Gordon's Dawn(26)

Lying on the bed that she shared with Gordon—even angry with him, she couldn’t sleep anywhere but in his arms—she opened her laptop and waited as Skype loaded. It was late in Australia, but she needed to talk to her sister. She hadn’t spoken to her since she arrived at the mansion, and then the conversation hadn’t been a long one.

Dialing Destiny, she waited until she picked up. “Hey, you do realize how late it is?”

“I’m sorry. I need you. I’ve made mistake after mistake.”

“No, Dawn, you haven’t.” Destiny rubbed her eyes and then sighed. “What do you mean?”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, and Dawn let them fall. She was happy to see her sister, her twin, but she missed her like crazy and hated feeling so out of her element. “I don’t know if this is going to work. He’s kept too many secrets. I’ve stayed angry with him for too long. He didn’t tell his parents about us, and then when I meet his mother, he practically left me to fend for myself. I’m in one of his houses—houses with an S, Destiny. He has staff. Do you know what it’s like to wander down to the kitchen to find a maid slash cook in there ready and eager to make something for you? Argh, that’s just my mornings. I don’t know how many times during the day I have about two or three people come check on me and ask if I need anything if they can do anything. You don’t know what it’s like to not know what I can and can’t do in a house that is supposed to be mine. And every time I think I’m ready to forgive Gordon, he spends all day at work. Then he comes home with some bribery like he thinks a new computer, a car, or tickets to Breaking Benjamin will get me to forgive and forget—like buying me things will make me happy.” By the time Dawn finished talking, she was sobbing.

“Oh, Dawn, I wish I was there right now. I love you. You haven’t made a mistake. You don’t make mistakes.” Destiny winked at her, and Dawn couldn’t help but smile. “You love Gordon, and any idiot could see he’s crazy about you. I’ve never been lucky enough to find someone who’s willing to spend their weekends sitting around eating junk food and watching movies, or help looking after their girlfriend’s nephew, in my case my kid. Dawn, the man loves you. He didn’t tell you certain things about himself, but really, Dawn, surely you can see it from his side?” Destiny sighed loudly. “You can’t even handle a massive mansion you’re in now. You know if you knew who he was, you’d never have even become involved with him. Look, you’re just hurt because things aren’t how you thought they would be. Gordon isn’t a bartender, he doesn’t have a limited budget and a small house and no family, he’s the total opposite, and it scares you. Dawn, he’s still the same person he was here. He just has money now and parents. They may not be good parents, but we don’t have great ones either.” Destiny moved her laptop bringing it closer to her face. “Let go of your anger. Let go of the image you had in your head. You need a new one. Gordon chose you because he loves you, but also because he knew you could handle his lifestyle and all that comes with being with him. Wipe your eyes and take a deep breath.”

Dawn did as her sister instructed and tried to calm down. Destiny was right. She needed to let everything go and start again.

“I love you, Dawn, and I know this is all different to what you expected, but I can tell you that Gordon loves you.” Destiny huffed. “That man doesn’t just love you, he adores you. Anyone who doesn’t see that is an idiot, including yourself. From what you’ve told me, he’s had a different upbringing than us. You had said before he was raised by nannies, and if his mother was a handful enough to get to you, she must be a piece of work. Gordon may not know what to do with you right now. Give him a chance and stop trying to look for reasons for this not to work. You’re stronger than this. You know what you want and are not some fragile woman who needs a man. You stay with Gordon because you love him. Put your big girl panties on and go get what you want.”

Closing her eyes, Dawn felt like an idiot. How could she not have figured this out herself? Opening her eyes, she stared at the screen and at her sister wishing she could pull her through and hug her. “How’d we reverse roles?”

Destiny grinned. “I know, right? You’re usually the one helping me and bailing me out of messes.” She chuckled. “It’s nice to know you’re not perfect, Dawn.”

“Ha, I’ve never been perfect. I’ve always been screwed up, but apparently, I was saving it all up just for Gordon.”

“Ha, ha.” Destiny smiled. “What are you going to do?”

“I need to tell Gordon I forgive him and apologize for being a bitch.”

“Ooh, I have the perfect way to show him how all is forgiven.”

Feeling a millions times better now that I’d talked to my sister, I let her tell me her plan.



****



Gordon was an idiot, but he didn’t know how to fix the trouble he’d caused. He’d been stupid, wanting to see if Dawn was strong enough to resist his mother and her conniving ways. He had been an arsehole to test Dawn, but a tiny part of him had wanted to make sure he’d made the right choice. The problem now was Dawn wasn’t talking to him.

A week had passed since Dawn had said more than two words in a row to him. Henry had taken them to the Southlake estate, and he’d thought Dawn would forgive him when she saw the house and grounds, but he should have known better. Dawn wasn’t a woman who was bought, and that was one of the things that drew her to him. Gordon loved Dawn, but he’d never loved a woman the way he did Dawn. He’d grown to love certain nannies, but he’d never fallen for any of the women he dated. He didn’t know how to act or what was expected of him, and Dawn was so different from any other woman.

This last week with Dawn barely speaking to him, he’d immersed himself in work. He hoped that if he gave her space, she’d come around and forgive him. He’d told his staff that she was the only one who could ever disturb him while at work. He’d given orders to his staff to cater to anything she wanted, and instead of his secretary getting a gift, he’d gone every day and bought her something. Yesterday, he’d bought her tickets to one of the screaming music concerts. Gordon grinned as he remembered coming home to find her on her laptop. She refused to use the new one he got her. She was sitting at the desk in the study he’d given her. She’d barely taken her gaze from the screen until he waved the tickets in front of her, and she let out a squeal and jumped him raining him with kisses. It had lasted for a good five minutes before he screwed it up by asking if he was forgiven for being an idiot.