Page 42 of The Truths We Find

“Dani has always admitted she’s not a very physical person, especially when she’s stressed. You always respected that about her when you were together. Whenever she needed to calm down, you tried everything you could think of, but nothing worked. Hugs made her feel claustrophobic, and talking just sent her spiraling.

“So, you came up with the forehead thing. It was your way of telling her everything would be okay without saying a word. Somehow, it was the one thing she could handle when she was most stressed. Maybe it was because it was you—I don’t know. She told me that when you did that, she could feel your entire emotional connection in that one small gesture. She knew how much you loved her and that everything was going to be alright. It just… became your thing.”

Fuck.

“Holy shit,” Alexa whispers.

“I had no idea.” My voice is quiet, struggling to find my next words.

“It’s no surprise she freaked out if you did that. She probably thinks it means something,” Emmett says.

“Of course it means something. You guys know how I feel about her. I just… didn’t know it meant something. I guess it was muscle memory to do it. My only thought in that moment was being close to her.”

“That act to Dani is more intimate than anything physical, in the common sense, you could have done. You could have kissed her, and she probably wouldn’t have freaked out as much.”

“I need to go talk to her,” I say, making my way back to the shore.

Dani is lying facedown on a towel, and I falter the second I see her. She looks breathtaking, every line of her body illuminated by the sun. For a moment, I imagine leaning over, tracing kisses down her exposed back, teasing her until she squirms, but I shake the thoughts away. It’s not just desire, it’s the ache of missing her, the memory of how close we once were. I brace myself and settle beside her, letting my presence speak for what I can’t say aloud.

“Can we talk?”

She turns her head to face me. Her eyes lined red as if she’s been crying.

“Dani—”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Gavin.”

“We need to. I’m so sorry. I crossed a line out there. It wasn’t fair of me to put you in that position. I got caught up and I’m sorry. I promise it won’t happen again. Your friendship is too important to me.”

“Gavin,” she sighs. “This isn’t our first close call. Maybe we just can’t be friends.”

Hearing the words sends a knife through my heart.

“Dani, I promise, no more close calls. You have my word. I meant what I said when I first showed up here. I would rather have you in my life as my friend than not at all. Please. This little group we have—you, me, Alexa, even Emmett when he’s in town—it’s the happiest I’ve been in a really long time. Let me prove to you I’m serious.”

She stops to think for a while, sitting up and turning to face the ocean. She watches Alexa and Emmett play in the water. But I watch her, internally begging her not to end this friendship we’ve built.

She turns her head to face me. “You’re lucky I kinda like having you around, Gavin Baker. But I’m serious. You need to respect that I’m with Sam. No more close calls.” She pauses. “Although, I can’t say I’m not totally innocent in them either.”

Her admitting that puts a smile on my face. “I think I can forgive you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She gives my shoulder a playful shove.

“Friends?” I hold out my hand.

She takes her hand in mine and meets my gaze. It’s subtle, but her thumb strokes my hand as she says, “Friends.”

Deep breaths, Gavin. Deep breaths.

“We’re getting you laid tonight.”

I practically spit my drink out when I hear the words out of my brother’s mouth.

“Excuse me?” I stutter.

“Bro. The only way to get over someone is to get under someone. I’ve been telling you that for years.”

“How old are you again?”