Incidental Fate Book 1

40

I pulled my phone out to see two new messages: 'Come back. I'm taking you home.'
'No fucking way you're staying here with him.'

And I hit reply just as another message came in: 'Sadie, get the fuck back to the lobby and meet me at valet.'

What the heck was going on now. I didn't trust Gavin when he got in these moods and I couldn't be sure that he wouldn't do anything stupid, like make a scene in front of Grant.

I had to think of something to get out of here so I text Maya asking her to call me once more, promising her all the details tomorrow.

A second later my phone was ringing and I waved it around enough for Grant and Berkeley to hear it.

"Hello?"
"What's going on?"
"Yes, I'll grab a ride right now."

I shoved my phone back in my purse, shrugging to Grant with my most put-out expression. "I have to go into work," I lied.

"Oh, no problem, I can drive you back."

"No sweetie. You two have fun. I'll just schedule a ride, it's really no big deal."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," I assured him. "Berkeley, please tell your dad how sorry I am and thank him again for lunch."

"I will," she shrugged, obviously disappointed.

I took off back towards the hotel, praying I wouldn't run into Mike. I followed the lobby signs for Valet and spotted Gavin's car already idling on the street.

"Get in!" He snapped and I climbed in and buckled my seat belt. He was pissed. I could see it in his face and felt the vibe through the car.

"What's going on?" I reached my hand over to his, trying to calm him down. "Seriously, why are you so pissed off."

He didn't respond as he set the car in drive and raced off.

"Dammit Gavin! Slow down and tell me what the hell is wrong. I just lied to Grant for you, which I hate doing."

"Mike was in the lobby."

"And.. you already knew he was there."

"He was on the phone. He walked right in front of us, talking about how he had dinner plans tonight, with you!"

"You're this mad over that!" His jealousy was really starting to cross the line. This was ridiculous.

"And that he had a room right upstairs. That after a few glasses of wine you'd be practically begging for it," he huffed.

"You're lying!" Mike didn't seem like that type of guy at all. But I'd hate to think that Gavin would go to these extremes just to keep me away from him.

"Ask Giorgia, she was right there, she heard everything. Only she didn't know who he was or who he was talking about."

How could Mike be such a prick, but what did I really know about him besides the fact that he was a divorced lawyer living in LA.

"He's lucky I chose to call you and not shut him up right there. If Giorgia hadn't been there I would have given that asshole a piece of my fucking mind."

"Gavin, I've told you before, I can handle myself. You don't think I've come across jerks and assholes before? Trust me I can handle it."

"He's a fucking prick and I don't care if you can handle it yourself. I'm your fucking man and I'll handle it first!"

It was pointless arguing with him when he was this worked up. He needed to calm down. "Are you taking me home?"

"Of course, where do you think I was going?" He grumbled.

"I don't know, we could go anywhere I guess," I replied, shrugging playfully. "I'm kind of in the mood for ice cream."

It took him a minute before his grin started curling up his face. "Oh really?" He chuckled, the sound alone making me smile.

"Or maybe some spaghetti. I did work up quite an appetite earlier," I teased and he looked over at me, wrapping his hand in mine and pulling it up to rest at his lips as he drove.

"There's an ice cream shop right around the corner from my house."

"You're serious?" He laughed.

"Oh yeah."

We made our way back to my neighborhood and he pulled into the small strip mall, jumping out first and rushing to open my door. Then he wrapped his hand back in mine as we walked in.

The girl behind the counter immediately blushed as she smiled at Gavin, offering him a sample.

"I'll take the vanilla bean gelato in a cup," he chuckled back at me. "And she'll have.."

"Rocky Road in a cone please."

She took off to scoop our orders as Gavin's eyes locked with mine, trying not to laugh.

"Gelato," she called, handing him his cup.

"Gelato," I repeated. "Fancy."

"Italian," he purred, giving me a wink and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Rocky Road," she called, handing me the cone.

"Rocky Road," he mocked. "Fancy."

"Reflective of how my day's going," I winked with a laugh.

Gavin handed her some cash and we walked out the door to the small table outside.

"How's your gelato?" I grinned expectantly and he met my gaze as he lapped his tongue over his spoon.

Two can play at the game. "Mine's pretty good too." I swirled my tongue up the ice cream, then over the top.

He started laughing, pushing his hand down against the air, gesturing for me to stop. "Okay, no more of that, not until tomorrow."

I took a normal lick then met his eyes once more. "What did you tell your sister?"

"I told her I had to run by campus to grab something and that I'd be back in about an hour."

I knew he wouldn't tell her about me, just like I wouldn't tell Grant, but I still felt disappointed. "Well then you'd better get me home, you still have to drive back."

"Let's go."

He opened the passenger door for me and a few minutes later he was pulling into my driveway. "I'll walk you to the door but then I'll have to go," he sighed, pushing open his door.

I pushed mine open too and he rounded the corner and grabbed my hand. "Wait." I stopped him with a smile, grabbing out my keys and hitting 'disarm'.

"I feel much better," he teased. "It'll keep assholes like Mike out of here."

"Stop. Don't get worked up again."

"I'm not," he promised.

I unlocked the front door and turned to give him a kiss goodbye as those same words from earlier tried to escape my mouth. I love you.