Crushing On You: Travis and Gabriella (An Emerald Falls Romance, Book One) Page 6

  “How’s your salad?” Travis asked.

  Gabby looked up and found him watching her. She hoped her disappointment wasn’t too obvious. “It’s great. I’m glad you chose this restaurant.”

  He smiled. “You can give the credit to Emily. She recommended it.”

  Gabby pictured the face of his receptionist. “How long has she worked there?”

  “I’m not sure. I think about five years.”

  Gabby nodded, glad to be onto a safer topic. They chatted about subjects other than Travis leaving or Gabby’s disappointment in the news, and by the time they pulled up to Gabby’s house, she was in a more optimistic mood.

  Travis walked her to her door, and as they stood on her porch, the warm evening breeze occasionally lifting her hair, Gabby couldn’t decide if she wanted him to kiss her or not. On the one hand, she really, really liked him. On the other hand, the more she opened her heart to him, the harder it would be to say good-bye when he left Emerald Falls the next summer.

  “Maybe I should take a look at Sadie’s wound while I’m here,” he said after they’d stood in silence for a moment.

  Was he trying to say he wanted to come in? Or was he really just concerned about his patient? Not sure which it was, Gabby decided to go with it and unlocked the door and invited him in.

  “Sadie,” she called out. “Sadie, where are you?” Moments later her gray tabby waltzed into the room, stretching as if she’d just woken from a long nap—which she most certainly had.

  Gabby scooped her up, and while holding her in her arms, approached Travis.

  He stood close to Gabby as he peered at Sadie’s back. “Looks like it’s healing nicely,” he murmured.

  His breath was warm on Gabby’s face and smelled like the mint they’d each eaten on their way out of the restaurant. She looked up to meet his gaze. “That’s great news.”

  She remembered the way she’d cried at his clinic only two days earlier, and how she’d flung herself into his arms when he’d assured her that Sadie would be fine. Still a little embarrassed about the way she’d behaved, she pushed it aside. “You said she would be fine, and you were right.”

  Softly chuckling, he said, “I’ve seen this kind of thing before.”

  With Gabriella standing only inches away, but with a squirming cat squarely between them, Travis wasn’t sure what message Gabriella was sending. Did she want him to keep his distance? It sure seemed that way.

  Taking the message to heart, he stepped back. Regardless, he wanted to see if she was interested in a second date.

  “Ever since the subject of skeet shooting came up at dinner,” he said, “I’ve been thinking it would be fun to give it a go this weekend. Would you be interested in coming with me?”

  As much as she wanted to say yes, there was a distinct possibility that she would later regret spending more time with him. “I don’t think that will work.” Hating herself for turning down the opportunity, she was also relieved to know she was making the best long-term decision.

  Travis seemed to wince slightly, which brought on a new emotion for Gabby: guilt. But he was going to have to understand that she wasn’t looking for a short-term romance.

  She pictured Brandon Monroe and remembered the hope she’d had that their relationship was ready to move to the next level.

  She had told him that she loved him and he had dumped her. It had been hard to get past that. She wasn’t going to put herself out there when any relationship with Travis was fated to end with good-bye.

  “Thank you for dinner,” Travis said after a moment. “I enjoyed your company.”

  Why did this feel like a final good-bye already?

  Then she knew.

  Because she had made it clear that she wasn’t interested in a second date. What else was he supposed to think?

  A combination of regret and relief swelled within her. “You’re welcome. I…I enjoyed your company as well.”

  Great. Now she was sending mixed signals.

  Travis nodded, then with a last smile, he turned and walked out the door.

  On the drive home, Travis couldn’t shake the disappointment that Gabriella had turned down his attempt at a second date.

  Guess he wasn’t as charming as he thought he was.

  Then he recalled her comment at dinner, specifically asking him to teach her how to skeet shoot. What was up with that? Why ask and then turn down the opportunity?

  Certain he’d never understand women, it occurred to him that between the time she asked for the lesson and the end of their date, he’d told her his desire to leave Emerald Falls the next summer.

