The Hand You're Dealt

10| Coming Clean

Gambit wasn't talkative as they headed for North Salem. Before, conversation flowed freely between them; now, the air was uncomfortable, tense. Lauren tried to ignore the wall building between them by watching the upper New York landscape passing by. The forest with trees full of golden and crimson leaves had gradually grown closer to where they became a tunnel. She couldn't see anything past the serene trees.

When a road sign said North Salem was ten miles away, she turned to confront him.

"Alright, I know you're upset about Mr. Kavel's kiss, but why?"

"I'm not upset about the kiss, I'm—"

She interrupted. "Liar. Nothing else has happened to make you shut off from me other than that, so Mr. Kavel's the reason. Try again."

His grip tightened on the wheel but didn't answer.

"Your problem's with Mr. Kavel, then?" she guessed.

Gambit refused to look at her. "I suppose."

That wasn't it; Lauren would play along until he got around to the real reason. "Why?"

"Do I need a reason for not liking the man?" he snapped.

"Yes, because I like him."

"Do you even know him?"

"Of course I do!"

"Do you truly know him, besides as your boss?"

"You can't tell me who I can and can't date!"

He opened his mouth to immediately respond, but then closed it. His mouth opened quite a few times, but he always thought better of what he started to say. Finally, he sighed in defeat. "You're right; I don't."

"I know I am," she stated. "I'm just wondering why you're moping about this."

"Moping?" he repeated, and scoffed. "Hardly."

"Seems like it to me. Care to explain what you think you're doing?"

Gambit took a moment to answer. "Call it concern, but I just want you to be sure he's what you want. He's a playboy; I could see that immediately."

"And you're not?"

He winced and again he didn't have an immediate comeback. "Is that how you see me?" he asked quietly.

"No, that's not the only thing I see about you. But you do enjoy flirting with women just to see their reactions; you can't deny that."

"Non, I'm not going to try to. I have always attracted females, and I learned to use it, sometimes to my advantage. I don't... particularly like flirting, but with a face like mine, I'm expected to."

Her thoughts flashed back to the waitress he had flirted with to lower their bill. Lauren had seen him do the same countless times, all to assist them in some way. But she had also noticed the edge come into his eyes as his face remained charming every time he did it, like he was tired of putting up with the act. Gambit didn't find pleasure in flirting, but the charade had helped them, and he knew that.

"I'm not trying to throw you under the bus for being you. I'm just making you realize I know what I'm getting into from being around you. What makes him so different from you? Other than the obvious being he's not a mutant," she added in.

Gambit shrugged. "You know him better than I do."

"Not really," she admitted. "I just know his flirty side; I don't know what he's like beyond that." Now that she stated it, Lauren realized that she didn't know Mr. Kavel that well. He could be a completely different person outside of work.