16. Chapter 16
June 28, 2011
1:07 pm
Hailey and Sara had missed the lunch crowd as they waited for Trey at a local sports bar and grill. After talking with Eli, Hailey picked up Sara for lunch where they were now waiting on Trey.
Still irritated with her sister, Hailey quietly said, “Listen, I don’t want to fight, but I need you to stop trying to manipulate me into telling Trey about Ryan. It’s none of your business.”
Sara snorted. “Maybe not, but it’s Trey’s business.”
“And since when do you care about Trey?”
She shrugged. “I don’t.”
Hailey shook her head. “Then why won’t you leave it alone?”
Sara leaned in. “You’re going to get yourself killed because you're being a pretentious bitch about it. Stop acting like it doesn’t affect the rest of us.”
Hailey’s mouth hung open. “Screw you. It doesn’t affect anyone else. Were you the one who had nightmares about being beaten to death? Were you the one who held your breath at the doctor, praying they found a heartbeat? Were you the one who scrubbed dried blood off your body?”
Sara clenched her jaw and anger sparked behind her eye. Before Sara could respond, their waitress came over and introduced herself.
They had placed an appetizer order when Hailey noticed a man staring in their direction. She immediately noticed the dog tags that hung around his neck, standing out against the black fabric that hugged his arms. She nearly blushed as she assessed him, taking in his muscular build, blonde hair, and beard. The tattoos that covered his arms intrigued her more than she cared to admit.
“That guy keeps staring at us,” Hailey quietly said to Sara.
Sara turned around before Hailey could protest.
The man smiled and waved, and Sara turned back around and rolled her eyes. “Creep.”
Hailey lifted a brow. There was a time when Sara would have relished in any attention from the male species. This new Sara was both entertaining and peculiar.
Much to her dismay, though, the man walked up to their table. “Hi, Hailey.”
Hailey was startled that the stranger knew her name.
He chuckled. “It’s Gavin O’Dell from high school.”
A grin slowly grew on her face as she stood to hug him. “I didn’t even recognize you!”
Gavin laughed deeply. “The Marines change a man.”
“Still trying to be a womanizer, I see,” Sara said.
“Nice to see you, too, Sara.”
“I’m sure it is,” she said dryly as she made her way to the bar across the restaurant.
Hailey immediately wanted to strangle her sister for being so rude. “Sorry, she’s a little irritable.”
He smirked. “A little?”
Hailey smiled. “Okay, a lot. So how have you been?”
“I’ve been doing pretty good. Opened my own private security firm three years ago with my friend, Carter Anguilar.”
“I thought you were going to Harvard to study law?” she said.
Gavin sat in Sara’s seat . “I was, but halfway through my freshman year I realized I hated it. Carter was already talking about leaving and enlisting in the Marines, so I did too.”
“I would have never pegged you as someone who would enlist and then work in private security.”
“Me either. But it was the best decision I ever made. So, what brought you back to town?” he asked.
Hailey shrugged. “Just visiting for Angie’s wedding and then heading back home in a few days.”
He nodded and glanced at her ring finger. “You know, I’m honestly surprised you and Trey didn’t end up hitched. I always knew he was in love with you.” He laughed. “And I was pissed as hell about it.”
Gavin had always made her feel guilty when it came to Trey. But looking back now, he was right to feel threatened. She had feelings for Trey, despite her protests against them.
Actually, Trey had been a big reason as to why they broke up. That and the fact that Gavin wanted to sleep with every other girl in their class.
While Gavin was calculated and ambitious, standing to inherit a small fortune, Trey had been wild and adventurous, not a dime to his name. Yet, despite Gavin being the safest option, Hailey fell in love with Trey.
She often wondered what her life would have been like if she hadn't.
Hailey sighed. “It just didn’t work, unfortunately. After my mother died, I couldn’t stay here anymore so I left and lived with my great-aunt in Alabama.”
“I’m sorry about that. Your Ma was a nice lady.”
“Thanks.”
“So, what happened with Sara? I was pretty shocked to find out she killed your mother. I'm even more shocked to see you two together.”
Hailey shook her head. “This is going to sound crazy, but she didn’t do it. We’re trying to get Trey to reopen the investigation.”
He lifted his brow. “Sounds like there's more to that story.”
Hailey nodded. “There is, but it’s too much to get into.”
“And what about you and Trey?” he asked.
“We’re…friendly.”
Gavin chuckled. “No, you don’t get to do that. Spill it, Hailey. You clearly have a lot going on in that head of yours.”
Hailey smiled. “It’s really complicated. Like, really complicated.”
“Now I’m even more curious.”
“We actually have a daughter that he didn’t know about until yesterday,” she said, looking down at the table. “We’re trying to figure out what co-parenting looks like and what that means for us.”
Gavin raised his brows, and the waitress came and brought Hailey’s appetizer to the table. Not wanting to talk about her past anymore, she leaned back in her seat and asked, “What about you? Is there a Mrs. O’Dell?”
He smiled, showing off a dimple on his right cheek. “Other than my mother, no. I try to keep myself away from the ladies. They’re trouble, you know.” He winked. “I was actually engaged a few years back, but she wanted me to leave the Marines, and I just couldn’t do it. It didn’t seem fair to ask her to settle and give up her own dreams. It was amicable but still sad. Last I heard, she was happily married with a baby on the way.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sure that was hard for both of you.” Hailey gently touched his hand.
Gavin shrugged. “Yeah, but it was for the best. Now I’ve just decided to stop looking and let love find me…or not.”
“I’m sure you won’t have any trouble with that.”
The two smiled at each other. Then Hailey noticed the restaurant door open and saw Trey looking for her. She waved him down and he immediately noticed Gavin. He instinctively bowed up, much like he had when they were teenagers. Hailey laughed to herself.
Sara, too, came back to the table and Gavin stood to give her back her seat.
“Trey, you remember Gavin,” Hailey said as Trey walked up to the table.
“I do,” he growled.
“I heard you were the new Police Chief, Harbor. That’s shocking, to say the least.”
Hailey eyed the two men, amused, as they exchanged a silent pissing match.
“I’m glad we got to catch up,” Hailey said to Gavin, trying to ease the tension.
“Me too. See ya ‘round,” he said. Gavin smiled, then walked off, sneaking one last glance at Sara before walking back to his table.
Hailey was glad she bumped into Gavin. He had always been a good friend, even if he was a lousy boyfriend. As much as Hailey hated to admit it, this little town did hold fond memories for her.
Trey on the other hand, didn’t look pleased