Most of All You: A Love Story(78)

“She’s in love with him, you know.”

I whipped my head to the left, where I saw Dominic standing, watching Gabriel and Chloe, too. His words caused my heart to catch, but there didn’t appear to be any malice in his expression, instead almost … sadness. Why? I’d thought he wanted Gabriel and Chloe together. I swallowed, turning back to where Chloe and Gabriel were still leaned close together, their brown hair almost the same shade.

I saw the way Chloe took every opportunity to touch Gabriel, the way her gaze moved back to him even as someone else in the group joined in on the conversation. Of course she was in love with him. He was beautiful in a way that was almost difficult to explain unless you knew him. He was good and generous and smart and talented. God, who wouldn’t be in love with him? “I know,” I said softly.

I looked back up at Dominic, and he was regarding me thoughtfully, though not unkindly, and I was surprised at the lack of hostility in his gaze. It was the first time he’d looked at me with anything other than condemnation. He seemed to come back to himself and stood straight, looking around. “I’m starving. I’m going to go check out some of the booths. You want anything?”

“No, thank you,” I said, surprised by the offer. He nodded and turned away, disappearing into the crowd. I looked back to where Gabriel, Chloe, and George were with the group of quarry families, and Gabriel caught my eye, smiling and giving me a small wave. I smiled back, holding up my coffee cup in cheers.

He looked back to the group as George said something, and I watched as a couple walked past, shooting Gabriel a curious glance and then the wife smiling slightly as Gabriel laughed at whatever was being said.

This was just what he needed—for the town to see him as his natural self, interacting with those he felt comfortable with. They just needed to see who he really was and they’d fall in love with him, too. How could they not?

When Gabriel had been sitting with me, we both received curious stares, the people of Morlea obviously being familiar with who he was. But now that I was sitting alone on the bale of hay sipping my coffee, I was mostly anonymous.

I took another minute to look around at the crowd, smiling at a toddler holding a pumpkin way too heavy for him. He weaved and almost toppled over before his dad took the pumpkin, chuckling as he steadied him. I laughed softly at the sweet display of parental affection.

A boisterous group was playing some sort of booth game a little ways from where I sat, and when they all let out a collective whoop, I turned my gaze on them. Whoever was playing had obviously won because they were all cheering. They parted as the winner turned, grinning a grin I’d seen before. My blood chilled, and the scene wavered before my eyes. One of the men who’d beaten me in the parking lot that night. Out on bail. Oh no. Oh God. I still didn’t know his name, had never bothered to find out, in truth hadn’t wanted to think about him in any personal terms.

I stood, stumbling forward and beginning to turn when we locked eyes. Oh God, oh God, I was going to be sick. The sweet coffee I’d just drunk came up my throat, and I put a hand over my mouth, afraid I’d throw up right there where I stood.

My instinct was to run away, to avoid him at all costs, but the man leaned down and whispered in the ear of the woman standing next to him, and she made a beeline straight for me. I blinked, frozen to the spot in confused horror. Please don’t let this be happening. Not here.

“You stupid slut!” she yelled at me, stopping several feet from where I stood. It seemed to quiet all around me as people turned, looking from me to her. I glanced over at Gabriel, and he seemed to be listening to a story one of the men who worked at the quarry was telling.

I started to turn. Maybe if I just walked away, everyone would return to what they’d been doing.

“Don’t walk away from me,” she called. “You think you can lie about my boyfriend and get away with it? Just because he turned you down? You deserved what you got.”

Is that what he’d told her? That I’d come on to him and he’d what … been forced to beat me unconscious? I almost laughed at the craziness of it, but my heart was beating so harshly, I couldn’t muster even a small chuckle.

I crossed my arms over my breasts, hugging myself as the man who’d beaten me came up beside her. “Let’s go. I’m not supposed to be anywhere near her.”

Thank God. My eyes shot back to where Gabriel had been standing, but I didn’t see him there. A burst of anxiety shot down my spine just as I heard his voice. “Get out of here now.” The words were spoken in a loud growl and I jolted, taken off guard by the cold command in his tone. He was standing just a short distance behind me and I turned, blinking as he stepped in front of me.

“Gabriel, it’s okay,” I mumbled. The girlfriend of the man was still calling obscenities at me, but I tuned her out as Gabriel walked forward, looking as if he was intending to engage physically with the man. Oh God, oh no. What should I do?

“Don’t come near me, bro,” the man said, backing away. The people in the crowd who were not already watching turned to see what was going on, and a hush fell over the gathering.

In an effort to move away, the man stumbled, but immediately righted himself and then stepped backward. He put his hands up in the air. “This was just a coincidence,” he said. “We’re leaving.”

I couldn’t see Gabriel’s face, but I heard the rage in his tone as he said, “If it wouldn’t end up hurting Ellie more, I’d do to you exactly what you did to her, you disgusting piece of human garbage.”