Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Gavin
Jayla: Hank is here, and Mom seems freaked out.
Me: What do you mean freaked out?
Jayla: She’s told him to leave twice, and she’s basically just talking to him through a very small crack in the door.
Me: I’m on my way
T he texts from Jayla have me racing out the front door and peeling out of the driveway to get to her and her mom.
Did he realize I found something when I was at his place earlier, and now he’s going to attack?
It doesn’t matter what caused him to show up there. I have to get there before anything happens.
When I pull into Lena’s driveway, Hank’s old truck is no longer there. I blow out a sigh of relief as I look around cautiously. I get out of the car and jog to the door, knocking quickly.
“It’s me,” I call out, just in case.
Jayla answers the door, giving me a quick hug immediately.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Jayla steps back and lets me inside the house. Lena is leaning against the kitchen counter, holding a glass of wine, as she stares out the back door. I go to her, pulling her into my arms for a hug.
“Nothing is going on. Everything is fine,” Lena answers as she pulls away from me.
“Hank was here. His accent was gone. It was like a New York accent or something…but whatever it was, he kept telling Mom that they needed to talk.”
“Lena,” I say.
She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “Jayla overreacted. It’s nothing.”
“She told him that she knew he bribed Grandpa.”
“Shit,” I reply as I pinch the bridge of my nose. “What did he say?”
“Nothing. I closed the door in his face. He was trying to give me his phone number.”
“He’s not safe, Lena. You did the right thing. I went to see him this morning, and I would guess that I spooked him, so he showed up here to scare you or something.”
“You went to see him?”
“Yeah. I didn’t tell him anything. I asked why Dad sold to him, but that’s about the extent of our conversation. I get a bad feeling from him.”
Lena’s eyes flit to Jayla and then back to me quickly.
Stop talking in front of Jayla. She doesn’t need to know any of this.
I nod, understanding what the look means.
“Why don’t we order pizza and watch movies?” I ask.
“You don’t have to stay, Gavin. We don’t need to be rescued,” Lena says sharply as she turns to pour herself more wine.
“I wasn’t trying to rescue you.”
“Uncle G, I have the perfect movie to watch,” Jayla interjects.
I watch Lena closely and see her hands shaking a little. I look back at my niece.
“What do you like on your pizza?”
“Pineapple,” Jayla replies.
I chuckle. “I bet that drove your dad nuts. It’s my favorite, too.”
“Can you order the deep dish and cheese sticks?” she asks.
“Yes, why don’t you get the movie ready, and I’ll step outside to order.”
She nods, her eyes flitting to her mom quickly before she turns around to go back into the living room. I move closer to Lena, putting my arms around her waist as I pull her into me. She stiffens and tries to move my hands away.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“I don’t…”
“I know that you’re freaked out. It’s okay. I won’t let him come near you again. I have a PI friend I’m going to reach out to. I will make sure that Hank leaves town and never looks back.”
She closes her eyes and nods. I kiss her neck gently.
“I’m going to go outside and call the PI and to order the pizza.”
She nods again. I let go of her and walk back out the front door. I quickly order the pizza and then dial Nate’s number.
I pace across the sidewalk. My mind is racing, and I can’t shake the image of Hank’s wall—covered in photos of Lena and Jayla, pictures of them from different angles, different moments.
How long has this been going on? How deep does this obsession run? How dare he show up here? What would he have done had Lena let him in?
Finally, Nate answers. “Hey, Gav. What’s going on?”
“Hey, I’m going to text you the name and address of a guy here in Hicks Creek. I need you to look into him. I went to his house today, and he’s got pictures of my girlfriend and niece all over his wall. There are photos of my late brother, too. Something isn’t right. I was at his house today to talk to him, and then he showed up at Lena’s house tonight, and he’s never done that before.”
“Look, you need to keep an eye on Lena and Jayla. Don’t let your guard down, not even for a second. I don’t know what we’re dealing with here, but it sounds like this guy’s a little ballsy.”
“I thought the same thing,” I say, pacing again. “I’m not letting either of them out of my sight. Lena doesn’t know any of this yet, and I don’t want to tell her until I have more to go on. But I need answers fast, Nate. I’ll pay extra if it means you can dig deeper, faster.”
