Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews, like always! I know it took some convincing but I think we're getting there lol!
Lovezanessa23- thank you so much for adding your favourite line and I was touched you had picked that out! :D
P.s. I am all behind on my reading duties I'm so sorry! I'm in the middle of writing a story so I'll get onto it once I'm done with that.
CHAPTER 4
"Dude, today is the luckiest day of your life…" Jared burst into Troy's room to wake him.
"Why's that?" Troy sat up and rubbed his eye.
"My mom is taking us on a hike!" Jared excited.
"What?" Troy rolled onto his stomach and looked up at his friend in the doorway.
"She knows the best trails, man. Get up! We have oatmeal today…"
Jared left as quickly as he entered; leaving Troy in a confused and sleep-drowsy state.
Hiking? She was really taking them hiking? The woman who wore the floor length red dress like a pro and who looked perfect in her white dress yesterday was now taking them hiking?
He didn't quite believe it until he found her in the kitchen, wearing some zigzag cream and burgundy print leggings along with a long jumper and thick socks. On her head was a spirit hood; something that made him want to laugh out loud. She looked so damn cute! Running around her kitchen with a gray wolf on her head…there was something about her that just dug him deep inside and he didn't know what it was, but he hid it really well as he came to the table.
"Thank you for breakfast, Ms. Montez," he called over.
"Please, call me Gabi," she told him again. "You make me feel so old when you address me by my formal name…"
Old was definitely something she was not, but she was making a point in telling him so.
"My apologies," he extended wryly.
She laid a bowl in front of him and looked at the two lads.
"Eat up, you'll need it…"
Jared grinned. "Which trail are you taking? How about the Eagle Hunt?" He suggested.
Gabi tilted her head and joined them at the table with her own food.
"That's quite tough terrain for a newbie…" she commented of Troy.
"He can handle it, can't you?" Jared asked his friend.
Troy lifted a brow. "I should imagine so…"
"See?" Jared told his mom. "I love that trail…"
Gabi flicked looks between her son and his friend.
"Sounds good to me," Troy assured.
"Alright then," she conceded with a sigh. "But we'll go slow…"
"I'll make lunches," Jared hopped up.
"I'll help," Troy followed him while Gabi finished her breakfast.
Soon enough they were geared up and ready to roll; both men following Gabi until the trail became clearer and then Jared scampered ahead, leaving Troy to walk with Gabi.
"He's pretty excited," Troy commented.
Gabi nodded. "The last time we came up here; his father was still around. It was more of a family thing…"
Troy nodded. "It must be hard for you…"
She looked at him, surprised. "Actually, it's not. I'm better off without his father. But I know Jared misses his dad now that he's moved to Canada…"
"Canada?" Troy repeated, surprised.
"Jared goes when he can…Calvin- his dad- only visits at Christmas usually…"
"Why did he move all that way?" Troy wondered.
"Let's just say he didn't win any friends around here when the divorce came through and everyone found out he was using me for my money…"
"How long were you married?"
"Twenty years," she mused. How ironic.
"Really? He used your money all that time?" Troy was astounded.
She nodded ruefully. "I guess I knew it deep down, too. And I chose to ignore it."
"What changed your mind?" He wondered.
She shrugged. "He got into a bit of gambling debt and I had to bail him out. I started to realize then how often I had bailed him out…and how often he got into these messes."
Troy blew out a breath. "You're definitely better off without him…"
"And yet Jared thinks I should date again…" She mused. "After twenty years with the same man…"
"Am I…" Troy ventured and then swallowed, gaining courage. "Am I the first guy you've been with since the divorce?"
Gabi paused, closing her eyes against the images that threatened to haunt her day after day since their joining. She really did wish it had never occurred now- more to clear her addled brain than out of regret. How could she regret such a simplistically passionate encounter? How could she forget it, too?
"Hey!" Jared's voice reminded them they had company. "I found the hundred year old redwood!"
Gabi looked up to Troy's concerned eyes, those blue orbs flicking between hers.
"We should catch him up," Gabi said and started off to do just that.
/
"It's still here," Gabi awed of the gigantic tree that almost took over the forest.
"Wow…" Troy murmured as he came up behind her and then watched as she moved around the tree root out of sight.
"Hey, man, where'd' you get to?" Jared asked his friend.
"Just talking to your mom," Troy assured, making Jared smile.
