Some of the excitement he’d felt about getting together with Gabriella faded. He still wanted to see her…he just wished he didn’t have to face his demons to do it.
GAB FOUND a wide lace runner and took it outside to put on the white iron table she’d found at an antique shop not long after moving in. The table was the perfect size for an intimate dinner for two, and she wanted to make everything as nice as she could for her evening with Justin.
She had transformed the back porch into a serene, welcoming abode of calm. Pale blue siding, complements of several cans of paint, now reigned where the old, dingy beige had once been. The ceiling and porch boards she had done in soft gray, morning mist, according to the color card, and she thought it looked just as ethereal as the predawn fog she often saw hovering over the water when she took her morning coffee down to the dock.
For the table, she’d bought four antique wicker chairs that had been an awful shade of ochre, but after four coats of paint, were now the color of fresh cream, and had turned out to be the ideal size to complete the grouping.
The gardens were still in bad shape. Her father must not have cared about the yard, and it had been a mess when she’d first moved in. She kept the grass cut, and she’d pulled out all the dead bushes and kept things weeded, but she had a lot of work to do to get it the way she wanted. When it came time to landscape, she wanted to talk to Mary O’Meara and get some ideas from the woman. Mary had created just the kind of gardens at the Inn that Gab would like to have. It made no sense, though, to start planting if she was going to start a remodeling project. The grounds were bound to get torn up to some extent with construction going on.
To compensate, she had lined both sides of the porch with large planters and arranged different size pots in small groupings. These, she and Chloe had filled with hibiscus, ferns, climbing hydrangea vines, and a multitude of tuberous begonias, fuchsia, and one of her favorites, the profusely blooming blue lobelia that was so whimsical it reminded her of something from a fairy’s garden.
In front of the taller plants on the one side of the porch, she had angled an antique metal glider in the corner against the house. It had been painted off-white when she bought it and some of the paint had worn off, but she thought it looked charming the way it was, so she’d left it alone. The only change she made was to replace the somewhat worn cushions with thick, cushy ones sprinkled with pale pink roses and lilac sprigs.
On the same side, but more centered in front of the window, she had grouped together two wicker chairs and a small wicker side table. Combined with the glider, the wicker arrangement formed a cozy seating area that could easily accommodate four people.
The dining table was on the opposite side of the porch, just to the left of the steps. Beyond that, on the far end, was the swing she liked to sit in when Chloe played in the yard, or in the evening with a glass of wine, after her daughter had gone to bed.
The gorgeous climbing rose that had been the one bush still thriving when she’d moved in, was in full bloom now, large, sweet-scented flowers, perfuming the air with a delicious bouquet reminiscent of clove and vanilla.
Gab turned in a circle and took it all in, wondering if Justin would like it. Aside from her office, this was the only other place she’d been able to put her stamp on that truly reflected her taste. It was a mix of old and new. It was eclectic, no one style, just a combination of things that felt comfortable together. It was a shame it would probably all be knocked down when she did the remodeling, but she could take pictures and try to replicate it when the work was done.
Smiling, she went into the house to get the rest of what she needed to set the table. She came back out with her arms full, pushing the screen door open with her hip and depositing her treasures onto the table. After arranging everything, she surveyed the effect. Pleased, she nodded and then went back inside to take the salmon out of the refrigerator where she’d put it to stay cool after prepping it earlier that afternoon. She wanted everything to be ready so when Justin got there she wouldn’t have to fuss over the food and would be free to visit with him. She wasn’t a great cook, but she felt confident about the pecan encrusted salmon she’d planned. She’d made it a few times before, and it always came out amazing.
She didn’t feel a need to impress Justin, but since it would be the first time she cooked a meal for him, she wanted it to be special…for both of them.
The weather had cooperated beautifully, and it would be a lovely night to eat outside. She’d done what she could inside to spruce things up: painting, taking out the old worn carpeting, and removing the curtains that had blocked any rays of light. The house still needed a lot of updating, though, and it was so much more pleasant to eat on the porch where they would have beautiful views of the water, and if they were lucky, a nice sunset.
Gab put the salmon on the stovetop and then turned to go upstairs. She noticed the vase she’d filled with roses to use as a centerpiece was still sitting on the counter next to the sink. She took it outside and placed it on the dining table next to the white pillar candle she’d put out earlier. Taking one final look to make sure she hadn’t overlooked anything else, she then headed in for a quick shower and to change into something more suitable than cutoff sweatpants and a tank top.
Twenty minutes later, Gabriella slipped on her favorite sundress. It was cut simply, with spaghetti straps and a sheer, blush overlay that floated softly down over the straight lining of the same color, to end in a swirl just above her knees. She added a pair of flat, creamy white, thin strap sandals. She brushed her fingers through her hair. It would dry straight, and it didn’t matter if she spent ten minutes or ten seconds on it, it would look the same. She didn’t bother with a lot of makeup. A quick brush of blush, some sheer bronze lip gloss, and she was ready.
On her way down the stairs she saw a flash of headlights through the living room window. She felt a quick rush of anticipation and drew in a deep breath. He was here.
