Three
As I make my way into the kitchen, I see my dad giving Kel a hug. I squeal, a huge smile on my face since I haven’t seen him in weeks. Excitement bubbles up inside me when he turns and sees me.
"Pumpkin, come here," Dad says, pulling away from my sister. I run into his arms, so happy to see him as he lifts me off my feet and kisses my cheek.
"When did you get here?" I ask, pulling back to take a look at him. I laugh, seeing his beard coming back. He has new lines around his eyes and mouth, but his deep amber eyes, the same as Kel’s, are as bright as they’ve always been.
"You look happy, Aria," he says, twirling me in a circle like he always does.
"Dad, you seriously have to shave!" I laugh through the words. He throws his head back and laughs, pulling me with him. He makes his way into the kitchen where Kel places three plates of mac and cheese on the table.
"I’ll take it under advisement, pumpkin," Dad winks at me.
Turning to my sister, he says, "This is great, Kel. Thank you." I sit down and he sits next to me, both of us digging into our dinner.
"Oh, my God, this is amazing, Kel!" I gush, enjoying her homemade food.
After dinner, we take Dad into the living room and watch reruns of Full House. He tells us all about his trip. It feels so good to have him back home, and when Kel goes to bed, I stay up and decide to tell him about Gavin.
"You okay, pumpkin?" He reaches for my hand and squeezes it.
I look up from my phone, hoping for a text, and give my dad a smile.
"Yeah. I met someone today, Dad."
He grins wide and gives me a kiss on my forehead. I know that he just wants me to be happy.
"Yeah? Kel may have told me about that, pumpkin. You like him?"
"Yeah, so much. I didn’t think it was possible for me to open up to a guy so quickly after what happened with Bryce, but I really like him."
He pulls me into a hug and rubs his hand up and down my back. He smells like gasoline and cigarettes, as always. My dad has worked in his auto repair garage since I was a little girl. The smell of it lingers on him and it’s come to smell like home to me.
"I’m so happy for you, pumpkin. Just take it slow, enjoy the chase. There’s no rush, Aria. You deserve a guy who treats you right, who treasures you, like I treasured your mom for the time we were together."
Tears build in my eyes. I remember growing up and seeing how much they loved each other. My mom stopped modeling when I was born, but she still did occasional shoots for local magazines and spreads. She loved her job, loved modeling. My dad always supported her dream. He would stay home with the three of us the nights she had to work, and when everything went up in flames after the accident, nothing was ever the same. My mom broke, emotionally and physically. I know she loved my dad with her whole heart, but she just couldn’t take the never-ending pain of losing her son. She ran from us, from what happened, from everything. I’ll never forget watching my dad’s heart break when she left us. I rest my head against his chest. I needed this, this reassurance from my dad about starting something new with Gavin.
"Do you miss her, Daddy?" I ask, my voice clogged with tears.
He sighs and nods, his eyes filled with a trace of sadness. "Every day, but she made her choice, and no matter how much it hurt me and you girls, we have to accept that." His thumbs wipe my tears away and he dips his head to kiss my forehead. I’d be lost without him. My dad’s strength put us back together after we broke apart. But I know he’s never truly gotten over my mother. She was his one true love.
I rest my head on his shoulder again, not wanting to think about Mom.
"Can we talk about something else?"
"Sure, pumpkin. What’s mystery man’s name?"
I lift my head, narrowing my eyes at him. I love my dad, but ever since high school, he’s run background checks on every one of my boyfriends or any boy I had an interest in. It’s like he’s trying to protect me before I get hurt, which is unnecessary since the nicest, kindest, and richest and most successful man that I dated turned out to be a monster. I shudder, thinking of his face, but Dad kisses my forehead for comfort as if he read where my mind had wandered.
"Just in case, Aria. It would put my mind at ease. After what happened with Bryce, I can’t fathom the idea of you getting hurt again. I couldn’t bear it, pumpkin."
I exhale, remembering my dad’s broken face in my hospital room weeks ago.
"Gavin Thomas."
