It's Only Love(46)

Ella bit her thumbnail as a nagging worry began to assail her. What if one of the dark moods had come on him today and he was off doing something self-destructive? Was he in a bar somewhere? Was he spoiling for a fight? She poured another glass of wine and tried to force herself to relax, to not think the worst. But his recent track record made that a difficult challenge.

At eight o’clock she was seriously considering calling his parents to get his cell number when she remembered the ICE call. She ran for the portable phone and scrolled through the incoming numbers. When she saw the one from the other night, she pressed the call button.

Gavin answered on the third ring. “Ella?” The connection was crackling and fading in and out. “. . . my message?”

“What? You’re cutting out.”

“. . . f*cking mountains.”

Mountains? What was he doing in the mountains? And what message had he left for her? There were no messages on her machine.

“. . . call you back.” The line went dead, and Ella stood with the phone in hand ready to scream from frustration. She’d never been a particularly impatient person until right now. Twenty long minutes passed before the phone rang again.

“Gavin.”

“Yeah, babe. So sorry. I had no reception in the mountains.”

“What are you doing in the mountains?”

“Didn’t you get the message I left on your voice mail at work?”

She winced. “No, I left early to come home to make dinner.”

“Shit, I’m sorry. I’ll be there in about an hour. Am I still welcome?”

“Yes, of course you are.”

“I’m really sorry, Ella. Today was a disaster at work in more ways than one.”

“I’ll see you when you get here.”

“I can’t wait.” He lowered his voice, which told her he wasn’t alone. “I’ve been looking forward to applesauce all day.”

The double meaning in his statement couldn’t be denied. “Me, too.”

“Wait for me, El. I’m coming.”

“Okay.” She didn’t want to hang up, but she pressed the button to end the call and then held the phone to her chest. Returning to the sofa and her wine, she curled her legs under her and tried to force herself to relax. Then she called in to her voice mail at work and listened to his sweet message, smiling at his applesauce comment.

She felt so bad for doubting him, for thinking the worst when he’d been off taking care of his business the way he should be.

Just over an hour later, she heard the roar of his motorcycle arriving in her driveway. She ran to the door and threw it open as he came running up the stairs.

“I’m so sorry, babe.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her into his arms, kissing her. “I’m sorry.” Stepping into her apartment, he kicked the door closed behind him.

She held his face in her hands and kissed him. “Don’t apologize. You were working.”

“Were you worried?”

She bit her lip and nodded.

“Did you think the worst?”

She hesitated for only a second before she nodded again. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I understand. I haven’t given you much reason to have faith.”

“Yes, you have. You’re trying. That matters.”

He let her slide down the aroused front of him. “You look amazing and you smell like a dream. What is that?”

“It’s called Carried Away. It suited the mood I’ve been in lately.”

“That suits my mood, too.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Famished.”

She took him by the hand and towed him behind her into her cozy kitchen, where she’d set the small table for two. Gesturing to one of the chairs, she said, “Have a seat.”

He slid into the chair she’d indicated. “This looks so nice. I’m sorry I messed it up.”

“You didn’t.” She retrieved a beer she’d bought with him in mind from the fridge, popped it open and put it in front of him. “Relax. Your hell day is over.”

“Thank God for that.”

“What happened?”

While she put dinner on the table, he told her about the three-crisis day he’d endured at work.

“Does that happen a lot?”

“None of it ever happens—not on that scale anyway. It was like the universe was conspiring to keep me away from you.”

“Your man who went to the ER,” she asked, slicing the pork and putting it on a plate. “Is he okay?”

“Twenty stitches later, he’s fine but out of work for a week. And the paperwork I’ll have to file on the incident will take me that long to complete.”

Ella winced. “That doesn’t sound like fun.”

“It sucks, but I’m glad he’s okay. I’ve been really lucky with no major injuries for my employees despite the dangerous work they do every day.”

“What’s up with the equipment in the mountains?”

“Still waiting to hear, but I’ve got my fingers crossed that it’s an easy fix. Until they get it up and running again, I’ve got six guys twiddling their thumbs and still being paid.”

“So they work up there all the time?”