“Then why don’t you?” He brought her hand to his lips for a light kiss. “What’s stopping you from believing in us, GiGi? You did once, I know you did.”
“I guess I’ve just seen too much.” She sighed as she closed her eyes. “Lost too much. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it to love so deeply, because when you lose it, it hurts so much. Didn’t you feel that way with Michelle?”
“It was difficult.” He winced as he tightened his grasp on her hand. “It was heart-wrenching to say goodbye to her. But I still wouldn’t have changed a single moment of our lives together. Yes, the pain can be intense, but the memories—the experiences—they’re all worth it. Didn’t you feel that way with your mother?”
“Yes, I did.” She nodded as she wiped away a few tears. “You have no idea how badly I wanted to call you.”
“I wish you had. When Michelle died, you were the first person I thought to call. Isn’t that strange? We hadn’t talked for decades, but it was your voice I knew I needed to hear.” He frowned. “I didn’t. I thought it might be wrong to call. But all I wanted was your comfort, your friendship.”
“That you will always have.” She squeezed his hand. “I promise. Even when you get on that plane tomorrow.”
Chapter 17
Gina braced herself when she said the words. She meant them. Now that Frank was back in her life, she never wanted to let him go. She hoped he would be willing to continue their friendship, even after he returned to his world and she was left behind in her own.
“I don’t have to get on that plane.” His eyes searched hers. “All you have to do is ask me to stay and I will.”
“Frank, you have a life to get back to—”
“I’m getting back to my life here with you.” He slipped his arms around her waist and smiled. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“But what about your daughter?” She hesitated as she thought of the young woman she’d never met, but valued if only because she was Frank’s daughter.
“She’s in college now—living on campus. If she needs me, I’ll never be far away.” He touched her cheek. “There’s nothing to stop us, but us. I think it’s worth it to try again. I think we’ve waited all this time and now finally we have the chance to explore everything between us. Is that what you want?”
“Yes.” She answered without considering any other options. She already knew there were no other options. “Yes, that’s exactly what I want.”
“Good.” He leaned close and kissed her.
As she drifted into the passion of the kiss, tears glazed her eyes for a new reason. She had never felt so happy before. A dream that she thought would only ever remain a fantasy had come true and now she was right in the middle of it. With his arms around her again, she felt as if nothing could ever stop her from holding onto him. But in the back of her mind, a prickling of fear still made her uneasy.
Was it too good to be true?
They fell asleep together that night, tangled up in each other’s arms, in her old bed, in her old room.
The next morning, she listened to the sound of his breathing and the subtle sharp snores that mingled in. She memorized his features, from the curve of his brow to the pillow of his lips. She took a mental snapshot of him snuggled up close beside her and the loose grasp he retained on her hand all through the night.
It was perfect. She wanted to be able to remember it for as long as she could.
When he began to stir, she brushed her fingertips through the hair at the nape of his neck until he settled back into a comfortable slumber. She knew that when he woke up, he would have to make a decision. He still had a flight booked.
The night before he’d said he would stay if she asked him to, but was that just passion talking? Could he really give up everything—the life he had built? Her heart ached as she wondered if it was right for her to ask him to. What if he moved back to Love Isle and realized it was the worst mistake he’d ever made and it was all because of her?
She turned her head into her pillow and closed her eyes tight. Yes, her thoughts had slipped into a negative pattern. It was hard for her to break the habit of believing that she would always be alone, especially after she’d tasted how wonderful it was to be with him again.
“Hey, sweetheart.” She felt his palm coast down the length of her back. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” She turned to face him, her smile warm. “It’s early, you don’t have to be up.”
“I want to be.” He tangled his fingers through her hair and pulled her toward him for a kiss.
Her heart pounded as their lips met.
Being in the same bed brought up lots of other insecurities for her. She hadn’t been with anyone in years. Her body was certainly not in any shape to be seen by him. She panicked at the idea that he might want more from her.
But as he broke the kiss, he drew back to leave some space between them. “Good morning, GiGi.”
“Good morning, Frank.” She looked into his eyes, caught up in their beauty.
“I have to make some calls—to cancel my flight and get my clothes from the hotel.” He tugged lightly on a strand of her hair. “I don’t want to leave you, though.”
“It’s alright, I’ll get up too. I’ll get us some breakfast.” She felt some relief that he’d mentioned canceling his flight.
“Why don’t you let me make you breakfast this morning? I want you to stay right here.” He leaned in for one more long kiss, then broke away from her and stood up. “I’m just going to take a quick shower. Promise not to move from this bed until I’m done?” He raised an eyebrow as he looked back at her.
“Promise.” She grinned as he winked at her.
When he headed down the hallway to the bathroom, she sprawled out across the bed absolutely thrilled. All kinds of new possibilities opened up to her as she thought about her future.
Would they live together? Would he want to get married? She knew she was getting ahead of herself, but she indulged in her fantasy until the sound of her phone ringing jolted her back to reality.
