“For a long time, is my guess,” Tara said.
“Is she right?” Kathleen asked.
Elizabeth nodded.
“Does Gavin know?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “No. God, no. And I don’t want him to know.”
Kathleen frowned. “Why not?”
She looked down at her hands. “This is hard to explain.”
“Because a guy has to fall in love with you because it’s what he wants, not out of obligation.”
Elizabeth lifted her head and nodded at Tara. “Yes.”
“Which means, Mom, that we need to butt out and let Elizabeth and Gavin handle their relationship the way they see fit,” Jenna said.
“All right. But I have to tell you, Lizzie, that I love you and I love my son. And I don’t want either of you hurt.”
Elizabeth reached for Kathleen’s hand. “I love you, too. And I don’t want to hurt him. I just don’t know how this is going to play out. I don’t know what we are to each other yet. So I’m asking you to give us some time to figure it all out.”
She turned to Tara. “And give Mick some space, too. He’s still mad at me, and he has a right to be. And he and Gavin are at odds over it. I’m strong and I can take it. I just don’t want them fighting because of me.”
Tara shrugged. “I’ve already decided to step away from that battle.”
Kathleen nodded. “Probably a good choice. Sometimes brothers need to find their own solutions to their problems. And when a woman—or women—are involved, it’s best to steer clear. They’ll find a way through this. They always have before.”
Elizabeth hoped that was true. She’d walk away from Gavin before she drove a wedge in his relationship with Mick.
She just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
SIXTEEN
GAVIN SEARCHED THE WHOLE DAMN HOUSE FOR ELIZABETH, wondering if maybe Mick had found her and stuffed her in the trunk of a car.
Okay, he wouldn’t do that. Or at least he didn’t think his brother would go that far.
As he made his third pass through the house, he saw Elizabeth coming down the stairs with his mother and Jenna—and Tara, of all people.
They were all smiling, chatting away, seemingly at ease with each other.
That he hadn’t expected.
“Hey, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he said as she reached the bottom of the steps. “What have you been doing?”
“It’s a secret women’s society. We’re plotting the demise of the male species,” Jenna said.
“Smart-ass.” He kissed the cheek Jenna presented to him, then she walked away.
Tara came up to him and hugged him. “Girl talk. You don’t have to monopolize all of Elizabeth’s time, do you?”
He looked to Elizabeth, who seemed just fine. “I guess not.”
“Then I suppose you can have her back. Your mother and Jenna and I have to go get Mick’s cake ready. Did you and your dad grill the meat?”
“Yeah,” he said, unable to take his eyes off Elizabeth, wanting to make sure she was all right. “It’s on the counter in the kitchen.”
Elizabeth looked at Gavin’s mother. “Do you need help?”
“No,” Kathleen said. “You catch up with Gavin. We have it under control.”
They walked off, and Gavin led her out the front door so they could have some privacy.
“What’s going on? Why were you upstairs with Jenna, Tara, and my mom?”
She shrugged. “Nothing. We were just talking.”
“Did Tara grill you or give you a hard time?”
Her lips quirked. “No. We talked. It was good. It cleared the air. We’re fine now.” She laid her hand on his arm. “Really, it’s okay.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
“Okay.”
“So can we go inside and help out instead of skulking around avoiding everyone?”
He put his arm around her shoulder. “I guess so.”
She slid her arm around his waist. “Really, Gavin. I can take care of myself. Even with Mick.”
Who was at the front door with Tara when they opened it. Elizabeth gave him her biggest smile.
“Happy birthday, Mick.”
Gavin could tell Tara had talked to him. “Thanks. Glad you could make it.”
Elizabeth’s lips curled. “No, you’re not, but thanks for being civil about it. I’ll try to stay out of your way.” She let go of Gavin. “I’m going into the kitchen to help your mom.”
“Me, too.” Tara leaned up and kissed Mick. “Behave.”
“When have I not behaved?”
Tara rolled her eyes, then switched her gaze at Gavin. “You, too.”
Tara left and Gavin stood there with Mick. “Thanks for not jumping on Elizabeth.”
Mick shrugged. “I don’t have anything to say to her as long as she doesn’t f**k with my family. She’s already done enough of that.”
There was a lot Gavin wanted to say in reply, but it was Mick’s birthday, and his mother would probably smack him on the head if he punched the birthday boy. Which was probably why Mick figured he could get away with saying whatever he wanted.
The free pass would only last so long. Like today was the only day.
“I think we should see what Dad’s up to,” Gavin suggested, swallowing his anger.
“That’s probably a good idea.”
Dad was neutral territory. He was outside, surrounded by the smoke of the barbecue pit and a handful of Gavin and Mick’s uncles. Gavin heard the tail end of a story about this year’s Super Bowl game, about one of Mick’s outstanding plays and how there was standing room only at the bar that Sunday.
Mick groaned. “Like Uncle Robert and Uncle Matt haven’t heard that story a hundred times already.”
“Heard? Hell, they were at the bar that night. We all were. Doesn’t mean Dad isn’t going to tell it over and over again.”
There were a handful of neighbors surrounding Dad, and they’d all been at the bar that night, too. So had Gavin, who’d seen all the plays, heard all the cheers, and still had to listen to the replay.
Not that he was jealous. Winning the Super Bowl had been a damn big deal for his brother. He didn’t begrudge him the glory at all. If the shoe had been on the other foot, Gavin would be reveling in the glory and milking it for as long as he could.