“I’m already on it,” he replies. “Do you have any other possible names for him? The one you gave me isn’t popping up anything.”
“No, that’s the name Dad put on the deed and the one everyone in town knows him by.”
“If he’s stalking someone, I doubt this is his first time doing so. There has to be more on him. I’ll do more digging. Be careful. If this guy’s obsessed with Lena, he might already be watching. You don’t want to spook him until we know more.”
“I know,” I say, my jaw tightening. “I’m not going to do anything that’ll tip him off. I’ll keep things as normal as I can...but I’m making sure Lena and Jayla are protected. Whatever it takes.”
“I’ll be in touch as soon as I have something.”
We hang up, and I stand there for a moment, looking around to see if I can catch a glimpse of Hank lurking in the shadows anywhere.
An hour later, we’re gathered in the living room, surrounded by pizza boxes and soda cans, and it feels…almost normal. I’m sitting on the couch, one arm draped over the back, watching Jayla and Lena as the movie flickers on the screen. The dim light from the TV casts a soft glow on their faces. Jayla’s in the middle, curled up in a ball, holding a slice of pizza with both hands like it’s a treasure. Lena’s on the far side, legs tucked under her, staring at the screen but not really watching. I can tell she’s distracted, distant, and still shaken from Hank’s earlier visit.
I glance at her, trying to catch her eye, but she’s focused on the TV. A sigh escapes me before I know it.
“Hey, Jayla, what’s the movie called again?” I ask.
She looks up at me, sauce smeared on her cheek. I chuckle, reaching over to grab a napkin from the coffee table.
“I don’t know, Space something or other.”
“Didn’t you say that you’ve seen it like five times? How do you not remember?”
She shrugs, taking another bite. “I don’t pay attention to the names. Just the explosions.”
I grin, shaking my head. “Of course. Why did I even ask?”
Lena chuckles softly next to her. I catch the flicker of her smile, though. It’s there, just hiding behind whatever’s weighing on her mind.
“Do you really think it’s a good idea for you to be watching this right before bed?” Lena asks, her tone teasing, though a little distant. “Last time, you had nightmares about aliens.”
Jayla waves her pizza slice in the air dramatically. “That was one time! And I wasn’t scared of the aliens; it was just a really loud part, and I wasn’t ready for it.”
Lena snorts, leaning back. “Sure, because jumping off the couch and yelling wasn’t fear at all.”
“Exactly!” she says, and Lena lets out another quiet laugh. It’s faint, but it’s something.
“Besides,” Jayla continues, “I'm totally tougher now. I can handle it.”
Lena’s lips curve just slightly, and she shrugs. “If you say so.”
Satisfied with that answer, Jayla beams and leans into Lena, resting her head against her. I notice the way Lena tenses at first before she relaxes, resting her hand gently on Jayla’s shoulder. There’s a slight shift in her posture as if she’s trying, even though it’s clear her mind is elsewhere.
I grab another slice of pizza, watching them. I wish I could freeze moments like these in time.
“Jayla, what’s your favorite part of the movie? Since you’ve seen it so many times.”
She sits up, wiping her greasy fingers on her pajama pants, something Lena would usually scold her for, but tonight, she doesn’t seem to notice. “Oh, definitely the part where they’re in space, and the ship explodes, and everyone’s floating around in zero gravity! It’s so cool!”
I raise an eyebrow. “You’re not scared of floating away in space? No air, nothing to hold on to?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Pfft. I’d find a way back. I’m not scared of anything.”
Lena lets out a soft snort, and I glance over at her, catching the small flicker of amusement on her face. “That’s good to know. We’ll keep that in mind for when we inevitably get lost in space,” she says dryly, nudging Jayla lightly.
Jayla giggles, glancing up at her mom with a wide grin. “See? You get it.”
Lena’s eyes meet mine for just a second before she looks away, her smile fading. My chest tightens a bit, seeing her retreat again.
As the movie continues, I try to focus on the screen, but my eyes keep drifting toward Lena. Her shoulders are stiff, and her expression is tight, like she’s holding something in. Jayla, on the other hand, is completely immersed in the movie.
When the credits finally roll, Jayla stretches out and lets out a loud yawn. “Okay, I’m definitely not scared of aliens, but I might be scared of falling asleep on the couch,” she teases.
