Tangled with the Tight End (Evergreen Lake: Under the Mistletoe)

Chapter 39

thirty-nine

NORAH

The night sky darkens the living room as I aimlessly putter through the house. It’s hard to believe that last night, Gabriel and I went to bed happy and sated. Only to wake up to whirling chaos.

I rotate my shoulders and neck. Eden was right. Gabriel had filed for divorce. He was adamant they weren’t getting back together again. And Sloane validated the divorce was pending. I wasn’t some homewrecker who intentionally set out to split them up.

If he’d have still been in a relationship with her, I wouldn’t have looked at him twice. Okay, maybe I would’ve looked, he’s a gorgeous man, but that would’ve been where it ended. Gabriel isn’t a cheater and I’m not a cleat chasing ski bunny. My teeth grind together as I spin on my heel and stomp to the kitchen.

Then, why hasn’t he called?

My stomach rolls. What if she convinced him to take her back? What if he’s taken her back to give Gino the two-parent home he deserves? An aching hollow pit fills my chest. I left his bed thirteen hours ago, and nothing. Nothing.

I yank open the refrigerator door and stare at the contents. Like my non-ringing phone, the interior of my refrigerator is barren of prepared food, and I’m too exhausted to cook.

After a good cry, I’d gone to work, only to find Marco camped out on the front step. He’d taken Angelo to the sitter and was ready to talk business. What business? It’s not like I needed him if Gabriel ends things between us.

I slam the doors shut, causing the ketchup bottle to tip over and block the door from securing. Once I straighten the container, I re-shut the door with less force. Just as I suspected, I will grow old–bitter and alone.

No. I stop in the middle of the room and slap my hands on my hips. I won’t be bitter. Life is too short to pout and feel sorry for myself. I fell in love with him and with Gino. I should be glad I met them. And if they belong with Sloane then that’s what’s supposed to happen. I’ll survive. Somehow, I’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep going.

The doorbell rings, and I jump, letting out a soft shriek. I march to the front entrance with my head held high. If he’s breaking things off with me, I’ll survive. I open the door to find him leaning against the door jamb. The dark circles under his eyes make me want to stroke his face and reassure him that everything will be all right. But I don’t know what alright is.

He arches an eyebrow. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.” I nod and step aside, letting him through.

I swipe my hands on my leggings. Now what? He shifts his stance uneasily as if he’s waiting for me to speak first.

Seconds pass, and he licks his lips. “I need to apologize for this morning.” His eyes bounce to mine. “Everything Sloane said was uncalled for, and none was true.” He steps forward and clutches my upper arms. “You aren’t a homewrecker or easy or a cleat chaser.”

My teeth grind together as the memory of her attack weighs heavily on my mind. “A cleat chasing ski bunny.”

“Right.” His gaze darts from mine as he steps back, dropping his arms to his sides. “I understand if you can’t forgive me for her insults and especially for her walking in on us like that. I know it had to have been embarrassing and insulting.”

“Yes.” I nod as I cross my arms over my chest. “It was. It was embarrassing and humiliating. I’ve never even kissed a guy that was dating someone else. Let alone had sex with a married man. She knew where to hit.”

He glances at me with sorrow-filled eyes. “The last thing I wanted was for you to feel….” He rubs his hand over his face. “Cheap or trashy.”

The sorrow in his eyes makes my chest hurt. “I know that. I didn’t say you wanted it.” I swallow hard. “But I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it, and it’s not true. You and Sloane were no longer together. At least not at the time…” I swallow harder and raise my hand as he opens his mouth. “And you’d filed for divorce. She was living with someone else and having your son watched by a nanny because the guy didn’t want kids.”

Gabriel rakes a hand through his hair, leaving the strands standing on end. “Finn, the guy she was living with has gotten another girl pregnant, so that might not have been entirely true.”

“That’s unfortunate for her.” I inhale and straighten my back. “I’m not going to own those labels because they aren’t true.”

One corner of his mouth rises. “Good. You don’t deserve any of it.” He walks toward me and cups my face. “I’ll always feel guilty for putting you through that.”

“You didn’t.” I lean into his touch, aching for everything to return to the way it was, but too afraid to hope for it.

