Deb stood and took Gavin by the hand, grabbing her purse and an Escalade key fob. She whispered, “Let’s give them some privacy for a little while, Gav.”
He nodded in agreement. He waved to Dan, who smiled as he sat on the sofa and hugged Miranda, acknowledging understanding. Then Gavin and Deb walked out the door and down the stairs. Deb had grabbed the key fob to the red Escalade. He helped her into the passenger seat and jogged around to the driver’s side, climbing behind the wheel and pushing the start button. He was always such a gentleman, she thought. It was nice, if a little old-fashioned. She smiled at him.
“What?” he said with a laugh.
“You don’t want to trust Theo,” Deb observed.
“I don’t trust Theo. But I trust Dan.”
“What happens if he’s wrong?”
“Well, we’re all only human. Right or wrong, it doesn’t matter. Intent is all that really matters, Tish. His intent is to protect his family. It’s my duty, as his friend, to respect his choices in how to do that and help him.”
Deb smiled again. “You’re too good to be true.”
He smiled back, “No. I’m really not.” He put the SUV in reverse and backed out of the drive.
Deb looked out the passenger side window, seeing the neighbor staring at them intently, as obvious as she had with Frank and Theo. Deb had no doubt that once they had driven away, the nosy old biddy had tossed down her gardening tools and ran into her own house, calling for her husband, like the next-door neighbor lady on “Bewitched.” What was her name? Gladys Kravitz.
Gavin pointed out the car following them as soon as they rounded the first curve. He nodded at the rearview. “Agent Mathews has us under surveillance.”
“Are you sure it’s the FBI and not somebody…scary?” Deb asked nervously, looking back.
“Yeah, Hon. I saw them last night. They followed our limo from the airport.”
“Why didn’t you say anything? Does Dan know?”
Gavin smiled. “Dan knows.”
The Escalade’s navigation system led them to the town of Colonial Beach and through it to the point and the Dockside Restaurant at the yacht club. It was approaching noon, and still a beautiful day, so they decided to get a drink at the tiki bar outside. They parked and found an empty tiki table, a picnic table decorated with palm leaves on the umbrella.
Gavin ordered a Modelo; Deb a glass of merlot. Gavin nodded at the sedan parked in the parking lot. Deb laughed. “You notice everything, huh?”
“Hmmm. Not little boys at the foot of the bed, apparently,” he chuckled.
“Can I see your IDs, please?” asked the waitress.
“You’re kidding, right?” Deb laughed. “I’m nearly thirty-one.”
“Law is to card everyone under thirty-five.”
“Hey, no complaints!” Deb laughed, taking her wallet out of her purse and showing her ID. “For the record, though, he’s thirty-six.”
“Shhhh. Don’t take this away from me,” Gavin teased, taking out his wallet, his shield showing as he pulled out his driver’s license. God, he was handsome. His hair wasn’t curly in the way Dan’s was, but there was still the hint of curls. He still had a full head of hair, too. It was nearly black and thick. His lashes were long and thick, too, and curtained his golden-brown eyes when he looked down. Even dressed casually, as he was today, he was polished. His clothes were neatly pressed, his boots shined. He wore a tee shirt under a button-down. And he smelled clean, like Irish Spring.
“Thanks. I’ll be right back with y’all’s drinks,” said the waitress with a smile, breaking into Deb’s thoughts.
She returned quickly and placed their drinks on the table.
“Can I git y’all anything else?” she asked.
“Not at the moment, thanks,” Gavin replied. The girl scurried off to serve another table.
They sat quietly for a few minutes, enjoying the sunshine and watching the boats on the river. Gavin took a swallow of his beer.
Deb looked at Gavin intently. She took a sip of wine, working up courage. “Do you think I’m a slut?” she asked suddenly. She had to know. Was she just another conquest? He could surely have any woman he wanted. That waitress, for example.
“I beg your pardon?” Gavin asked, sounding genuinely surprised.
