Worth Everything (Worth It 4)
“My wife, Hunter’s wife and Rhett’s girlfriend. They met with Stasia a few nights ago. Said she fits right in,” Alex explained.
She was back in town? And she hadn’t tried to reach him once? That hurt more than he cared to admit.
“So she fits right in with the family, hmm?” Gavin asked, trying to sound
nonchalant. His heart rate picked up and he thumbed through his cell, stopping at Stasia’s number.
No way could he call her first. Could he?
“It appears so.”
No surprise. Everyone loved Stasia if they just gave her a chance.
Including him, not that he’d ever admit that to a soul.
“That’s great. I’m happy she’s found her spot in your family,” he gritted out between his teeth.
Alex laughed, the jackass. “You don’t sound happy. You sound freaking miserable. Work stressing you out?”
“You could say that.” Gavin was leaving the office the second this conversation was over. He needed to get out and clear his head.
“I get it.” Alex paused for a moment too long and, for whatever reason, it made Gavin nervous. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything. Tessa swore me to secrecy, but…”
Gavin sat up straighter. “What?”
“Stasia confessed her, shall we say, indiscretion with you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Gavin went immediately on the defensive, icy shock coursing through his veins that Stasia would ever admit to what they’d shared. He’d figured she would move on and pretend it never happened. She’d discarded him like yesterday’s trash, so why dwell on it?
“Listen.” Alex’s voice lowered. “Those women get together and talk about relationships and babies and love and marriage and us.” He sighed harshly. “They started digging and they figured out you two were an item. Stasia folded fairly easily, according to Tessa. She confessed all.”
“All?” Gavin started to sweat.
Alex chuckled. “Don’t worry. I don’t necessarily care what happened between you and Stasia. Though, as her brother, I’m now obliged to say that if you hurt her in any way whatsoever, I’ll break your neck.”
The steely strength underlying Alex’s statement proved he meant every word he said. Not that Gavin doubted him. “She’s the one who dumped me.”
“I know. Now we’re getting to the part where I shouldn’t be telling you any of this.” Alex paused before he plunged on. “She misses you. A lot.”
His heart tripped over itself. He missed her too. So much, it hurt. “It doesn’t matter,” Gavin lied. “She said we were through.”
“She might be having second thoughts.”
“Might be a little too late for second thoughts, don’t you think?”
“I don’t know. I’m not you.”
Gavin quietly seethed. He did not want to hear this. Didn’t want to think of Stasia missing him. Wanting him. Just like he missed and wanted her still. Simply hearing her name brought his hopes up, made him think they possibly had a chance…
They had no chance. She’d made that more than clear.
“She’s been lonely.” By choice. “Now that she has familial support from you and yours, she’ll be fine.”
“You sound so sure of that,” Alex said, sounding rather reflective. “We might not be enough, though.”
“Then she’ll find another man.” The mere thought filled him with rage. He’d never been the jealous type, but the idea of Stasia with another man filled him with a possessiveness he couldn’t deny.
“You sound like you need a drink. Want to meet for one after work?”