Gab went outside to greet Justin. They met halfway on her front sidewalk.
“Hi.” She reached out and took his hands. Justin grinned, the slow, bone melting grin that never failed to make her blood rush a little faster.
“Hi.” He pulled her forward by her hands and leaned down to kiss her, a brief, light meeting of lips that teased and left her wanting more. “How’s Chloe’s mom doing?”
“Surprisingly, I’m okay. Ask me in a few days and you might get a different answer.”
“How long did you cry on the drive back?”
“Not that long. I’m pretty sure I’d stopped by the time I got to Delaware.”
Justin chuckled. “Only through four states, huh?”
“Hey, you’re looking at one tough momma,” she said, lifting her chin.
She took a step back. “Come on.” She started toward the porch. “It’s such a beautiful evening I thought we’d eat out back.” She glanced over her shoulder and hesitated. Justin still stood where she’d left him. He was staring up at the house, his expression unreadable.
“Justin?”
He blinked and looked at her, and she sensed the same unease she had when his brother had come over the week before. Just as she was about to ask if he was all right, he came forward, taking her hand and continuing up to the porch.
On the way to the kitchen, Gab told Justin that she was going to be meeting with Blake to talk about doing some remodeling on the house. She pointed out some of the structural changes she wanted to make, like removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and opening everything up.
“I just need to get dinner into the oven and then if you’d like, we can go down to the dock and have a glass of wine,” she said when they walked into the kitchen. Was her imagination, or was something bothering him? He seemed a little uptight. She realized everyone had a serious side, but she was used to him being much more lighthearted, teasing her and joking around. She got the wine out of the refrigerator and suggested they go outside.
Justin opened t
he bottle and poured them each a glass. “You know you’re less than five minutes from Blake and Delaney’s by boat.”
“Seriously?” She’d had no idea. It took her about fifteen minutes to get there by car, but there was no direct route.
“Yeah, come on, I’ll show you how close.” He took her hand and led her down to the dock. “You see that inlet to the left there?” He pointed to the spot he meant, and she let her gaze follow his finger.
“By that square thing that looks kind of like a tiki hut in the water?”
Justin chuckled. “That’s a duck blind.” He looked down at her and smiled, seeming more like the Justin she was used to. “That inlet is the entrance to their cove. If it weren’t for all the trees lining the shore, you’d probably be able to see their house.”
“I didn’t realize we lived off the same bay.”
“I didn’t either, but as soon as we came out here, I recognized it.” Justin hitched his head toward the water. “This bay was one of our playgrounds when Blake and I were growing up.”
Gab sat down on the dock. It was low tide, so she could dangle her legs without getting her feet wet. Justin sat down behind her, cradling his legs around the sides of hers and encircling her waist with his arms. She nestled back against his broad chest. This felt right to her. He felt right to her. She’d never felt this comfortable with any of the men she dated after Bruce died. She closed her eyes a moment. She was in love with Justin. Sometime between falling in lust at Speckles and sitting here, relaxed in the cradle of his arms, she’d fallen in love.
She couldn’t pinpoint an exact moment, but as she thought about it, she knew it wasn’t something that just happened. Her feelings for him had grown stronger every time she saw him. The more she got to know him the more she liked him. And now here she was…in love. It didn’t surprise her. There were no trumpets blowing in her head. No newsflash banners blinking off and on. It was a quiet realization, something her heart had probably known for some time but was just now communicating to her head.
How would he feel if he knew? She wouldn’t tell him…not yet. She knew he liked her, but the difference between like and love was like the difference between carob and chocolate. And she didn’t want to be talking chocolate if he was thinking carob! Gab breathed in and tried to channel her thoughts to a less delicate topic.
“What a great environment for kids to grow up in.” She tilted her head further back against his shoulder and looked up at him. “You probably never sat around moping that there wasn’t anything to do.”
“Not too much, but I can remember my mom chasing me and Blake outside to play on enough occasions. She was famous for warning us to find something to do before she gave us something to do.”
Gab laughed. “Moms are good with those kinds of warnings.”
She wanted to know more about him and his family but didn’t want to probe. Blake and Delaney lived in the house that Blake and Justin had grown up in, but the subject of their parents had never come up, and she didn’t know if they still lived in the area or if they had moved. They couldn’t be too old, mid-fifties or early sixties, unless they’d had Justin and his brother late in life. If that were the case, they might not still be alive.
She wouldn’t ask. If she did, he might ask about her parents, and she didn’t like talking about her family to anyone. Her mother had always seemed…distant. Gab didn’t think it was because her mom didn’t care. She just seemed too busy with her own life to bother with Gab’s. Lil always said her mom was selfish. Maybe she was, but she was the only parent Gab had known, and she tried to preserve their relationship.
And what could she say about her father? Before the letters she felt as if she knew nothing about the man, and now, she was even more confused about who he was and what he was like. From his writings, she sensed he felt things very deeply; he was almost poetic in the letters he’d written to her, but he also seemed troubled.
Gab sat up a little straighter, uncomfortable with the direction of her thoughts. If their relationship grew into something permanent, there’d be plenty of time to tell him about her dysfunctional family. She wanted this to be a happy night, no heavy thoughts and no deep discussions.
