She continued her speech by addressing curses, which she’d dealt with peripherally in Disenchanted, last year. She referred to theories such as the Theory of Suggestibility, which detailed how people experiencing intense emotions regarding certain subjects, like a curse, were more receptive to ideas surrounding them. Referring to the towns of Perkins and Stewart, she explained that the emotions surrounding the curse were so high, any event that seemed to meet the criteria of the curse was automatically pegged as a result. She also explained the notion of crowd psychology and how group mentality often came to overrule an individual’s personal thought and belief system.
Though careful not to mention the Corwins or the Perkins families by name, and even more cautious not to meet Mary’s and Elizabeth Perkins’s stares, Gabrielle finished by pulling together the towns’ collective experience with the curse. She tried to impart the notion that just because every male within a cursed family line that had fallen in love had suffered financial loss and emotional devastation didn’t mean the curse existed. Individual circumstances coincidentally met the same criteria as the curse, and it was possible that even the power of suggestion played a role in the choices key players made.
Gabrielle received a standing ovation for her talk, then she took questions. Finally, she glanced at the clock and realized an hour had passed.
“Last question?” A quick glance at the back row told her Mary Perkins had left unnoticed. However, when she turned her gaze to the back door, she was surprised to see Derek and his father had arrived at some point, as well.
Pleasure wrapped over her at the sight of him. In nothing more than dark jeans and a basic T-shirt, he still stood out in a crowd.
His gaze met hers and heat stirred in her belly, distracting her from anything except him. Her lips curved into a smile.
Suddenly he raised his hand, which reminded her she’d been about to take her last question. She swallowed hard. “Yes?” she asked, pointing to him. “Derek?”
“I was wondering what your next book was going to be about.”
Wow. She’d expected the question at some point. Just not from him.
“Thank you for asking.” His interest warmed her as much as the fact that he’d shown his face at a public discussion on curses. But she didn’t know how he’d take the answer to his question. “Growing up here, I’m well acquainted with the rich history of the area, and of Salem in particular.” Again, she had to tread carefully for Derek’s family’s sake. “I plan to take a look at specific family curses.”
An overwhelming round of applause followed. Apparently people liked the idea of her taking on a subject so close to home. Gabrielle hoped that meant they’d be open to being questioned about their ancestors.
Derek listened to her answer in dismay. He wouldn’t have asked had he known the answer ahead of time. He couldn’t believe she’d be delving into something so deep and personal. Yet, who was he to interfere in her career? He didn’t have to like it, but apparently the crowd did.
“The hell you are!” Derek’s father stepped up from behind him.
Derek glared at his father. Though Hank had been the one insisting they show up tonight, he’d been fidgety for most of the lecture. Close to the end, he’d slunk out and Derek assumed his father had gone to the men’s room. He’d been relieved, and he’d hoped his father would stay there for the duration of Gabrielle’s talk.
“Is there a problem?” Gabrielle asked.
“Darn straight there’s a problem!” Hank bypassed Derek and waved his hands as he spoke to both Gabrielle and the crowd. “It’s bad enough you’re standing up there trying to tell everyone curses don’t exist when my family’s living, breathing proof they do. But now you’re going to make money off of our story?”
Gabrielle’s cheeks flushed red. As red as her temper, Derek would bet, cringing at his father’s accusation.
She drew her shoulders back straighter. “Excuse me, Mr. Corwin, but I object to the notion that I’m out to make money off of other people’s misery. I write about factual situations and how the choices people make play into the outcome. The hope is that other people will learn lessons from these situations they can apply to their own life. In this case, I want people to see that the power of suggestion is as strong as any curse.”
“Sounds to me like you’re mocking us, as sure as anybody who tells tales about us around town,” Hank said.
“Mr. Corwin, I assure you, I’m doing no such thing,” Gabrielle said hotly.
“Hah! If you mock the curse, something worse will happen to us. You just watch.” Hank turned beet-red.
Derek was surprised his father wasn’t foaming at the mouth. He placed a calming hand on his dad’s shoulders. “Getting worked up isn’t good for your blood pressure,” he said quietly but sternly, warning his father to back off.
“I’m not mocking anyone or anything,” Gabrielle said. “What I’m doing is debunking something that has ruled your family’s life for too many years.”
Derek knew Gabrielle. She wasn’t about to back down.
“Hah!” Hank said, obviously warming up for another tirade.
Without warning, Sharon stood up in the center of the room. “Relax, Mr. Corwin, or I’ll have Roger show you out,” she said, pointing to the uniformed officer who’d only come in case he needed to direct traffic.
“It’s a public library, missy. I can stay and have my say.”
“It’s my library and you’re insulting my guest!” Sharon perched her hands on her hips.
Before things could get any more out of hand, Derek grabbed his father’s arm. “Shut up and leave on your own before you embarrass us any further.” Derek clenched his jaw.
Hank muttered under his breath.
And Holly inched closer to Derek’s leg.
“That’s my point!” Hank said, not finished arguing. “Look how she’s humiliating us in public!”
