As she buzzed around the kitchen, I walked into the living room, thinking Gemma had wanted a quiet moment alone, but the room was empty. Where was she?
“She’s not here.”
I turned around at Mom’s voice. “Who?”
“Gemma.” She rolled her eyes. “You two might be fooling everyone else, but I wasn’t born yesterday.”
“Oh,” I muttered.
I shouldn’t have been surprised. Mom had a nose for secrets.
Cash and I had only gotten away with throwing one bonfire kegger at the ranch. She’d sniffed out all the other planning attempts and had smothered them. And she’d admitted years ago that the only reason we hadn’t been busted for the one successful party was because I’d been in college and it had been Cash’s senior year sendoff.
“Where’d she go?” I asked.
“She wasn’t feeling well.”
“What?” My gaze whipped to the window, and sure enough, the Cadillac was gone. “She’s sick?”
Gemma had been fine this morning when I’d left the cabin. I hadn’t seen her at the lodge today, but when I’d arrived here tonight, she’d appeared okay. Not that I’d outright asked her because when we were here, I didn’t talk to her. I did my best to treat her like an acquaintance. I didn’t want anyone to notice the way I looked at her, so I’d decided it was better not to glance at her in the first place.
“She said she had a headache,” Mom said.
“Since when?”
“I’m guessing since Liz arrived.” Mom shook her head, glancing over her shoulder to make sure we were alone. “I love your father, but that man can be thick as a brick wall sometimes.”
“Huh?”
Mom pursed her lips. “Like father like son.”
“What did I do?” I scowled.
She reached up and flicked the shell of my ear.
“Ouch.” My hand flew to rub the sting. Mom hadn’t flicked my ear like that since I’d been a teenager. “Seriously?”
“Shame on you, Easton Greer. If that girl stays after the way you treated her, I’ll be shocked.”
“What should I have done, Mom?” I stepped closer, careful to keep my voice low. “Gemma and I agreed to keep this between us. We don’t need anyone else involved when she’s just going to leave in a few weeks. And I couldn’t exactly ignore Liz. Dad invited her, not me. But I don’t blame him. She would have been alone at Thanksgiving.”
“I know.” She sighed. “Don’t get me wrong. I like Liz. I actually thought Cash would chase after her one of these days.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Not that he’d have any luck. She’s always had a crush on you.” She cast her eyes to the ceiling. “My boys are both clueless.”
“I’m not—wait, what? Liz doesn’t have a crush on me.”
Mom flicked my ear again.
“Jesus Chr—”
“Language.” She pointed a finger at my nose.
“Sorry.” I rubbed my ear again. “What was that for?”
“That was for Gemma. Because you were so busy not looking at her, you missed the way Liz was. That’s why Gemma left, fighting tears and faking a headache, because you are so worried she’s going to leave that you’re practically pushing her out the door.”
“Because she is leaving. Why drag all of you into this? Why get everyone’s hopes up that she’s going to stay when she won’t?”
After hearing Gemma’s story about her mother, I didn’t blame her for leaving. She deserved to find the place she wanted to stay. She deserved the life of her choosing. She’d been forced into too much.
So I wouldn’t beg her to stay for me. I wouldn’t guilt her into a life here simply because it would make my dreams come true.
I was in love with Gemma.
I loved her enough to set her free. This was her decision to make.
“She wants a home, son.”
“I know.”
Mom put her hand to my cheek. “Then give her one.”
If only it were that easy.
“Oh, sorry.” Behind Mom, Liz stopped at the edge of the room. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“It’s fine.” There wasn’t much more I could explain to Mom without delving into Gemma’s past. And that was her story to tell, not mine.
“Should we have dessert?” Mom gave me a tight smile, then turned and walked for the kitchen.
“Actually, I’m going to take off.”
She glanced over her shoulder and nodded, knowing exactly where I was headed. “See you tomorrow.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, Mom. Thanks for cooking.”
“My pleasure.” Mom’s expression was a mix of hope and worry—though not for me. Mom loved Gemma too. And she was counting on me to make this right.
But what if the only way to make it right was to let Gemma drive away?
She’d break my heart but I’d stand back and watch her go.
It would hurt us both far more if I had to watch her fade away simply because I’d asked her to live the life I wanted.
“You’re leaving already?” Liz asked, following me to the door.
“Yeah.” I took my coat off the hook and shrugged it on. “It’s been a long day and there’s always work tomorrow.”
“It was nice to see you.”
“You too. I’ll stop by the bar one of these nights and beat you at a game of dice.”
“Ha.” She huffed. “You wish. When was the last time you beat me? Six? Seven years ago?”
I chuckled. “To be fair, you get more time to practice.”
“True.” She smiled. “Are you just going home?”
Eventually. But first, I had to make a stop at the cabin. “Yep,” I lied and zipped up my coat.
Liz stepped close, too close, and traced her finger up my arm. “Want some company?”
Well, shit.
“Look, Liz, I—”
“Don’t say it.” She cringed and stepped away, slapping a hand to her forehead. “I’m sorry. We’re friends. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m stupid.”
“You’re not stupid. I just don’t feel that way about you.”
She met my gaze, her own screaming why?
“I’m with someone.”
Her forehead furrowed, then her eyes went to the door and the space where Gemma’s Cadillac had been parked. “Oh, it’s Gemma, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Can we forget this happened? Please?” she pleaded.
I nodded. “Sure.”
“Thanks, Easton.” She took another step away. “See you around.”
“See ya, Liz.” We both knew I wouldn’t be in to play dice. Even if Gemma wasn’t in the picture, even if Gemma hadn’t captured my heart, Liz would only ever be a friend. I wouldn’t lead her on. Hell, maybe I’d been leading her on.
Once again, Mom was right.
When it came to women, I was thick as a brick wall. Someday, I’d remember that my mother was always right.
I slipped outside without saying goodbye to the others. Tomorrow, I’d run into town and get Mom and Grandma flowers for all their work, but tonight, my gut was yelling that something was wrong with Gemma and it wasn’t a headache.