Chapter 25 Gabe
As much as Gabe had tried to avoid Avery his last week in Phoenix, he couldn’t get her out of his head.
Seeing Avery and Marshall hugging outside of the library still stung. It seemed like he was maybe leaving town, but what of the two of them? He had no idea if they were together—the hug certainly confirmed it, even though Gabe still hung onto the possibility it was a final goodbye—but maybe not knowing would be the best way to leave.
He drove home as fast as he dared, hoping the guy buying his truck would still be there. It was weird, letting go of these things in his life. His dog, his truck, his sub job.
His Avery.
But did he really need to let her go? Could he have both? Did she want him back?
Leave it to Doreen to give him a window of opportunity. He had thought about asking Avery to drop him at the airport Friday morning, but she was already taking his dog. And how was he supposed to quit thinking about her if she was the last person he saw before leaving town?
But now she was taking him. He made a mental note to thank Doreen later. Had she been responsible for the sub binder mix-up on the first day? He chuckled to himself. What a funny thought.
Thursday September 10, 7:00 PM
Standing outside Avery’s door, he hesitated, then knocked, hoping she would answer. He had texted his flight plans to her, but he had texted her mom about dropping his dog off. He didn’t want Avery to feel obligated to be there or not, and he hadn’t sorted his thoughts and words out quite yet. Plus, he had to drop off Emmett now. The guy who had looked at the truck earlier wanted to buy it—but thankfully agreed to wait so Gabe could use it until he left—was coming over in thirty minutes. This was his last chance to drop off Emmett.
“Oh, I’m so happy to see you!” Avery’s mom let Gabe and Emmett in. She bent down and Emmett licked her face as she laughed. Gabe smiled. Patricia was the perfect dog sitter, and Emmett clearly loved her. Gabe hoped it wouldn’t be too hard for her to return him when the time came. “Sorry Avery isn’t here,” Patricia said. “She’s working at the library until 8. But she’ll see you in the morning, right?”
Gabe nodded. He wondered what Avery had told her mom about him. Probably nothing. He didn’t feel right pressing her mom for information. What if Avery had no feelings for him? Gabe wasn’t ready to hear that.
Although, she had seen them off for the dance. Hadn’t she taken a photo? His heartbeat quickened. He could ask her to text it to him later.
“I really appreciate you taking care of Emmett,” he said. “I’m sure he’s in good hands.” Obviously, if Avery’s mom was anything like Avery, the dog would get all the love it needed.
Gabe got home, turned over his truck keys to the new owner, then went through his luggage one more time. It was lonely without his best friend Emmett by his side, and it was even lonelier to think tomorrow was the last time he’d see Avery for a long time. It wasn’t that long, really, four months. Gabe’s dad had done deployments for months at a time, so it was familiar territory. In a deeper sense, being away for that long did put distance between loved ones. Gabe craved closer relationships with his parents, and deployment didn’t help. So while four months didn’t seem that long, a lot could happen. Plus, he had no clue how the project would go. If it extended for six months, or even longer, according to the latest email from his professor, he wouldn’t be back for a long time.
Friday September 11, 5:00 AM
AVERY: Pulling up right now.
GABE: I’ll be right out.
Gabe had hardly slept a wink. He had rehearsed everything he wanted to say in his head, but nothing felt right. He threw his luggage in Avery’s trunk and got in the passenger’s seat.
“How was Emmett last night?” Gabe asked.
Avery navigated the parking lot and exited onto the street. “Totally fine. Slept on the floor at the end of Mom’s bed.” She glanced over and smiled.
“Oh, this is for you.” He pulled out an envelope with some of the cash from the sale of his truck and placed it in the slot under the radio. “For dog food. Should cover four months. I’ll send more when they extend. I mean if they do.”
“You don’t have to do that.” She offered a humble smile. “He’s our dog now. Well, for the next however long.”
Avery pulled onto the freeway. They had exactly twenty-six minutes together until the airport—he had checked—depending on traffic. Several moments of silence passed between them. What could he say? What could he do? There was so much in his heart that he couldn’t put into words.
“So I—” she started.
“I wanted—” Gabe said at the same time. He turned to find her flushed and breathing shallow.
“You go ahead,” he said.
“No, you go first,” she replied.
Thoughts ran in every direction in Gabe’s brain. Should he tell her how he really felt about her? Or would that make things more complicated? His heart was beating so fast, like he was going to burst. Regret washed over him, knowing that this could be their last moments together. Of course, he did have to get Emmett when he returned. But their lives would be on opposite paths by then. Maybe he should stay? Give it all up for her?
She fidgeted with the steering wheel and stared straight ahead, as if avoiding any glances at him. “You’re going to have so much fun,” she blurted. “What are you excited for the most?”
Oh. She told me to go first, but then she asked the most yearbook type of question ever. What was Avery thinking? Feeling? Was she hiding what she truly felt, like Gabe was?
He stole glances at her while she checked the rearview and side mirror. “It’s a pretty coveted site. My professor has been after it for years. We’re hoping to find some key pieces for the region. And it’s a good opportunity to build my resume for future projects.”
Gabe imagined exploring the area, being surrounded by ancient history. As excited as he was, he was sad not to share it with someone. With Avery.