"So, does she have a new man?" Jared wondered.
"I don't know, it didn't exactly come up," Troy assured.
"No?" Jared queried with an innocent smile.
"No, of course not. What do you think I am, a complete douche?" Troy snapped.
"I don't know, depends if you're coming onto my mom or not…"
Troy squinted at Jared, surprised he had noticed their chemistry. Well now what did he do? Lie?
"I just like talking to her," he assured.
"I'm kidding!" Jared slapped his back and chuckled. "Should've seen your face, though…"
Troy rolled his eyes. "Thanks…"
"Hey, why don't we go into town tonight, check out the local girls…" Jared suggested.
Troy swallowed. "Sure, okay…"
"That's my man," Jared grinned. "Hey mom! Me and Troy are going out tonight, don't wait up." He called over to Gabi.
She turned and looked at them both. "Okay, have fun. You want to head back?"
Jared shook his head. "Nah, we'll finish the loop," he assured his mom.
"Okay," she smiled and led them on.
/
Jared was wearing black jeans and a black shirt unbuttoned to the chest while Troy favoured black slacks and a grey shirt with smart shoes.
The pair of them looked ready to break a few hearts as Gabi watched them come into the living room to bid farewell.
"Okay, we're off," Jared told her.
"Okay, take care," Gabi replied.
"Do we look okay?" He checked and she nodded, unable to speak.
She wanted to rip Troy's damn shirt open again actually, but her son didn't need to know that.
"You both look very handsome. The girls won't know what's hit them…"
"Goodnight," Jared bent to kiss her cheek before he ushered Troy out, leaving her alone in the room.
Alone and with hours to fill. What fun.
/
Gabi decided to flip through her photo-albums while her son and his distractingly good looking friend were out of the house.
She never really got a chance to spend time reminiscing over the old pictures and since her marriage had ended, she felt like reassuring herself that there was something real between her and Cal; even if it was aided by his greed to spend her money.
She curled up on the sofa and surrounded herself with albums, finding herself laughing and crying with each set of shots that told a story between her wedding day and right up to Jared's twenty first birthday.
It wasn't until she was on the last album that documented her last few years with Cal that she found the sad tears overwhelming her.
Jared was right. She never wore showy dresses before the divorce, she never revealed her figure or put herself out there to advertise herself to men- okay she didn't need to, but was her son trying to tell her she was mutton dressed as lamb?
His comment still upset her and although she had managed to compose herself in the restroom of the carvery; she hadn't allowed herself to let go of that hurt yet and so she did now, sobbing into her hands as she sat decorated with picture albums all around her.
"Hey…hey…" A concerned husk brought her startled gaze up and she realized that Troy was back. She gasped in a breath, thinking Jared was too.
"It's okay, it's just me," he seemed to read her mind and she frowned as she realized he had carefully removed the albums to sit beside her on the sofa, his blue eyes drilling into her brown ones- albeit bloodshot.
"You should go," she suggested on a whisper, feeling warm tears trickle down her cheeks.
"Not until you tell me what's wrong," he insisted.
"Where's Jared?" She asked.
"He went home with a girl," Troy shared with a press of his lips.
"And you didn't?" She squinted, surprised.
"No…look, talk to me," he encouraged.
Gabi hitched a breath into her lungs, finding her voice uneven as she spoke.
"What Jared said, about the way I've been dressing…about finding a new man…" She broke down into sobs and he shifted along the sofa; not quite able to reach around her shoulders because she was sideways against the back of the seat.
He rested a hand on her shin instead, and the other on her arm.
"There's nothing wrong with the way you dress…or finding someone new…" He assured gently.
"But I did find someone! I found you! And Jared doesn't know about it, but he knows I have done something!" She argued.
"He doesn't know anything; he's just guessing…he wants you to be happy again…" Troy shared.
"If I look ridiculous then that's not going to happen is it?" She arched, shaking uncontrollably.
He winced and shifted to move, but luckily she saved him the awkwardness by moving onto the edge of the seat where he could at least slide across and wrap his arm around her shoulders and rub her arm comfortingly.
"You don't look ridiculous…Jesus, no way…" He sighed out his assurance.
He didn't think she could look ridiculous if she tried.
"You look amazing, Gabi…always…" He soothed.
He felt her body pitch sideways into his and her head tipped against his chest; allowing him to wrap his arms right around her, something he would no doubt regret later but right now; he didn't much care.
