Since I knew how the story ended, I asked, "Why couldn't you believe him?"
"Plain and simple stubbornness." She gave me a knowing look. "The same kind of a stubbornness that is keeping you from calling Gabe and trying to make things work."
"Wait a minute. What happened between you and Elliott is not the same as what happened between Gabe and me," I protested.
"Is it not?"
"No. You believed a lie of betrayal perpetuated by a jealous woman where Gabe truly betrayed me."
"Betrayal is a pretty strong word for what Gabe actually did."
"Aunt Sadie, I told Gabe my history. He knew about Ryan and Mom, and how because of music, they had left me. He knew how I felt about Lincoln having a guitar, and how I feared I would lose Linc too. Is that irrational? Now, I can probably say yes. But at the time, I was terrified. Linc is my world. How do I trust someone who didn't show any remorse for helping my son to not only disobey his mom, but to do so publically?"
"Yes, I'm well aware of that."
"Are you sure you are because it doesn't seem that way from what you're saying."
Aunt Sadie pursed her lips at me. "Yes, Gabe broke your trust. And yes, in the moment, he claimed he didn't feel any remorse. But you and I both know in the heat of the moment, we say things we really don't mean. Perhaps time has tempered his anger. Maybe he's had time to contemplate more about the complexities of parenting a child, and how the adults must stand by each other's decisions, and never sabotage them."
I contemplated what Aunt Sadie was saying. "I guess."
"You have to remember that Gabe's insensitivity comes from the fact he's never been a parent. It was his ignorance that led him to say and do the things he did. The Gabe I know would never knowingly hurt you or Linc."
"I really don't think he meant to hurt us either," I said softly.
She nodded. "Relationships are hard and people make mistakes. Sometimes they make colossal mistakes, and sometimes they are minute ones. In the end, it isn't the mistakes themselves, but it's how you handle them. It's the ability to look past the mistake and see the heart and motive behind it."
Reaching over, she cupped my chin. "Reagan, I love you very much. I've always been immensely proud of you for finishing high school and going to college when the chips were stacked against you. Not only are you a wonderful mother, but you're also a very good businesswoman."
I swallowed hard. Although the words seemed inadequate for how I was feeling, I replied, "Thank you, Aunt Sadie."
"So hear me out. You're being a stubborn idiot over this mess with Gabe." When I opened my mouth to protest, she shook her head. "And he is too, because he hasn't tried to reach out to you. But you know as well as I do that men are emotional babies. Trust me, you don't want to end up like me-alone and having to live each day with regret. I'll never know what could have been with Elliot where you have the chance with Gabe. You need to decide if you can look past the mistake. He needs to decide if he can learn from it and avoid making it again. And then you both need to begin to forgive and heal."
After surveying her words, I slowly nodded. "Okay. I'll try to talk to Gabe."
Relief filled her eyes. "I'm so glad you saw things my way."
I laughed. "You certainly didn't give me much choice. I was waiting for you to beat some sense into me with your cane."
She gave me a sly smile. "Well, that was my plan B."
"I'm glad it didn't come to that."
"Me too." She reached over and patted my leg. "I'm so glad you said you would talk to Gabe."
"Really?"
With a nod, she replied, "Well, firstly, he's terribly handsome."
"Aunt Sadie!" I laughed.
"But mostly because he's on his way here."
My stomach plummeted to my feet. "Excuse me?"
"I said Gabe is on his way to see you."
"But … what? I mean, how do you know that?"
"He called about an hour ago to make sure you were here." Winking, she added, "I was going to have to fake a stroke or something if you tried to leave."
I bolted out of the swing. "I can't believe you didn't tell me until now. I can't let Gabe see me like this!" I gesticulated wildly to my grease-pit hair, lack of makeup, and the Star Wars pajama pants I was wearing.
"He was in Ball Ground when he called."
"Oh shit! That means he could be here any minute. Shit!"
"Go ahead and get in the shower, honey. I'll stall him for you."
