Bejewelled

CH 16

Gabe had been trailing her for a good kilometre now. She had absolutely no idea he was there. He could see her phone strapped to her right arm, and she was wearing some expensive-looking headphones, clearly blue toothed to her phone. He wasn’t gaining any ground on her, matched her speed to see how she ran, it was comfortable for him, that was a good thing, and he didn’t mind following in her footsteps, watching her.

She was comfortable running, that was for certain, there was no stopping and starting, no need for rest. She was a regular runner, as was he. She was well toned from behind, he would be willing to bet that there was some sort of ab muscles on the woman, probably not a six pack, but something. It was likely she never stopped running when she moved away.

He saw the hill coming and smiled, it was the hardest part of this particular trail to run, and to his delight she came to stop, clearly didn’t want to run it. He would pass her and show her how it was done. As he came up next to her, he turned and looked at her clearly startled expression, took a stumbling step back in her shock at his appearance, it just made him smile.

Then he continued on, but could not resist turning to give her an unspoken challenge on the hill, but when she still didn’t move, he shrugged and continued on. It only took a further 10 seconds before he heard her feet pounding on the ground as she came up the hill after him. He knew deep down she wouldn’t be able to resist the challenge against him, smiled to himself. The woman could never resist a challenge, not against him.

Gabe doubted that she would catch him, his lead was too great, and who in their right mind, tried to catch up and out run someone on a steep climb that would be stupid. Expanding all one’s energy to pass someone on a hill only to exhaust yourself and have them passing you on the way down on the other side. He wasn’t that stupid, and he didn’t think Cinda was either.

He hit the top and turned to watch her climb the rest of the hill. He was breathing heavily and needed to catch his breath, she was breathing heavily, he could see that, though her facial expression didn’t register any major discomfort. A pity, he had been hoping she was struggling more than he was, but it appeared not.

His eyes moved over her, as she jogged up that hill towards him. He had been right as she ran towards him, he could see her ab muscles working, actually he could see all her body's muscles working, she had never stopped running. He could tell. She reached the top and stopped next to him, his breath was still uneven, but he managed a smile, “Didn’t think you were up for the challenge for a minute there?”

Cinda waved him off, clearly not able to talk yet, he chuckled and copped her green-eyed glare, but today, right before this run actually, he had made the decision to try and sort things out with her, so he would start it here and now and play nice. He waited for her to catch her breath. There was no six pack of any kind but a nice slight v-line that led off down below her tights.

“You were just as puffed as I was.” She removed her headphones to sit around her neck, she shot back seemingly annoyed with him, no surprise there, she always was, he let it go.

“You really shouldn’t wear headphones out here, never know if anyone’s sneaking up on you.”

“Like you did back there. Just how long were you stalking me?” She demanded.

Gabe laughed out loud, “Stalking you? Why would I be stalking you, of all people?”

Cinda glared at him even harder now, there it was that unspoken disaster between them, would she ever let it go? No, he didn’t think so, he hadn’t, so why would she have? To darn hard to deal with, to take back, it had been too long ago now to even try and he couldn't take his words back, and it had clearly burned them both.

“This is my hometown. I run out here all the time.” He said calmly, ignoring her anger at his implying that she wasn’t worth stalking.

“It’s my hometown too.” She snapped “and you’re invading my private personal space.”

That got his attention her private personal space. She was the one to follow him, come to a halt barely a foot away, “Lucinda, you stopped there not I, so actually you’re in my personal space. But if you like.” He took that small step towards her and got in her personal space right up close and personal, “now you can blame me, instead of yourself for something you did.”

Her head shot up, the statement hadn’t been lost on her, the sudden change of subject to the old topic neither of them would willingly openly discuss, it was clear to him she felt it was all his fault, but she had been the one to start something on that fateful day, not him, or at least that was how he recalled it.

Perhaps her view was different, perhaps she thought it was he who had started something with her. The one thing both of them could agree on, was it, had been he who had ended it that was for certain.

He raised an eyebrow at her, “Do you want to go there?” Gabe asked, still trying to stay in control but finding it more difficult than he expected. The woman just seemed to be able to bring out the Neanderthal side of him, and sometimes he really did just want to hit her over the head and carry her away to make her... he took a step back and cut that train of thought. It would lead to nothing good.

“No, I don’t, and if I recall correctly, neither do you. Made that clear as day.” She turned to go back down the hill, shot him one last look over her shoulder and said in a cool, calm tone “though I do believe you physically didn’t agree with the verbal statement, you so clearly stated.” And then she was off down the hill back the way she came.

