Letting You Go (Stone Lake 1)

“Yeah, it’s good,” I lie.

“You don’t look like it is,” she mumbles, and I force myself to relax and smile at her.

“Quit worrying, Moonbeam.”

She studies me for a minute, but slowly the tension leaves her.

“I’ll make this up to you, Gavin.”

I look at the beautiful girl who is holding my hand proudly, despite how her father clearly feels about me. If anyone is worth this crap, it’s Luna. I lean down to kiss her cheek and I get rewarded with her blush—and her father clearing his throat.

It’s going to be a long day…

Chapter Twenty Six

Luna

Two Months Later

* * *

“I can’t believe you’ve been dating my brother and didn’t tell me.”

“Attie, we didn’t want anyone to know. Not after the mess that happened when we first met.”

“That’s another thing. How can you date a guy that spread shit about you like that, Luna?”

“He says he didn’t do it.”

“And you believed him,” Atticus mocks.

“I do. Gavin wouldn’t lie to me. He cares about me.”

“You’re being naïve. Of the two of us, I know my brother better than you do, and trust me when I tell you, Luna, Gavin will always do whatever he wants, and he doesn’t care who it hurts.”

“That’s not being fair, Attie. I know you and Gavin have issues, but he’s your brother and I just think you—”

“It’s because he’s my brother that I know what kind of person he is. You’ll regret this, Luna.”

“Attie—”

“Is my brother warning you off of me again?” Gavin asks, coming up behind us, and wrapping his arms around me.

He pulls me back into him and kisses my neck. I smile despite the tenseness of the moment. His fingers slide against the chain of the locket he gave me for Christmas. It’s heart shaped and inside is a picture of the two of us that Jules took one evening at her house. Jules has gone above and beyond covering for Gavin and me until we made our relationship public.

We’ve spent more time at her house than anywhere else, but since her parents are out of town almost every weekend, that meant Gavin and I were alone most of the time. Occasionally, the three of us would watch a movie, but that’s it. Jules never invited anyone over because she knew Gavin didn’t want people to know we were dating.

* * *

“I’m not warning her, Gav, just telling her the truth,” Atticus says, bringing my attention back to the present. I frown, because fighting with Attie is the last thing I want, even though Gavin warned me it would happen.

“What truth would that be?” Gavin asks, his voice sounding angry.

I hate that this is the atmosphere that Gavin lives in. I hate it for Atticus too. I wish they could see that they’re both really great guys. I don’t have a brother or a sister, but I’ve always wanted one, especially now with things so tense between my parents. I wish I could fix whatever is wrong between these two, but I have the feeling no one can.

“That you don’t care about anyone but yourself.”

“I think Luna knows better than that,” Gavin insists, his voice low. I move my hand back and forth on his arm in silent support. “She trusts me, don’t you, Luna?”

“I do,” I answer without hesitation. If he needs me to tell him that, I will.

“Then, she’s crazy.”

“Maybe I should tell her why she should trust me over you, Atticus,” Gavin warns, and I frown, wondering what he means.

“You might have her fooled right now, Gav, but we both know sooner or later you’re going to lie to her again.”

“I think you better go, Atticus,” I tell him, not liking all of the animosity between them. I get enough of this kind of stress at home right now.

“Sooner or later, Luna, he’s going to hurt you again.”

“Attie—”

“And when he does, I won’t be here to pick up the pieces again,” Atticus threatens.

“I don’t want you to,” I tell him softly, needing to make it clear. “I’ve never asked you to be more than my friend, Attie. I don’t think of you…. I don’t care for you the way you want me to. I never have. I never will,” I add softly, hoping to ease the blow. I keep my voice quiet, hating that it’s all come to this, but not knowing any other way to achieve it. I need to make this clear to Atticus, so he doesn’t think Gavin is what is between us. I don’t want to become a war between brothers.

“Fine,” he says after staring at me for a few minutes. Then, he turns and stomps off.

Jules lets out a long whistle.

“Damn, there’s never a dull minute around you, is there Gavin Lodge?” she asks. Gavin doesn’t answer her. I turn to face him and he’s just staring in the direction his brother left.