There was a beautiful, amazing woman crying her eyes out and he had to convince her just how beautiful and amazing she really was. She didn't deserve to hurt like she clearly did. Maybe he was just the guy to tell her that.
"He left me, Troy," she gasped in air. "He never loved me…He never wanted me…"
"Shh," he rubbed her arm and rocked her a little. "I'm sure he did…"
"No!" She argued through emotional tears. "Sex was never good with him! Not like-"
She paused. Not like us.
"It's okay, everything is going to be okay," Troy closed his eyes and swallowed to bypass her comment. She was basically saying she had better sex with him that one night than she had had in twenty years of marriage. For him that was kind of epic, especially as he had been so inexperienced…but she needed him to hold her right now, not freak out over some inadvertent confession.
So he owed it to her to stay calm.
"Twenty years of my life-wasted!" She exasperated. "All wasted…"
"No, don't ever think that," he commented. "You have Jared and this beautiful house and you have half your life ahead of you, Gabi. It's not over…you'll get another chance…"
Gabi gently pulled away from him and wiped at her cheeks with the backs of her hands.
"You should go now," she quivered; resisting the urge to plant herself back in his arms where she had just been encompassed- warm and all-too secure.
Troy frowned upon her huddled form, pulling his arms back towards his body.
"Right," he let out a disappointed breath. She still didn't want him near her. That made him hurt in ways he didn't know he could.
"Thank you for listening, Troy," she murmured as he rose.
"No problem," he replied as he trailed from the room. "You know where I am if you need me…"
Need him? Need him?
Gabi lifted her head at the same second he went through the door, leaving her panting in regret. Of course she needed him! Holding her, comforting her tears the way he just had now but the whole point was that she couldn't have him…it didn't matter if she needed him, wanted him or even ached for him, none of that changed the stark fact that she and Troy were not meant to be. Ever, she reminded herself. Not ever.
She just wished her poor, exhausted mind and even poorer, neglected body agreed.
/
Troy watched from the corner of his eye as Gabi came to the kitchen doorway; more than a little surprised to find him cooking already if his semi-vision of her wasn't wrong, he mused.
Oh yes, he was in her kitchen.
"What are you doing?" Her voice was thick with the tears she had shed last night and it was all he could do not to go and wrap her in his arms once more.
"Making breakfast," Troy replied nonchalantly. "Earning my keep," he added sheepishly.
"You really don't need to," she blinked, shyly looking down on herself.
She normally had time to start breakfast and change from her pajama's before the boys woke up but this morning she was caught in her cream silk set- trousers and shirt.
"Sit down and relax," he called. "I'll bring your coffee over…"
Gabi drifted toward the table and found a seat.
"Oh man, is that Bolton's legendary omelet?" Jared bounded into the kitchen, fully dressed.
Troy grinned at Jared as he brought Gabi her coffee and she almost choked on her own dry throat at the sight of his mega-watt smile.
"Yep," he confirmed to his friend, flicking Gabi a look.
She said nothing and sipped her drink.
"Mom, you are gonna die when you taste this," Jared assured her and she lifted her brows.
"That's a good thing I hope," she remarked.
"It's a very good thing," Jared nodded. "Why aren't you dressed?"
She glared at him. "I woke up late…"
Jared arched a brow, and then looked to Troy.
"I see…"
"What's that supposed to mean?" She clipped.
"Nothing…" Jared held his hands up in surrender.
"Didn't you stay the night at some girl's house?" Gabi asked then, remembering Troy's words.
Jared nodded. "Just got back and showered…"
Gabi frowned. How did her son manage to look so fresh and energetic from no sleep at all, while she looked like something that was dredged up from the sea? Oh yes, his youth, she reminded herself. She was sure her early-morning reality would also put Troy off any ideas he had about them- if he had any ideas that was. She wasn't entirely sure seeing as he was being the perfect gentleman which shouldn't surprise her, but it did irk her.
She missed that mischievous young man who'd charmed her into bed the night of the party, where was he, she wondered? He wasn't a man to take one night stands lightly if last night was anything to go by- a night he could have repeated his casual sexual relationships with the girls in town if he wanted to but hadn't. It confused her. He had wanted her; he had targeted her and he had taken her. Why the big problem moving on?