He raises his eyebrows skeptically at me.
"You mean the billionaire, Thomas Corporations CEO?"
I gasp, shocked that my dad knows who he is. Oh, crap.
"Yeah, I think he said something like that."
She’s going to be so happy."
I inwardly cringe, not wanting to think about how much money he makes or what a "catch" my mom will say he is.
"Don’t tell her, please, Dad. I just met him. None of that stuff matters to me," I whisper, looking anxiously up at him. He nods after a moment, giving my shoulder a squeeze.
"I won’t. I promise. Just be careful with him. I'll let you know what I find out." He gets up and heads to the fridge, grabbing a water and his duffel bag off the edge of the couch. He crouches down and hugs me tight, kissing my forehead.
"Love you, Daddy," I whisper into his neck before he leans back and smiles warmly.
"Love you more, pumpkin."
***
After a nice hot shower I put on a pair of gray yoga pants and a tour tee of The Band Perry, pulling my hair into a messy bun. I crawl under the covers, grabbing the remote and flicking through channels until I find a police procedural that I like.
My mind is racing with curiosity about what Dad could find on Gavin, and when I see my Mac laptop screen flash with a new email, I reach over and pull it onto my lap. I open up Google Search and type in "Gavin Thomas."
I know I should stop myself, but in all honesty, I need to know what I’m getting myself into by pursuing a relationship with him.
When the results come up across the search engine, I slowly scroll down. There’s a picture of Gavin and a blond, skinny woman with brown eyes. His hair is slicked back and he’s wearing a gray Paul Smith three-piece suit tailored perfectly to hug his lean chest, arms, and toned thighs, and a dark green tie, while the woman wears a silver dress that shows off her prominent chest and long legs. He has to be at least twenty in this photo and I wonder vaguely how old he is now because he looks so young in this picture.
His arm wraps around her shoulder and she’s smiling while she gazes at him. I feel a little jealousy that he had been so happy with this girl. Oh, my God! What if he still loves her? The caption reads: Young prodigy Gavin H. Thomas left at the altar by his high-end fashion model fiance of two years, Jasmine Elliot.
The date underneath reads almost four years ago. Oh, no. I feel both relief and sadness as I read more. Then it dawns on me. Jasmine, his Jaguar, "after the girl that broke my heart years ago." I remember his heartfelt words from this afternoon. There’s a lot about his business.
Billionaire Gavin Thomas takes the technology world by storm!
And...
Thomas spotted with younger sister Callie Joy at Raymond's in north end, Chicago.
Then I see something else that makes my heart stop. It stutters while I read on.
Son Gavin Henry Thomas devastated after tragedy strikes the family. At nineteen years old finds father James A. Thomas suffering from cardiac arrest. He died later that night, leaving Thomas Corporations to only son G. H. Thomas.
I close my laptop, feeling sad for a young Gavin, lost after his father’s death. He must have felt so alone, having to be strong for his mother and sister while grieving his father’s death.
I watch television and almost fall asleep before my phone vibrates with a text. I smile, my sadness vanishing when I open the message and see it’s from Gavin.
You still up, beautiful? I had a very interesting day with this gorgeous ballet dancer.
I giggle, warmth erasing the shivers across my skin. I text him back as I lean against my pillows.
Really? Do I know this dancer? She sounds wonderful.
I wait, switching off my television and pulling red covers over me as I lie down and feel my eyes getting heavy.
Then he answers me.
I think you might. She’s your twin.
Hmm, I don’t have a twin, Gavin. Could she possibly be me?
He only takes a minute to answer this time.
She’s definitely you. How was the rest of your day?
Good, spent some time with my dad. He just got into town today. Hard to text when I’m this tired. Can I call you?
Not even thirty seconds later my phone rings loudly in my hand. I smile, feeling giddy as I answer.
"Hello?" I murmur, biting my bottom lip nervously.
"Hey, beautiful." My heart races at the sound of his husky voice.
"How was your night?"
He laughs, sending tingles over my body.