Hank was the only one humiliating the Corwin family, but before Derek could let his father in on that fact, Chaz, the town drunk who showed up at any public gathering in case there was free liquor, rose to his feet.
“Maybe that’s because Derek dumped her before he went off to college,” Chaz said.
The dig got chuckles from the crowd. Chaz had been in Derek and Gabrielle’s graduating class. And even though he’d been drunk for most of his life, he was right about what had happened.
Derek didn’t appreciate the public reminder and clenched his hands into tight fists at his sides.
“You did?” Holly pulled at his shirt. “You dumped Gabrielle?” his daughter asked.
Derek groaned. “Way to go, Pop.”
“What’d I do?” Hank asked.
Derek shook his head. It was useless. His father wouldn’t understand that he had taken a calm, quiet talk and turned it into a mudslinging, embarrassing mess. Not until he’d calmed down and reflected on it, Derek thought.
Gabrielle cleared her throat. “Tonight’s lecture is finished. Thank you all for coming,” she said, as she collected her notes from the podium in front of her.
“Daddy?”
Derek bent closer to his daughter. “Are you okay?” he asked her.
She nodded. “Tonight was more exciting than I thought it would be!”
At least she seemed unfazed.
“Tell me about you and Gabrielle,” Holly said, wide-eyed.
“Listen, I told you that Gabrielle and I were friends in high school. I’ll explain more to you later, but right now I need to talk to her and make sure she isn’t upset.”
Holly nodded, wise for her years. “Please do. I’m sure Grandpa didn’t mean to hurt her feelings.”
Derek gave his naive daughter a hug, then rose. “Dad? Take Holly home for me.”
“How will you get home? You drove here with us,” Holly reminded him.
Derek cupped her chin in his hand. “I can get a ride with somebody here. Don’t worry, okay?”
Holly shrugged. “Okay. But tell Gabrielle I said he
llo?”
“I will. I’m sure she’ll really appreciate it.” He kissed her forehead and placed her hand in her grandfather’s. “Take her home.”
“I only meant to protect our good name,” Hank said, his bluster gone.
With people still snickering around them, Hank seemed to realize he’d embarrassed himself, the family and Gabrielle.
“She was always a nice girl. I never meant—”
“I know.” Derek ran a hand through his hair. “Take Holly home. I’ll handle things here.” He’d done it before.
Like his cousins, Michael and Jason, Derek had spent most of his youth responding to kids making fun of his family—how they weren’t real men since they couldn’t hold on to a woman. When Derek couldn’t ignore the taunts any longer, he’d fought back. While he didn’t appreciate his father’s approach, he totally understood the reasons for it.
Derek watched his father wrap his arm around Holly’s shoulder and lead her out of the library, not pausing to talk to anyone.
He blew out a deep breath and made a beeline for Gabrielle. Her friends, Sharon and Richard Stern, had circled around her in protective fashion, preventing anyone from heckling her further.
Derek wasn’t just anyone. “Hi, Sharon.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Derek. Haven’t you and your family done enough? Wouldn’t it be smarter to just go home?”
“Give a guy a break. I just want to make sure she’s okay.” He gestured to Gabrielle by tipping his head toward her.
Sharon frowned, keeping her body between Derek and her best friend. Even in high school, she’d been Gabrielle’s protector, even though Gabrielle hadn’t needed anything of the sort. These two women had a bond the likes of which he’d never seen. Though Sharon had been friendly enough to him since his return, now that Gabrielle was back in town, Sharon left no doubt as to where her loyalty lay. She’d shown it tonight.
Still, he wasn’t about to let anyone dictate whether or not he could see Gabrielle. He and Sharon wanted the same thing—what was best for Gabrielle.
With a determined step, he strode around Sharon and came up behind Gabrielle. “Gabby?” he asked, calling for her attention.
She turned toward him.
He spoke before she could say a word. “I’m sorry for my father’s behavior.”
She waved off his apology, her expression warm despite the circumstances. “You aren’t responsible for what someone else does.”
It didn’t feel that way to him. “I tried to convince Dad to stay home.”
“His shotgun might have hurt less,” she said, laughing.
He stepped closer. “You’re really okay?”
She nodded. “Sticks and stones and all that. I’m tougher than I look. But thanks for asking.”
He nodded, knowing when to let something go. “Holly said to tell you she says hi. She was here, but I sent her home with my father.”
“I didn’t see her in the crowd.”
“She’s short.”
“I’m so sorry she heard all that.” Gabrielle sobered quickly.
Derek nodded in understanding. “She’s been through a lot, but she’s tough. She’ll deal with it. I’m more worried about whether I can handle her questions later,” he said, only half joking.
Gabrielle smiled. “I’m not an expert with kids, but she seems pretty smart to me.”
“Which is why I’ll have to do some fancy footwork in answering.” He couldn’t very well admit that Gabrielle was his first and only true love to his daughter.
She playfully tapped his face with her hand. “I’m sure you can handle it.”
He grinned, meeting her gaze. The heat smoldered, reminding him of their kiss earlier today. The one he’d promised himself he couldn’t repeat. But, man, how he wanted to.