  Mystery solved.

  Trying to mentally write off Gabriella, Travis’s heart wouldn’t get on board with the decision. Forgetting about Gabriella Peters would be more difficult than he’d thought.

  Chapter 15

  “How was the date?” Chloe asked the next afternoon. This time she’d come into Gabby’s classroom after the children had gone home.

  Gabby looked up from her desk and set down the pen she’d been using to grade papers. “The date was fine.” She pictured Travis’s face. “Really fine.” Then she frowned.

  Chloe leaned against the wall and tilted her head. “Then why do you seem less than happy? Did he not ask you out for a second date?”

  Pressing her lips together in a slight grimace, Gabby softly exhaled through her nose as she leaned back in her chair. “Actually, he did ask me out.” She frowned. “But I said no.”

  Chloe dragged a chair over to sit near her. “What? Why?”

  “I know. I’m an idiot.”

  Shaking her head, Chloe said, “No, you’re not. Tell me what happened.”

  Replaying the brief conversation she’d had with Travis, she finished with, “I’m not looking to fall in love only to have him leave.”

  “See,” Chloe said. “That totally makes sense.”

  Glad to have her point of view validated, she said, “I know, right?”

  “Yes. I would have done the same thing.”

  “Good.” Gabby smiled in relief.

  “Now,” Chloe said as she stood. “Call him up and tell him you changed your mind.”

  Her mouth fell open. “What?”

  “That’s right. Just because right now he thinks he doesn’t want to stay in Emerald Falls doesn’t mean his mind can’t be changed.”

  Shaking her head, Gabby pressed her lips into a straight line. “No. He was pretty clear on his aspirations.”

  Chloe stared at her a moment. “Hmm.”

  “What does that mean?”

  She smiled a secret smile. “Nothing.” Then she turned and left the room.

  Gabby stared after her. What did she have up her sleeve?

  She found out when Amethyst stopped by her cottage the next evening to invite her to a barbecue she was throwing three days later, on Labor Day.

  “Did Chloe put you up to this?” Gabby asked as she tucked her legs beneath her on the couch.

  Amethyst laughed as she crossed one leg over the other. “Now, why would you think that?”

  Certain Chloe was involved, Gabby asked, “Is Travis going to be there?”

  “I certainly hope so. It wouldn’t be much of a party without a mix of guests.”

  Gabby could only smile at her friends’ attempts to play matchmaker. “Uh-huh.”

  “By the way,” Amethyst said. “I understand you and Travis went out the other night.”

  “Did a little Chloe-bird tell you?”

  “Maybe.”

  Gabby sighed. “It’s true.”

  “Chloe-bird also told me that you turned down a second date—and she told me why.” Amethyst leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knee. “Now, you and I both know that you’ve been crazy about Dr. Haywood since you were fifteen years old, and you and I also know that sometimes you need a little shove to move you in the right direction.”

  Shaking her head, but also smiling, Gabby rolled her eyes. “You just can’t help
yourself, can you?”

  Smiling brightly, Amethyst shook her head. “Nope.”

  “What about you? Don’t you want to find love?”

  She straightened. “Of course I do. But I’m taking a break right now.”

  Trying not to laugh, Gabby just smiled. “Does Travis know I’m invited?”

  One of Amethyst’s eyebrows arched. “Yes.”

  Gabby hesitated. “Did you tell him I’m invited, or…did he ask?”

  Amethyst’s emerald-green eyes sparkled. “He asked.”

  Excitement surged through her. He still wanted to see her. Even though she’d turned down his date. She couldn’t hold back her grin. “Really?”

  Laughing, Amethyst nodded. “Yes, really. He likes you, Gabby.” She pursed her lips. “How do you feel about him?”

