“Hold on a second.” Her hand went to her chest, tapping her heart as though she wanted to slow it down. “Has he told Maya?”
“If he did, I’m sure she would have asked you. Don’t you think?”
She slowly nodded. “Yes.”
“Baby, why haven’t you told her?”
Her cheeks puffed out as she filled them with air, eventually releasing it through her mouth. “This is some of the baggage that’s inside the dumpster-sized suitcase.” She paused. “During my last girls’ night with Maya, she said to me that I need to find myself a Jordan. And instead of saying I already have one, I agreed with her.”
“Why?”
She took another drink and set her wine on the coffee table. “I don’t know. Part of me thought you didn’t want them to know, even though your mom and Bettie know—which, I get, makes no sense. Part of me thought you wanted to keep us a secret. Part of me kinda liked the whole secret thing and found it so hot. Part of me still doesn’t believe we’re together, and the ridiculously sexy owner of the Bears, who I saw at the game that night with Maya, is really my boyfriend.” She rubbed her hands over the bottom of her dress. “And maybe a part of me wanted you to be the one to say it’s time totell Maya and Jordan.” She let out another long exhale. “My reasoning is quite possibly a mixture of all that.”
I held her chin. “Emily, once I got the approval from my son—yes, I got his approval to have you around more, and I made sure he wanted to hang out with you as much as I do—it didn’t matter to me who knew.” Her lips pursed the second I mentioned my boy. “The Ben step was the most important. After I got past it, you could have screamed about our relationship from the top of my building.” My hand moved to her cheek. “I should have made that clear to you. I should have had this conversation with you, and I’m sorry I didn’t. And I feel like shit for not telling Jordan. I should have, I don’t know why I didn’t. But I can understand how things could have been confusing for you.” I gave her a small kiss. “I assure you, I want the whole fucking world to know you’re mine.”
“Feel this.” She put my hand on her heart. “Emotion is literally exploding through me.”
“I might as well unload a little more of that suitcase, then.” I traced my thumb across her lips, holding her gorgeous bright-blue gaze. “I love you, Emily.”
Her eyes closed, and when they opened, they were filled with tears. “You do?”
I wiped the first one before it fell from her eyelid. “I have for a while.”
She threw her arms around my neck. “Gavin, I love you too.”
I hugged her against me, and when she pulled back, she kissed me. She cupped my face to keep me close until she separated our mouths, then pressed our noses together.
She sighed. “Maya is going to murder me for not telling her.”
“Maybe it would be safer to do it over the phone.” I chuckled.
“I can’t. It feels like something I should do in person. Unless Jordan or your mom or Bettie tells her before I get the chance.”
I shook my head. “They won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because of my past. Because of losing Sarah, Ben’s mom. They know I don’t love easily or at all. And if I ever did, like the way I love you, they would treat the situation as though it were glass.” I leaned back to look in her eyes. “I assure you, no one is saying a word about this. In fact, they’re tiptoeing, hoping more than anything that you’re the one.” I slipped my arm around her back, a smile stretching across my lips as I admitted, “And you are.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Emily
Every day that passed without my best friend knowing about Gavin and me caused my heart to ache a little more. Maya was missing out on a major part of my life, and I didn’t want that for either of us. I got to watch her fall for Jordan and see her love grow deeper. When it came to Gavin and me, I wanted that for our friendship. I wanted to make up for all this missed time.
So I decided I wasn’t going to wait until she returned to Boston. I was going to tell her now.
While Gavin was in the shower getting ready for our dinner date, I brought my phone into his bed and tucked myself under the fluffy comforter.
Me:Hiiiii. So I know you’re in New York (yes, I’m stalking your location because that’s what besties do), but we need to talk ... I have something to tell you.
“You look guilty.”
I glanced up from the screen. Gavin was standing in the doorway of his en suite with a towel wrapped around his waist, drips from the shower clinging to his skin. “I do? How?”
“Are you up to something?”
I laughed. “I just texted Maya, telling her I want to talk. I can’t wait another second, Gavin. It’s killing me not to tell her, so I’m coming clean, and I’m fully prepared for how she’s going to slaughter me.”