His thumb strokes my bottom lip. “Norah, I love you, and that’s not going to change. Nothing about what I said before this morning changes. I still want you in my life, which will remain a constant.” My bottom lip trembles as he says, “I’m sorry I didn’t come any sooner to see you. I had to get rid of her and talk to my attorney. And then Gino got up and kept me busy between other phone calls.”

“Okay.” My heart surges back to life.

“That’s it?” He arches his eyebrows and studies me. “Okay?”

I chuckle softly and step closer to him as happiness is resurrected inside of me. “I love you.”

“You’d better.” His eyes gleam as he presses his lips to mine, causing my stomach to flop. This kiss is tender and slow as he wraps his arms around me and lazily swipes his tongue along the seam of my lips before delving inside. I wrap my arms around his neck and lean into him, suddenly feeling like my knees will give out.

What about Sloane? And Gino? The intrusive thoughts swirl in my head, and I pull back.

His eyes narrow in anger. “I hate that she’s put this look of worry on your beautiful face, but rest assured, I’ll do everything I can to fix it. I won’t let her waltz in and ruin everything I’ve fought for.”

He grabs my hand and leads me to the sofa, pulling me down to his lap. When my legs are straddled around him, I lay my hands on his chest, loving the feel of the steady beat of his heart under my palms.

“The security firm I’ve hired has found a lot of information that can be used against her.” He clears his throat. “She poked holes in the condom when we had sex that first night. The night Gino was conceived. She’d done this with several other players, other wealthy men, trying to trap one of them into getting her pregnant and sliding into the easy life.”

My stomach clenches as his words sink in, but he doesn’t give me the chance to speak. “One of her friends shared with my investigator that she would get the guys drunk, some high on date rape drugs, and then offer to assist with putting on the condom.” His eyes darken, making bile rise in my throat. “I feel like a fool for falling for it.”

“Don’t.” I cup his cheeks as the stubble from his 5 o’clock shadow pricks my palms.

He licks his lips. “Thank you, but I still feel like a fool. Anyway, I questioned Gino’s paternity when he was born and had his DNA tested. He’s mine, and I plan to keep him that way.”

“Good.”

His arms press around me, pulling me closer. “She showed up today because the other guy dumped her for his pregnant girlfriend, who is one of her friends, and the news is reporting I’m due for a lucrative contract.”

“I’m sorry she’s so conniving.” The woman’s audacity to trick him like that is unfathomable.

“I’m willing to do anything to keep Gino.”

“I support you completely in that. He has no business seeing her again.”

“I’m going to report her actions to the press. I was originally only going to use the information as leverage, but she needs to be stopped from doing this again to some other unsuspecting man. Finn said she tried it on him, but he’d heard about her and made sure he stayed in control of his protection. Another of her girlfriends shared that she’s already been trolling the bars since the day Finn broke things off with her. I’m sorry if that–”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m proud of you.”

“It’s what I need to do.” He shrugs. “I don’t care if sharing it with the world makes me look foolish, and I’m going to take her to court for fraud and sole custody of Gino.” His eyes are solemn as he continues, “Someday, when he’s a few years older, I’ll tell him the truth because I don’t want him reading it online or have one of his friends shove it in his face that he was conceived against my will. I’ll make sure he knows that I love him unconditionally.”

My heart swells with pride over this man and his love for his son. Sharing these accusations with the public when he’s in the national spotlight is a big risk, and few men would willingly take that risk.

“I wanted you to know before reporting everything.” Anger flashes over his features. “She didn’t even want to see Gino today. I can’t forgive her for that or for how she talked to you this morning.”

“You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever known. Thank you for telling me. And, of course, I support you every step of the way. No matter what.”

“Babe….” The anger fades from his eyes as relief and happiness overtake his features. “I’m the luckiest man in the world to have you in my life.” One corner of his mouth arches upward. “And if you’d be willing, I’d be happy to show you.”

“Yeah, I think you should.” I wink. “At least here, no one else has a key.”

“That’s a low blow.” He lowers me to the sofa and kisses every inch of me as he removes each piece of clothing until I’m a melted puddle of ecstasy.