He pulled her closer, because he could. “Tell me about what he said.”
“Which do you want to hear?” she asked, finally meeting his stare.
He wanted to hear anything Rachel was willing to tell him, so he could go about fixing it. Showing her who he really was.
She cleared her throat, swaying with the music. With him.
“You and Gavin don’t get along,” she stated as though it were fact.
They didn’t get along well, this was true. “That’s right. Most of the time.”
She was tracing little ovals along his arms—the bare skin at the edges of his short sleeves. “Why?”
“Different philosophies, I suspect.” Although, in recent years, things had been better between them. They’d kept their relationship to business, and the business was doing well, so there wasn’t much to argue about. Travis didn’t like Gavin’s complete commitment to the company. He wished Gavin would throw that commitment toward his kids. But he’d stayed out of it.
“Why don’t you think we get along?” he asked.
“Gavin always said little things about you in passing.” Rachel lifted her shoulder, just the tiniest of inches.
He stilled for half a second. “What kind of things?”
“Like that you were always with a different woman.”
She studied the floor, then the wall.
“That’s not entirely untrue,” he admitted with a chuckle.
“And you didn’t treat them well,” she continued.
Now, that? That was entirely a lie.
“I never treated any of the women I was with poorly. We each got what we wanted from those…”
What was the best word for what those definitely-not relationships had been?
“Sexual liaisons?” she offered.
His cheeks burned. She was right; that’s what they’d been. All they’d been.
He nodded. A lump suddenly stuck in his throat.
“I’ve been a little worried that this thing between us might be you somehow sticking it to Gavin,” she said, as though the thought had weighed heavy.
“Gavin has nothing to do with what we’re doing.” He pulled her closer. “Gavin doesn’t get to be in this thing with us, no matter where it goes.”
She nodded.
“He also said you weren’t dedicated at work,” she continued.
That was also true. “I supposed I’ve spent a good deal of time figuring out my shit.”
“What kind of shit?” They weren’t so much dancing as they were clinging to each other in a sea of people.
“What I want to do. I want to fly. Wasn’t sure about the family business, but you can imagine how Mama reacts when I bring that up. Gavin takes her side. Things get complicated real fast.”
“The thing is…” She paused, nibbling her bottom lip. “I’m not sure Gavin’s opinion is the real reason why I didn’t care for you. I don’t think I ever really believed him about any of it, if I’m being honest.”
“Then what was the real reason?”