  Gabby pictured his handsome face—deep-blue eyes, dark hair, gorgeous smile. Then she remembered how he’d planted himself beneath her when she’d been climbing out of the tree, willing to let her land on him to break her fall if she were to slip. And slip she did. But he’d been right there to catch her, his strong hands gripping her waist and helping her to the ground. The memory of her back pressed against his chest sent ripples of heat through her.

  She couldn’t forget how sweet he had been with Sadie, checking on her several times since she’d brought her in.

  Smiling softly, she said, “I do like him. A lot.”

  “That’s what I thought, which is why I’m putting together this party.”

  There was no question she had grown to care for him, but there was still a problem. “Chloe told you why I turned down a second date with him. This barbecue’s not going to change that.”

  “Don’t you think it’s a little early in the game to shut things down so completely?”

  Sadie jumped onto Gabby’s lap. Glad for the distraction, Gabby scratched between her cat’s ears while she tried to come up with an answer to the completely reasonable, yet difficult, question.

  “Not really,” she said. “I mean, why would I want to invest my time into getting to know a man who will be leaving town?”

  Amethyst straightened. “Haven’t you heard of long-distance romances? Besides, what if he changes his mind and stays in Emerald Falls?”

  “That’s a pretty big what-if. And not one I necessarily want to gamble on.”

  “Okay. I can see your point, but I just hate to see you give up on Travis already. Especially since you’ve crushed on him for so many years.”

  “I know.” In all reality, Gabby had fantasized about Travis for years, but in her wildest dreams she’d never truly believed she would end up dating him. And she especially never imagined she would turn down a date with him.

  “So you’ll come to my barbecue?” Amethyst asked with a smile.

  “Of course.”

  Her smile brightened. “Great.”

  Smirking, Gabby added, “That doesn’t mean I’ll be going out with Travis.”

  “Hmm. I guess we’ll see.”

  Gabby nodded, not certain herself if she’d be able to stick to that statement.

  Chapter 16

  Travis wasn’t usually nervous about going to barbecues, but knowing Gabriella would be there changed everything. Two days earlier he’d gone skeet shooting and had enjoyed it, but it would have been a lot more fun if Gabriella had come with him. But that wasn’t going to happen. Not unless he told her he was going to stay in Emerald Falls, and doing that would destroy his career plans.

  Frustrated that he couldn’t have it both ways, he was determined to stick to the path he’d chosen. He had been fine without Gabriella Peters in his life up until that point. There was no reason he couldn’t be fine without her in the future.

  Then he walked into Amethyst’s backyard and saw her. She was chatting with the other guests—Chloe, Ashleigh, Gage, and Cody.

  “I’m glad you could make it,” Amethyst said as she approached him.

  Forcing his attention away from Gabriella and how gorgeous she looked in her sundress, he smiled at Amethyst. “Thanks for inviting me.”

  “I hope you’re hungry. I’m grilling steaks and asparagus.” She glanced toward the cluster of guests. “And Gabby brought her famous chocolate cake.”

  The mention of Gabriella drew Travis’s gaze back to the woman he couldn’t get out of his mind—no matter how hard he tried. “It’s famous, huh?” He looked at Amethyst again.

  She laughed. “Well, everyone I know loves it.”

  His gaze went to Gabriella, and after chatting with Amethyst for a few minutes, he excused himself and headed toward the group standing in the shade of a tree.

  Gabby didn’t miss Travis’s arrival to the barbecue, but she pretended not to notice him talking to Amethyst as she half-listened to Gage tell a story about his bakery. Surreptitiously glancing at Travis, Gabby fought with herself over what to do if he asked her out again.

  She wanted to go out with him, so why not go? Her mind immediately rebutted her heart’s suggestion. Because when he left Emerald Falls she would have to end whatever relationship they had developed. This was her home now. If Travis Haywood wasn’t interested in sticking around, then she was not interested in Travis Haywood.

  He looked her way again, and this time their eyes met. Her racing pulse mocked her carefully constructed reason for avoiding him, and she quickly looked away. Moments later he began walking straight towards their group. Alarmed, Gabby excused herself and walked in the opposite direction, determined to avoid Travis Haywood and her overpowering attraction to him.

