Part 8 (1/2)
”Sloane, please? This is something I want to do. It's not to show you how much money I have or show off or anything like that, it's just that this is what I want to do, for you.” If he could buy her the entire solar system and hang it in her backyard, he would. There was nothing he didn't want to do for her.
”Gates, that's sweet, but you don't have to do anything like that. I mean, sending me the ticket to come to New York and taking me with you to London is overly generous.” She reached out and placed her hand on his cheek and he reveled in the softness of her skin against his face.
”Let me do this, okay. Please?” He desperately wanted her to know how much he cared about her and how he wanted to take care of her. He'd never felt so deeply about anyone. It was a new feeling for him and he was completely enamored with Sloane.
”How can I say no to you when you're looking at me like that? Okay, but nothing too extravagant all right?”
”Hmm, can't promise that.” He reached over to the side table, reaching into the drawer and pulled out a small box.
”Gates, what're you up to?”
”Well, I saw this and I immediately thought of you. Open it.” Handing her the box, he sat back and waited.
”You were going to buy me things regardless of if I said yes or no?” She tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow.
”Pretty much,” he winked. ”Now open it.”
”You're kind of demanding aren't you?” She giggled, turning the small black velvet box in her hands.
”Yes, now open it.”
Laughing at his eagerness for her to open the box, Sloane grasped the sides and opened the box to reveal a beautiful sapphire and diamond pendant on a delicate silver chain.
”Gates, it's beautiful.” It was an exquisite two-carat sapphire surrounded by diamonds.
”You like it?” He watched her eyes sparkle almost as much as the diamonds on the pendant as she continued to look at the jewels.
”Like it? I love it. It's gorgeous. But this is-”
”Nah, unh uh, you can't say it's too much because you promised, remember?” He quickly took the necklace out of the box to put it on her. She reached and pulled her hair up off of her neck as he leaned around her and closed the clasp of the necklace.
”It looks as beautiful as I thought it would.”
”Thank you.” When she leaned over to gently kiss him, he inhaled the scintillating smell of her perfume and his insides did somersaults.
”You're very welcome.”
Shaking him from his nostalgia, the pilot's voice reverberated in his ear informing him they were preparing to land. Gates couldn't believe he'd done nothing but think of her the entire flight home. He was trying his best to put her out of his mind, but it wasn't possible.
”This is crazy, Gates. You've got to get a hold on this. She's engaged and she's in love with someone else.” He watched the sun bounce off the clouds as they made their descent into New York. ”You've got to let her go.”
Chapter 9.
”Okay, so spill. Tell me everything and leave nothing out. We didn't get to talk in detail. You can only imagine what was going through my head when you told me Gates was getting out of the shower.” Liyah curled her legs under her on the oversized sofa in pure antic.i.p.ation. She and Sloane were having a 'girl's afternoon' and were now sitting on Sloane's couch eating popcorn and barely watching the movie playing on the TV. Brayden was finally down for his afternoon nap and she and Liyah were taking advantage of the peace and quiet.
”I told you, nothing happened. We got stuck in Charleston and got drenched running to the car at the airport and that's it. He slept in the other room,” Sloane added softly, thinking about the conversation she and Gates had. The one person I would have given it all up for is engaged to someone else. Shrugging her shoulders, she reached for more popcorn and glanced at the images flas.h.i.+ng on the screen.
”Whatever chica. You may've been able to tell Chase that and have him believe it, but you're talking to me. I know your past and I know what you and Gates had, and from where I sit, it's not over.”
”Liyah, really. Gates and I are over. We were over the day I left. He's made that abundantly clear.” Sloane hoped she was convincing but she knew she could never fool her best friend.
c.o.c.king her head to the side, Liyah raised an eyebrow. ”As much as I know you want to believe that, I know differently.” Pausing, she looked at Sloane before continuing. ”Yeah, I know the whole song and dance about you wanting to keep Brayden from being hurt, but you're still in love with Gates.”
”I'm not listening to this.” Sloane got up from the sofa and strolled into the kitchen. She was trying her best to deflect what Liyah was saying but somewhere deep down; her best friend had hit a nerve.
”Come on, Sloane.” Liyah followed her into the kitchen. ”You've got to face it. You've been running from Gates for a while and now that he's back in your life, you're still trying to run away. Why?”
”Oh, I don't know, maybe because he's not back in my life and I'm not running away, Liyah. I don't even know what you're talking about.” Opening the refrigerator she pulled out a bottle of water.
”Sloane, you know full well what I'm talking about. You left Gates because you said he had changed, but I know you. I've known you practically your whole life and I know that, yeah, maybe he did change from what he was initially when you met, but you left because you were scared.”
”Of what? That's crazy Liyah. I was not scared.”
”Yes, you were. Same reason you're so determined to keep Brayden from Gates.” Liyah finished, crossing her arm and challenging Sloane.
”You don't know anything.” Rolling her eyes, Sloane moved past Liyah to head back to 'watch' the movie.
”Then if that's the case, why don't you tell him? If you aren't scared, then why don't you tell him he has a son? And don't give me that 'to keep Brayden protected' junk.”
”It's not that easy, Liyah. Gates is a busy man. Too busy for a child in his life.” She knew it was a weak excuse, but she was trying to justify her decision to keep her secret. She knew Gates had a right to know about his son, but she couldn't muster the nerve to tell him. She had so many fears that he was truly like Victor; cold and callous, and would look at Brayden as a burden rather than accept him as their precious son.
”Look, you're my best friend and I care about you. I want you to be happy, and if that's raising Brayden alone, then so be it. But you and I both know you have unresolved feelings that you need to deal with. Maybe you should step back and reevaluate your decision.”
”Liyah, I know you care about me and Brayden. I know you want the best for us, just like I do for you, but I think I know what's best for my son. I know I can depend on myself to be there for Brayden, and I can keep him from being hurt by his father.”
”You sure it's Brayden you're trying to keep from being hurt?”
”What?” Sloane turned around to look at Liyah.
”You heard me. I think you're the one that's afraid of being hurt or rejected.” Liyah continued with her arms crossed, glaring at Sloane.
”Now you're starting to sound like Chase.” Sloane could feel the tension building between the two of them. How could Liyah insinuate she was the one afraid of getting hurt by Gates? She was merely looking out for her little boy.
”Well if the high-heeled red bottom fits. You're afraid to be with Gates because if it doesn't work you know it would hurt too much.”
”Now I really think you've lost it. Life is not about jumping off cliffs blindly, Liyah. And that's exactly what I'd be doing with Gates.” Sloane rolled her eyes and sank down on the sofa, opening her water and taking a sip. ”I want Brayden to have a family and a stable environment with a mom and dad who aren't at each other's throats, or upset with each other constantly.”
”Sloane, do you truly want to live your life safe? Wondering what could've been? You're hiding behind the guise of 'protecting Brayden,' when you're really trying to protect yourself. You're afraid of the possibility that Gates would be accepting of Brayden, but maybe not you.”
”Are you for real? Liyah, that's so basic. That's what we all want. To be accepted? To know there'll always be someone there for you and someone you can depend on. I can't do that with Gates.”
”Sloane, no one's life is perfect. There are going to be good days and bad. You of all people should know that. When you find that person that's willing to go through all of that with you, it's not something you should throw away. Is this really what you want?” Liyah questioned, motioning around to their surroundings.
”That's enough, Liyah. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I've got to move on to the next chapter of my life.” Sloane cut her eyes at Liyah. She was tired of hearing everyone else's opinions of what she needed to do. They didn't know. They couldn't understand what she was dealing with on the inside.