Gavin: Pure Passion (Hamptons Book 1) (27 page)

Chapter 18

Four weeks later

I had a chance to get to know Gavin’s family, and I’m happy they accepted me. I had to give his parents a dancing lesson right away. They asked me if I would, because they’re celebrating their silver anniversary soon.

The girls who attacked me were arrested after being presented to me in a police lineup in Miami. I recognized them immediately. It turns out they were very active in the local fan club, and the other members gave information about them after an all-points bulletin was put out by the police. Now there’s going to be a trial, but thank God I don’t have to be there, because my statement hasn’t changed and I have such a long way to get there. I decided not to sue them for damages, because I know these girls have no money. I don’t want to destroy their entire lives, even if they almost destroyed mine. But at least they are banned from Downstair Alley concerts for the rest of their lives, and were immediately kicked out of the fan club. The guys released an official media statement saying they’re more than disappointed, Gavin is still angry, but I can always calm him down pretty quickly.

I’ve been back in New York for a week now to clear out my room in the apartment. I’m moving in with Gavin, and his brother Lyle is moving in with Macey, because he can get to Juilliard more easily from here than if he had to drive from the Hamptons every day. It was Macey’s idea.

My things are packed and in the moving van. I sit on the floor and look around nostalgically. There are so many memories connected to this room, good and bad, and I’ll surely enjoy thinking back on my time in the city.

The guys are on vacation, and Gavin has a surprise for me. I wonder what it is, because he hasn’t given me the tiniest hint.

“Are you ready, babe? Lyle wants to bring up his stuff,” Gavin says, coming into the room.

I smile up at him. “Yes, I’m ready now.”

I give him my hand and he pulls me to my feet. “Do you want to say good-bye to Macey?”

“She went to the theater, because she hates good-byes, even though I’ll surely see her again soon.”

“Then let’s drive right home, I prefer that to a tearful parting between the two of you, anyway.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, putting on an exaggeratedly dark look.

Gavin clears his throat. “That just means I’m glad I don’t have to wait around anymore.”

We leave my room, and find Gavin’s younger brother waiting outside the door. Lyle is eighteen, finished high school in June, and is just moving out into the big wide world. “Finally,” he grumbles, reminding me of Gavin instantly.

“Sorry, I was just feeling a little nostalgic,” I apologize with a grin.

He smiles at me. “You should be glad I like you, otherwise I would have gotten impatient.”

“And violent,” Gavin says, poking Lyle in the side with one finger playfully, and mock-punching his chin with the other fist. “We’re off. Think you can deal with the movers by yourself?”

“Yeah, I think I can manage that,” his brother answers. “Will you be back sometime in the next few days to show me the city?”

“Sure, I’ll do that,” Gavin replies cheerfully, and hugs his brother briefly. “Take good care of yourself, and call me if you have any questions.”

“Yes, sir!” Lyle says with a salute.

“Idjit. See that you get moved in.”

“Yeah, I’ve been trying to do that for an hour now, but your girlfriend had to get all misty-eyed,” Lyle says, teasing me.

“Watch out, or you’ll be sleeping on the street,” I joke back before I give him a hug, too. “You can call anytime, no matter what.”

“I will, Lane, thanks.”

“Shall we hit the road, babe?”

I nod. We leave the apartment.

We arrive in the Hamptons the normal way to the house, but Gavin takes the next left. “Huh? You just took a wrong turn,” I say.

“No, I didn’t.”

“I’m completely sure.”

“Me, too.” He grins and drives up a short driveway and stops at a beautiful little house. It’s much smaller than the other one, but I like it immediately. “I wanted us to have a place of our own, that’s why I bought this house when you were in Miami last week.”

“But you were with me,” I say, burning with curiosity.

“Yeah, but I bought it during a Skype conference with the real estate agent. I looked at it after we came back from Orlando,” he explains.

I nod slowly and get out of the car. “It’s so beautiful!”

“And it’s ours,” he says, coming up behind me and putting his arms around me. Then he kisses my temples. “Part of the house is already furnished, but two bedrooms still need to be done, and you can do those if you like. And . . . there’s a little dance studio for you in the cellar that has everything you need.”

I look at him in awe. “Thank you.” Then I hug him tightly.

He kisses the sensitive spot under my ear. “But that’s not all.”

I raise my eyebrows. “What else could there be?”

“You’ll see.” Gavin takes my hand and leads me into our new home. I look around with interest. The windows reach all the way to the ceiling, and I hope I’m not the one who has to clean them. The thought makes me grin.

“What’s so funny?”

I blush, he caught me. “I was just hoping I don’t have to clean the windows, because they’re so high.”

Gavin laughs. “We can do that together.”

“OK,” I say with a sigh. “It’s a dream.”

“Just wait until you see the rest.”

“Will you show it to me?” I ask happily.

“Not yet. First I have to play something for you.” He leads me into the living room, where I see a grand piano.

“Oh, man,” I say in amazement.

“What?”

“The piano, it’s gorgeous.”

“Oh, yeah . . . I’ve been dreaming of having one forever.” He sits down on the bench. “Now I’d like to play a song for you.”

I sit next to him and close my eyes as he begins to play the first notes. His deep voice vibrates softly and fills the air around me.