  “Hey, Trav,” Cody said, drawing Travis’s attention away from Gabriella’s retreating back and to his old friend. “How’s it going?”

  Travis took the beer Cody handed him and tried to pretend that he wasn’t completely aware of what Gabriella was doing—which was walking into the house with Amethyst.

  Had she walked away because she didn’t want to talk to him?

  Frustrated by the notion that Gabriella was actively avoiding him, Travis decided to play it cool and see how the afternoon played out.

  “Do you need any help?” Gabby asked Amethyst as she followed her through the open sliding glass door.

  Amethyst stepped into the kitchen, then looked at Gabby with suspicion. “Why’re you in here with me instead of outside talking to Travis?”

  Holding down her guilt from walking away from Travis, Gabby smiled. “So, you don’t need any help?”

  “You can help me carry everything outside. Which is where Travis is.”

  Gabby laughed, but thinking about facing him made her heart pound.

  Amethyst placed one hand on her hip. “Come on, Gabs. What’s going on?”

  Sighing, Gabby said, “You know what’s going on. I think it’s best if I keep my distance from him.”

  “Because you’re already crazy for him and you don’t want to fall harder?”

  Amethyst had hit that one on the head. “That’s kind of the idea, yeah.”

  “Crazy for who?” Chloe asked as she joined them.

  Startled to realize Chloe had come in without her noticing, Gabby looked past Chloe’s shoulder to make sure no one else was about to walk in on this conversation.

  “You’re safe,” Chloe said. “Everyone’s still outside.” Then she looked at Amethyst with raised eyebrows. “Is she denying what’s so obvious to the rest of us?”

  Amethyst nodded. “Uh-huh.”

  “Would you guys stop?” Gabby said. “I can manage my own love life.” Not true, but she could pretend.

  “All right,” Amethyst said.

  “Fine,” Chloe said at the same time.

  Glad they agreed, but not sure how she was going to proceed, Gabby smiled. “Okay.”

  The three of them carried out the side dishes as well as the paper plates, cups, napkins, and utensils and placed everything on a table Amethyst had set up earlier.

  “I think the meat’s done,” Gage called out as he turned the steaks over.

  Amet
hyst gave him a serving platter, and after he placed the steaks and asparagus on it, he set it on the table.

  Travis joined the rest of the group at the table, but instead of sitting near Gabriella, he sat on the opposite end. That would give him the double benefit of seeing her while not doing what she expected.

  During the meal he chatted with everyone but didn’t make a special effort to talk to Gabriella. Even though it pained him to not sit beside her, he enjoyed looking at her beautiful face from time to time, even catching her eye on two occasions.

  Was she interested in him, or had he imagined the connection between them? If he was wrong and there was no connection, that would be for the best anyway since their future plans didn’t exactly align.

  Still, Travis knew he was right—that he and Gabriella had developed some sort of connection.

  At some point that day he was going to talk to Gabriella Peters and secure a date with her.

  It was like she was fifteen again.

  Gabby took another bite of asparagus and tried to ignore the feeling of being invisible. It was like Travis didn’t know she existed. Just because she had turned down a second date, did he have to pretend like she wasn’t there? He had hardly spoken to her. True, she had run off like a coward when he’d approached her earlier, but he shouldn’t give up that easily.

  Then she realized where her thoughts had gone.

  What? Now she wanted him to ask her out? How would that be helpful? Anyway, she needed to make up her mind.

  Softly sighing, Gabby sliced a small piece off of her steak and listened to the conversation around her, but her thoughts were on Travis.

  What made her think he was even that interested? Turning down his suggestion of a second date may have been her last chance to connect with him. He was only going to ask her out so many times before he took the hint and gave up.

  Her indecision, coupled with not knowing if Travis even liked her all that much, brought on a deep sense of frustration, and as she continued eating, she tried not to think about how much she wanted Travis’s attention.