“I can. And I’m going to.”
“You’re blowing this out of proportion. It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s not a big deal to you,” she corrected.
“Honey, I get it. I maybe bruised your pride a little…”
“No,” she objected. “You hurt my feelings. I know that wasn’t your intention. And you might even feel bad about it. But that doesn’t change how I feel. And I can’t be in your house right now. And you can’t make me.”
“Gemma…” I tried as she slammed her trunk. “Come on, don’t rush off. We need to talk…” I started, reaching for her arm, only to have her yank it away.
“No. I don’t need to talk about it. I need to go and wish my niece a happy birthday. This isn’t the time or place for this.”
With that, she turned, and strode away.
I stood there for a long moment, watching her walk off before the sound of a clearing throat made me sigh, closing my eyes.
I turned, praying to fuck it wasn’t Gunner. Or Bellamy. The two who were most likely to run their mouths about what they had seen, what they had assumed about it.
Luckily, standing there a few paces off was Finn.
“It’s not what it looks like,” I assured him as I moved closer.
“No? Because it looks like you hurt Gemma’s feelings.”
My air rushed out of me, his words being the most effective punch to the gut I’d ever taken.
“You don’t know the situation.”
“You’re right. I don’t,” he agreed, nodding. “And I think I know you well enough to know you’re not going to tell me. Seeing as you raced out here to talk to her in private. But I do know one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I know that Gemma is maybe the rarest kind of person there is–one who isn’t jaded and cynical about the world.”
“I know that,” I agreed.
“Actually, I know one other thing too,” he added.
“Yeah?”
“I better not find out you’ve ruined that for her,” he told me, moving past, stopping dead beside Gemma’s car, his heart likely already starting to race at the mess of it.
Finn, as a whole, minded his own business. He had his own shit to deal with, demons that kept him awake at night. He didn’t have room for other peoples’ crap.
So if he was giving this thought, if he cared enough to offer threats, I knew him well enough to know that he would carry through on it. He’d find a way to make me pay.
Finn was capable of darkness, the kind of darkness I didn’t even know, couldn’t begin to understand.
I could imagine that there was no way I wanted to be on the receiving end of that, though.
That said, Gemma was right. This wasn’t the time or place. She would be coming over to my place later. We could have our words out then.
“Why do you keep looking at Gemmy?” Kai asked an hour or so later, after all the kids had finally shown up, meaning that the wine and beer had come out for the adults so they would be able to handle the ear-piercing shrieks of joy without losing their minds.
“What?” I asked, caught, turning back from where I’d been watching Gemma down on her knees amongst a group of kids, blowing bubbles as they squealed and chased them. She still looked exhausted, but her face was lit up with joy as the kids begged for more.
I’d been actively trying not to look at her since we both walked back into the party. But what can I say, that was one scene it was impossible to look away from.
“She’s good with the kids,” he added, casual, not a hint of suspicion there. I should have known better with Kai. He wasn’t the type to think the worst of you.
“Yeah,” I agreed.
“The kids missed her this week,” he went on. “It’s not like her to be so busy. But since she took this job at Blairtown Chem, she’s been more distracted, not around as much. We hate seeing it.”
“It’s just a temporary job,” I told him before realizing that wasn’t information I was supposed to have. “I mean… I can’t imagine Gemma would want to stay in a job like that for long. Unless they are transitioning to more earth-friendly products.”
“Yeah, hopefully. We just want to see her happy again. She’s jumpy too. Did you notice how she jolted and shrieked when one of the kids popped a balloon?”
I had, of course.
My eyes seemed to follow her everywhere she went. And I knew better than to think it had anything to do with wanting to protect her. Nothing could happen to her in this crowd.
“It’s a loud sound,” I told him, shrugging it off.
“You’re being… off.”
“About what?” I asked, stiffening.
“About how Gemma has changed. I’d think you’d notice more than anyone else since you haven’t seen her in so long.”