Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Gavin was jumpy and oddly nervous the next day as everybody got into their assigned spots for the weddings.
Did Kari think he was a weirdo flipping out about not being strong enough to stop?
Then he’d almost proven his fears founded and been unable to stop.
All he’d wanted to do last night was yank her in close and kiss her in ways that would shock an innocent beauty like Kari to the core.
If only he was brave and crazy enough to beg her to elope with him.
He was too responsible to be either, even though Kari consumed his every thought. He passed a hand over his face.
“You okay?” Heath muttered next to him.
Gavin straightened and forced as big of a smile as he was capable of without Austin or Kari being his focus. “Yeah. Sorry, man.”
He, Nick, Stetson, Austin, and Trey all stood up next to Heath and Jed.
With the crowd gathered for the double weddings, it was too big to hold them in the church, so they were in the main floor of his lodge, cleared of its normal furnishings.
Ella and Mama walked down the aisle with the appropriate music playing, and Mama went to sit with Kari while Ella headed to the opposite side of the preacher.
Kari caught Gavin’s eye. She gave him an appealing smile, and he found himself returning it.
He was afraid he’d been a little stiff this morning at the big family luncheon before the event, but she didn’t appear to be upset with him.
He knew that any awkwardness was his fault.
Kari was guileless, loving, and trusting.
He didn’t deserve a beautiful sweetheart like her, but hadn’t he suffered long enough for his mistake with Janielle?
He’d tried to repent and had never made the same mistake again.
Last night was as close as he’d ever come, but he’d walked away from Kari, even though she was more tempting to him than Janielle had been as a hormone-driven teenager.
What if this was the Lord’s gift to him, showing him He’d forgiven Gavin by bringing Kari into his life?
The music changed, and Cassie and Hazel came down the aisle with Papa rolling between them.
The two women glowed with happiness and love.
Cassie’s dark eyes and Hazel’s green eyes focused on their future husbands, full of joy and promise.
Gavin was happy for them. His gaze was drawn back to Kari, who smiled sweetly at him.
Her blue eyes drew him in just as surely as they had the first day they’d met.
He found his face breaking into a bright smile. Kari’s smile grew.
Nick muttered to him, “Whoa, cowboy, it’s not your wedding day.”
Gavin’s lips tightened. He ignored his brother and tried to pay attention to the double ceremony.
It was unconventional, as most brides wanted their own special day, but neither Hazel nor Cassie were the type of women who wanted extra attention, and when they’d presented their double wedding idea to Mama, she’d been ecstatic about it.
The wedding finished with the pronouncement of husband and wife, and Heath and Jed each took their brides and kissed them as if no one else was in the room.
Gavin’s neck felt hot. Would Kari expect him to kiss her like that in front of their families and friends?
Eloping sounded better and better. He pulled at his collar.
What was he even doing thinking about marriage?
He met Kari’s gaze again, and suddenly all the lines in her books about “melting” made sense to him.
She made him want to melt into a puddle at her feet and beg her to have mercy on his heart.
Was he truly worthy of a fun, angelic woman like Kari?
He started her direction, ignoring Nick’s knowledgeable chuckle behind him as Kari gifted him with an incredible, alluring smile.
He felt like this was his time, his moment.
He’d tell Kari how incredible she was, how he’d fallen for her, and they could start planning their future.
Together they’d reveal his secrets to Austin and his siblings.
Before he could go to Kari, he instinctively had to know that Austin was okay.
Austin was never a burden, as Gavin simply loved being with his son.
Yet when the entire family was around, it was easier than ever to care for Austin.
All of the siblings adored him, and in their minds, they were helping Mama out, not realizing that it was Gavin who had full responsibility for their supposed brother.
Gavin pulled up short when he saw Austin chattering away to a thin, blond woman with a disproportionately huge chest. The woman was much too skinny and she’d obviously had plastic surgery on her chest and possibly her nose since he’d last seen her, but her face was still as beautiful as ever. There was no doubt who it was.
“Janielle,” Gavin breathed out. “No!”
“Gavin?” Kari’s melodic voice wheeled him around.
Gavin swallowed hard and said to her, “Kari. I’m sorry.
