Veer (Clayton Falls #2)(39)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Kelly relaxed her shoulders. “I was just thinking about that. Anything you feel like sharing?”

“It’s usually your job to pull it out of me. You’re pretty good at that.”

Molly took a few sips of her drink. “Have you guys talked at all about what you want to do at the end of the summer?”

“Molly, seriously? Do you want to shut her up before she starts?” Kelly shook her head like she was annoyed, but I could tell she was holding back a smile.

“I’m just asking. You guys seemed so close the other night at the festival. I kind of wondered if you’d been talking about making things more serious or something.”

“We usually avoid that topic of conversation. I honestly don’t know what I want, let alone what he’s thinking.” I shifted in my chair.

“Isn’t it pretty simple? I mean, you have to finish school, so you’ll have to do long distance for what, nine or ten months?” Kelly asked.

“We don’t have to do long distance if we’re not together…”

“Oh come on, Becca. I see the way you look at each other. You can’t really think it’s just a fling,” Molly said gently.

“He told me he loved me.” I couldn’t contain a smile.

“Ahh, really?” Both Molly and Kelly nearly jumped out of their chairs.

“What did you say back?” Molly asked.

“I told him I loved him too.”

“And you’re questioning the long distance thing…” Kelly trailed off.

“I don’t know. This is all so new to me, you know?”

“Yeah, new, but awesome, right?” Molly took another sip of her drink.

“Awesome is a good word for it.”

I stayed over for a few more hours until the guys showed up. I followed Gavin home, anxious to curl up in bed with him. Just talking about the end of the summer upset me, and I needed to lose myself in his touch.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Becca

Gavin and I had fallen into a routine. We saw each other most nights, but Thursdays were always set: take-out and a movie. It was such a nice way to ease into the weekend.

Gavin had to work late one Thursday in July, so I offered to go over and walk Max. I definitely loved having a dog around. I was going to have to get one when I got back to Boston. Max jumped up and down when I walked in and grabbed his leash. Gavin had given me a key so I could get in, but I tried not to read too much into it.

It was seven, but the sun still shone. I snapped on Max’s leash, and we headed down to the beach. It was fairly empty at that hour, but I saw a couple of teens still hanging out. I walked down to the water’s edge, slipping off my sandals, and rolling up my jeans. Molly laughed at me for wearing jeans in ninety-five degree weather, but it’s what I was most comfortable in.

The warm water felt great on my feet, and Max loped happily beside me. I loved the way the sun reflected off the swells. The ocean was calm, but the gentle lapping of the waves was loud enough to create a relaxing sort of mood.

I’d miss my walks on the beach when I went back to Boston. I was going to miss a lot about Clayton Falls. I’d miss the peacefulness, the quiet. Parts of it were boring, but I loved that I wasn’t scared to go for a walk on my own. Of course, I knew what I’d miss the most—Gavin.

We reached the end of the beach and turned back around. I stopped for a second to pull my hair up into a bun. Even with the sun setting, it was still hot. I looked forward to getting back into Gavin’s nearly arctic apartment. I wasn’t quite sure how he paid his cooling bill, but sometimes his insistence on blaring the AC was a good thing.

I got back to Gavin’s and let Max off the leash. He collapsed on his pillow by the window. I picked up my purse from where I left it on the island counter top and pulled out my phone, noticing a missed call from a Boston number I didn’t recognize.

I dialed into voicemail, hoping it was about my loans.

“Hi, Becca. It’s Dad. I looked up your number because I really want to talk to you. I know you said you weren’t interested in my help, but I’d love if you’d let me get to know you. I am your father after all.”

I hung up, not wanting to listen to the rest of the message. Who was he to come crawling into my life all of a sudden? There had been so many times over the past years when I’d daydreamed about him coming back, when I’d imagined him actually caring, but I wasn’t that same daydreaming little girl anymore. He hadn’t been there when I needed him, so I didn’t need him. Period. If Mom had taught me anything, it was to question a person’s motives. People didn’t do anything out of the goodness of their hearts. He had to have an ulterior motive.

I was curled on the couch watching the waves through the window when Gavin got home.

“Hey, baby.” He kissed me on the forehead. “Just give me a second to change, and I’ll be out.”

Gavin always seemed so different in uniform. He looked good, but somehow it didn’t fit, like he didn’t really feel comfortable wearing it. He always changed the first chance he got.

“Okay.” I forced a smile. I couldn’t stop thinking about my dad. I hated that he thought I was just going to do what he wanted.

Gavin came back out a minute or so later in shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt. He dressed for the interior temperature. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to come home and find you here.”

“You knew I’d be here.”

“Exactly. It made my whole day better knowing I’d find you waiting.” He sat down next to me.

“How’d he behave?” He pointed to Max.

“Max was perfect.” The dog picked up his head when he heard his name.

“Good. I figured he would be. He’s crazy about you.”

“Yeah, the feeling’s mutual.”

“Well, I’m crazy about you too.”

I smiled.

“Aren’t you going to tell me the feeling’s mutual?”

“Who says it is?” I wanted to keep things light. I didn’t want to let my anger at my Dad ruin our night, but it was easier said than done. What I needed was to burn off energy. I needed to go home and swim.

“Oh it is.” He pushed me down on the couch, following after so he hovered above me. “You know it is.”

“Gavin, don’t. I have to go.” The more I thought about it, the better swimming some laps sounded. “But I’ll be back later.”

“Nuh uh, I just got home. You’re not going anywhere.” His lips went to my ear and down my neck. It felt good, but I needed to leave. There was no way I was going to make it all night holding in the anger.