“I should go up and check the salmon. If it burns, you might have to catch us some crabs for dinner.”
Justin pushed back and sprang up. He reached down and took her hand, pulling her to her feet.
“Get moving, sugar. I’ve been thinking about how good that fish looked ever since I saw you put it in the oven.”
She was already in motion, and she looked back at him as she stepped onto the lawn. “And here I thought you’ve been thinking about me.”
“Oh, I’ve been thinking about you too, Gabriella.”
“Yeah? Whatcha been thinkin’?”
He grinned, catching his bottom lip between his teeth. “Why don’t you just keep on walking, and if you still want to know after dinner, I can show you.”
“Don’t you mean tell me?”
His grin got bigger and he hiked one brow, his eyes taking on a dangerously sexy glimmer.
Oh Lord, she thought, the evening’s prospects just got a lot more interesting.
“THAT MIGHT have been the best damn salmon I’ve ever had,” Justin told Gab when he finished off his last bite. “I thought you said you weren’t a good cook.”
“I didn’t say I couldn’t cook; I said I wasn’t in Delaney’s league.” Gab stood up and starting gathering their dinner plates. “And that was my best dish. I’m afraid it’s all downhill from here.”
“Then I’ll savor the memory and occasionally pester you to make it for me again.” He pushed out his chair and stood. “I’ll help you clear the rest of this.”
He carried the platter with the remaining salmon and the leftover salad and potatoes into the kitchen, following Gabriella.
“Where do you want this?”
“You can set it on the sideboard. I’m just going to cover it and put it in the refrigerator for now. And I’m not going to bother with the dishes until later. They’ll keep.”
Justin put the food on the counter. He looked around the kitchen, restless. When they were outside, he’d been able to push aside the bad feelings. When he focused on Gabriella, or the marsh, or the bay beyond, he’d been able to forget who’d lived here before her. Inside it felt different. Like being in the enemy camp. He tried to reason it was just a house, but it wasn’t. It dredged up everything he’d tried to overcome over the years…the anger…his own inability to forgive…the impotence he’d felt over not being able to change what had happened.
“Are you all right?”
Justin started. “Yeah…just thinking.”
She angled her head, her bright blue eyes searching his face as if she saw something there that made her question his response. She bit her lip.
“Okay.” She didn’t sound convinced, but turned, and stooping down, got some plastic wrap out of the lower cabinet next to the sink.
After putting the food away, they went back out to the porch. Now that they were outside again, Justin began to relax once more. He got the wine from the ice bucket and refilled his glass. Holding the bottle in the air, he looked at Gabriella.
“More?”
She nodded and held out her glass. “Thanks.”
“Why don’t we take it down to the dock? It looks like we’re going to be treated to a nice sunset.” He laced his fingers through hers as they walked down the steps, enjoying the uncomplicated way she had about her. He wasn’t sure if he felt so comfortable with her because of the way she was, or because he’d already decided he wanted her to be a part of his life. Or maybe he’d decided he wanted her in his life because he did feel so comfortable with her. It really didn’t matter. She made him happy, and she made him feel like he might have found something other than work worth tending. And she made him horny.
Damn she made him horny! This might be the longest he’d gone out with a woman and still not made love to her. Of course, they
hadn’t had much opportunity. Unlikely anything would happen tonight, though. He frowned. He just couldn’t imagine making love to her in that house. He shook his head. Not going to happen.
He buried thoughts of Landfred. Why waste what time he had with her thinking about the bastard any more than he already had?
“Look how beautiful!” Gab let go of his hand and wrapped her left arm around his waist.
Justin pulled her close, right up against his side, where he thought she fit pretty damn well, and looked out at the changing colors over the water.
“I’m so glad the sun sets from this side instead of the front yard.” Gab looked up at him, her stunning blue eyes reminding him of the color of Windex. She probably wouldn’t consider it too romantic if he told her that, but it was the closest thing he could think of that matched their color. He thought they were beautiful, but he didn’t know the name for their shade of blue, and to say they were blue just didn’t do them justice.
He smiled at her, content. “You know, sugar, you’ve got the prettiest blue eyes I think I’ve ever seen.”
She returned his smile. “Someone once told me they reminded them of Windex, you know, like the window cleaner.”
“Do tell. Not very romantic, I suppose, but yeah, I can see that.”
“Look.” He pointed out to the bay where a pair of herons flew low over the water. “Probably going to roost in those loblollies on the point.”
“I didn’t know they roosted in trees.”
“They’ve been nesting in those pines over there since I was a kid, probably long before that. You’d think growing up here I’d have grown used to this.” He moved in back of her, wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. He liked that she was tall enough he could do that. “I missed it when I was living in DC. It was like a part of me was missing.”
He felt her nod. “Even though I didn’t grow up on the water like you did, I feel like it’s becoming a part of who I am now. If I had to give it up—to walk away from what I’ve found here—I don’t know—it would be hard. I’m so glad Chloe has the opportunity to grow up here.”
Letters to Gabriella Page 10
