Page 129 of Rival Hearts
“She’s not like anyone I’ve ever been with,” I admitted. “I can’t even begin to explain how I feel when I’m around her. Howshemakes me feel. She’s incredible, and…” I let out a shuddering breath. “I guess it doesn’t matter now. I lost her, and that’s the end of it.”
Gabe studied me.
“Are you in love with her?”
I glanced at him. It wasn’t something I usually talked about. Hell, I didn’t eventhinkabout love overall. But when it came to Charlotte, everything was different.
Including this.
“Yeah. I guess I am.”
“Then you should go after her.”
I frowned. “I thought you were so against us being together. Remember the part where you said you never wanted to see me again?”
“I was wrong.” Gabe shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“How can you just say that?”
“Because admitting that I was wrong isn’t hard for me, Alex. I didn’t realize you cared about her. And I get the idea that she cares about you, too.”
“I don’t think so,” I said dully. “At least, not anymore.”
“Don’t give up on her.”
I sighed and sat down on the leather couch, looking out over the incredible view that came with this suite.
“I’m not going to push for something she doesn’t want. She deserves the best, and I’m not the best, Gabe. Far from it.”
“She deserves someone who loves her. I know you’re a good guy.”
“You said it yourself. She deserves better than you or me.”
Gabe snorted. “What the fuck do I know?”
“I’m trash, Gabe,” I said, finally telling him the truth. “There’s no fucking way she deserves to be with a low-life piece of shit like me. You were right to be mad about us being together. The fact you’re back and we could maybe be friends again is more than I expected would happen, and I’m happy with that. It’s—”
“Stop talking,” Gabe said, cutting me off. “Seriously, I’m telling you it’s fine. I’m okay with that.”
I shook my head. He didn’t get it, did he? He didn’t understand.
“I can’t do this with her. She deserves better. She deserves someone who can be with her, who can love her the way she deserves to be loved, and—”
“She’s pregnant,” Gabe blurted out.
I stared at him, feeling like someone had punched me in the gut.
“What?”
“She’s too fucking stubborn to tell you because she doesn’t want to be the one to tie you down, to make you start a family when that’s not what you want. She’s selfless that way, even when I think she has the right to be selfish.”
Blood drained from my face. Pregnant? How could I be a father? How could I fill the role my father had filled for me?
“I don’t know how to respond to that,” I finally said to Gabe.
Gabe stood and threw back the last of his whiskey. “Think about it. Do what you think is right. I’m not going to tell you what to do. I just needed you to know the facts. Without it, you can’t make a fully informed decision.”
He came to me and put his glass down on the bar before putting his hand on my shoulder.