Gabe glared at her but only for a moment, she did have him on that one. Hell, even now, his verbal and physical reactions to her still didn’t agree with one another, but what was there to be done about it, nothing was what.

He couldn’t go there. If he did, his mother would never speak to him again. She always said Cinda was his sister and though he had always denied it, he knew that was how his mother felt about the situation and he was not going to hurt her or disappoint her with any actions she might find unholy.

That was not who he was, but sometimes he wished he was that person. Gabe turned away from watching her run and continued on his own, pushing all thoughts of her from his mind, though he knew that was going to be difficult, it always was even more so when he knew she was here in town.

He hadn’t apologised like he had told himself he would and though he had wanted to play nice, it just never seemed to work out that way. They couldn’t, it seemed play nice, unless Lori was right in front of the two of them. And even that wasn’t exactly nice, more civil.

He arrived home to find his machine blinking, he hit the play button to hear Senior Sergeant Bentley’s voice ask him to come into the station first thing in the morning, then apologised that it was going to interrupt his day off. There was no explanation as to why, but the man didn’t sound mad, so likely not in any kind of trouble with the Senior Sergeant.

Gabe shrugged, he was an early riser and what was half an hour out of his day, nothing realistically. He placed a call to the station house and told Dave that he would be in as requested at 7.

He was to have dinner with his parents right after this run, a late evening barbeque with a few of their friends as well. He was hoping that Cinda wasn’t going to be there, likely not though.

She did tend to avoid going home when he did, and his father hadn’t mentioned her being there, so he thought it was likely she would have declined the invitation, which he knew would have been extended to her. Would have used work as her excuse or that she still wasn’t feeling up to a large gathering after her father in-law died.

Only one excuse would pass for his mother, grief. Nothing else would stop the woman demanding that Cinder turn up for a barbeque with her family, knowing she was home now.

He showered and strolled on over to the house, a nice walk now that the sun was down, and that way he could have a beer too. There were already a good 20 people there, sitting and standing around. His father smiled right at him, “Glad you could make it son.”

Why he said that? Who knew, he did usually turn up if he was not working. He knew everyone here, so it was a nice social event.

“Where’s mum?” Gabe asked, knowing full well if he didn’t pop in and say hi the minute he arrived, she’d be annoyed with him. Liked to know when he was here. Keeping track of her only son.

“Kitchen.” His father smiled at him.

Gabe nodded, grabbed a beer from the ice bucket, twisted the cap off and headed inside to say hello. She was in the kitchen alright, standing smiling happily with Cinda. They were just finishing mixing up a couple of salad bowls, he noted.

“Gabe.” His mother smiled right at him, happy to see him as always.

“Mum.” He returned with a nod, his eyes moved to Cinda, wearing low-slung jeans across her hips and a simple tee-shirt that didn’t quite reach her jeans. He could see about an inch of her lower abdomen. Reminded him of what she’d worn on her 18th birthday, bugged him instantly.

She glanced at him, smiled right at him all sweetly and he knew it was fake instantly, though he was certain his mother wouldn’t pick it, then she simply went back to doing what she had been doing.

He turned and walked outside, heard his mother make a comment about he’d been rude for not saying hello to Cinda, apologised on his behalf for his rudeness. Rolled his eyes and walked off the deck and down to go chat with some of the neighbours. He would steer clear of her, all night. Hadn't thought she was going to be here at all. Didn’t particularly want her here either. He knew his mother and father would, so he would behave himself. And the easiest way to do that was to just stay away from her.

It was easier said than done though, his eyes moved about the back yard looking for her on several occasions, couldn’t seem to help himself, she was mostly just chatting to people she hadn’t seen in a long time. Catching up, it appeared. She didn’t seem to pay him the slightest bit of attention.

He’d never actually seen her drink before other than on her 18th birthday, and every time he looked over at her she did have a bottle in her hand, Canadian Club, seemed to be the drink of choice. Wondered if it was the same one or was she on her 2nd or 3rd one for that matter.

He could hear his mother telling everyone how proud of her she was, and that she worked for a big company, was head hunted right out of Uni and that’s why she was hardly ever home. But would be home for a while, working here for a bit through her company.

That got his attention, so Cinda hadn’t told his mother she’d bought a house here and was planning on moving here. Or had she just lied to him about it, to get him off her back. Curious he was.

Watched as she tried to stop his mother’s constant praise, and gave up in the end, and then saw her take a phone call, and wander off to chat, looked at his watch. It was nearly 10pm. Who would be calling at this late hour? Then heard the name Jack, and frowned. She wasn’t gone long but came back smiling to herself. Found him looking right at her.

