The President's Daughter by David Dower (if you liked this book txt) 📕

will. Please just take good care of him, it’s only for an hour or so. I know I don’t deserve this after what I did to you. But, please do it for me. I am sorry.

Gavin

I read the letter twice kind of shocked what he had done. I looked up to the boy who was seated on the chair, facing Melinda.

I couldn’t see his face, but I knew right then and there it was Garrett.

“Garrett?”

He had turned around, looking at me with a blank face. “Hi Ali!” He said, giving me a small smile.

“How long were you out there?” I asked him, taking a seat next to him.

“I don’t know but Gavy said to give you the note when I saw you.”

I nodded my head, looking down at the letter in my hands. “Hey Melinda, can you grab him something to eat?”

She nodded, quickly dispersing from the scene.

“How long was he out there?” I asked, Ricky who was staring at Garrett with confused eyes.

“The boys say that they noticed him an hour ago. They said they saw him wandering with tourists but there was no adult with him so that was when they approached him.”

I nodded my head, not comprehending why Gavin would dump Garrett like that at my door. Well not literally, my gates.

Was Gavin stupid? Garrett could have seriously been injured or kidnapped if it wasn’t for the guards. Garrett wasn’t a puppy or a stray cat, he couldn’t just leave him outside like that.

Melinda came back with some cookies and milk, she set it in front of Garrett who immediately dove in.

“Garrett, did Gavin tell you where he was going?”

Garrett nodded his head, “he said he wanted to see mom.”

I immediately stood up from my chair, turning to Ricky. “Once he is done with his plate of cookies, bring him to the car. We are going for a little ride.”

Ricky nodded his head, not asking saying anything more.

I was going to visit Gavin and I was going to sure give him a piece of my mind.

*

“Are you sure you want us to stay here?” Ricky asked, as he stepped out of the car. “We could come with you all, if you want?”

I shook my head, grabbing Garrett’s hand. “No. This is something we have to do. Right Garrett?” I asked, looking down at the little boy.

Garrett just nodded his head in return. One of his hands was entwined with mine and the other one was holding a bouquet of flowers.

“We won’t take long.” I told Ricky and Melinda who nodded their heads.

“Okay we will be here waiting, give us a call if you need anything.” Ricky said, going back to the front of the car. Melinda waved at us, blowing a kiss towards Garrett who did the same back. On the ride here it was pretty noticeable that Melinda had grew quite found of Garrett.

We walked in silence towards where the boy’s mother was laid to rest. On the way here, I noticed Gavin’s car was parked in the parking lot. So I was not wrong to know that what Garrett had told me was correct.

As we got closer, I pulled Garrett behind a large oak tree. There mother’s tombstone was a few steps away from it and I didn’t want Gavin to see us.

We quietly watched Gavin talk to his mother. I know this was considered creepy, watching the guy you love talk to his mother. But, a girl’s gotta do what she gotta do.

“I-I just don’t know what to do anymore, ma. She told me she loved me,” Gavin said, his voice cracking slightly and indication that he was crying. “No one has ever told me that before, only you and Garrett.”

I felt a tug on my shirt as I looked down at Garrett. “Yeah?”

“Who’s he talking to?” Garrett asked, looking at his brother with confused eyes.

I gave him a small smile. “Your mom.”

“Where is she?” Garrett asked, still looking at me with confusion.

“Heaven.” I said, crouching down to become eye level with the four year old. “Why don’t you go and talk to her?” I said, encouraging him.

“Will she hear me?” Garrett asked.

I nodded my head, handing him the bouquet that he had placed on the floor. “Every single word.”

Garrett nodded his head at me as he walked over to where his brother was sitting. Hunched over with his head in his hands as his body shook violently.

I watched as Garrett approached him cautiously, tapping him on the shoulder. Gavin jumped, startled as he turned around with wide eyes as he saw his brother standing before him.

“Garrett? What are you doing here?” Shocked, clear in his voice.

“Ali, brought me here.” I winced when I heard Garrett say that, I didn’t want him to know that I was the one who brought him here. But, truth was who else would have brought him.

“Where is she?” Gavin asked, once more.

I hid behind the tree, hoping and praying that Garrett would not give up my location to Gavin.

“She’s behind that tree.”

I let out a groan, knowing that my prayer weren’t answered.

A few seconds had passed and there wasn’t anything coming out of either of the boys mouths. So I took that as my cue to check what was happening.

I let out a shriek when Gavin’s face appeared from the other side of the tree. “Fuck,” I said, letting out a curse, clutching my beating heart.

“What was that for?”

