You Will Be Mine (New Horizon Book 3)

Chapter 30: Garrett

It really sucks that Gabe and I have found ourselves at odds with each other yet again when we share this office and have to look at each other all day, every day. At least, I feel like I’m at odds with him, even if he seems to be oblivious to it. He’s been quiet, but I think it has more to do with Jeannie than me.

But regardless, just like the first time, when anyone else is around we make sure to act normal. Our parents don’t need to hear about our drama, or get overly concerned and involved the way that they tend to do. They still don’t know what happened with Gabby either, though they’ve since caught on that something must have happened since we’re no longer friends with her.

Even though my brother is the last person I want to talk to right now, he’s also the only one here, and the silence is getting to me.

“So, how’d it go with Jeannie last night? Did Simon get a chance to talk with her?” I finally ask him. It’s probably the only thing I can think of to say because it’s been on my mind.

I did not end up seeking her out again the way I thought about doing for a fleeting moment, mostly because of that stupid assurance I made him that I wouldn’t. But I also meant the part about not turning her away if she comes to me, and I kind of hope she does and not just for my own selfish reasons. I do care about her, and the way she was yesterday has been weighing on me. I need to know what’s going on in her head, and if she needs someone to talk to, I really want to make sure she gets that chance.

He shakes his head, confirming for me that it’s mostly his mate getting him down.

“The night was normal. She let him stay in her bed and all, but she didn’t want to talk this morning. She said it was weird when she knows I’m in there listening to them.”

Yeah, I still can’t believe that I had to point that out to him. Of course she thinks that’s weird. That is weird. I mean, I’ve never let Gabby’s wolf come talk to me. It’s basically like cheating the system, forcing the person who doesn’t want to talk to you to interact with you anyway. I get that it’s not fair to the wolves who have their own opinions and things to say, but that’s the cost of sharing a body the way that we do.

“Did you tell her to say that?” he asks, suddenly looking up from his desk and shooting me a suspicious look. “I mean, I just find it strange how she seemed fine with it yesterday, but now she’s suddenly repeating your words to me.”

“No, you ass,” I shoot back at him, appalled that he would even accuse me of meddling like that. And maybe a little bit regretting that I didn’t, since he doesn’t seem to appreciate it anyway. “I didn’t say anything to her about that. In fact, I didn’t even talk to her after I saw you. She must have come to that conclusion on her own, and good for her. If she’s got something on her mind, she needs someone to talk to who isn’t sharing your body and mind.”

“What, like you?” he scoffs, giving me another glare for good measure before looking back at his work.

Then he sighs, and adds, “I know you think I’m being possessive and controlling, but I’m not. I just wish she’d talk to me so we could work this out. I don’t even know what bothers her the most, so I don’t know where to focus my efforts to fix it. I just get the sense that it’s not entirely about all the women I’ve been with. I know that bothers her, but I don’t think that’s what she’s stuck on, and I also don’t know what to do about that other than not give any other women the time of day, which I’m already doing.”

“Maybe if you weren’t such a d**k to your favorite brother, he’d offer to help you,” I quip at him.

“Yeah, well I haven’t been anything but sweet to Aaron, and besides, he has school.”

I roll my eyes at his attempt to walk back the tension and lighten the mood, but I have to admit preferring that to how he was yesterday, jumping down my throat at the thought of me interacting with Jeannie. Though I suppose what actually bothered me about that was how close it was to my own less-than-pure intentions.

I came close to crossing a line when I had Jeannie in my lap, but I stopped myself. It’s not fair to her, no matter how good it would feel for me. She obviously cares about Gabe, or finding out the truth about him wouldn’t upset her so much. And if I were to step in and take advantage of her in such a vulnerable state, I’d be no better than him.

Worse even. My mate went to him with intent to deceive him and betray me, and he was stupid and ignorant about it, but not malicious. If I allowed myself to do anything more than support Jeannie as a friend, I’d be doing it with knowledge and intent of betraying my brother, and that’s on top of the effect it would have on Jeannie.

I don’t know which one of us is responsible for it, but eventually the conversation between us lulls, and we go back to working mostly in silence. And now that I think of it, I actually prefer the silence to what I have to look forward to tomorrow. Back to Indigo Moon for a supply swap, though it’s the last place I want to be returning to so soon. Is it wrong of me to be wishing I could take Jeannie again?

After some time passes in silence and I’ve finished my morning tasks, I move onto sitting there wondering what I should do for lunch. I’m debating between taking myself down to the dining hall with Gabe, going upstairs to see what my parents have in the fridge, or going home to see what Nana might be cooking, and that’s when I get a text. It’s from an unknown number, but I have my suspicions about it.

Do you have lunch with Gabe?

That has to be Jeannie. It could just be wishful thinking, but who else would be wondering that so close to lunchtime other than the girl who is both avoiding him and also never actually said what she came to say to me yesterday?

Sometimes, but not always. Probably not today. Who is this?

My suspicions are confirmed a moment later. It’s her, but she didn’t realize that I didn’t have her number. Apparently, Stella gave her mine. I’m not even a little mad about that, though I do hope my little sister doesn’t make a habit of giving it out. Some of the people she associates with are not people I want to have a direct line to me.

I can’t help glancing up at Gabe to see if he’s gotten suspicious about my sudden interest in my phone, but he still seems to be caught up in his brooding for now. I should probably give him a heads up that I just agreed to meet his mate for lunch, but I know what his reaction will be. So, I’m opting to put her needs ahead of his in this moment. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.