42 Hours (Time for Love 3)

I backed up as he moved forward, trying to keep my voice from wavering. “I don’t know why you’re so upset … If you’d just tell Brock that I’m here…”

“I’m upset because you’re the first girl that I’ve seen Brock actually give a shit about and let into his life. I thought you were a nice girl, that you were good for him, but it turns out that your just as shady as the rest of them,” Brady said, his voice low and angry. “You don’t deserve to talk to him. You need to leave.”

I flinched at his words, and was about to flee, when I heard Brock’s voice from behind Brady.

“It’s okay, bro, let her pass.”

Brock was standing in the doorway, paperwork in his hand and a frown on his face. He was wearing jeans, a baseball cap, and a worn Whiskey Heat T-shirt. He looked handsome and sad, and my heart lurched looking at him. I hated to think that I’d made him sad.

“What’s up, Gaby?” he asked tersely.

“Can we talk for a minute?” I asked, causing Brady to stiffen. I had a feeling he was about to say something else, but Brock silenced him with a look, and nodded at me.

Brock walked back toward his office without a word, and I followed behind, giving Brady a wide berth as I passed.

Brock was standing in the middle of his office, facing me as I entered.

“Talk,” he said simply, not offering me a seat and not sitting himself. He obviously wanted me to say my piece and get out.

“I’m sorry,” I began. I clasped my hands together to keep them from visibly shaking. “I know that I hurt you, and I need you to know that that was never my intent. I care about you, Brock, and I don’t want to lose you in my life.”

Brock’s light-green eyes flitted over my face. He was quiet for a few minutes, and I worried he wasn’t going to respond, then he said, “I care about you too, Gaby, which is why I don’t know if I can stand to have you in my life, if you’re not mine.”

I trembled at his words and took a step forward, but stopped when hurt flashed in his eyes.

“We’re friends, Brock … And we share some of the same friends. I don’t want to come between you, TJ, and Cal,” I replied.

He nodded, closing his eyes briefly before bringing them back to me and asking, “Was there anything I could have done differently?”

My throat burned at his question, and I instinctively took another step toward him, arms outstretched. I stopped just shy of touching him, knowing that he wouldn’t want me to, and replied truthfully, “No. You did everything right, Brock. You’re a gentleman, and I love spending time with you, but … It’s always been Scott for me. I thought he was going to marry Victoria … I thought we had no chance at a future, or I never would have started dating you. I swear it. I truly never meant for this to happen, and I hope one day you can forgive me, and we can be friends.”

I touched his cheek briefly with the palm of my hand. He closed his eyes again, and I knew that I was close to crying, so I dropped my hand and turned to go. I was almost out the door when Brock said gruffly, “He better treat you like the gift you are,” then he turned and looked out his window.

Luckily I didn’t pass Brady on my way out, and I made it safely to my car before the tears began rolling down my face.

Chapter 23 – Scott

I’d gone for a run to clear my head, and was toweling myself off after a hot shower when I heard my doorbell ring. I grabbed my shorts off the counter and pulled them on as I walked, glancing at the clock before I opened the door.

Gaby was the last person I’d expected to see that night. When I’d left her at her car, she’d still been upset about Brock, and I thought it would be a few days at least before she cleared things up with him.

Yet there she was, looking vulnerable and delicate at my door.

“Hey,” I said, the surprise evident in my voice. I stood to the side and added, “Please, come in.”

I watched her walk in and shut the door behind her. She stopped a few feet in and stood there.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, bringing my hand to touch her shoulder gently, worried that I’d startle her. As soon as she felt my hand, she turned and rushed into my arms.

I held her tightly, running my hands down her back to sooth her, unsure of what to say next.

“I went to Brock.” Her words were muffled against my chest, and when her hot breath hit my skin, I realized that I was standing there in only my shorts. I tried to control my body’s reaction. It didn’t seem like an appropriate time to get turned on by how good her skin felt against mine.

“Was he mean to you?” I held her a little tighter, asking the first thing that came into my mind. She was obviously still upset, so I guessed the visit didn’t go well.

She shook her head, causing her hair to rub against me like silk.

I cleared my throat.