I chuckle, standing up and stretching. “All right, kiddo. Time to hit the hay. You’ve got school in the morning.”
She pouts but nods, too tired to put up much of a fight. She hugs us both before scurrying up the steps.
When we’re alone, I push off the couch and step toward Lena, my heart racing a little as I close the distance. She doesn’t pull away, but her eyes flicker up to meet mine, guarded.
“Lena…” I start, keeping my voice gentle. “You don’t have to keep doing this alone, you know? I’m here for good. I’m not going to move back to the city.”
She swallows hard, her gaze dropping to the floor. “I know,” she whispers, but there’s a crack in her voice that tells me she doesn’t believe it. “I’m not used to…having someone to help. It’s going to take me a bit to get used to it.”
I step closer, reaching out to gently cup her chin. She tilts her face up to look at me. Her eyes search mine as if looking for something—reassurance, safety, maybe even a way out.
Her breath hitches. She leans into me, her forehead resting against my chest, and I wrap my arms around her, holding her close.
“I’m scared, Gavin,” she admits, her voice barely a whisper. “Hank showing up here really freaked me out. I could lose everything because of Aaron. What if…what if Hank wants money or he’ll tell everyone about Aaron taking bribes. It’ll ruin my career as mayor. I’ll never…”
Holding her tighter, I press my lips to the top of her head. “I’m not going to let that happen.”
She nods against my chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt as if grounding herself. We stand there for a long moment, just holding each other, the quiet hum of the house surrounding us. I wrap my arms tighter around her and hope she can feel how much I love her through my actions. I don’t think she’s ready to hear me say those words yet.
Eventually, she pulls back just enough to look up at me, her eyes searching mine. “Thank you,” she whispers.
I brush a strand of hair behind her ear, my fingers lingering against her skin. “You don’t have to thank me,” I say softly. “This is where I want to be.”
Her eyes soften, and for the first time tonight, I see the walls start to come down. She leans up, her lips brushing mine in a soft, hesitant kiss like she’s testing the waters. I can feel the heat between us, the tension that’s been building all night, but I’m careful, gentle, taking my time, not wanting to push her too far, too fast.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she whispers, her hand resting against my chest. “I was angry when you came home, but…I’m so glad that you finally did.”
“You’ll never have to find out. I’m not going anywhere ever again.”
It’s the truth. As the words leave my mouth, I know I’ve never wanted anything more than this life with Lena. I bought an engagement ring eighteen years ago and intend to make that a reality.
She lets out a shaky breath, her fingers tracing the lines of my jaw before she steps back, creating just a little space between us. “Do you mean that?”
“Of course I do. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t. I told you that I wanted to be in a relationship with you, that means staying in Hicks Creek to build a life with you and Jayla.”
She gasps and covers her mouth. Tears roll down her cheeks. I lean forward and brush my lips against hers. The amount of love I have for her right now is overwhelming.
Aw dammit, this woman thought that I was going to leave her again? I guess I can’t blame her.
The thought of her being scared hurts. I thought she knew I was here for the long haul, but I guess I was wrong. I take a deep breath and silently vow that I’ll make sure she knows from now on.
“I want that, too. But I should probably head to bed,” she says softly, pulling away gently.
I nod, keeping my tone light, not wanting to push her. Big change, but I get it. Again, it hurts that she’s slow to trust me, but I can’t take offense to it.
“Yeah. Long day.”
She lingers for a moment, her eyes locked on mine, and I can see the battle she’s fighting, the pull to stay, to let me in fully, and the instinct to protect herself by pulling away.
“Good night, Gav,” she says softly, finally turning toward the hallway.
“Good night, Lena,” I reply, watching her as she walks away.
I watch her as she goes. A part of me aches to follow her, to be there for her in every way she needs, but I know she’s not ready for that, not yet. And it’s not fair to take it to that level yet when Jayla is involved.
I leave the house, locking the door behind me as I go. I scan the area outside to see if I can spot that snake Hank anywhere. I don’t. I’m reluctant to leave, though.
Would it be weird to sleep in my car in their driveway?
I can’t do that, but I will check in with Nate tomorrow morning to see if there’s any new information.