Owyn was stunned by his admission. Gash and Bailey. Maybe others had caught wind that there was something between the two, but he hadn’t noticed a thing.
“Well shit, man.”
“Yeah. Shit.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.”
Minutes ticked by as they both kept watch over Bailey’s cabin. The lights were off inside except for a soft glow coming from the bedroom window.
“I made her cry earlier,” Gash said.
“And… you want to tell her sorry?”
He nodded.
“So head over there, why don’t ya. And I’ll finish patrolling.”
Gash clenched his jaw. “I can’t. She needs to think I meant it.”
Owyn stared at the male’s profile. The tension in his brow stretched to his shoulders and down his back. He was strung tight with regret and sadness, and the only person that could help him was being pushed away out of fear.
Damn, this relationship shit was hard sometimes.
“Maybe…” Owyn had to try, had to give the guy something that might help. “Maybe if you’re honest with her. Show her who you are. The problems would work themselves out.”
“And which version should I show her?” Gash asked quietly. “The man I used to be, or the one I’ve become? Because one can protect her, and the other will get her killed, and it’s getting harder and harder for me to know which is which.”
Owyn considered it. Gash’s past was shady, true. But the person who’d walked away from that life, the one who worked endless hours to make the lodge secure, the one who waited outside his mate’s cabin to see that she was safe… that was the real Gash. The one that mattered to them all.
“Show her the one that cares,” Owyn said. “This one. Show her that.”
The tension bled from him and his shoulders wilted under the relief. “Yeah,” he murmured, gaze still focused in Bailey’s direction. “Maybe I will.”
But he stood there still, watching and waiting. Hours into the night, Owyn stood guard with him.
Because Gash needed to know he’d never stand alone again.
Chapter Nine
As Doc dressed for work the next morning, she felt oddly like one of those Disney princesses. It was the way the birds sang outside her window as she went about her business, and the undeniable urge to hum along. The smile she couldn’t seem to wipe off just added to the fluffy, cutesy feeling.
Gulping the rest of her coffee as she headed for the door, the little flutter of nerves in her middle started up again.
What would Owyn be like today? Would be more talk? Would he ignore what happened last night? Give her space she didn’t want? He couldn’t ignore a kiss like that for long though. It was too loaded with meaning.
She was about to find out.
Doc pulled her front door open and stopped short.
There, lying on the doormat, was a bundle of brightly colored flowers. Her grin broadened as she bent to pick them up, bringing them to her nose to smell the sweet scent. They were a mishmash of daisies, tulips, and other various flowers she’d seen around the dining room lately. If she was betting, she’d say Owyn had raided the flower stash Eagan and Bailey used for the tables.
Doc laughed out loud at the thought of him going back to clean up dinner and taking all the flowers with him. Silly, sweet man.
Tucking the flowers in one arm, she closed the door behind her and made her way down the path to the lodge. Hers was the cabin closest to the main building, so the walk wasn’t a long one. It was just the right touch of brisk air and sunshine to give her cheeks a glow.
As she entered the lobby, she noticed the front desk was empty.
Odd. Normally Layna was there bright and early.
Doc peeked in the dining room, considering a bagel and more coffee, but the place was mostly empty. Guests would fill the lodge this weekend for Valentine’s getaways, but right now, mid-week, it was virtually a dead zone.
She decided to put the flowers on water first. Didn’t want to risk Eagan or Bailey seeing them.
Doc took the hallway leading toward her office, and nudged the door open with her hip.
“Mmm hmm.”
A slow drawl stopped Doc in her tracks. Her office was full of females.
“I knew it! I knew those flowers didn’t just get up and dance out of there like some Alice in Wonderland shit.” Bailey threw her fist in the air. “I KNEW IT.”
“Daaaamn,” Layna agreed. “O-boy went gangster this time, stealing flowers from the dining room.” She shook her head in pretend awe while Clara giggled from her seat on the couch.
They were all there, crowded into Doc’s cozy little office. Josie, Bethy, Layna, Clara, and Bailey. They each wore expectant little expressions, like they were about to be given the best news of the century.