Page 126 of The Path to Loving Him
I stand there, watching them. Watching Mac look up at her, telling Gabby what a good job she’s doing. Gabby smiling down at her . . . it . . . it makes my heart beat faster.
It makes my palms sweat.
It makes my ears go hot because . . . because they look cute together.
Like Gabby was supposed to hold her hand all along.
And when they reach the swing and Mac shows Gabby how to get on, Gabby pushes Mac lightly, causing Mac to smile back at her.
“Jesus fuck,” I mutter as I stare at them, looking like a goddamn mother-daughter duo, and it hits me hard.
Harder than I expected.
So fucking hard that I have to sit back in my chair that’s behind me as Gabby takes her turn on the swing now. I can see the pain in her face as she adjusts, but once she’s settled, she kicks her legs out and lets Mac push her.
“Look, Uncle Ry Ry,” Mac calls out. “She’s doing it.”
I swallow the lump in my throat as I nod. “She is.” I offer a thumbs-up because I don’t know what else to do at this moment as I stare at them.
Smiling.
Laughing.
Having a good time together.
“You okay?” Hayes asks as he takes a seat next to me. I didn’t even hear him approach, but I’m not surprised he did.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice coming out gravelly.
“You don’t look like it.”
“Dude, don’t make me talk about it, okay?”
I see him nod out of the corner of my eye.
“Sure, we don’t have to talk about it.” He’s silent for a moment but then says, “Coming from someone who never planned on getting married or becoming involved with anyone for that matter, I will say this—meeting your sister and allowing myself to fall in love was the best decision of my life. It was scary but fucking worth it.”
He pats me on the back and takes off, leaving me in a state of unease.
Panic.
And confusion.
Chapter Nineteen
GABBY
“Are you sure you can do this?” Bower says as we walk—very slowly—down the street toward town.
“Yes, I need to get used to this, or else I’m going to look like a fool teaching tomorrow.”
“You do seem to be walking a little better than yesterday. Watching you hobble over to the tree swing with that little girl was painful.”
“That little girl’s name is MacKenzie, or Mac for short.”
“Whatever,” Bower says. “It was awkward to witness.”
“Glad I could make you uncomfortable.”
