Gordon's Dawn(5)

Gordon didn’t know how many times over the last few months he’d wished Dawn was older, wished she wasn’t so quiet and into her gothic theme. She was loving, great with children, and the best cook—just what he was looking for, but the other things bothered him.

His search for a wife wasn’t going so well. Sure, the women were different to what he was used to, but to him, they just seemed like a different kind of crazy. None had everything he wanted. Someone he had chemistry with, a great body, smart, confident, good with children, not money hungry, loving, and patient. He could find some who ticked half the boxes, but never all. He was running out of time.

Lifting a now sleeping Dawn, he carried her to her bed and placed her in it, kissing her forehead and gently brushing her hair from her face. She sighed and mumbled, “Mmm, Gordon.” He smiled as he gazed down at her talking in her sleep about him. She was beautiful with her thick long black lashes and her clear porcelain skin. She always smelled of fresh baked cookies no matter the time of day. He knew she had feelings for him, and it was getting harder and harder to fight his own, especially when he heard her mutter his name again. “Oh, Gordon.”

Backing away, his stomach flipped, and he knew it was time to go before he did something stupid like, slip into her bed to join her. Leaving her room, he went back out to the living room, turning the TV off, and locking up her house before he left.

Back at his own house, he was surprised that Tracy sat on his lounge watching TV. “Hi, you’re back.”

Okay, no more nice guy. He’d given the break-up speech twice, and she still didn’t seem to get it. “Yeah, I’m back. Why are you still here?”

Tracy stood, and that’s when he saw the red baby doll lingerie. Her body was amazing for a woman in her mid-thirties with a young child, all slim and toned, but she did nothing for him. Frowning, he stared at her—she was what he usually went for.

Gordon watched her strut to him and snaked her arms around his neck. At the contact, he stiffened in her embrace. This wasn’t doing anything for him. What the hell was wrong with him?

“I’m here to give you what you’ve been waiting so long for.”

What? He hadn’t been waiting for anything. He stumbled away from her as the realization hit him that for the last almost three months since he had been dating Tracy, he hadn’t had sex. Tracy almost lost her balance as he escaped her, but righted herself and gave a pout. “I’ve broken up with you twice now this last couple of weeks. This,” pointing to him and her, “isn’t working. I need you and your kid out of my house.”

“I… I just, I mean, I thought you were breaking up because I wouldn’t have sex with you straight away.”

“No. I broke up because this isn’t—didn’t work.” It looked like it was sinking in, her mouth opened and shut. “I’ve been doing this all wrong.” He had, and now he was starting to see it. “You’re wrong for me.”

Tracy’s eyes were wide as she stared at me. “Oh, my God, I’ve made a fool of myself.” She rushed down the hall and opened my spare room. He waited, unsure of what he should do with her next. After a good ten minutes, she came out dressed and carrying her little boy. She didn’t say a word to him as she rushed by and out his front door.

Locking up the house, he went to his room and got his phone out. He needed to talk to his friend. Glancing at the clock, he hoped David didn’t mind being woken up. David answered just as Gordon was about to hang up.

“You do realize it’s four-thirty in the morning here?” David grumbled as he answered.

“I’m an idiot.”

“You called me and woke me up to tell me something I already knew. Why?”

“Ha, ha. No, I mean I’m idiot for not seeing something right in front of me.”

“Argh, Gordon, it’s way too early to understand your riddles.”

“I think I’ve found her.”

“Found who?”

“The woman I’ve been looking for. The woman we talked about.”

“That’s great. Then marry her and get your ass home.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Sure it is.”

“No, it’s not. She knows nothing about me. Well, the real me.” Closing my eyes, Gordon wondered who the real him was. He’d been so different since moving to Australia, he was almost a new person.

“So, tell her.”

“I can’t just come out and tell her. I haven’t even tried a real more than friend’s relationship with her.”

David groaned on the other end. “Well, you better hurry. Your father has pushed me into organizing you this huge fortieth birthday in Vegas. You had better bloody show. I think even your mother misses you. She’s setting me up women. I can’t take it. So get home.”

“I don’t kn—”

“Don’t,” David said cutting him off. “Don’t you dare change your mind. Your father is good at what he does, but no one is as good as you are. The company was doing good before you became CEO, but when you took over, we doubled our profits. The company is going to need a lot of catch-up when you get back. It needs you.”

Sighing because he knew David was right, Gordon opened his eyes and stared at the blank walls of his room. He may be comfortable in this life, but it wasn’t really who or what he was. It wasn’t really his life. “No, you’re right. I promise I’ll be there for the party. I’ll come home.”

“Good. I’ll email you the details. I look forward to meeting this woman and you being home and talking to me at a decent time.”

“Yeah, thanks for the chat.” Hanging up, he placed the phone on his bedside drawer top. He had a lot to think about and not a lot of time.



****



Dawn walked into the bar area of the leagues club with her best friend, Amber and their two friends, Lacey and Nessa. They found a table close to the dance floor and sat. Tonight was Rock night. It wasn’t the heavy metal she and Amber liked, but it was better than pop music.

“You get the first round.” Amber nudged me and winked. “Your boyfriend is here so he may give you a discount.”

Shouldering Amber, Dawn darted her eyes to the bar. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Oh, your hot neighbor then, who doesn’t seem to ever leave your house and who you spend most of your spare time with.” She smirked and then tried batting her lashes innocently when Dawn scowled at her. Nessa and Lacey laughed.