“It’s a simple question. Do you think I’m a slut?” She tried to look casual, but she nervously played with the coaster on the table.
Gavin leaned forward and took her hand. “Deb, I’ve known you for almost six months. I’ve spoken to you daily. I’ve spent entire weekends in your company. In that time, you’ve only… had relations…with one person. Me. So no, I don’t think you’re a slut.”
“Yeah, but I cheated on my husband with Mark. And Mark just died…six months ago. Plus, we only had relations because I pretty much jumped on top of you. And we did meet once a long time ago when I just walked up and kissed you on a dare.” She bit her lip.
Gavin laughed good-naturedly. “Debbie, I was not unwilling. I’d have had relations any time you wanted. As for it only being six months…I don’t think there’s a clock on grief. You’re ready to move on when you’re ready. It doesn’t mean you didn’t love Mark. And as far as the cheating goes, who am I to judge? I didn’t know any of you back then. The woman I know today, the woman sitting here, is kind and loyal, not only to me but to the memory of her late boyfriend, her friend Miranda, and HER EX-HUSBAND, who she absolutely adores and wishes nothing but happiness. And as I recall, you gave me a peck on the lips. I kissed you.”
“Really?” she asked, her voice cracking, but she smiled sweetly, feeling relieved.
“Yeah, really. I think you’re great. I’ve thought you were great from the moment I met you. Both times.”
She looked surprised. “You’ve liked me…you know, like liked…from the beginning?”
“I’ve found you attractive from the beginning. I’ve admired your character from the beginning. I’ve grown to ‘like like’ you more every day since. You make me smile, Deb.”
She laughed. “I didn’t know.”
“Well, your boyfriend was shot in the head. And I was investigating his murder. I didn’t think it was appropriate to ask you out.”
“Did you ask Dan?”
He blushed. “I did.”
She widened her mouth into an o. “You didn’t?”
He laughed and nodded. “Before Christmas. I didn’t want to step on anybody’s toes.”
“So, why didn’t you ask me out?”
“I’m not sure. I kept waiting for the right moment, for a sign you were ready to move on.”
“My climbing on your lap wasn’t a sign?”
“Hmmm?”
“You still haven’t asked me out,” she quipped.
“Ms. Bradley, would you like to go to dinner with me when we get home?” he asked.
“Master Sergeant Mahoney, I’d love that.” She took a sip of her wine and looked out at the river. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Zorro? I know you knew.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t. It just seemed like something I shouldn’t bring up until you had a chance to process your grief.”
“And it’s not slutty that I can’t keep my hands off you?”
“You got that same problem with any other guy?” he asked with a wicked gleam in his golden-brown eyes.
“Um, no. I can’t say I do,” she laughed. She didn’t think she’d ever want to kiss anyone else ever again. But she had to fight that urge. Thinking that way got her married to the wrong man and cheating on him with another wrong man. She had to make sure she found the right one before she committed her heart like that.
“Then I don’t think you’re slutty. I just think you like sex. And I don’t have a problem with that.”
“Yeah, well. That has a lot to do with you. Cuz. Oh my God!”
He just smiled.
She took another sip of her wine. “I really like you a lot, Gavin. And I’m totally in for a relationship, not just sex. But I’m not sure I’m ready for forever yet. I kind of rushed into that twice already. The first time, it ended in divorce. The second time ended…well, horribly…but I wasn’t completely happy even before.”
Gavin smiled. “I’m not ready for forever yet either, Deb. I…I err on the side of caution when it comes to relationships. I’m comfortable with letting you set the pace. We’ve only known each other for six months. I have no interest in seeing anyone else, but I also have no interest in rushing into a lifetime commitment, either. How about we start at the beginning of the relationship and move forward from here? Really get to know each other?”
“So, you aren’t in love with me?” she asked.
“Oh, I am in love with you. I have been since you followed me into that bar. But love doesn’t mean we should be married. Marriage takes more than love, Deb.” Wasn’t that the whole truth? she thought.
