measure. “You should eat quickly, though. You promised to show me around town after breakfast, remember?”
He had to get out of this house, and he was sure Shelley did too.
She looked up at him, and although tears glittered in her blue eyes, she smiled and nodded. She picked up the bacon and took a large bite. “You know, I’d forgotten about that. Let’s polish off this meat, and then I’ll show you the places of my youth.”
Looking across the table, Gavin glared at Rick for a moment before turning his attention to Janet. “Bacon is doing your body good, ma’am, don’t let anyone tell you different.”
Janet blushed, but she began eating again. Her food might be cold, but Gavin intended to make sure she ate it.
Rick apparently decided to ignore that and focus on a new subject. “If you’re so successful, Gavin, why doesn’t my baby girl have a wedding ring?”
He certainly didn’t care at all about his ‘baby girl,’ Gavin was sure about that. Money seemed to drive this man, however. Every good thief knew a great cover story was essential to all jobs. Gavin tried to think of this as an extended job. And he had no qualms about lying to a jerk like Rick.
“I told you, I’ve been interested in diamonds lately.” He shrugged as though it was no big deal. “When we were first married, Felicia wore my late mother’s ring, but the stone wasn’t what either of us wanted.” He took a small sip of orange juice. “The jeweler’s putting in the new diamond now. When he’s finished, it’ll be worth more than our Central Park apartment.”
Chapter Eleven
“Our Central Park apartment!” Shelley giggled again and threaded her arm through Gavin’s as they walked down the road. She’d barely been able to contain her mirth when that popped out of his mouth. It got funnier every time she said it. “He must be shitting himself right now over how much money he thinks you have.”
A grin twitched Gavin’s lips, and he winked. “I spare no expense when it comes to keeping my beautiful bride happy.”
“Well, right now she’s deliriously happy.” Shelley laughed again.
With the way things had been, Shelley hadn’t thought anything could seem funny in the depressing situation of being stuck at her parents’ house. She was so grateful to have Gavin’s support. If she had to confront them, at least Gavin was a good sport about it.
“I really do appreciate this, you know?” She glanced at him. “Dad’s not the most pleasant man to be around, but you’re handling him rather nicely and keeping me sane.”
Gavin shrugged. “I don’t know why your mom puts up with him, but at least after a few days I’ll never have to see him again.”
That was true. As nice as Gavin was to her—saying how she wasn’t too fat and that she was perfect for him—it was all an act. Even though he’d proven himself different from every man she knew, that didn’t mean anything he said around her parents was true. He played the part she’d thrust on him. She was thankful for that. At least landing a rich, handsome husband was one thing Rick thought she’d done right with her life.
“As far as Mom putting up with Dad...” Shelley sighed. “She’s very traditional, Gavin. I try not to get angry, because that’s the way things are and always have been. She’s happy with her life. It’s not my place to interfere.”
“Even though it drives you crazy.”
For a man, he was very observant. Shelley would expect Carlie to notice that, but never a boyfriend—not that Gavin was her boyfriend. That line of thinking would get her nowhere. It would be better to focus on her mother and father’s relationship, not her lack of a love life.
“You’d never guess Mom and I were both raised by her mother, would you?” she asked. “We’re so very different. I think it’s because once Grandpa died, Grandma Haddy loved her newfound freedom. She taught me to be more independent than she taught Mom.”
“Wait.”
He had to get out of this house, and he was sure Shelley did too.
She looked up at him, and although tears glittered in her blue eyes, she smiled and nodded. She picked up the bacon and took a large bite. “You know, I’d forgotten about that. Let’s polish off this meat, and then I’ll show you the places of my youth.”
Looking across the table, Gavin glared at Rick for a moment before turning his attention to Janet. “Bacon is doing your body good, ma’am, don’t let anyone tell you different.”
Janet blushed, but she began eating again. Her food might be cold, but Gavin intended to make sure she ate it.
Rick apparently decided to ignore that and focus on a new subject. “If you’re so successful, Gavin, why doesn’t my baby girl have a wedding ring?”
He certainly didn’t care at all about his ‘baby girl,’ Gavin was sure about that. Money seemed to drive this man, however. Every good thief knew a great cover story was essential to all jobs. Gavin tried to think of this as an extended job. And he had no qualms about lying to a jerk like Rick.
“I told you, I’ve been interested in diamonds lately.” He shrugged as though it was no big deal. “When we were first married, Felicia wore my late mother’s ring, but the stone wasn’t what either of us wanted.” He took a small sip of orange juice. “The jeweler’s putting in the new diamond now. When he’s finished, it’ll be worth more than our Central Park apartment.”
Chapter Eleven
“Our Central Park apartment!” Shelley giggled again and threaded her arm through Gavin’s as they walked down the road. She’d barely been able to contain her mirth when that popped out of his mouth. It got funnier every time she said it. “He must be shitting himself right now over how much money he thinks you have.”
A grin twitched Gavin’s lips, and he winked. “I spare no expense when it comes to keeping my beautiful bride happy.”
“Well, right now she’s deliriously happy.” Shelley laughed again.
With the way things had been, Shelley hadn’t thought anything could seem funny in the depressing situation of being stuck at her parents’ house. She was so grateful to have Gavin’s support. If she had to confront them, at least Gavin was a good sport about it.
“I really do appreciate this, you know?” She glanced at him. “Dad’s not the most pleasant man to be around, but you’re handling him rather nicely and keeping me sane.”
Gavin shrugged. “I don’t know why your mom puts up with him, but at least after a few days I’ll never have to see him again.”
That was true. As nice as Gavin was to her—saying how she wasn’t too fat and that she was perfect for him—it was all an act. Even though he’d proven himself different from every man she knew, that didn’t mean anything he said around her parents was true. He played the part she’d thrust on him. She was thankful for that. At least landing a rich, handsome husband was one thing Rick thought she’d done right with her life.
“As far as Mom putting up with Dad...” Shelley sighed. “She’s very traditional, Gavin. I try not to get angry, because that’s the way things are and always have been. She’s happy with her life. It’s not my place to interfere.”
“Even though it drives you crazy.”
For a man, he was very observant. Shelley would expect Carlie to notice that, but never a boyfriend—not that Gavin was her boyfriend. That line of thinking would get her nowhere. It would be better to focus on her mother and father’s relationship, not her lack of a love life.
“You’d never guess Mom and I were both raised by her mother, would you?” she asked. “We’re so very different. I think it’s because once Grandpa died, Grandma Haddy loved her newfound freedom. She taught me to be more independent than she taught Mom.”
“Wait.”
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