3. Tori #2
“Lila may have spilled about the “strip club incident” earlier this semester,” he admitted, smiling. “I heard your husband showed up all mad and dragged you home before you saw even a single oiled-up six pack or bow tie.”
I felt my face go hot. “I can’t believe they told you that!”
He laughed. “College hijinks. We all get into ‘em. No judgement here.”
“Then you’ll have to get yourself a drink so we can share it,” I suggested, elbowing him in the side. “You can make it a double. Double pink frill.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, princess. I’m happy to buy you a Shirley Temple, though.”
“Who do you think you are, my father?” I teased. The second I thought about my dad, though, my good mood dissipated. I took a deep breath and tried to banish my frown.
Gavin seemed to notice. “What’s wrong?” he asked, pulling me to the railing and out of the flow of pedestrian traffic. “Talk to me.”
“Nothing,” I said, staring off into the choppy water.
“You got all quiet and pensive,” he pointed out. “I know your tells. It’s not nothing.”
I took a breath. Gavin could read me so well. It was one of the things I really liked about him. He was always so attentive to the people around him.
“I guess it’s not,” I admitted. “I…had an argument with my dad a few weeks back. Over something he did. Or didn’t do, but should have.
We still haven’t fixed things between us, and I don’t feel good about it.
It’s been on my mind.” I shrugged. There was more to it, of course, but I didn’t want to bring Stefan into it.
Didn’t want to give Gavin any indication that my marriage was in trouble.
He was quiet as we stared out at the waters of Lake Michigan together, his arm still warm around my shoulders, the icy air drying my tears before they could fall.
“That’s one of the things about growing up,” Gavin finally said. “You start to realize that your parents are people, too. They’re not perfect. Just people. Even senators like your dad. They have flaws, they make mistakes…”
“This was a pretty big mistake,” I said. “I don’t know if I can forgive it.”
He nodded. “Give it some time, then. No rush. Your heart will know what’s right.”
I couldn’t help smiling. I had no idea if things between me and my father would ever be okay again, but what Gavin had said was exactly what I needed to hear. “Thanks, Gav.”
“Any time.”
The rooftop bar and restaurant at the Crystal Gardens was beautiful, and it took my breath away. Panes of glass arched overhead, fountains and twinkling lights and palm trees abounded, and even the flagstones under our feet all made it obvious we were in a huge tropical greenhouse.
“This place is gorgeous,” I said, my voice hushed in awe.
“I thought you’d appreciate it,” Gavin said.
We chatted about our classes at school until our food arrived, a delicious spread of shrimp and linguini and a steak cooked so perfectly it practically melted in my mouth.
“This is way too fancy,” I said in between bites. “I shouldn’t have let you order.”
“It’s the least I can do after you tutored me back up to a B+ in Latin,” he said. “Those conjugations kill me every time.”
“You never seem to struggle during our sessions,” I pointed out.
“That’s because I have such a good teacher,” he said, reaching across the table to take my hand. Our eyes locked. “Do you have any idea how amazing you are?”
I felt my pulse quicken and I pulled my hand away. “Gavin, I—I really, really like you. But…as a friend. This isn’t a date.”
I couldn’t help wondering, though, what it would be like to date Gavin.
He didn’t just call me princess—he treated me like one.
And almost anyone would treat me better than Stefan had been lately.
Gavin was also handsome, there was no denying it.
He didn’t have the same confidence and polish that Stefan carried himself with, the same animal magnetism that made my knees go weak, but who did?
Stefan was a breed in and of himself—I knew I would just be disappointed if I tried to compare any other man to him.
But Gavin had other things going for him.
For one, he didn’t seem like the kind of guy who broke the law.
He certainly wasn’t involved in running a trafficking ring, but I doubted he had ever even jaywalked.
He had that all-American, squeaky clean persona going for him.
The kind of guy who wore faded, well-fitting jeans and a T-shirt. He was casual. Laid-back. Simple. Easy.
Exactly what I needed right now.
Yet all I could think about was my traitorous, cold, but incredibly sexy husband.
“Of course it’s not a date,” Gavin said, laughing it off casually. “We’re just two friends out for a celebratory meal. I didn’t mean anything by it.” But his gaze slid away from mine.
“And anyway, I’m not amazing. I’m just awesome at Latin because I spent four years studying it obsessively in high school,” I said, trying to deflect the tension between us. “Total nerd status.”
“You’re not a nerd,” he said. “You’re brilliant.”
I blushed all the way to my toes.
“And besides, look how far it’s gotten you,” he went on. “Labor omnia vincit.”
“‘Hard work conquers all’,” I translated with a sigh. “All except my mental health. This semester is actually making me crazy. I can’t believe midterms are already coming up.”
“Then maybe the more relevant phrase is, ‘panem et circenses’?” he said, raising a brow.
“‘Bread and circuses’?” I asked, mopping up a bit of melted butter with the last scrap of French bread.
“They’re said to be the basic requirements for human happiness,” he said. “You know. Food and entertainment.”
“Well, we’ve got half of that covered,” I said, gesturing at the now-empty plates.
He grinned. “Then let me take you to the other half.”