“Oh would you stop being overdramatic. I wasn’t trying to scare you,” He said, rolling his eyes.

I ignored him, noticing from the corner of me eye Garrett stroking the tombstone of his mother. Gavin must have noticed the stare that wasn’t directed to him.

“Why’d you bring him here?”

I looked back at Gavin whose eyes were red and the tear stains were clearly visible. “Why did you leave him at the gates of my house? You basically just abandoned him. And you didn’t even call or text me to let me know, he isn’t a puppy Gavin he is a human being.”

“But, I knew that you would find him.”

“But, what If I didn’t? What if some creep was walking by and kidnapped him. What would you do then?” I asked, a little annoyed that he would do that to his own brother.

“You still didn’t answer my question.”

“And you still didn’t answer mine.”

Gavin didn’t brother responding to me, he just stared at me with blank eyes. I ran my hands through my hair, “Look he is now in your capable hands. I am just going to go now.” I said, turning around to walk away.

“Wait, Ali!” Gavin called out, to me.

I stopped in my tracks I wanted to turn around but after yesterday I didn’t have the will too.

I felt his hand on my shoulder as he turned me around so I could face him. “What?”

“I am a jerk.” He said, sounding defeated.

I raised my eyebrows, “You realize that now?”

He shook his head, “No. I realized that a long time ago. I didn’t just hurt you once, I hurt you so many times and walking away from you yesterday as you stood there crying your eyes out-“

“How did you know I was crying?” I asked, shocked.

He scratched his head, “I heard you.”

My eyes widened, “You heard me and you didn’t even bother to turn around?” I asked, appalled.

“No, Ali-"

“Goodbye Gavin,” I said, taking a few steps back from him. “J-just stay out of my way or better yet out of my life.” I said, not wanting anything to do with him anymore.

I turned around and walked away. When I heard him say something I never thought I would ever hear him say.

“What?” I said, stopping in my tracks once more. “What did you say to me?” I asked, looking at Gavin who was staring at me with the most sincere and apologetic eyes.

“I love you, Alice Elizabeth Montclair. I never stopped loving you after the day I woke up with you in my arms when we fell asleep on my truck, I knew right then and there I was crazy in love with this girl. I was just too scared to admit it.”

My heart was thumping so loudly in my chest, I wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and kiss the daylights out of him but I had to have more dignity than that.

“You can hurt me with the fucking truth, but don’t you dare try to comfort me with a stinkin’ lie.”

“I am not lying,” He protested.

I let out a bitter laugh, “Really because I find that hard to believe.”

“I am not the same person I was back then,” he said, walking towards me.

I raised my eyebrows, “You mean a day ago?”

I know I was acting a bit rude and dare even say it- a bitch. But, could you honestly blame me? I wasn’t just going to run into his arms forgiving him just like that. I was going to make him work for it.

“You love me I love you. What are you so afraid of?”

“Being hurt again.” I said, truthfully. “Especially by someone you care so deeply about.”

“I will never hurt you, again.” He said, pleading.

“How’d you know?”

He took a few cautious steps towards me. “I don’t,” Gavin whispered, his breath fanning my face. “But, I can promise that I will try not to.”

He grabbed my face, stroking his thumb on my cheek. “Believe me, please.”

I looked down, not wanting to see those broken eyes anymore. “Don’t say you love me unless you really mean it, because I might do something crazy and actually start to believe it.”

I took step back from him, knowing that if I continued to make eye contact I was going to run right back towards him. “Goodbye Gavin.” I whispered.

But, I guess he didn’t take that as his cue to stop fighting because the next few words that came out of his mouth really touched my heart.

“The last few things my mother said to me before she died was something I will carry in my heart forever. Do you want to know what it is?” He asked me, but I didn’t respond.

“When a girl leaves, don’t let her walk away. You run the fuck after her and pour your heart out on the pavement. You tell her all the reasons why you love her and you better mean every word of it. Because she is your world, fight for her, protect her and don’t let her go because once she walks out on you there will be nothing left you can do.”

I didn’t say anything as I let the words that Gavin just uttered to me, soak in.

“If you think this is over, you are sadly mistaken. You forgave me once, Ali. And I could make that happen again.”

I shook my head, “Nothing hurts more than being hurt by the person you never thought would hurt you.”

“It was an accident,” I heard him say.

I shook my head, letting out a pathetic laugh. “Twice?” When Gavin didn’t say anything else I took that as my cue to leave, but before I could do that I had to leave him with something to think about.

“You aren’t sorry that you did it, you are sorry that I found out and Gavin that’s what hurts the most.” Chapter Fifty-Three: Protests for Love

“How