Chapter Thirty-Two

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Gabby

M y head is pounding the next morning, and Barrett is still in bed with me although the sun seems as if it's high in the sky. It streams brightly through his bedroom window as if my life isn't in the depths of a fiery black hole. There's a quiet knock at Barrett's door. He makes a noise in the back of his throat that sounds like come in , but I don't open my eyes to let him know I'm awake. At least not yet.

"Is she doing okay? I made y'all some breakfast and brought it over. It's all I could think to do." Marie's voice, I want to cry that she's worried about me. Especially considering the way we started our friendship.

"Thank you. I think she's still asleep. I gave her one of those sleeping pills I was given last year when I had so much insomnia, and she was out for most of the night. I think that's what she needed more than anything. But no, I don't think she's okay. I think he's an asshole who's broken her down, and now he's trying to take everything away from her that she loves." He runs his hand up and down my back. "I'm going to talk to Hank today. He texted me, and he's got some information on her ex-husband."

"Be careful.", I manage to push the words out of my abused throat, tight from crying so much yesterday. Letting him know I'm awake. "Jeff knows powerful people. He is powerful."

"Yeah well, so is Hank. A lot of people owe him and he has a lot of friends. If this is the only thing I can ever do for you, it's what I will do." He cups my cheek in his palm, turning me so that our eyes meet. "I'm not rich, I don't have power, but I know people and I'm loyal. No matter what I ask Hank for, he's gonna help me."

"Who is Hank, exactly?" Mom asks, from where she still stands in the doorway. "I know he's your boss and Boone would go to war for the man, but who is he?"

Like all the men and women who love Hank, Barrett says what they always do. "He owns a building and architectural firm. He's been very lucky with the decisions he's made over the past decade, and he's built it into one of the top firms in the tri-state area. He knows people, and they know him. He's well-respected, and hardly anyone will speak ill of him. I have no doubt he'll know what to do when it comes to this situation. He's always helped Boone, and he'll do the same for us."

Tears start again, like a faucet I can't turn off. I'm so thankful for what these two have done for me, but I also don't want to cause problems. "I don't want you to owe people because of me. Maybe Jeff was right, my dreams and my hopes have to go on the back burner because I'm selfish."

"No, no..." He holds me tighter. "Your hopes and dreams are valid, they are attainable, I'm going to make sure they come true. I don't care if it takes years, I don't care if this doesn't work out, we will make your dreams come true. That's the most important thing to me."

"But what about you?" I question, knowing how hard it had been for Jeff to see where this life would take me. "What about your dreams?"

He puts his forehead to mine. "I'm living mine. You are everything I ever wanted. I'm working with Abel and for Boone, I've got my house, and my mom is happy with us. Which is why she's here."

Oh my God, is she still in this room? I look around, but she's gone. "I can't believe she helped me the way she did yesterday. She assured me, and it felt good to have that in the moment. I haven't been able to count on anyone like that in so long, and I never imagined she'd be so nice to me." I start to cry again. "I was so broken when I saw those papers. My stomach dropped, and I felt the same way I felt when I asked for the divorce and Jeff laughed at me. I was right back there again."

He gets out of bed and goes down to his knees. "I see how upset you are, you have every right to be. He is a dipshit, and he had no idea what he had with you. He didn't cherish you, he didn't deserve you. I'm going to make this right."

Again, I let the tears fall. "It isn't your job to make it right, I'm so pissed he had the balls to do this. At what point does it become enough? He broke me previously, and I'm scared to death he's going to break me again."

"Look at me. He's not going to break you again. I won't let him."

"I love you." I cry harder. "And no matter what happens with this, I'll be okay, it just might take me a bit to get over it."

He kisses my forehead. "You're perfect the way you are. If you do lose Get Baked, we will rebuild. We will make it exactly what you want, and it will be the most successful thing in this town. I promise. I am going to be the partner you need, the one you deserve."

I blow out a breathe and hold my lips firm to keep them from trembling. "You already are. I love you, Barrett, and I'm thankful that you came back into my life."

"I love you too. Get some rest." His voice is soft and quiet, everything I need in this moment. I don't have to ask him, Barrett Grant just knows.

I watch as he gets up and goes to put his clothes on. As he leaves, he blows me a kiss. I reach out, catch it, and hold it to me as he leaves. Regardless of how this day ends, I know for the first time in my life that I'm loved. The way I've always wanted to be.