Love Unclaimed (3 page)

Nine years ago…

Audree had planned an amazing summer. She had graduated high school a couple of months ago and turned eighteen. This summer, she had every intention of going through with her plan to give her virginity to Gavin. Even if Gavin had pretty much stayed away from her for the last two years, she wanted him to be her first. She knew he wouldn’t miss coming home for this birthday. It was her eighteenth and her last one before she left for college. She never understood the concept of “losing” one’s virginity to someone. In her mind, if she knew who she was with, and it was what she wanted, then she couldn’t really lose it. She would freely give it, and she did not intend to give hers to some random college guy. There was only one man who deserved that honor, and she knew had devised an elaborate plan to give it to Gavin.

Gavin had all but disappeared for his first two years of college. They shared the breath-taking kiss after that last summer party before he left for college, but he’d rarely come home since. He would even spend the holidays away from home. Audree was sure he visited his mother, but he never stopped by to see her. Lizzy never mentioned his visits, but Audree knew by the flowers in his mother’s home, that he’d been there. Clint would tell her that Gavin was working over the school breaks at some of the clubs to earn extra money, but Audree knew he was avoiding her.

If Travis invited Audree and Ruby to hang out with Gavin and Clint, Gavin would keep his distance and rarely made eye contact with her. He avoided being alone with her at all costs. If Audree were the only one in a room, he would turn around and go look for something, and then walk back into the room when someone else arrived. He would only ride in a car with her if someone else were with them. He had only touched her once; he’d had to remove some guy at a bar from her personal space and he’d picked her up and moved her out of the way while he dragged the guy outside. Yes, he literally picked her up by her elbows and moved her.

Audree had plans to change this, and she wasn’t going to let him get away. Tonight was the night of her eighteenth birthday. There wasn’t a huge party, just friends and family around the pool. The big surprise party had taken place in the barn the previous weekend. Audree was thrilled that Clint had made it home and was staying for the week. Gavin hadn’t shown up for the surprise party, but surprised everyone by showing up for the family party, on her actual birthday.

Except for her mother, Ruby was the only one Audree had told about the kiss. Ruby was pissed that Gavin had left the way he had, but she was very much aware of his behavior toward Audree since. Ruby told her that she saw the way he looked at her and knew he wanted her, but that he was going to stay away from her because of his friendship with Clint. Audree knew Ruby kept her eye on Gavin. Ruby wanted to warn him to stay away from her best friend, because she knew Audree wouldn’t stay away from him. All she could do was wait to see what he did and make sure he didn’t hurt Audree.

Anyone who had shared space with Audree and Gavin could feel the charge in the air around them. Ruby figured maybe Gavin was just waiting until Audree turned eighteen to make his move, so she would continue to keep an eye on him. Ruby knew that if he hurt her best friend, she would have to hurt him. This, of course, would be difficult to do without hurting Audree and without Clint finding out. If Clint found out, Gavin might lose his best friend. Everyone knew that, no one’s feelings came before Audree’s in Clint’s mind. Anyone who hurt her would have to deal with him.

“Happy Birthday, Pip.” Gavin walked up, gave her a peck on the cheek, and hoped she didn’t notice him inhale her scent when he gave her a hug. He made every effort to make sure he didn’t press his body too close to hers.

“Ugh, really, please don’t start calling me Pip again. I hated it when I was little and I hate it just as much, if not more, now.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Audree smiled when she heard him moan in her ear and felt his body stiffen before he could take a step back.

“You may be eighteen today, but you will always and forever be Pipsqueak.” He smiled down at her.

“No one has called me that in years.” She looked up at him.

“That is because you finally got boobs,” Travis called from behind them and everyone laughed.

“It’s nice of you to notice, Travis.” Audree’s father, Spencer, smacked him on the back of the head as he walked by, carrying a handful of plates to put down on the table.

“Aw, well, it took them long enough to show up.” Travis laughed, still rubbing the back of his head.

“Travis, really,” her mother chimed in from across the patio as she set a cake down onto the center of the table. “Gavin, when did you get here? Clint said you weren’t sure if you would be able to make it.” She kissed him on the cheek and pulled him in for a hug.

“I had to wait to make sure my shift was covered. Clint has seniority so he gets to ditch whenever he feels like it. We grunts have to wait it out.” He smiled at Talia.

“Well, I hope you’ll be able to stay for a couple of days, maybe go see your father.” She guided him over to the table where he shook her father’s hand and they nodded at each other the way men do.

“Audree said she saw Malcolm in town the other day,” Audree’s father stated matter-of-factly, not noticing the looks shared among Travis, Clint, and Gavin or when all eyes turned to Audree, who just shrugged her shoulders.

“He wished her a Happy Birthday,” her mother said, also oblivious to the tension radiating off Gavin.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Gavin whispered to Audree, as he passed by her to stand next to his brother near the table.

“Come on, honey. Come on over and blow out your candles, so you can make a wish and open your presents.” Her mother squeezed her shoulders and guided her over to the table.

Audree waited until everyone had finished singing “Happy Birthday,” leaned down, and closed her eyes. She said her silent wish and looked up at the only person who could fulfill it. She smiled and blew out the candles. The tightening of Gavin’s jaw relaxed as he smiled down at her and shook his head ‘no’. She blushed at the realization that he knew exactly what her wish had been.

“Presents, presents.” With a roll of her eyes, Ruby grabbed Audree’s arm and spun her around, breaking the stare between Audree and Gavin.

“Audree, this is from your father and me,” her mother said as she handed her an envelope. Although Audree had a feeling she knew what was in it, her stomach knotted when her mother handed it to her. Clint had received a similar envelope on his eighteenth birthday.