” Her eyes widened in confusion but he simply couldn’t wait and explain.
He stormed toward Austin and his son’s biological mother.
His stomach churned as he dodged around or pushed through groups of people.
The buffet tables set up just inside the arched doors of the restaurant were being filled with food, the chairs from the wedding were being moved around tables that staff were rolling out, music had started, and there was an air of festivity in the crowd.
Not for him. Whatever Janielle was doing here, it could only mean trouble.
He’d never gotten all the details of how Mama had gotten Janielle to sign away her parental rights, but she had admitted in one of their conversations on the subject that a significant sum of money had been involved.
His gut tightened. This woman would not hurt his son.
When he reached them, Austin was prattling away like he’d found his latest girlfriend.
Gavin wanted to hurl. Janielle glanced over at him.
Her eyes were a cold blue, and her features were sharp.
He’d once thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world, no matter what she’d done he’d dreamt of her for years after she ditched him.
Now she looked like a fake, overly made-up Barbie doll.
She couldn’t hold a candle to Kari. Kari’s looks weren’t all about her exterior perfection, though; she glowed from the inside out.
“Gavin,” Janielle greeted him coolly. “You look good.” Her eyes trailed over him, making him feel dirty and uncomfortable. “I’ve come for my son.”
Gavin’s gut churned with anger. “You have no play here,” he said through his clenched jaw.
Austin stopped talking and cocked his head. “You lost your son? I’m sorry. We can help you find him. Right, Gav?” He looked up at Gavin, so trusting and adorable.
Gavin wrapped his arm around Austin’s shoulder and drew him closer to him, farther away from her.
“Gav?” Janielle’s eyebrows went up. “He doesn’t know?”
Gavin didn’t want to share anything with her, but he shook his head shortly.
Janielle’s smile grew cunning. She bent down to Austin’s level. “Sweet, adorable little boy,” she drawled out. “You’re my son, and Gavin’s your daddy.” She looked back up at Gavin with a knowing smirk.
Gavin sucked in a breath. No! He wanted to scream. Austin couldn’t find out like this, and Janielle couldn’t have any hope of getting back in Austin’s life.
Austin simply shook his head. “Sorry, lady, but you’re messed up. My mama and papa are right over there.” He pointed over to where the crowd was surrounding Heath and Hazel, Jed and Cassie, and Mama and Papa. As the hosts, Mama and Papa were probably the only people who knew everyone in the room.
Gavin had always been close to his mama, appreciated and loved her, and he wanted her to come hug him and make this all right again.
He squared his shoulders and stared at Janielle.
This was his mistake that Mama had miraculously fixed years ago.
He was a grown man who was raising his son and running a multimillion-dollar resort on his own.
He was more than capable of dealing with garbage like this.
He gripped his son’s shoulder. “Austin. Go find …” He glanced around for one of his siblings.
Kari was only a couple of feet away. Her gaze was wary, but she was here.
He wished he could tell her how much that meant to him.
Later. But suddenly he was terrified. He’d almost convinced himself late last night and this morning that he’d been redeemed of his sins, that he had a chance to be with someone as incredible and pure as Kari.
Yet here was Janielle, showing up and ruining all the hope and joy Kari had created.
What if this was a horrible sign from God that Gavin hadn’t been forgiven or made amends for anything?
“Kari.” He begged her with his gaze. “Will you please take Austin to the buffet?”
“Of course.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
She must’ve overheard what Janielle had said.
Oh, no. She’d given him a chance to open up last night, and he’d failed.
He fully recognized how deep the failure was at this moment, but could do nothing about it.
Had he messed up their entire relationship?
“Thank you,” was all he could say.
She simply nodded and wrapped a hand around Austin’s shoulders, but Austin didn’t move with her. Kari looked to him for help.
Gavin gestured across the open area to his office.
“Let’s talk in private,” he suggested to Janielle, but anyone within hearing distance would know it was not a suggestion but a command.
He had to get her away from Austin. This woman wasn’t going to hurt his son, and she wasn’t going to ruin his brother’s or sister’s weddings.
“No,” she cried out like a petulant child. “I’ve come back for my son, and you and your controlling mother have nothing on me anymore.”