More than Enough (Book Two in the Enough Series)

Bennett

"I...I um, I need you."

"Hayes!! Is there something more important than your team right now?" Coach bellowed from his podium. We were having a meeting about upcoming games, road games specifically. I normally didn't even acknowledge my phone during anything team related. Honestly, I usually didn't have my phone with me at all. When I saw Gemma's name pop up on the screen though, I knew it had to be something, and without hesitation, I tried to quietly answer. I was on my feet, looking at Reed with pleading eyes, asking for him to cover this for me.

"Family emergency," I mumbled, holding the phone and rushing out the conference room door.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry Bennett. I didn't... It's fine, I'm sorry." I could hear the waiver in her voice and it made my stomach turn.

"It's fine, Gem. Where are you?" I weaved my way through the stadium halls to get to the parking lot as fast as possible. She rattled off an address and I quickly headed out. I was surprised to see her yet again sitting in her car, slumped over the steering wheel, this time in the parking lot of a rehab facility just outside of the city.

Thankfully, this time she was more composed. I could see the unshed tears glistening in her eyes when she turned toward me as I pecked at her car window. My heart stuttered a bit, excited to see her but hurting seeing the pain she was clearly going through.

"I'm so..."

"Don't apologize. Are you okay?" I knelt down beside her open door as she sat in the driver's seat. She laughed uncomfortably as a tear finally escaped and slowly made its way down her beautiful cheek.

"I told you, I'm a mess." She sniffled. "You shouldn't be here, wasting time on me."

"What? I don't think so." I quickly got to my feet, reaching in, in a deja vu moment, and cut her engine, taking the keys. "Come with me." I held my hand out, loving the feel of her hand as it slid into mine. I made sure to lock her car up and we took off in my truck, back to my place which I knew would be empty. Reed would be at the stadium for a few more hours and Hugh was off on a business trip.

"Where are you taking me?" She squeaked out as we rode along. I realized I hadn't said a word to her since demanding she come with me. She didn't even bat an eye though, she came without protest. Was this progress in our relationship? Or friendship... Whatever the fuck this was.

"My place, you're not going to sit in a car again and break down. You might be a mess, but who isn't? I'm not wasting time on you, Gemma. You deserve more than I can even give." I kept my eyes on the road, not daring a peek at her.

She was silent for the remainder of the drive. Silently held my hand, much to my delight, all the way up to the apartment. Once inside, she stood awkwardly, looking as if she might run out the door.

"Would you like a drink? Water?" I grabbed two bottles before hearing her response, then lead her to the couch. The smile she gave me when I handed her the drink sped my heart rate up to a dangerous level. It was ridiculous the way she affected me. I knew she didn't even realize it. We barely knew each other, this back and forth, it was strange. I would take what I could get with her though, because I was a bit over my head here, not ever feeling this type of way for anyone before. "Ok, so what's going on?" I leaned back, putting my arm across the back of the couch, fingertips nearly touching her shoulder. She was wearing a washed-out t-shirt and jeans, with colorful vans adorning her feet. Her black hair was free-flowing down her back and though it was hard to tell, I could tell that she was make-up-free and flawless.

"My Father. He's...the therapist met with me today to tell me he's considering leaving treatment." Her voice sounded so weak, it nearly broke me. I had to fight every urge to scoop her up in my arms. "I'd expressed to the therapist that I felt unsafe with him at home when he's not sober, and I guess... I guess he said that he'd just kick me out." The tears that had paused were slowly rolling again.

I reached over and started twirling a strand of her hair in between my fingers before swiping her cheek free of the tears that were falling. I moved my hand down onto the couch cushion, turning it palm up, in a move that had started to become our thing. As soon as her hand was in mine again, I squeezed which prompted her to continue. I was not about to break this spell, she was opening up to me again, and whatever she was ready to share, I was ready to hear.

"I told you my Mom and Sister were killed in an accident." She began with a sniffle. I nodded. "It was my fault. I should've been with them. If I were, it wouldn't have happened. That's what led to my Father's drinking and that's my fault too. Now he's going to kick me out and I'm just trying to take care of him, we're all we have left and it's my fault..." She was a blubbering mess at this point. I was dumbfounded. When she had sat down with Los and me, she explained her Mother and Sister had died tragically and her Father was struggling. She didn't go into detail and neither one of us pressed. Though I got the feeling Los might have known more than I did, we still only wanted to support her and not push.

"Gemma, you... Wow. It wasn't your fault. You said it was a car accident, yes? There's nothing you could have done. Had you been with them, well then you wouldn't be here right now." My stomach churned at the thought. "Your Father is grieving and the way he's choosing to handle it, that's not your fault either. You're allowed to grieve, Gem. Fuck, anyone else would be an absolute mess right along with their Father." I scooted closer to her, so she could look into my eyes when I spoke. "It was absolutely not your fault."

"I was supposed to go with them, I was supposed to be driving. My Mom, she hated driving." Her cries were turning into sobs, the heavy kind that turned into hiccups and labored breathing. I had a feeling this was the first time she was truly letting it all out and while I felt at a loss at how to properly comfort her, I also felt honored that she chose me to be here with her. "I don't know, Bennett. My Father, almost every day since the accident has told me this was my fault and I don't know what else to believe." Those words. That did it. I wrapped my arms around her so tight, pulling her into my chest and kissing the top of her head. My God. I couldn't imagine the unnecessary guilt and pain she was carrying. I hated her Father. How could he do that to his only living child? She gave up her life to be there for him and he just continued to drag her down with him.

"What you believe is the truth, Gemma. The truth is that you didn't cause their accident. It's not your fault. Horrible things happen, it's sadly, part of life and there's just nothing we can do. Your Mom and your Sister would be heartbroken to think you were blaming yourself for an accident, torturing yourself like this. Your Father, he's ... he's wrong, Gemma. He's so wrong." I took a deep breath, doing my best to use words of comfort. This was all so very new to me

"I don't deserve you, Bennett. I'm not good enough for you." She whispered into my chest.

"You are absolutely enough, you're more than enough. I don't know what I'm doing here, Gem. This is...all new territory for me, but I'll be damned if you think you're not worthy of everything good thing life has to offer. I'll remind you every day if I have to that your life circumstances were not your fault and that you are worthy of so much more than you're letting in." I laid my cheek over on her head, snuggling her closer into me. Her sobs were slowing down and her breathing becoming more natural. We sat in silence for several minutes before I realized she had dozed off to sleep.

I sat there holding her, wanting her to feel the comfort and care in my arms. She deserved that. I wanted her to rest and relax peacefully knowing she was safe and cared for. Something I was learning she hadn't felt in quite some time and fuck, it was my new mission to give her that every day that I was able.