Actually, rolled her eyes at him, for watching her, then just went right back to sit with his mother, heard his mother bring up her work again and ask how long she planned to stay, smiled to himself when he saw her shrug and state “I’m uncertain of that, each project is different.”

Walked himself right by them and looked right at her “Oh mum didn’t you know. Cinda bought a house here in town, planning on moving back home.”

He saw those green eyes glare right at him, even as he heard his mother’s excited gasp, ignored Cinda’s glare, turned right to his mother “She told me herself, just this morning.” He added, so Cinda couldn’t deny it. And if she did, it meant she had lied to him.

His eyes moved right back to her, ‘I win.’ he thought smugly to himself, as he smiled right at her, daring her to deny it right to his face. Right in front of his mother. Dash all her excitement.

His mother was all over her, asking “Did you buy a house, really? Are you moving back?”

She was still glaring at him.

Watched her turn right to his mother and actually smile, “Well now it’s out, yes I have. But I was planning on surprising you with this news, a Christmas present kind of. But Gabe here has now ruined that, I see.” her eyes moved right back to his.

Oh crap! He had not even thought that there might be a reason why she hadn’t told his parents about buying a house and moving back. If that was her true intention, he’d just ruined a Christmas surprise for his own mother. Maybe it was her way of apologising for never being around.

Though, by the sound of his mother’s gushing, she didn’t particularly care at all, was just really happy to hear the news. But by the death stare he was getting from Cinda, he knew she had planned on telling them, was just waiting for the right time. He couldn’t take it back now.

Put his foot in his mouth and all because she had rolled her eyes right at him and it had ticked him off to see it, he wanted to get a win in, over her, and now that win was a bloody loss.

He could tell from the way she was glaring at him; she really wanted a piece of him. He shrugged, perhaps she should have asked him not to say anything and told him why. If he’d known, he would certainly not have ruined that for his mother.

Turned and walked away, there was nothing he could do about it at this point. Saw his father looking right at him, shook his head even a little, seemed to understand that he had ruined that for not just his mother but for Cinda too.

“I’m off.” he told his father, drained his beer and tossed the bottle into the recycling bin and walked off down the side of the house.

Heard the front door bang open and close as he stepped from the side of the house, knew who it was and why before he heard her grated words “You just couldn’t bloody help yourself, could you?”

“I didn’t know it was a secret.” He shrugged and continued on passed her.

“The hell you didn’t. If it wasn’t, the whole bloody town would have known, Beth would have told you, told everyone. Of course, you freaking knew. But no, good old Gabe just has to butt in, and win, don’t you!”

His footsteps stopped and he turned and looked right at her, “Butt in?” He questioned “Since when have I ever butt into your life...Never.” Gabe snapped. “You’re the one who keeps secrets Cinda, not me. So don’t go blaming me when what you plan backfires on you.”

“Plan! I didn’t bloody plan anything.” She snapped at him.

Oh, so now were not talking about the house, were back on the old topic. No, he didn’t think she had planned that moment, likely surprised the pair of them, but she was accusing him of saying, he thought she’d planned it all out, that it was all her fault. Why did that not surprise him?

“You didn’t?” he questioned, “so you bought a house and told no one about it, on a whim.” he shot at her, trying to avoid getting into their past. This was not about that. But it seemed she was trying to make it about that to him.

Saw her jaw tick for a moment, had nothing to say, because he was right, she had planned this and couldn’t deny it. Turned and walked away.

“Yes, walk away,” she yelled “That’s what your good at, isn’t it.”

Again, his footfall stopped, found his hands on his hips for a moment, then turned his eyes on her, “I’m right here, where I have always been. You’re the one who bloody left.” He grated out and stalked away before he did something they would both regret.

He may have been the one to walk away that night, but he had gone to the city to see her, had wanted to sort it out, might have taken him just over a month to get up the damn courage to do it, but he had. Only to find bloody Grey all over her, she moved on damned fast as far as he was concerned.

So yes, he’d walked away from her then too. What the hell else was he supposed to do when he saw her like that with one of his closest friends? It was pretty darn clear they were headed for her bed, and he certainly hadn’t been about to stand around and listen to that.

So yes, he’d walked away and stayed the hell away. She could say he was good at it, but she’d run away, literally left a week early and stayed away permanently. Perhaps they were both good at just walking away. They needed to stay the hell away from each other. That was a certainty.