He got into his old Ford and pulled from the lot.
Charlotte turned toward her truck, a smile lingering on her face. And that’s when she saw Gavin standing beside his truck, gaping at her, a dozen questions shifting across his features.
Thirty-Seven
The pizza in Charlotte’s stomach churned as Gavin approached. The grim look was all she needed to confirm he’d seen her with Craig. The memory of laughing with her brother at Sunday’s picnic dinner materialized. They’d built such a good rapport. Was all that about to be ruined? Her stomach threatened to expel its contents.
His long strides shrank the space between them quickly. He stopped several feet away, his head turned slightly to the side, eyes like heat-seeking missiles under the glare of the safety lamp.
She propped up a smile and tried for a casual tone. “Hey, Gavin. What are you doing here?”
“I’m bidding on a project nearby. Bringing home pizza. Do you know who that man was?” He nodded toward the spot Craig’s car had occupied.
“Um, yes. I do. You must be wondering what I was doing here with your dad.”
He frowned. “More concerned than anything. You shouldn’tget mixed up with him, Charlotte. He’s not a good person. I know he’s my dad, but even if it’s business or something, I wouldn’t recommend getting involved with him. You can’t count on him—except to let you down.”
“It’s not.”
A question flickered in his eyes.
“I mean, it’s not business.” A car pulled into the lot, its bass thumping as heavily as her heart. “Listen, can we go inside? Have a drink, talk a minute?”
His gaze sharpened on hers. “What’s going on? Why were you with my dad? You hugged him,” he added as if just remembering.
“Really, if we could just go inside—”
Irritation flashed on his face. “Just tell me what’s going on.”
The suspicion in his eyes held her captive. She had to tell him now, no matter how it might affect his relationship with Craig—though it didn’t seem as if Gavin’s opinion of his father could possibly sink lower.
“I have something to tell you that might be surprising. Or shocking. It might be shocking.”
He made an impatient gesture that urged her to continue.
“Right. Well, my mom died last year. You know that. And, um, after she died... Wait, so you might not know that my dad, Patrick, was actually my stepdad. My mom married him when I was seven. I never actually knew my biological father.”
Gavin’s jaw muscles twitched.
I need words. I don’t want to hurt him. I don’t want to hurt Craig. But now I have no choice but to tell him. God? We got a copy?
“And...” His tone was impatient.
She just had to spititout.It was all she could do at this pointanyway. “A while after my mom passed, I found some things she left for me in a safety-deposit box. Eventually they led me to believe that Craig was my biological father.”
He stared blankly at her for a long minute. “And is he?”
She drew a deep breath. “Yes, he is. We took a test and everything.”
His gaze roved over her face, taking in her features the way she had his all those months ago. All those months when she could’ve told him the truth.
After a minute his features softened a bit. “You’re my sister.”
The words were said so gently, hope bloomed inside. Maybe all wasn’t lost. The Robinsons revered family. And she was family. She gave a shrug likeThat’s me.
His eyes tightened with worry. “Charlotte... you know he’s a drunk, right?”
“Wasa drunk. He’s actually been sober for almost a year, and he’s been waiting and hoping that you and Cooper would—”