Hadn’t she covered her shift at the diner? She fumbled between the two phones on the bedside table and grabbed it.
She answered swiftly, worried that no one had shown up to open the diner.
“Yes?”
“Who is this?” The woman’s voice surprised her. She didn’t recognize it. She guessed it might be a wrong number.
“Gina. May I ask who’s calling?”
“No, you may not. May I ask what you’re doing with Frank’s phone?”
Ice coursed through her as she realized her mistake. Her phone and Frank’s phone looked similar and apparently had the same ringtone. Who was the woman calling him?
“Uh, sorry. He’s indisposed at the moment. Can I tell him who’s calling, please?”
“What do you mean he’s indisposed? I want to know exactly where he is. Put him on the phone.”
“He’s in the shower. I’m sure he’ll call you back as soon as he gets out.” Her stomach twisted as she sensed the anger in the other woman’s voice. Could Frank have been lying when he said he was single?
“Who is this?” The woman demanded again.
Gina hung up the phone as her heart slammed against her chest.
When she heard the shower turn off, she tossed the phone back onto the bedside table.
Clearly, Frank had a woman in his life who felt comfortable enough questioning anyone else who answered his phone. It sure seemed to her that the woman she’d spoken to was at the very least a girlfriend.
Had he lied about his wife dying? She didn’t think he could ever be capable of such a terrible thing. But of course she hadn’t known him for years. Just because she thought he was the same man that he’d always been, that didn’t mean that he actually was.
As handsome as he was, as wonderful as he was, how could she be so foolish to believe that he didn’t have a woman in his life?
She chewed on her bottom lip as she heard his footsteps in
the hallway.
Chapter 18
Frank looked at himself in the mirror for a few moments. The man that stared back at him seemed much older than what he felt. Gina had a way of making him feel like a kid again. Now that they’d reconnected, he felt as if he had an opportunity for a fresh start—not necessarily to turn back time, but to make some new memories that they could treasure.
As he started to turn away from the mirror, a flash of guilt made him freeze. How could he be so happy when Michelle was gone? Was it wrong for him to be so eager to share his life with Gina when he’d promised his life to Michelle?
He headed down the hall in the direction of Gina’s old bedroom. He took a breath as he stopped outside. He had loved Michelle, but he couldn’t deny the feelings he had for Gina. He forced down the guilt that threatened to surface again, then pushed the door open.
“Hey, sweetheart, you stayed in bed. Wonderful.” He ran his hand back through his still damp hair and smiled at her. “Give me a few more minutes and you’ll have breakfast in bed.”
“You know what, why don’t we go out?” She smiled as she sat up in bed. “Then we can talk a bit and let someone else do all the work.”
“Ah, you don’t trust my cooking, do you?” He grinned as he reached for his phone on the bedside table. “That sounds good to me.” He tucked the phone into his pocket.
“I’m sure you’re an amazing cook, but I’m not sure we’re ready for breakfast in bed.”
“No?” He paused beside her and looked down into her eyes. “I really enjoyed sleeping next to you.”
“So did I.” She looked down at her feet as her cheeks reddened. “But whatever this is, I think you should know that I really need to take it slow.”
“Sweetheart, don’t worry about that. I’m in no rush. I’m sorry if I made you feel any pressure. I just want time with you.” He sat down on the edge of the bed beside her. “Do you think we can make that happen?” He placed his hand over hers and noticed a subtle quake in her fingers. When he studied her face, he thought he detected distress, but her smile wiped it away.
“Absolutely. But I will have to go back to work and—”
“And I’m not here to force you into anything.” He took her hand in his and smiled. “One step at a time, right?”
“Right.” She smiled.
As he leaned in for a kiss, she drew back.
“Gigi, what’s going on?” He caressed the curve of her cheek and tried to meet her eyes. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine.” She smiled again as she stood up.
She’s smiling too much, he thought, as he watched her begin to pace the length of the bedroom. Had he pushed her too far, too fast? The night before it seemed as if she was as caught up in the moment as he was, but maybe he just wanted it to be true so badly that he’d convinced himself of that…
“I’ll get dressed, so you can go ahead and make your calls.” She stepped out of the room and closed the door firmly behind her.
As he stared at the closed door, he tried not to think of that day so long ago. Was she planning to do the same thing again? Just when he thought he might have her back, she’d gone cold on him. Something had to have changed, but he had no idea what it was.
After he made his phone calls, he headed out into the kitchen to find her.
She stood near the door, her purse on her shoulder and her fingers intertwined in front of her.
“Ready to go?” He smiled as he walked toward her.
“Yes.” She smiled in return, but again didn’t meet his eyes as they walked toward her car. “I thought we could go off of the island for breakfast. Is that okay with you? Then maybe you could get your things from the hotel.”
“Of course it’s okay. You know, Gina, if it’s an imposition to have me stay here, I could get a room somewhere on the island.” He reached for her hand, just as she reached for the door of her car.