She smiled and leaned across the table, kissing him. “I’m in love with you, too. You’re the only man who has ever really seen me. All of me. And you never make me feel judged. You let me be myself, have my own interests, show enough interest in them that I can talk about them with you, but not so much that you take them over as your own. And you share in other interests. You’re fun to be around. You comfort me when I’m down. You laugh with me when I laugh. And Lord knows you’re easy to look at. And like I just said…Oh my God! But you’re right. Marriage takes more than love. Thanks for understanding that. At least I know you can wait. You’ve already waited six months.”
“You’re worth the wait, Baby,” he winked. “Hello, Deputy Juarez.” Gavin’s attention had not seemed divided, but his powers of observation, a professional attribute, were never “off.” He noticed the Deputy, now dressed in jeans and a Kenny Chesney tee shirt, pull in and park his blue F150 pickup and catch sight of them. He was standing at the bar, just ten feet from them.
He smiled and waved, approaching.
“Uh, hello again. How are y’all enjoyin’ this weather?”
“It’s a beautiful day,” Deb agreed.
“Would you care to join us, Deputy?” Gavin asked, motioning for him to have a seat.
“Oh, no. I wouldn’t wish to impose,” Manny stammered.
“No imposition at all,” Gavin replied.
Manny stammered his thanks and sat with them rather nervously, ordering a Miller Lite.
“I just wanted to apologize again for last night’s misunderstanding, Sergeant Mahoney,” he said as the waitress set his beer on the table.
“Please call me Gavin, and this is Deb. No need to apologize. I’ve had to do the same. It’s not always a comfortable task, especially when the call is motivated by racial…misperceptions.”
The Deputy smiled, relieved. “I appreciate your understandin’. And I’m just Manny.”
Manny took a large swallow of his beer.
Gavin laughed. “It’s okay, Manny. What is it you want to know?”
Manny blushed. “Yeah, I’m a little embarrassed, especially after last night, but my boss wants me to find out what y’all are up to. Apparently, an Agent Thomas Mathews of the FBI paid him a visit this mornin’, warning him that y’all are conductin’ an unsanctioned manhunt.”
“Don’t worry, Manny. We aren’t going to go outside the law. We’re just giving those guys a little unrequested assistance. We’ll find him. They’ll catch him.” Gavin motioned to the sedan in the parking lot.
Manny nodded. “One more thing. My boss wonders where you got all the money you’re spending?”
Gavin burst out laughing. “Dan’s loaded. He got it the old-fashioned way. He inherited it. His great-grandfather was the founder of Roma Napoli Chicago Pizza.”
“Really? I’ve been to one of those. Good Pizza.”
“Yeah, they haven’t owned it since the 60s, but he owns a boatload of real estate in Chicago,” Deb added.
“How about you?” Manny asked.
Gavin smiled wryly. “What makes you think I have money?”
Manny blushed. “Um…Well, you’re wearing an Omega Speedmaster Moon watch. It retails for more than my annual salary.”
“It was a gift from my grandfather,” Gavin said without even skipping a beat. Deb could swear he was…impressed.
“The last gift my grandfather gave me was a Fuentes International wrench set. Nice, but it didn’t cost over $40,000,” Manny pushed.
Gavin laughed. He actually laughed. Deb and the deputy were both taken aback by his reaction. He reached into his wallet, pulled out a newspaper clipping, and set it on the table. It was an old clipping with a picture of a man and 4 boys in a parade. Deb and Deputy Juarez leaned in to see. The caption read, “Fuentes International Founder and CEO Enrique Fuentes with grandsons Horatio Fuentes, Frederico Stoke, Gavin Mahoney, and Brandon Kaminski pass out candy at the Fiesta parade.”
Deb felt like her head was about to explode. “Holy! Words I’d rather not use. Brandon’s my brother. I’m sleeping with you. Neither of you thought to tell me you’re rich?”
Gavin laughed harder. “You never asked.” When he regained his composure, he asked, “Would you mind keeping that quiet, though. It’s not something I exactly advertise.”