barely flicker in my direction before she turns back to her friend. “This is Mona. She just started working at the bar. We were headed out for late night pizza when you called.”
“What’s up?” Mona lifts her chin, but doesn’t extend a hand. She obviously isn’t thrilled to be in the middle of this, and I can’t say I blame her. I wish I’d stayed in the van and never met Kimmy, or her intimidating chest.
“Here are the keys,” Gabe says, holding them out to Kimmy. “Feel free to drive the car if you want. I know sometimes the Chevy isn’t the most reliable mode of transportation.”
Kimmy takes the keys, her fingers caressing Gabe’s for a split second that is nevertheless long enough to make me nauseous. “Cool. Thanks. Oh, and I have a few of your things upstairs. I boxed them up. Should I go get them, or—”
“If the door’s unlocked, I can go,” Gabe says, moving past her before I can make eye contact and silently beg him not to leave me alone.
“Sure, go ahead.” Kimmy waves a slender arm covered in silver bracelets. “That way you can check for anything I might have missed. The box is next to the door.”
“Be right back.” Gabe shoots me a smile I don’t return before he turns and practically sprints up the stairs. I appreciate his effort to be hasty, but I would have rather avoided being left to make conversation with the girl he was fucking, and her friend.
“You’re Caitlin Cooney, right?” Mona asks, confirming we must know each other.
“I am,” I say, forcing a smile. “But I’m sorry, I don’t remember where we’ve met.”
“It’s okay. It was only once, at Frank’s Pies, when you came in to say goodbye to Isaac.” She shrugs. “I work part time in the kitchen. I only remember you because Isaac left to go live with you not too long after, and his mom hasn’t shut up about it since.” She glances over her shoulder and turns back with an arched brow. “But I guess you and Isaac aren’t together anymore? So maybe he’ll be moving back?”
“Um, no, we’re not together,” I say, cursing my bad luck. I would run into someone who knows Isaac. “But I don’t think he plans to move back. He’s working for the Maui police department, and really enjoys his job.”
“A cop.” Kimmy blinks her big blue eyes. “That’s quite a switch from Gabe, huh?”
I pull a face, pretending I have no idea what she’s talking about, even as I wonder how much Gabe has told her about how we used to be together.
“You know, he’s not exactly your typical nice guy,” Kimmy says. “But he’s been through a lot. It was hard on him, going through surgery alone.”
I feel the barb in the words, but I’m not about to defend myself. Not to her, not after everything Gabe and I have been through, so I just shrug and say, “Life’s been hard for a lot of people this past year.”
“Don’t I know it.” Kimmy nods, the accusing expression on her face making it clear she’s not ready to let this go. “I’ve been there when Gabe wakes up screaming. It’s not pretty.”
“Well, you won’t have to deal with that anymore,” I say sweetly, a barb in my words this time, one that I know both women hear.
Mona shifts her weight uncomfortably, as if she’s worried a short blond girl fight is about to break out on the sidewalk, but I have no intention of lifting a finger against Kimmy. She’s helping Gabe, and Gabe didn’t know I was alive when they were together. I have no animosity toward this woman. I just want to get rid of Gabe’s keys, and get back to a place where we can be alone. I’ll hold him when he wakes up screaming tonight, and every night, for the rest of our lives if I have to. But I have a feeling neither of us will be suffering through those kinds of dreams anymore. Our nightmare is over.
Or almost over, as soon as we get to the bottom of the mystery with his parents, and get the hell out of South Carolina.
“Thanks for helping Gabe out,” I say, in an attempt to defuse the situation. “We both appreciate it.”
“Of course,” Kimmy says. “I’m here whenever he needs me.”
The fact that I am excluded from this transaction in her mind is obvious, but I don’t care. By helping Gabe, she’s helping me, whether she wants to or not.
Gabe hurries out the door a moment later with a box in his arms. His breath is coming fast, making it clear he did his best to hurry, and the concern in his eyes banishes any irritation I felt at being abandoned. We bid Mona and Kimmy a quick good-bye and head back toward the van, while the two women hurry down the street, clearly equally eager to end our meeting.
I walk down the sidewalk beside Gabe, stealing a glance into the box, which appears to contain male toiletries, a few tee shirts, and a couple of pairs of boxer shorts. No cell phone charger, or iPad, two things I know Gabe wouldn’t be without if he had ever stayed over for more than a night or two at a time.
“Sorry about that,” he says. “I thought it would be faster if I went upstairs. Kimmy’s not the sort to get in a hurry.”
“Neither is Isaac,” I say with a sniff, not saying a word when Gabe hip checks me as we reach the van.
“I thought you weren’t jealous,” he says, leaning against the passenger’s door.
I cross my arms. “That was before I saw my twin with the gigantic boobs.”
Gabe frowns. “Twin? She looks nothing like you.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” I snort.
“I’m not,” he says, sounding confused. “You’re a thousand times prettier, and your breasts are the most beautiful breasts I’ve ever seen. They’re the perfect size, the perfect shape, and only slightly less stunning than your pussy.”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t keep from grinning, because I can tell he means every word. “Fine, but you’re an idiot if you can’t see the similarities.”
“I’m not an idiot.” He leans into me, brushing a kiss across my forehead. “I’m very clever, and forward-thinking, except when it comes to other people we’ve slept with. That just makes me sad, so I’d rather not talk about that any more, if that’s all right.”
“It’s better than all right,” I say, grin slipping. “I wish there hadn’t been anyone else. I wish I’d never been with anyone but you.”
“Me too,” he says, setting the box on the edge of the sidewalk and reaching for me. “I’ve never done it right with anyone else, anyway.”
“What do you mean?” I come into his arms, hooking my wrists behind his neck, marveling all over again that we fit so perfectly together.
“It should mean something…everything,” he says, sending warmth spreading through my chest. “After tonight, I don’t think I could get it up for something like what I had with Kimmy. You are the only woman I ever want to be with.”
“Good.” I stand on tiptoe, pressing a kiss to his chin. “Because I’ll be hanging on to you.”
Gabe hugs me until I grunt. “Hang on tight.”
“I plan to.” I seal the words with a kiss, but I don’t really think I’ll have to cling too tightly. Even after all we’ve been through, I’m still stupid enough to think the worst is over, a belief that would soon be proved very, very wrong.