Right Where We Belong (Silver Springs #4)(91)

He’d been expecting this subject to come up eventually. They’d been so focused on the more immediate problem of Gordon that they’d barely spoken of Heather. To top it off, Savanna didn’t know much about his background and how that might impact his response to the situation. He’d glossed over the painful details, given her the sanitized version he reserved for new acquaintances. But it would have an impact, make things more difficult for him, and she deserved to understand why.

They should talk about all of that. They had at least an hour yet to drive, so they had time. But just remembering made him sick, and he had to perform tonight. “You’re not taking anything from me I don’t want to give,” he said, and let go of her hand so he could turn the music back up.

*

The bar was crowded when they arrived. Savanna knew Gavin was a good singer, but she hadn’t realized that he’d already developed somewhat of a following. She couldn’t help feeling a sense of pride in his ability and accomplishments as she watched him set up onstage. She’d been telling the truth on the drive over. She was concerned about the situation with Heather and how he might feel about his choices later. But it was difficult to let that or anything else bring her down once she got swept up in the excitement and anticipation of those around her. She was with the man she wanted to be with. That made her happy right there, even if it wouldn’t last.

Gavin had made sure she had a front row seat and turned every once in a while to acknowledge her. He’d grin and she’d grin back, and then she’d try to tell herself that somehow they’d overcome everything they were up against. She’d never met anyone like him, anyone who remained so peaceful and calm and measured in his reactions. That brought peace and calm into her life, too. She was falling in love—the head over heels variety that made her feel dizzy and breathless and too warm every time she thought of him—which was why she was worried. She’d just been through a shocking ordeal, and it wasn’t over yet. She couldn’t imagine coping with a painful breakup on top of everything else.

But the moment Gavin started his set, she was able to forget her fears and simply enjoy the performance. Like so many of the other women there, she was mesmerized by his voice, the convincing emotion he put into each song and his personal charisma.

She was having such a great time that when she went to the bathroom an hour later, she wasn’t even thinking about Gordon or Heather or any of the potential pitfalls she and Gavin faced. She was looking forward to hurrying back to her seat, ordering another drink and listening to some more songs when someone grabbed hold of her upper arm.

She turned and found Heather, dressed in what looked like a sheer black bra and miniskirt, pushing to get past the last two people separating them in the narrow, crowded hallway. “Heather!” she cried. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? I could ask you the same,” she retorted. “What kind of person tries to move in on another woman’s man when that woman is expecting a baby?”

Several of those who were jostling to get into the bathroom whipped their heads around to see who was talking. “Whoa!” Savanna heard one woman say to her friend. “There’s gonna be a fight in here tonight!”

Hoping to avoid any more of a scene, Savanna lowered her voice. “I haven’t done anything to ‘steal’ your man. I’m sorry for your situation. It must be frightening. But Gavin hasn’t been with you since I’ve known him. I couldn’t take what you no longer had.”

“You’re kidding yourself if you really believe that. You’re the only thing standing between us. He’d marry me if not for you. Do you really want to be responsible for his child going without a father?”

“He’ll be there for his child—without a doubt.”

“It’s not the same, and you know it.”

Conscious of the stares of those around them, Savanna cleared her throat. “Heather, don’t start something. This isn’t between us. This is between you and Gavin. You need to talk to him.”

“No, I need to talk to you.” She seemed oblivious to the attention she was drawing. “You’re the clueless one. Do you even know anything about him? Do you know what his childhood was like? How badly he hates his father for allowing his stepmother to abandon him when he was only six? That’s right,” she added, smirking when she accurately read Savanna’s surprise. “She left him at a park. The authorities eventually brought him home, but the next week she beat him so badly social services got involved and took him away. After that, he went into foster care and lived with a weird family who didn’t give him any love.”

Savanna’s heart broke for Gavin. “That’s tragic.”

“So tragic that if you think his past isn’t going to come into play once I have this baby, you’re sadly mistaken. He’ll change his mind, decide to be the kind of hands-on father he’s always promised himself he would be. Do you understand? Then you’ll only be in the way.”

Savanna might’ve argued. Gavin seemed to know his own mind. She didn’t feel she had to make decisions for him. But he hadn’t revealed any of that about his stepmother or his foster situation. As a matter of fact, he’d made his childhood sound only a trifle more difficult than most everyone else’s. He hadn’t “gotten along” with his stepmother so he’d “acted out” and been sent to New Horizons. That was how he’d presented it to her. Aiyana had adopted him because he’d been so much happier there with her.