Page 85 of Stealing Home

“You should use your share to rebuild if that’s what you really want,” Gavin said. “You don’t need me to do it.”

“It won’t be the same.”

“No.” Gavin looked at him. “But that doesn’t mean it can’t be good.”

Ethan slipped the agreement into the leather folio and zipped it shut. “You could say the same about us.”

“I could.” Gavin stood. “But I won’t.” He picked up his phone and dug his keys out of his pocket.

“Goodbye, Ethan.”

Ethan swallowed. “Goodbye, Gav.”

Gavin walked away without looking back.

The bell above the door chimed as he stepped outside. He had expected to feel relieved. Once the settlement cleared, the last financial connection between them would be gone. Instead, he felt drained, and it took what was left of his energy to cross the lot to his truck. He climbed in but didn’t start it. The cab had trapped the afternoon heat, so he lowered the windows, sitting there while warm air moved through the truck. His phone rested in his hand, and he stared at it.

Dom knew Ethan planned to come to San Diego, but he didn’t know that he came today, or that Gavin had sat across from him while Ethan offered to rebuild every part of the life they had lost. Gavin could keep it that way. Nothing had happened. He had refused Ethan before the offer was fully out of his mouth, and telling Dom wouldn’t change that decision. But it would change what was building between them. Gavin had told himself he would say something if there was anything worth telling, and this was. Keeping the meeting to himself now wouldn’t protect something new and fragile. It would make it the first secret between them.

He found Dom’s name and pressed call. Dom answered on the fourth ring. Lucia was fussing in the background, her cries muffled as if he had the phone pinned between his shoulder and his ear.

“Hey,” Dom said breathlessly. “Give me a second.”

Gavin heard him murmur something to Lucia in Italian. Fabric rustled, followed by the soft squeak of her swing.

“Okay,” Dom said. “I’m here. How’s your day going?”

Gavin gripped the steering wheel. “Ethan came into town today.”

The easy warmth disappeared from Dom’s voice. “Okay.”

“I finally read his messages when I got home last night. We’ve been fighting our old insurance company, and they finally settled the last outstanding piece of our claim. The paperwork needed both our signatures.” Gavin took a deep, steadying breath before continuing. “He bought a plane ticket before he even talked to me and flew in this morning.”

Silence filled the line. Gavin rested his head on the headrest and stared at the ceiling of his truck.

“So you met him already?” Dom asked eventually.

“Yeah, for about an hour.”

“And you knew last night that he was coming today.”

“Yes.”

The silence this time lasted so long that Gavin pulled the phone away from his ear to make sure they were still connected.

“I’m sorry,” Gavin added.

Dom released a slow breath. “I’m not upset that you met him. You don’t need my permission.”

“I know.”

“I know it’s stupid, but I still wanted to know.”

Gavin sighed. “It’s not stupid. I know you wanted to know. That’s why I’m telling you now.”

“After there was nothing I could say.”

The quiet hurt in Dom’s voice hit harder than anger would have. Gavin leaned forward until his forehead rested against the steering wheel.