No Gentle Giant (A Small Town Romance)

Someone to care for her, to reach out when she’s feeling down and offer her a leg up. Or a swift, crushing kick to the nuts for anyone foolish enough to come after her.

I want to give her that as a friend, no damn doubt about it.

I also want to find out if there’s room in her life—and mine—for something more than friendship, too.

If maybe, once she’s swept the chaos out of her life, she could open up and make room for us.

I’m so wrapped up in my swirling thoughts that I don’t even realize I’m not alone.

I should be, even if this is a public park. We’re pretty deep in the woods where the bike trails start.

I’d seen a few other families out with their dogs and kids, but the leaves crunching behind me have an ominous crackle. Squaring my shoulders, I whip around and spot who’s coming up behind me.

And my jaw almost hits the ground.

The last person I expect to turn around and see is Gavin Shitting Coakley.

Dukes up.

I’m instantly on guard, fists clenched, as I take a defensive step backward. My eyes rake over him, wondering if he’s armed.

“Hey, Pax—whoa, no fighting,” he says quickly, holding both hands up high. “C’mon, Charter. I don’t have anything white but my boxers. Don’t make me take ’em off to wave surrender.”

I eye him warily.

Those jokes used to be common between us, back when we were actually friends. Those days are long gone, and reburied when he came plowing a fist at my face.

He’s not glaring at me right now, though.

That accusatory look is gone, leaving a weary, hangdog sense of defeat he wears around him like an aura.

Slowly, I lower my arms—still keeping a good distance between us.

“What the hell do you want, Gavin?” I spit.

“Goddamn, man. You’re not gonna make this easy, huh?” He looks away, scrubbing a hand against the back of his neck, and mutters something under his breath.

“You’re gonna have to try that again. I didn’t bring my hearing aid.”

“I said I’m sorry, okay?” he snaps, then growls, blowing air out sharply. “Fuck. It’s hard to say it, okay? I’m fucking sorry. I screwed up, the way I came at you.”

“That’s the only thing you want to apologize for?” I snarl back. “There’s also stalking. Theft. Getting us arrested. Plus, scaring the shit out of my boy.”

“Aw, hell, I never meant that. Any of it. I’m sorry for everything, okay? Look...you of all people know what happens when a man gets desperate.”

Unfortunately, I do.

I also know there are some things I’d never do, no matter how depraved and hard up I was for money.

I fold my arms over my chest.

“What’s got you so greedy? I paid you off years ago, Gavin. Anything else you did with your money after, that’s your problem.”

“Look, I’d be fine if it was just me, but...dude.” He sighs. It’s a bone-deep grinding, so exhausted it’s like he’s only alive by sheer force of will, everything drained out of him. “There’s this girl...”

“Uh-huh.”

“Ashley, that’s her name.” The way he smiles is a look I’ve never seen on his face. Soft, soppy, his eyes darkening and warming as he stares off to the side. “We got to fooling around one night after meeting at this bar. We made a mistake. She’s gonna have my kid, Pax. And I’m in no place to support a woman and a baby. So I’ve been trying to dig my way out of this, and well...you seem to be doing just fine in Podunk, Montana.”

Damn.

If there’s one thing that’ll stop me from running him out of here at the other end of the sharpest branch I can find, it’s understanding the urge to do anything to make sure your kid’s okay.

I curse, dragging a hand over my face, and look away.

“I’m doing okay because I work. It’s a thing. You get up every day and clock in, do the job, go home, and get paid. Should try it instead of looking for another get-rich-quick scheme or, you know, trying to rob people. You’re pretty shitty at it,” I grumble.

“I am!” he flares, nostrils widening and jaw setting. “The hell you think I’m here talking to you for? You think I’d swallow my pride for anything else? There’s no work back in Fairbanks, man. Or anywhere else where I’m qualified to hire on. Thing is, I hear that construction crew you’re with pays mighty well.”

Oh, no.

Hell no.

No frigging way I’m letting my less than admirable past get tangled up in Holt’s present.

Holt’s not just my boss. He’s my friend—a far more honorable friend than Gavin ever was—and he’s fought too hard to make things right for me to drag him over to the dark side.

“I don’t think you’d be a good fit,” I bite off.

“I don’t have to be.” Instead of getting angry, Gavin just gives me that world weary look again. “Just a few months. One season. Just enough to get a little scratch under my belt to start over. I swear I’ll keep looking for postings up in Fairbanks in the meantime, but I need money. Later won’t help my girl or my kid here in the now.”