Okay, it was now or never. You gotta tell her, Gabe. He mustered up all the courage he had within him.
“I… I know I waited until the last minute. But I have something I need to tell you.” His heart pounded. Heat radiated from his chest, up his neck and to his cheeks.
“Akkk! Why?” Avery swerved to avoid a driver pulling into her lane. She held her hand over the horn but didn’t press it.
Gabe’s gut dropped to the floor. All that build up and cut off by a dumb driver? Should Gabe continue or let the moment pass by?
Avery turned to Gabe for a split second. “I bet you won’t miss driving in Phoenix. What were you saying?”
Gabe closed his eyes, his courage leaving him. “It’s just that…”
The airport appeared ahead. “Which airline again?” Avery asked.
This was his fault, waiting until the last possible second to pour his heart out, but gosh dang it, if she’d quit interrupting he could at least get through the sentence. Maybe it was a sign this wasn’t going to work. He should let it go and see what happened when he got back. Maybe she’d still be around. Maybe Gabe would be more mature and ready for a girl as special as Avery.
He pointed. “Right up there is fine.”
She pulled up to the curb and parked, then popped the trunk and hopped out, meeting him at the back of the car. Gabe followed, his hands shaking as he reached for his luggage.
“Are you okay?” Avery said, grabbing his hand. He looked up to find her face right next to his. Cars whizzed by as announcements sounded over the loudspeaker from the building.
“Yeah. I mean, no. I mean—” Gabe tried to talk, but yet again the loudspeaker blared about driving procedures around the airport. This really was the dumbest place he could pick to pour his feelings out to the girl he loved.
“What?” Avery yelled, dropping his hand then putting it to her ear. “I can barely hear you.” She reached for his luggage, grabbing the smaller carry-on, and Gabe pulled out the larger one. They got his bags to the sidewalk.
Just then an airport patrol car pulled up and honked at the car behind Avery’s, telling it to move out of the way. “Seriously, they are relentless here,” she said. “Are they like this at every airport?”
“No,” was all Gabe said. His heart beat so fast, it was going to burst any second. The woman before him, the beautiful, wonderful Avery, was staying here in Phoenix, and he was leaving.
Avery turned away and shut the trunk of her car. Gabe reached for her, causing his luggage to tip over. He leaned forward to straighten them, then stood to find Avery already at the driver’s side door of her car.
He had missed her. Missed hugging her. Missed telling her how he really felt. His heart sank to his shoes.
“I’m going to go park the car, then meet you inside for a proper goodbye!” she yelled, slamming her door as the airport patrol honked at her.
He watched her drive away, sighing in relief. So there was time. They were meeting inside. Okay, good. That was better, anyway. Gabe gathered his luggage as he mustered up his strength, trying to figure out what he should say when their proper goodbye played out.
Thankfully, the line to check his bags wasn’t too long, though he kept looking over his shoulder for Avery to appear. It was his turn next. He brought his bag to the scale and showed his passport and ticket.
“Final destination?” The ticketing agent asked.
“Egypt,” Gabe said, equally excited to go, as he was sad about leaving Avery behind.
“Woah.” The ticketing agent clacked on the computer keyboard in front of her. “That’s a long way.”
“You have no idea.”
Now with only a carry-on, Gabe walked away from the desk and made his way toward security. Where was Avery? Did she take the time to park and come inside, or had she figured good riddance and left?
He went to pull out his phone, but then he heard his name. He nearly had a heart attack.
“Gabe! Over here!” Avery waved, emerging slowly as a crowd of people around her dissipated. Gabe hurried toward her, stopping a few feet in front of her.
They locked eyes, Gabe reaching out to pull a piece of hair from her face. “Thanks for the ride,” he said. Short, shallow breaths were all he could take, his lungs barely holding any air.
“Anytime,” she said.
He smiled. “You trying to get rid of me?”
She put her hands on her hips. “I will get first pick of all the sub jobs from now on.” The words were probably meant to be playful, but the end came out flat. Was she serious? Or hiding how she really felt?
“Avery, I … “
She held up her hand, stopping him. “I’m going to miss you, Gabe.” She looked down at her purple tennis shoes, then up into Gabe’s eyes. “You’re going to have a grand adventure. So forget about me and do your thing. Promise?”
No, Avery, I can’t promise that. Gabe turned his head, his mouth turning down. “I’m going to miss you, too.”
All words left his brain. He had a whole speech planned, but clearly Avery wanted him gone. “Thanks for helping me get this gig. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Avery breathed in, her whole body standing straighter as if preparing to run. “Anytime, Gabe. You’re a good guy, you know.”
A good guy. That’s all he was to her? All their time together, the sparks, the kisses, the laughter, the connection. That was it? He couldn’t mask his disappointment for long. If he was going to frown like a sad clown he’d have to get through security now so he could pout at the gate.
“Well, I’d better go. Goodbye, Avery,” Gabe said, opening his arms. At first she hesitated, opening her mouth like she was about to say something, then she came toward his embrace. They wrapped their arms around each other, hugging for what felt like days but only seconds at the same time.
Avery pulled away first, her voice shaky. “Have a good time, Indiana Jones.”
He offered a weak smile. “You’re something special, Avery Williams.”
Avery blinked a few times, pursed her lips and waved. Then she turned and disappeared.