"What would you like to do today?" Gabi asked Jared as Troy brought over their plates of omelet. "Thank you," she told him distractedly.
"You're welcome," he replied, holding her gaze, something not missed by Jared.
"Fishing." Jared stated, bringing their gazes up to him.
"Fishing?" Gabi repeated, puzzled.
"Yeah, why not?" Jared insisted. "Get a boat…out in the wilderness…"
Gabi made a face. "Perhaps you boys would be better off going without me…"
"Nope," Jared assured. "You should come, too, mom. Three in a boat, what could be more cosy?"
/
Gabi had a distinct feeling her son was goading her. She couldn't imagine otherwise why he found it so amusing to remark that the three of them together would make a cosy sequence. She knew he was sharp- and observant- but she hadn't realized he might have noticed something between her and Troy.
As it was, she was finding reasons- or ways- to get out of the trip. Even as they trekked towards the lake she struggled for excuses. She had to face it- she had none. Other than texting Taylor and telling her to call her with a reasonable emergency which right now she wasn't beyond trying…
"Mom, can you at least manage without your cell-phone for one day?" Jared complained as he caught her typing into the device.
She squinted at him.
"It's not work, honey." She assured.
"We have this amazing day to just spend time together- no outside world," he whined convincingly. She swallowed and turned off her phone against her better judgement.
"You're right." She conceded.
"Even Troy isn't texting his harem," Jared added with a grin, watching his mother's face closely for signs of emotion.
"Well…that is something," she remarked dryly.
"I know, he's normally always talking to some chick or another…"
"Jared," Troy's warning tones followed behind them.
"Dude, I'm just saying. Chicks like you an awful lot…"
"That doesn't mean I spend my entire day texting them," Troy argued lightly, amused at Jared's perception of him.
"No, just most of it," Jared teased and Troy mock-hit him, starting a play fight for the pair.
"Boys…" Gabi's authoritative voice reminded them they had company.
"Sorry mom," Jared bowed his head.
"Ma'am," Troy added contritely.
"Jeez, now I do feel old," she muttered as she headed back towards the lake.
"You know, I think she likes you," Jared told his friend of his mother.
"Good," Troy smiled wanly. "Seeing as I'm going to be here a while it'd be awkward if she hated my guts…"
"Since my dad went, I think she's felt a bit lonely…" Jared commented as they both began walking again.
"I see," Troy replied carefully.
"You know how I was saying about her meeting someone?" His friend continued.
"Yeah…you think there's a guy at church…"
"No, that was all wrong," Jared confided. "But I'm gonna set her up with a guy…"
"Really?" Troy frowned at him. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Jared smiled. "Sure! It will get the ball rolling, right?"
"What ball?" Troy asked nervously.
"Well, my mom dating again," Jared explained. "It'll be weird but I want to see her happy."
"You think you can do that in two weeks?" Troy marveled.
Jared shrugged. "I have a guy in mind."
"You do? Who?" Troy squinted.
"An old family friend," Jared shared. "His name is Ethan. Tomorrow night we'll set them up on a blind date without her knowing."
"We?" Troy repeated worriedly, not wanting any part of this plan.
"You don't want to see my mom happy?" Jared pouted.
"Ah…well I guess so…it's a little weird…" He ventured. Maybe not for the reasons he wanted Jared to think he felt weird, but still, it was weird.
"Okay, I'll call Ethan and tell him to get to Logan's restaurant for eight. We'll tell my mom we're going for dinner at seven thirty and not turn up…in comes Ethan and we're done!" Jared explained his idea.
"That's pretty mean," Troy frowned.
"What is?"
"Standing her up and not telling her about the date…"
"You're right; she might want to dress nice…"
"Jared," Troy began, and then looked his friend in the eye as he gasped.
"We'll tell her to dress up! Say it's a special dinner…"
"That's not really what I was getting at when I said-"
"You think she might be mad?" Jared considered.
"I'm not standing your mom up," Troy reiterated and Jared held his knowing smile down.
"Alright, I won't involve you," his friend assured.
"You're still doing this?" Troy exasperated, worried on two counts. One, that Gabi really wouldn't appreciate this attempt at matchmaking and two- that she might actually like the guy Jared had chosen.
"Yep."
"Are you two coming or what!" Gabi's voice yelled from a good few hundred feet away and they quickened their pace to join her.
"Let's go fish;" Jared grinned.