“The room’s emptied out.” Sharon joined them, diffusing the sexual tension.
At least for the moment, Derek thought.
“I appreciate you running interference for me,” Gabrielle said to her friend.
Sharon nodded. “I invited you here to speak, not to get thrown to the wolves.” She scowled at Derek. “Can’t you control your father?”
He cocked his head to one side. “Would you believe me if I said I tried? Short of tying him up, there wasn’t much I could do.”
Gabrielle picked up her tote bag. “Let’s just go home and forget about it. Who’s walking out with me?”
“Richard and I came together, but I need to straighten up a few things and lock up before we can go,” Sharon said. “Besides, he’s busy talking to one of his campaign people.” She pointed to the corner, where her fiancé remained deep in conversation with another man.
Derek had already decided he wasn’t going to leave without talking to Gabrielle alone.
“I’ll walk you out,” Derek said.
He needed to make sure she knew where things stood. He couldn’t rekindle a relationship with her no matter how much he desired her. She might not believe in curses. But he did.
SHARON DIDN’T HAVE TO straighten up her office tonight, but she did need to blow off steam before heading home. Besides, Richard wasn’t ready to leave yet, so she might as well make good use of the time.
“Ready to go?” Richard stepped into the room. Dressed immaculately in a suit and tie, he looked like the consummate politician. As he was handsome, as well as smart and compassionate, she thanked her lucky stars she’d found a man like him. Few women were offered second chances in life. This time she intended to get it right.
“I’m all set. Tonight was a huge success, wasn’t it? I think Gabrielle did a great job of making people think twice about believing in an old superstition.”
He stepped around her desk. Coming up beside her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and she snuggled closer.
Richard wasn’t into public displays of affection. He’d hold her hand or touch her back, but his reserve in public meant she had to take advantage of every chance for intimacy whenever they were alone.
“I think Gabrielle was great and I have you to thank for inviting her. But I think you were even better. The way you stood up for your friend—” he shook his head “—you did me proud.”
She smiled, pleased. “I just couldn’t believe Hank Corwin attacked her that way.”
“I’m glad to see you felt confident enough to do it.”
She didn’t want to talk about herself. “I’m just glad I could contribute to the cause.”
He smoothed his hand over the back of her hair. “We’re a team. It’s our cause. You know that having you by my side only makes me look better.”
“And more intelligent.” She laughed and kissed him on the cheek.
“Speaking of intelligence, I spoke to some people on their way out the door tonight,” Richard said. “Most mentioned they’d never thought much beyond the curse before tonight. They just believed in its power. They’re rethinking those views now,” he said.
“Did you see the way she sat there tonight? Not saying a word, just making sure people don’t forget she exists?” Sharon shivered at the memory. “She even tried to con Gabrielle by requesting she autograph a copy of her book.”
“Mary’s devious, all right,” Richard said. “There’s no question she gets things done. It’s her means of doing them that are questionable.”
“Well, hopefully her days of subtle threats are coming to an end. If nothing else, Gabrielle has gotten people to think about whether putting Mary Perkins back in office is something they want or something they feel compelled to do because they’re afraid of her.” Sharon was definitely pleased with tonight’s outcome.
“I really appreciate all you do for me.” He tipped her face and kissed her, keeping things slow and sensual, the way she liked it.
“Mmm.” A purr escaped from the back of her throat.
“Please tell me you can come back to our home for a while tonight,” he said in a gruff voice.
“I think I can manage that as long as you drop me off at
my parents at a semirespectable hour,” she teased.
He let out a long-suffering groan. “I hate that we have to be apart.”
“Another couple of weeks and we’ll be married. Then I won’t have to leave you ever again.”
He hugged her tight.
“Well? Will you get me home early?” She knew that meant setting an alarm so neither of them fell asleep.
“Let’s see. Take you home now or squeeze in a few hours alone with you and live without sleep.” He devoured her with his eyes. “You drive a hard bargain.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “I’ve only just begun,” she said, promise rich in her voice.
CHAPTER FIVE
GABRIELLE STEPPED INTO the muggy summer air, a direct contrast to the air-conditioned library. Yet despite the humidity outside, she breathed more easily. It helped that she had Derek by her side. She stepped closer so her arm deliberately brushed his as she walked. A ripple of awareness shot through her and she inhaled deeply, only to be surrounded by his masculine scent.
His overpowering presence enabled her to focus on the more positive parts of the evening, including her successful speech and the fact that she’d openly revealed the idea for her next novel.
Because it was summertime, the sun hadn’t yet set and there were still vestiges of light in the sky. In the meantime, the streetlamps were already turned on in anticipation of darkness.
“Can I hitch a ride home?” Derek asked.
She smiled, happy to have more time with him. “Sure.”
His steps slowed but they continued their walk, pausing at her car. “I need to talk to you.”
Something in his tone had her stomach churning uncomfortably. “What is it?” She shielded her eyes from the setting sun, squinting as she met his gaze.
“Here.” He held her arm and moved her around so he could swap places with her, taking the brunt of the glare. He leaned against the car and shaded his eyes with his hand.
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