I made my journey, heard the call

Traveled worlds so far apart

But the greatest battle of them all

Was the fight to win your heart

The last notes resonate like crystals in the air, while I lean on his shoulder with my eyes closed. “That’s unbelievably beautiful,” I whisper.

“It’s going to be on the next album,” he whispers.

I turn to look at him in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah. The guys and I talked to Joel about it. He thought it was a good idea. We want to record more songs that we’ve written ourselves anyway, and with his help, we were able to convince the record company.”

I stroke his cheek. “Thank you, honey.”

“I would do anything for you,” he whispers and kisses me tenderly.

“I love you so much,” I say softly.

“I love you, too, babe.”

We stand up, and Gavin leads me through the rest of the house, which I find glorious. Finally we arrive in the garden. “We share grounds with the guy next door?” I ask when I realize I can see the other house through the trees with no wall or fence in between.

“Yeah, so we can drive over in the golf cart when our choreographer wants to torture us, and because I don’t always want to walk on the road. That’s why we decided for the simple solution. There will be a path laid, though, so we don’t have to walk over the lawns,” he says with a radiant smile. “And I still haven’t showed you the best part.”

“What could be better, when you’ve already bought us a house?”

“The simplest thing you could imagine, but I like it. And if you like it, it’s even better.” Gavin brings me to the back of the house, where there’s a huge veranda, with intricate wrought-iron steps leading up to it. There’s an old-fashioned wooden porch swing there, a love seat with space just for two. “What do you think?”

“This is wonderful!” I cry with happiness, and walk up the steps.

Gavin follows me and sits down, and wraps his arms around me. I cuddle against him and look at the horizon. There’s an incredible view of the sun setting over the water. “I love watching sunsets,” he whispers.

I smile up at him. “Thank you.”

“For what, babe?”

“For being who you are. No one else makes me feel like you do.”

“No one else should try, either, because I’m not letting you go again,” he replies quietly. He strokes my collarbone gently with his fingertips, which makes my skin tingle and rise in tiny bumps.

If I’d listened to my heart from the start, I never would have let him go once I’d met him, but everyone is a victim of their own fear. But Gavin has changed me so much that now I let my dreams have more power over me, and can let go of my fear. He’s the perfect man for me.

I always used to think that fate did nothing but kick you in the ass, but maybe it was only doing that to test me. Because it also sent me Gavin, who touched me from the moment I saw him.

I’m the one in a million who wins the lottery: not a rich girl, not a groupie, just myself, and I was the one his heart chose. That’s how he made me richer than any heiress, because love is the greatest of riches that anyone can give.

I raise my eyes to him again, and he smiles at me. “I love you, babe.”

“I love you, too,” I whisper, leaning over and giving him a tender kiss. I’ve never been so happy in my entire life. It’s totally clear that nothing will ever be able to separate us easily again. Because we’re going to make this life together into something special. Because we love each other.

Acknowledgments

Dear Reader,

Wow, my ninth book has just been released. I can hardly believe you’ve made that possible for me, and I’m extremely grateful. It’s always so hard for me to believe that there are so many people out there who like—or love—my stories. Thank you for being there, and for being who you are. Thank you for making me smile with all of your feedback, whether it be a review, an e-mail, or a post on Facebook, Twitter, or another social media platform. Thanks for everything!

Lea, as usual, you’re not getting away so easily this time, either. It’s so much fun to work with you, and to chat with you! Thank you for everything you do for my guys and girls! Without you, I wouldn’t be able to make this journey. I’m very grateful that we get along so well, and that you’re always there to listen!

Paul, I have to thank you, too, because you dress my stories so beautifully. I love every single cover you’ve created for the Coral Gables series and my other books. Aside from that, you’re my rock in the storm, and you give me support when I don’t know how to go on, and you give me the strength and security I need. I’m so glad that you’ve been by my side for more than eight years. I love you.

Mama, thank you for always telling me I should follow my dreams, before they follow me because I didn’t make them come true. I can’t put into words how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for me. You’re the angel who watches over me, even though in the meantime I’m twenty-seven.

I’d also like to thank the girls who run the “Drucie Anne Taylor Fans, Germany” Facebook page. You make me smile every day because you put so much effort into it.

Thank you all for the wonderful, funny, emotional hours that we’ve spent talking to each other.

Love,

Drucie Anne

Rights and Other Boring Stuff

The rights for all songs that are named or quoted in this book belong to the respective songwriters, bands, or record companies.

Brands that are mentioned are also the property of the respective companies.

The TV show
Celebrity Dance Hall
is purely a product of my imagination.

About the Author

Drucie Anne Taylor was born in 1987 in Cologne, Germany. She still lives with her family, a cat, and a pygmy rabbit in the city on the Rhine River. She discovered her love of writing in her teenage years, which is why many of her manuscripts are still hidden in dark, unopened drawers. When she’s not writing, she likes to go to musicals and watch movies of musicals. To the dismay of her family, she often listens to and sings along with the soundtracks for days on end. She just needs a few simple things in order to write: a latte and music or noise, because she finds it impossible to concentrate when it’s absolutely silent.

She has written several series in the new adult fiction genre, including the Coral Gables series and the Hamptons series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel. You can find her on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/drucieannetaylorauthor
and on Twitter
@DrucieATaylor
.