Jayce looked thoughtful. “I hate to ask this, and please don’t bite my head off…”
Gabe nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll try to control myself.”
Jayce let out a deep breath. “Is it yours?”
Gabe laughed. “Yeah. It is.”
“I didn’t think you’d find that funny.”
“I guess I know Misty well enough to know she wouldn’t be involved with anyone else. We only slept together once, but that’s all it takes, right?”
Jayce’s brows shot up. “Only once?”
“Well, not exactly. Just one night, but it was all night long.” He waited for Jayce to make some kind of joke, but he didn’t. Thank God. He didn’t want to attack his older brother.
“Look, Gabe, I know how you feel about responsibility. I’m not taking this lightly, believe me. But the thing is, ready or not, here it comes.”
Gabe let out a deep sigh. “It’s not just the responsibility. I really didn’t want to bring a child into a world like this. You know as well as anyone how fucked up people are.”
“Yeah. Some people suck. But not everyone. Whatever asshole let your dog off its leash on a busy street like Mass Avenue is a sick fuck. I’m pretty sure that’s when you lost all faith in mankind—and yourself.”
Gabe hung his head and nodded.
Jayce put his arm around his brother. “I’m not going to tell you what to do. You already know what you can and can’t control. But one thing I can tell you is that whatever you decide, I hope you’ll be true to yourself. Not the fearful part of you, though. The best part of you.”
Gabe looked over at his older brother and saw sincerity in his eyes. Jayce believed in him. He probably believed in him more than Gabe believed in himself.
“Thanks.” Gabe rose and whipped his sweater over his head. Then he dropped his pants, shifted, and flew.
* * *
Misty had had it. She was actually glad to get back to work where she could think about something besides disappointing Parker, messing up Gabe’s life, and probably messing up her own. There were no words to express how she felt. She had cried herself to sleep and probably looked like hell. Putting on the first clothes she could find, she had bolted out the door before the Fierros saw her.
Adam did a double take and asked her to see him in his office. It was a few minutes before the bank opened, so there would be limited time to talk. Good. She had no idea what to say to him. If she told him she had MS and might not be able to do her job, she could lose it. Not that he could fire her for a medical condition. He couldn’t. But he could find another way…like layoffs. Even if it were solely based on seniority, she’d be the first to go.Last one hired, first one fired.
She wasn’t a good liar. If he asked point-blank what was going on, she’d have to tell him some part of the truth. There were plenty of parts to choose from.
He pulled the chair across from his desk around to his side so they could sit closer. She hated it when he did that, but as long as he didn’t touch her or proposition her, he skirted the sexual harassment line.
“Something’s up with you, Misty. What is it?”
He held her gaze until she couldn’t stand it anymore and looked at her lap. She wasn’t showing yet and wouldn’t for a few months. It was still early, so she could probably skip the pregnancy part.
“Uh…did you hear about the house in the North End that blew up a couple of nights ago?”
He looked at her askance. “No. Why?”
“Well, there was a gas leak in the house I lived in. I rented an apartment upstairs. All my stuff burned in the fire. I’ve been borrowing clothes and going without my usual makeup. All I have is what was in my purse.”
He leaned back, openmouthed. To Misty, he looked like Billy Bass, the talking fish, mounted on some redneck’s wall.
“Holy moly!” When he finally got ahold of himself, he said, “You know, if you need a place to stay, I have a lovely home in Medford.”
Ack!Misty needed to shut down that shit right away. “No! Thank you. I’m staying with Gabe’s parents.”
His face looked as if he’d bitten into a lemon. “Oh. Well, that doesn’t sound ideal. What if the two of you break up? You know which one they’re going to side with. You’ll be out on your—Well, you’ll be homeless.”
Shehadthought of that, but as awkward as it would be at family get-togethers, she couldn’t imagine the Fierros tossing her out on the street. Besides, she was going to find her own place. Just a little one-bedroom apartment so the baby could have undisturbed naps. When the little tyke got older, she’d give up her bed and get a pullout couch to sleep on.
