Abby gave him her address. “Seven p.m.?”
“I’ll see you then.”
Abby hung up the phone. She hoped Clay wouldn’t get the wrong idea. She still wasn’t interested in him as anything more than a friend, but working with the museum might be a good way to spend her time, and there was a chance Clay could help her.
It wasn’t what she’d dreamed of doing after coming home with millions of dollars in gold. She’d imagined doing something far more exciting.
Abby thought of Gage but blocked his image from her mind and heart.
* * *
Gage sat at the kitchen table, staring at the wall. He’d always loved coming home from a journey, being back in his own space, surrounded by his own personal treasures.
Now that Abby was gone, he hated being in the apartment by himself.
All morning, he’d wandered the empty rooms, trying not to think of her, but she always seemed to be lurking in the corners of his mind. Her laughter, her smile, her kisses.
He needed something to do, something that would capture his interest. Something that would take him out of the country, where he wouldn’t dwell on the things they’d done together, remember making love to her. Ache to make love to her again.
He tried not to think of the last time he’d seen her, the terrible sadness in her face as she’d said goodbye to King, a man who meant so much to her.
The thought of her with Clay Reynolds made his stomach burn. Reynolds didn’t deserve her. She belonged to Gage. In his heart, she always would.
The intercom sounded, signaling a visitor in the entry downstairs. “It’s me, bro,” Edge said. “Buzz me in.”
His brother didn’t drop by that often. Gage was glad he had come. Edge pounded up the stairs, crossed to the front door, and Gage pulled it open.
“It’s been a while,” he said, stepping back to invite his brother in. “It’s good to see you. How about a beer or something?”
“Beer sounds good.”
They walked into the kitchen, and Gage pulled two bottles of ice-cold Corona out of the fridge. “Sorry, no lime.” Popping off the caps, he set a bottle on the kitchen table in front of Edge, sat down across from him, and took a drink of his beer. “So what’s going on?”
“That’s what I came to askyou.” His brother’s gaze sharpened on his face. “You look like crap, bro. You haven’t shaved in days, and I swear you’re losing weight.” Edge glanced around the kitchen. “Jesus, man. You haven’t even put the dishes in the dishwasher.”
Gage sprawled back in his chair. “So what? I’m taking a break. Even after the government sucks up half the money, I’ll still have millions in the bank.”
Edge gave him a knowing stare. “It’s Abby, isn’t it? She was with some guy at the funeral, and it’s been biting your ass ever since.”
Gage grunted. “Clay frigging Reynolds. There’s something off about that guy. I could feel it the first time I met him.”
“Thesomething offis he’s set his sights on Abby. Why don’t you just admit you’re in love with her and go over there and get her?”
Gage tipped back his beer and took a long swallow. “All right, I love her. So what? It doesn’t make any difference. I’m not cut out for married life. I’m out of the country half the time.”
“So take her with you.”
Gage just shook his head.
“Why not?”
“You’ve got a short memory, little brother. I almost got her killed in Mexico. What if she had died? I’ve already killed one woman. If something happened to Abby—” He broke off and shook his head.
“That’s bullshit,” Edge said. “And deep down, you know it. Abby’s different. She lives and breathes adventure, just like you. She’s made for you, bro, a perfect fit. Finding a woman like that . . . it’s a gift, man. God doesn’t give you that kind of gift every day.”
Gage said nothing. There was nothing he could say.
Even his brother didn’t know the truth.