“I don’t think I’m ready for this,” she said, looking at her parents.

“For now, it is in name only. You have to finish school first.” Her father kissed her on the cheek and sat down with his piece of cake. He was so nonchalant about handing Audree her half ownership of the Edwards’ land, as if he was handing her a ten-dollar bill and telling her to go have fun with it.

“I really don’t know what to say,” she said, tightening her hold on the envelope.  “Thank you,” she whispered then moved to hug them both.

“Me next.” Clint stood up and walked over to his sister. “It took me a while to get a hold of this and to get it working, but… but it is yours.” He handed her a key dangling a keychain with a red capital ‘A’.

“Clint, what did you do?” she gasped.

“Do you remember old man Garver’s old red truck?” He laughed when he saw her eyes light up.

“You didn’t!” she shrilled.

“Took forever, but…” He laughed harder when she jumped into his arms, threw her arms and legs around him, and started kissing his face. “Every farm girl needs her own little truck to bop around the farm in, of course.”

“Where is it? Where is it?” She jumped down from his waist and looked around.

“Down at the barn, but …” He looked over at his mother.

“You and your guests haven’t finished your cake,” Talia said, looking at her daughter.

“Well, I already gave her my gift.” Ruby smirked devilishly at her and winked.

“My gift kind of goes with the truck; I bought the tires.” Travis beamed proudly.

“You knew?” She jumped at Travis, threw her arms around him, and hugged him. “You cannot keep a secret to save your life.” She laughed, pulling away from him.

“I was threatened with having my balls…,” He stopped when he met Talia’s eyes. “Sorry, I was threatened with bodily harm if I told.” He took a step closer to Audree. “And I need my balls,” he whispered to her.

“You can go after we finish our cake and you open Gavin’s gift,” Talia remarked, and all eyes turned to Gavin.

“It can wait if she wants to go after we finish our cake.” He blushed and moved so everyone would stop looking at him.

Audree thought she was going to die if she had to wait one more minute to go see her new/old truck. She had loved that truck since she was a little girl. She always said that when she had enough money saved, she would buy it. Mr. Garver owned the feed store in town and had the old truck parked out back for as long as Audree could remember. When their parents would go shopping, Audree and Clint would take turns pretending to drive it while they waited. Mr. Garver had never married and had no children so he’d said Audree could have the truck when she was older, but it would take her forever to save enough money to have it restored. She knew Clint, Travis, Gavin or even herself could rebuild the engine. They had all been working on cars, trucks, tractors and all the equipment and vehicles on the farm since they were kids.

She couldn’t get over the fact that Clint had actually bought the truck and restored it for her birthday. She couldn’t wait to go see it, and the suspense was killing her. Her mother made them all sit there for almost another hour eating cake, having coffee, and catching up with Clint and Gavin. Her eyes kept shifting between Gavin and the gift box that was presently sitting on his thigh. She knew he saw her looking at it, and every once in a while, he would shift it to the other leg or hold it between his hands and twirl it.

Finally, after the dishes were taken into the house and cleaned up, her mother released them. Audree was the first to kiss her mother and father on the cheek, thanking them for her party and gift before she bolted through the gate toward the barn. She was halfway there when Gavin came up behind her and scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder. “You are taking too damn long.” He laughed. She screamed and smacked his ass as he ran, and the others ran behind them laughing.

“So very not funny.” She smacked him harder and then he stopped and set her down just before they reached the barn. Clint and Travis went over to the barn to open the doors while Ruby held her hand and Gavin stood behind her with his big hands over her eyes. She was no longer sure which she was more excited about, the truck, or having Gavin touching her so much. It had been so long since he was so carefree with her.

She didn’t realize she had been leaning back against Gavin’s chest until he leaned forward and whispered, “You’re not playing fair, Pip.” The spell between them was broken when Ruby tugged her hand and she heard the sounds of the tires rolling out of the barn in front of her.

“Come on, little sister. Come start your truck,” Clint called from in front of her, and she could hear the smile on his face. Gavin kept his hands over her eyes, and he and Ruby walked her over to the front of the truck.

“Ready?” Gavin asked.

“Yes.” She laughed, answering both the question about the truck and then gently bumping her backside into the erection that had been pressing against her back. She giggled when he groaned and removed his hand from her eyes.

“Come on,” called Travis as he waved his arm at her.

She and Ruby squealed as they ran over to the truck. Audree stood in front of the truck and just stared at the cherry red paint. She walked around the truck, admiring every inch. She knew trucks as well as her brother. Her father and Clint had insisted she know the ins and outs of an engine. They didn’t want her stuck somewhere without knowing how to fix a flat tire, change a spark plug, or charge a battery. By the time she made her way back around to the front, Clint had lifted the hood so she could look at the engine, knowing that she would want to see it.

“Oh, Clint.  It is … It is just beautiful.” She threw her arms around her brother again. “I just … I don’t even know what to say,” she sighed. “This has to be one of the best gifts, ever.” She looked over at Gavin and smiled, knowing he had the only gift she really wished for.

“So are we going to stand here and stare at her, or are we going to take her out?” Travis called from the open passenger door.

“Shotgun!” Ruby shouted and knocked him out of the way, as she scrambled into the passenger seat.

“Didn’t you see me standing here?”

“Yeah, I did, but you didn’t call it.” She beamed and stuck her tongue out.

Audree looked between Clint and Gavin, then at her new/old truck. “Donuts!” She laughed and ran to the driver’s side of the truck. She started the engine and revved it. “Oh, this is just beautiful,” she said as she ran her hand over the dashboard.