Right Where We Belong (Silver Springs #4)(78)
But he had to stop seeing Savanna at some point. And he refused to be reduced to the kind of man who was sneaking around. He’d only hurt both women by doing that. So he’d stuck it out on his own last night—only to be hit harder than he’d expected by the sight of Savanna at the barbecue and pool party the next day.
She’d never looked better. She’d arrived in a pair of white shorts, a pretty shirt with full sleeves and sandals. But the kids had insisted she go swimming with them almost the moment she walked into the backyard, so those clothes had come off. Now she was wearing a nude-colored swimsuit that had nothing but strings connecting the front to the back, leaving four inches of her sides bare. A whole piece, it wasn’t as revealing as a lot of swimwear, and yet the sight of her in that suit had made his mouth go dry. With her dark auburn hair falling loose and curly, and polish that matched her hair on her fingernails and toenails—even a similar shade of lipstick—he couldn’t get over how golden she looked everywhere.
He wasn’t the only one having a difficult time keeping his eyes off her. Roger Nowitzke, the New Horizons grad who’d come back to visit Aiyana for the weekend, and someone Gavin typically liked, was making no secret of his attraction. He hadn’t left Savanna’s side. For the past twenty minutes, he’d been sitting on the lounge beside her, talking and laughing and doing everything he could to be charming while she watched her kids swim.
“You okay, little brother?”
Gavin glanced up to see that Eli’s wife, Cora, had walked over to the grill where he was flipping burgers. He was so miserable he hadn’t even noticed her approach. Today, everyone other than Savanna seemed almost invisible to him. They were just dark, murky shapes that hovered on the edge of his consciousness. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Trying to act more like his regular self, he added, “These are almost done.”
She put her arm around his shoulders. “You’re such a good guy. Eli and I—and Aiyana—we all want you to be happy. I hope you know that.”
“I am happy,” he lied.
She didn’t seem to believe him, but she acted hesitant to argue. They were in the middle of a party; it wasn’t the time.
With a sympathetic squeeze and a smile, she walked over to where Eli was talking to Cal. Aiyana had invited her own boyfriend and Dawson and Sadie Reed, as well as their son, Jayden, and Dawson’s sister, who had special needs and whom Dawson and Sadie cared for. Dawson was another alumnus of New Horizons. He’d settled in Silver Springs but knew Roger, too. Then there was Gavin’s youngest brother, Bentley, who was still in high school, and Liam, who was going to college in San Diego. Liam had made the drive to Silver Springs despite the fact that he’d miss two classes tomorrow before he could get back.
Gavin was just stacking the burgers on a plate so that they could eat when Eli came over.
“Roger really seems to like your girl.”
Gavin scowled at him. “She’s not my girl.”
“She could be,” he said with a wink, and took the plate of burgers over to the table.
Gavin sat as far from Savanna as possible. He knew he wouldn’t be good at conversation today. He was too twisted up inside, too consumed with jealousy. He had to let her meet and enjoy other people, had no claim on her, but watching her with Roger wasn’t easy.
Unable to finish his meal, he went inside and started cleaning up the kitchen so that his mother wouldn’t have to do it later. When he heard a creak behind him, he assumed it would be Aiyana. At various points since he’d arrived, he’d caught her watching him with a worried expression.
But it was Savanna.
“You’re already doing dishes?” she asked. “The party only started an hour ago.”
He shrugged. “My mom works too hard. Figured I’d get this done before she could even think about it.”
“Even though you’re missing the fun?”
“I have to leave soon, anyway.” He wasn’t sure why he’d said that. He had nothing in particular he had to do. He just hoped to escape having to watch someone else move in on what he wanted. “But you and the kids can stay as long as you like and swim. You don’t have to leave because I am.” If she was enjoying Roger’s attention—and she seemed to be—Gavin was sure Roger would stay as long as she did...
When he spoke over his shoulder, didn’t even turn to talk to her, she hesitated in the doorway. “Is everything okay? I feel like maybe you’re upset or something.”
“I’m not upset. I’m fine. I hope you’re having a good time.”
“I am. Thank you.”
Silence fell on the heels of that polite response. Then she said, “If you don’t want to talk to me, would you mind telling me where the bathroom is?”
He ignored the first part of what she’d said. Now wasn’t the time to get into it. “I just heard someone go into the bathroom down the hall, so you might want to use the one at the top of the stairs.” He showed her where the stairs were and, since he stayed to watch her go up, saw her cast him an uncertain glance as she reached the top.
He went back to doing the dishes, but ultimately, the hurt behind her words—If you don’t want to talk to me—got the better of him. He couldn’t resist the opportunity to see her for a few minutes alone, if only to apologize for his surly behavior. It didn’t matter what he was going through. He was her only friend in Silver Springs so far. He needed to treat her better than he was. So after he heard Dawson leave the bathroom on the main floor and go outside, he went upstairs and waited until she came out.