Suddenly One Summer

by Barbara Freethy

  “Yes, you can. You have to.”

  “It’s classified.”

  “I don’t care. He’s my brother, my twin brother. I should know the truth.” Another wave of guilt hit her. “I should have known that he was in trouble. I always had feelings when Rob was in danger. We had that special twin connection, but I didn’t sense anything that day. Why didn’t I know?”

  “We were on the other side of the world.”

  “That shouldn’t have mattered.”

  He gave her a long look. “Rob wouldn’t have wanted you to know what he was going through. Maybe he found a way to block the twin thing.”

  “You’re not going to tell me anything, are you?”

  He stared back at her with what looked like regret. “No.”

  “Then you should go. You’ve paid your respects. Now you can leave.”

  “I can’t go—not yet. I made a promise to your brother.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “In the month before he died, Rob talked a lot about coming home and helping you and your father save your business. He was worried about all of you after your rafting accident. He was counting the days until he could get back here. He loved you all a great deal.”

  Tears blurred her eyes. “I know that. Rob always took duty seriously, even before he went into the Marines.”

  “He asked me to come in his place, to help you.”

  She stiffened. “I told you before, I don’t need your help.”

  “Don’t you?” His gaze settled on her face, a thoughtful expression in his eyes. “Something happened to you in the river just now. You froze.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “I know what fear looks like, Alicia.”

  “I’m not afraid of the river. I grew up on it.”

  “And last year, you almost drowned.”

  “I never told Rob that.”

  “Then someone else did. Maybe your father.”

  “I never told him exactly what happened, and he was too busy fighting for his own life to really understand what I’d gone through.” She saw the sudden spark in his eyes that told her she’d revealed too much. “Anyway, I’m fine. My father is getting better, and we’re moving on.”

  “You need help. I made Rob a promise, and I’m going to keep it.”

  “Consider your promise fulfilled; you saved Justin’s boat. Now you can go home.”

  “I am home.” Gabe pulled out a set of keys, very familiar keys.

  Her stomach turned over. He had Rob’s key ring. “No way,” she said, shaking her head. “You are not moving into Rob’s house.”

  “My house. He gave it to me.”

  She was truly shocked. The property next door had been in the family for generations. “I don’t believe you. Rob’s house was built by my great-grandfather. Rob wouldn’t give it to you.”

  “I have a letter from him explaining everything.”

  “No. There’s a mistake. If you think I’m letting you move into Rob’s house, into his life, you are crazy.”

  “And if you think I’m going to walk away before I’ve done what I came to do, then you’re the one who’s crazy,” he said, his gaze hard and unyielding.

  “You’re not wanted here, Gabe.”

  “That’s not what you said the last time I was here.”

  She swallowed back a knot of emotion at the memory of that cold winter day, the Christmas tree still up in the living room, the mistletoe hanging over the door, the cozy fire where she and Gabe had kept each other warm. “That was three years ago, one week of madness, and you made it clear when you left that whatever we had was over.” Unfortunately, it had taken her a long time to really believe that.

  He gazed back at her for a long minute. “I know what I said, Alicia. But that’s in the past. I’m here now, and I’m not leaving.” He turned and started walking up the hill.

  “So you’re going to save me?” she called out after him.

  “Yes,” he said, pausing to give her a quick look.

  “And who’s going to save me from you?”

  His chest rose with his swift intake of breath, and then he turned and walked away.

  She hated his confident stride, his arrogant attitude, but she couldn’t quite hate him even though she wanted to.

  Turning her gaze to the river, she drew in long, deep breaths, but they did nothing to slow the rapid beating of her heart. She’d been drawn to Gabe from the first minute she’d seen him, attracted to his dark hair and darker eyes. Her brother had warned her that she should stay away, that Gabe came with far too many rough edges, that he could hurt a woman without even trying. But she’d sensed in Gabe a need to be softened, to be loved, not that he’d ever admitted that need, not that he’d ever let her get close enough to love him. He’d kept her at arm’s length, telling her that she was Rob’s sister and as far as he was concerned, that made her untouchable, except for one hot, reckless night—a night she’d never forgotten.

  She shook off the memory. They were different people now. And she didn’t need his help. Well, okay, that wasn’t exactly true. Her gaze swept across the yard, noting the rafts in need of repair, the peeling paint on the building, the broken planks on the pier. They did need help, just not Gabe’s. He didn’t know anything about their business. Rob knew everyone in town. People respected him, adored him. He would have been able to help them get back on their feet. But Gabe . . . What did he know how to do, except fight?

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