"Busy. I’m actually just driving home. I didn’t wake you, did I?"
"No, I’m just falling asleep now. Isn’t it a little late to be ending your workday?"
He chuckles again. I recognize the sound of a car engine in the background.
"It is, but I had a crazy day. Did I mention the dancer I met today?"
My heart speeds up and I'm smiling widely, even if he can't see me.
"I think you did. I actually told my dad I met you," I say, feeling a little unsure of how he’s going to react.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, he said you’re a billionaire CEO with high hopes."
"That’s true. Does my job bother you at all?"
I’m surprised by his question, but I take a breath and answer honestly.
"I’m not sure. It surprised me, but I already like you so much. For me, it doesn’t change anything between us."
I can almost hear his smile at the other end of the line.
"Happy to hear that. You have any preferences for dinner tomorrow?" I think for a moment, but know it wouldn’t matter to me where we eat as long as I’m with Gavin.
"No, I just want to spend time with you."
"Same here."
Then I yawn loudly and blush, embarrassed.
"Get some rest, beautiful. I'll text you tomorrow."
I smile, surprised by his thoughtfulness.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"Yeah. Goodnight, beautiful."
I giggle and snuggle deeper into my pillow.
"Night, Gavin."
I hang up, placing my phone on the charger face up so I’ll hear the alarm at ten for my studio session in the morning. Soon I close my eyes, hoping for sweet dreams.
Gavin
The cup of steaming hot coffee meeting my taste buds could be described as the highlight of my day on most days I spend in the office. Today was different. Meeting Aria Morgan was the highlight, and if I could have spent more time with her today, I would have jumped at the chance. I haven’t truly thought about a girl or rather, a woman, in any way other than an easy fix at the end of a very long day in I don’t know how long. Back in college, it had been different. I was convinced that my girlfriend at the time, Jasmine, was the one. The one. As I think about it now, I have to laugh at myself. I didn’t know how naive that sentiment was. As if there was one woman that would stay by me through thick and through thin. As if there was a woman out there that could look past my name and the number attached to my bank account.
Maybe even past the dollar signs on my paycheck each month. I’d thought she was that one woman. Shit, was I wrong.
I sip my coffee slowly, closing my eyes for the briefest of moments and try to conjure up the memory of Aria from today. I’d never seen a pair of green eyes quite like hers. There were almost undetectable hints of gold in them, that I could only see when the light shone across her face. She had hair that reached past her shoulders and it settled there in big curls. My fingers had itched to reach through the space between us and sink into her curls. I knew they would be just as soft as they appeared to be. But those things weren’t what drew me to her. It was the way she spoke. I knew she was smart and the way she spoke told me she saw the world to be much darker than women I had met before. I didn’t need her to tell me to know that someone, somehow, had hurt her in her life. She had been disappointed, maybe mistreated, maybe overlooked. The way she carried herself was like the way she danced.
Elegant.
Light.
With purpose.
Anything for my favorite customer. What do you need?
A dozen flowers, something bright and colorful. It’s for a friend of mine.
Hm, I think I can do that. See you soon.
I grinned as I moved to the counter of the coffee shop and handed the kid behind it my now empty coffee cup. I dipped a few dollars into the tip jar and slipped on my jacket as I left the shop.
Yet, something in my mind told me that she was different.
Aria Morgan was special and I fully intended for her to know that.
I stepped into The Little Rose and grinned when I saw Liz arranging a bouquet for me. She really was a good friend.
"Hey! How does this look?"
"I love it" I hugged her as she worked and watched the different colors of daises, lilies and orchids blend and fit into a beautiful arrangement.
"Thank you for doing this."
I smiled at the redheaded girl I’d grown up with as she carefully wrapped plastic and wax paper around the flowers, not jostling even one of them. She looked up at me and nodded, waving away my money when I placed it on the table between us.
Shaking my head, I came behind her and before she could protest, slipped two bills into the pocket of her apron.
"Shh, I want to pay for it. I know this business doesn’t run on your love of plants."
