Love at The Bluebird

What are you waiting for, Aly? Tell him!

I gulp down my emotions, and before I can utter the words, the alarm on my phone goes off, indicating my lunch break is over.

“Let’s get you ready for work, darlin’.” He lifts himself off me and just like that, the moment is over.

Disappointment swirls within me, and I silently yell at myself for being such a coward. I slowly sit up and watch him get dressed until that magnificent body of his is covered. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and get up to use the restroom.

“Have you seen my phone? I need to call Sosie and tell her to meet me at my apartment later.” We look around my room but don’t see it.

“You probably left it in your car. Here, just use mine to text her. I need to freshen up before I get dressed.” I hand him my phone before going into the bathroom. I quickly wash myself with soap and warm water, dry off, apply lotion, and brush my teeth. I wrap myself in my robe and go back into my room. I stop dead in my tracks when I see the look on Gavin’s face as he stares at my phone.

“What’s wrong, what happened?” I rush toward him and grab his forearm, but he shakes my hand off him.

“What the fuck is this, Aly?” he asks in a calm, deadly voice. His eyes are anything but calm when he looks at me and raises my phone for me to see the screen. I read the text displayed, and my breath gets caught in my throat while my stomach starts to hurt from reading the words.

Kathleen Davidson: I had lunch with Scotty today. He told me Gavin has been inquiring about BLM. Great job! Keep your eyes on the prize and that promotion will soon be yours.

My hands ball into fists, and I look up at the man I love, seeing betrayal in his eyes. “I know this looks bad, but it’s not what it seems,” I say while he stares at me as if I’m a complete stranger.

“It’s not? Then what the hell is it? Because it seems pretty crystal-fucking-clear that once again I’m being used by someone I care about,” he growls, looking at me the same way he looks at Tori, his eyes starting to fill with hatred.

“I can explain, baby.” I hold up my hands, trying to explain to keep him from walking out. “Kathleen approached me a couple weeks ago, asking me if you were happy at Charisma. I told her that we don’t talk about business, and that’s when she offered me a promotion if I tried to convince you to sign with us once your contract is done.”

Without a word, he sidesteps around me and stomps down the stairs. His strides are so long that I have to run to keep up with him, my grip on the railing is the only thing preventing me from falling down.

“Gavin, I told her no!” I reach the bottom of the stairs and run past him to block him from walking out the front door. “Did you hear me? I told her no!”

The emotions playing on his face are telling me he’s barely listening to me, too deep in his own thoughts to hear the truth.

“Why didn’t you tell me when that happened?” he asks in a dangerous voice, his eyes narrowed in doubt.

“I didn’t tell you, because I didn’t want you to doubt my feelings for you. We are so new. And considering your past relationship, I knew you might not believe me.” My throat gets tight. “I didn’t think this would ever come up again because I told her no!” I say quickly, my voice rising and my eyes begging him to trust me. “I know that was wrong and I should’ve told you right away. I’m sorry, Gavin! Please… you’ve got to believe me!”

He stares at me, his eyes searching mine to see if I’m telling the truth. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? You could be playing me just like I’ve been played before.”

“No!” I cry out, tears starting to stream down my cheeks. “I would never do that to you. I’m not Tori. I love you!”

He laughs, the sound cruel and mocking, cutting my heart open. “The words I’ve been waiting to hear from you, and this is the time you decide to tell me? Like I would fucking believe them right now?”

“But it’s true. I do, Gavin. I do love you!” I shake my head at him, not believing this is happening. I feel like my world is crumbling down around me.

“Move away from the door,” he growls, refusing to look at me, and any remnants of hope I have start to fade away.