I smile, feeling instantly at ease with him, even though I would have guessed by his reputation that he’d be an insufferable egomaniac. But I know he has work to do, and I figure I’ll wander the grounds on my own for a little while before heading home.
“Thanks for the snack, Gavin. It was delicious.” I stand up, wiping my mouth and fingers on the napkin. “Nice meeting you.”
He tilts his head. “Actually, we met about seven years ago in Sydney. One of those fashion event after-parties, as I recall.”
“Oh.” I feel my smile falter a little as I struggle to place him in the blur of my runway days. “Those things were always so hectic and it was a long time ago. I’m sorry, Gavin, I don’t . . .”
“Hey, no worries. It’s cool if you don’t remember. We only spoke briefly.” He doesn’t seem put off or judgmental, just the same easy smile and relaxed demeanor he’s shown since he came over to the table. “It’s all right, you were the one making the big impressions that night.”
“I’m sorry. I really don’t recall much about that trip.”
But I do remember one thing. Because the Sydney trip was the first time I landed in the hospital, fatigued to the point of exhaustion. My brother flew to Australia and brought me home. Andrew was horrified at my condition, and insisted I rest up for a while. My agent had other plans. By the end of that same week, he had me back to work and booked for another show, propping me up with cocaine during the day and sleeping pills at night.
“Listen, I’ve got to get back to work,” Gavin says, picking up the plate and used napkins. “Where’re you off to now?”
I shake my head. “Nowhere specific. I’m just here to hang out and enjoy the time outdoors.”
“You wanna lend a hand feeding some two-legged animals?” He grins. “I’m about to unleash the kraken over at the catering station. My staff’s got everything covered, but you’re welcome to help sling plates in the serving line, if you’re up for it.”
I shrug, finding his energy irresistible. “Sure. I’d love to.”
I follow him back to the area that’s been set up forthe picnic, and he introduces me to his coworkers, then outfits me in an apron and puts me behind one of the long serving station tables near the grills. Before long, we are overrun with ravenous kids and grateful parents, all of whom descend on Gavin’s fantastic cooking in a happy swarm.
I’m having such a great time being part of it all that I almost look past the tall man with broad shoulders and a thick crown of short chestnut brown hair standing just twenty-some yards away. But once I see Gabe, everything else fades to the background.
Everything except the attractive woman he’s talking with under the shade of the large trees on the walking path across the way.
They’re dressed casually, Gabe in jeans, sneakers, and a black T-shirt that showcases his powerful arms and clings almost indecently to the slabs of firm muscles on his chest and abdomen. His pretty, strawberry-blonde companion is also in jeans, paired with a summery, sheer short-sleeved blouse buttoned over the top of a camisole. Her arms are down at her sides, and I notice that her right forearm and hand is a prosthesis.
It’s obvious that she and Gabe are more than passingly familiar with each other. They’re relaxed and friendly, almost intimately so. She says something that makes him laugh, and I am stung with a sharp and ridiculous stab of jealousy.
Are they here together on a date?
God, if he is involved with someone, I feel even stupider for the way I acted in my office with him. I didn’t even consider that he might not be single. Then again, that kiss sure as hell didn’t feel like he belonged to another woman.
Whether I have any right to feel it or not, resentment simmers inside me as they walk off together. At least, this might explain Gabe’s obvious avoidance of me. Doesn’t make my disappointment hurt any less, though.
I tear my gaze away from them as they depart, forcing a bright smile onto my face as I continue greeting the kids and families streaming through my catering line.
11
~ Gabriel ~
It takes me about twenty minutes to find her, after a not-so-casual patrol of the zoo grounds.
I’d first spotted Evelyn hours ago, when she’d been sitting with Avery Ross and a couple other women near the private party’s picnic area. I hadn’t realized she would be here today and seeing her again was a gut punch I wasn’t prepared for. Once I laid eyes on her, it was all I could do to keep my focus on my job as my team and I covered the event.
Even O’Connor sensed my mind was somewhere else. Hell, how could she not have sensed it? Each security circuit we ran together through the park seemed to bring us right back to wherever Evelyn was. I finally had to send my friend off to pair up with another teammate, just to put a stop to her relentless questions.
Now, I can’t even pretend I’ve found Evelyn byaccident. With a couple of hours left before the outing ends, I’ve ditched the rest of my team to walk the grounds on my own.
Even though I’ve had time to get used to the idea that she’s here, seeing Evelyn halts my steps and sends an uninvited lick of heat into my veins. The sexual attraction is only natural. It’s the other response I feel, the strange mix of longing and regret, that twists my lips into a scowl.
I’m not used to holding back on anything I want, yet now I stand in the shadows off to the side of the jungle path to watch her. She’s chatting with a group of kids at the observation area near one of the animal habitats. Alone with the half dozen boys and girls, she stands behind the safety railing overlooking the grassy enclosure for a herd of petite Thomson’s gazelles.
“If you look really hard, you’ll see it.” I catch the velvet sound of Evelyn’s voice as she squats down to the children’s level and points to direct their gazes at the animals. “There’s a baby gazelle sitting in the tall grass just to the left of that big boulder. Do you see her?”
“I see!” One little girl in a pink dress gasps in awe. “It’s so cute! Look, you guys, it’s right there!”
