Page 116 of Tangled Up In You

“You asked for this, Ian.”

He was quiet for a long spell as she worked on cleaning him up. “Do you know,” he finally said more calmly, “they made me redundant at work a month back? Do you know what that feels like? And to have your own brother have everything you don’t? Don’t you think that makes it worse?”

Sophie pulled the towel away from him and met his eyes. “I’m sorry you lost your job,” she said. “I really am. But that’s not Gavin’s fault.”

“Never said it was. But here he is living the life of luxury and it’s all due to this false pretense—that he’s some sort of long-suffering artist. I mean, it drives me to the edge to see the way he’s created this persona of the tragically orphaned boy whose heart is still bleeding from it all.”

“Wait a minute,” she said. “Are you saying you don’t think his feelings are genuine?”

“They were, sure. But you get the fuck over these things and grow up. Now he’s just using it to make a spectacle of himself.”

“You couldn’t be more wrong, Ian. God, I wish you two would actually try to know each other instead of constantly tearing each other down. You’re missing out on something so special.”

“I think I’m fit enough to leave now,” he said and stood up.

“Do you need help—with money?” she asked.

“I’d sooner live in the streets than take his money,” he replied and moved toward the front door.

“The offer’s always there,” she said, though he ignored her.

When Sophie went back out to the yard, she found Gavin in need of aid as well. He had a cut above his left eyebrow and blood was smeared across his temple from having tried to wipe it away. Ian must have caught him with his ring.

He was obviously still irate, pacing back and forth even as Conor tried talking him down.

She went straight to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and for the first time in years, he rejected her attempt to soothe him.

“Darlin’, I’m in no mood,” he said curtly, and walked inside without another word.

There was no hiding the disappointment she felt. Conor gave her a quick one-arm hug. “Give him some space, Soph. It’s a lot to deal with right now.”

She nodded and blinked back her tears, telling herself that in the end she and Gavin would find a way through this together.

68

SOPHIE

Now and then Sophie would knock gently on Gavin’s writing room door to see if he would spend time with her or take a call from a friend, but he rejected all entreaties. He had sunk deep into himself, rejecting all of her efforts to help.

The press was a constant on the rare outings she made, including a visit to the grocery store. A tabloid even featured a photo of her coming out of the store alongside a list of the items she had purchased.

While Gavin brooded, Sophie occupied herself with house hunting in the Los Angeles area. She had various materials spread out on the dining room table and was concentrating on the beach areas of Malibu when Gavin shuffled into the room.

Bedraggled was the word that came to mind when she saw him. He wore boxer briefs with an open robe and while his hair was pulled back into a short ponytail it clearly needed a good washing. His face was covered in an unkempt beard and his eyes were red.

“What are you up to?” he asked, leaning down to kiss her.

She reached for his hand but he pulled away, slipping from her grasp. Stifling her disappointment, she managed a smile instead.

“I’m looking at properties in LA.”

“What for?” He took a chair and turned it around, straddling it as he sat down next to her.

“Remember we talked about buying a house there? I thought maybe we should go ahead and look now.”

“Well, I’m not fucking buying a house in Malibu, that’s for sure,” he said as he pushed aside the listings she had for that exclusive area.

“Okay,” she said slowly, put off. “If it helps any, I want to buy this house.”

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