As Aunt Sadie sat there leaning on her cane, I couldn't help but think how much she reminded of me of Olenna Tyrell from Game of Thrones. All she needed was the medieval headdress thing and she could be her twin.
"Okay. You do that." I sprinted away from Aunt Sadie and into the house.
"Mom, can you-" Linc started to ask.
"Nope, can't. Ask one of your aunts." While I did momentarily pause to make sure he wasn't maimed or bleeding, I blew on past down the hall to the bathroom. Once again, I wouldn't be winning any Mother of the Year awards any time soon.
I was pretty sure there hadn't ever been a time I'd managed to shower and wash my hair in under ten minutes. Maybe back when I was playing for the league because I'd always feared some creep had put cameras in the showers in the locker room-it had happened to one of the other teams-but I was almost certain this time was a personal record.
After my shower, I left my hair wet while I slathered on foundation and eyeliner as fast as I could. Once I finished with my makeup, I dried my hair. Since I had yet to decide what to wear, I wrapped a towel around me. I burst out of the bathroom door and into a wall of hard flesh.
Oh shit. It took me less than a second to realize who I had bumped into. When I jerked away, I glanced up into Gabe's eyes, and I saw so many emotions burning in his baby blues: fear, amusement, hurt, anger. I was sure the same emotions were reflected in my own.
"Um, hello."
God, I'd missed hearing his voice. The deep, rumbling timbre that could make me feel comforted in one minute and incredibly horny the next.
Drawing my towel tighter around me, I said, "Hello."
"I'm assuming since you don't seem too shocked to see me, Sadie must've mentioned I was coming."
Double damn. He knew I knew, which meant he knew I had just fixed up for him. "Yes, she mentioned it." Smooth, Rae. Very smooth.
"You look good."
"Excuse me?"
Gabe winced. "I mean, you look like you're doing good."
"Thank you."
After jerking a hand through his hair, Gabe exhaled a ragged breath. "Why don't you get dressed, and I'll wait for you in the living room?"
"Maybe we should sit outside so we can be alone."
The corners of Gabe's lips quirked. "We are alone. The others just piled into Kennedy's car and left."
Well, wasn't that an interesting development? I was standing in front of Gabe half-naked while we were completely alone in the house. "I see."
"I suppose they felt we needed some privacy."
"I guess so." Before things could get any more awkward between us, I said, "Okay, I'll go get dressed, and you make yourself comfortable in the living room."
"Okay, I will."
Gabe and I then proceeded to do that awkward two-step where one person moves forward and the other one does at the same time. Each time we tried to outwit each other, we ended up bumping together again. Finally, Gabe pressed himself up against the wall and motioned for me to go. I hauled ass into my room and then slammed the door.
Since Gabe had seen me in a towel, I figured there was no point worrying about what I was going to wear. I threw on my nicest pair of jeans along with a Hart and Daughter sweatshirt. After taking a deep breath, I opened my door and started down the hall to the living room.
When I got there, Gabe was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. At the sound of me entering the room, he jerked up. After opening and closing his mouth several times like a fish, he blurted out, "I'm a fucking asshole."
I blinked at him. "Nothing like cutting to the chase."
Shaking his head, Gabe said, "I'm sorry. My head is spinning with all the things I want to say to you. While it wasn't the most eloquent thing I could have come up with, it certainly expresses how I feel."
Easing down beside Gabe on the couch, I said, "I suppose we can start with that. You're an asshole, and I'm a bitch."
Gabe's brows shot up. "You are?"
"Don't tell me you thought I was blameless in what happened between us?"
"No, I just wouldn't put you in the bitch league."
"Oh yeah, I belong there. I was a bitch to both you and Linc." I drew in a deep breath. "Not only was I a bitch, I was wrong."
"About what?"
"Linc playing the guitar. He isn't his dad just like I'm not my mom."
At the mention of my mom, Gabe winced. "Rae, I'm so fucking sorry I compared you to your mom. I was so hurt by you that I wanted to hurt you too."