“It’s no trouble.” She lifted the handle on the door and avoided his touch. “My door is always open to a friend.” She closed the door behind her.
He stared through the window for a moment. A friend? Had she just sent him back into the friend zone? Confused, but determined, he walked around to the passenger side and climbed into the car. He decided not to point out the term she’d used.
The silence in the car was harder to endure. When he glanced over at her, he read tension in her features—from the tightness of her lips to the subtle clench of her jaw.
“Still the same bleachers at the high school, I see. How is that even possible?” He looked out the window as they passed it. “Do you remember those bleachers?” He snuck a look in her direction.
“I do.” She stared hard through the windshield.
“You do.” He nodded, then looked back out through the window. “I remember when we got caught in that rainstorm. We were just walking the track and it came out of nowhere. We ran under the bleachers to stay dry.”
“We didn’t stay dry.”
“No, we didn’t.” He flashed her a smile. “But we didn’t care too much, did we?”
“No, we didn’t.” A small smile crept across her lips as she turned into the parking lot of a restaurant.
He held on to that smile. Her attitude had changed, he was sure of it, but the sight of that smile gave him hope.
Chapter 19
The memory of their rainy day under the bleachers so long ago distracted her briefly from the matter at hand. Yes, there was so much between them—so much history, so much chemistry—and if she was honest with herself, so much love too. But did that matter if Frank had someone at home waiting for him, someone he’d lied to her about? How could she trust him if he was so willing to be dishonest?
But wasn’t she being just as dishonest by pretending that she didn’t know about the phone call?
Gina did her best to keep a cheerful smile on her face as they headed inside the restaurant.
As he held the door open for her, his hand brushed the slope of her back and the warmth that snaked through her inspired a warmth in her cheeks. Darn that chemistry.
The restaurant was an unfamiliar one to her. She’d chosen it on purpose. If it ever got back to her friends on the island that she’d been out for breakfast with Frank, she’d never hear the end of it. Not to mention if the truth was revealed that he might not be as single as he’d claimed. She didn’t want to have that rumor to contend with.
The restaurant was a decent enough place—a bit small, but quiet.
“Have you been here before?” Frank surveyed the menu.
“No. It’s a new place.” She watched him over the top of her menu.
Despite the fact that she hadn’t had much to eat, she wasn’t the least bit hungry. Her stomach twisted as she tried to drum up enough courage to confront him about the phone call that morning.
How could she bring up the fact that she’d answered his phone? Would he consider it strange?
“Well, the French toast should be good.” He closed his menu, then set it down on the table in front of him. “What are you going to have?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe some toast.” She shrugged.
“Toast?” He grinned. “That’s not going to get you very far, is it?”
“I’m not so hungry this morning.” She stared down at the menu in front of her but didn’t pick it up.
“Are you feeling okay? You’ve been so quiet this morning.” He reached across the table for her hand.
As much as she wanted to allow him to take it, she pulled it back before he could.
How could she be doing this?
She’d never been one to judge the relationships of others, but when it came to her own choices, she did her best to be as honest as possible. Lying could only lead to terrible things. In the past, she’d lied to Frank and that had led to the end of their relationship. Perhaps if she’d been honest with him back then, things would have turned out differently. But the past was the past and she was in the position she was in now. Giving into
denial, as tempting as it was, would only put her in an even worse position.
“I’m fine.” She smiled. “Just a little tired.”
“Okay, I’d believe that, if it weren’t for the fact that you won’t even look at me.” He waved the waitress away as she approached to take their order. “GiGi, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind? If it’s something I’ve done, I deserve the chance to fix it, don’t I?”
“It’s nothing you’ve done.”
“Don’t lie to me.” He frowned and looked at his folded hands on the table. When he looked back at her, his eyes were filled with urgency. “Please, Gina, I just want the truth.”
“Not here, Frank.” She glanced around at the other patrons in the restaurant. There weren’t many there, but those that were had clearly tuned into their conversation. It was easy to do so when there was no music playing and only the clink of silverware to distract from the rather heated interaction at their table.
“Then let’s take a walk.” Frank stood up from the table and extended his hand to her.
She realized that the moment they stepped outside of the restaurant, she’d have to confront him. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but she knew it would be unavoidable.
As she took his hand and looked into his eyes, she could see that he wasn’t going to let it go. Maybe that was for the best. The charade she was engaged in was only going to end painfully. Sooner than later seemed like the better option.
When they stepped outside, he continued to hold onto her hand as he guided her around to face him.
“Frank.” She sighed as she drew her hand from his. “I’m sorry about all this.”
“What is all this?” His eyes met hers. “Last night I thought your feelings were as strong as mine. Was I wrong?”
“No.” She looked down at her shoes briefly, then looked back up at him. “Actually, I guess that depends on what you were feeling. I know what I was feeling.”
“What I was feeling?” He rested his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “I was feeling like I was falling in love all over again.”
Never Too Late: A Sweet Romance (The Magic of Love Isle Book 4) Page 6
