by Lori King
“Not doing anything wrong! Have you lost your blasted mind, Ella? You’re like a milk cow being passed around between three thirsty farm hands. Why in the world would you want to enter into a ménage relationship?” William’s face was red, and Gaby started to imagine she could see steam puffing from his ears.
With a heavy sigh, she shrugged. “Because I love them.”
A sharp gasp behind them, at the same time as the doorbell jingled again, startled them both. Quinn stood in the doorway with her hand over her burgeoning belly.
“Oh, Gaby! You love them! Oh my God, that is so wonderful! That’s amazing! I’m so excited for you!” Quinn shrieked, hurrying to Gaby’s side. She had a sweet pregnant sway to her walk, but Gaby never would have suggested it was a waddle. Her best friend hugged her tightly, and Gaby soaked up the reassurance.
“Quinn, my dear, don’t you look…er…lovely.” William had perfect manners with other people in the room, and he graciously kissed Quinn’s cheek while peering down at her rounded baby belly.
Quinn just laughed as always. “Thanks, Mr. Larkin. I feel like a moose in a glass blower’s shop, but I’m almost to the end. What brings you to the island?”
“He is here to stop me from sinning with Michael, Austin, and Kendrick. Right, Dad?” Gaby said, crossing her arms over her chest.
William had the decency to flush. “Well, now that’s not the only reason I’m here, but I do want to make sure that you make the right choices this time.”
“Oh like I made the wrong choice when it came to school? Or the wrong choice when I cut Tristan out of my life? Or the wrong choice when I left New York to move to Sunset Point? Which wrong choice are you referring to, Dad?” Gaby asked petulantly. She could feel tears burning her eyes, but she refused to give in to them.
“That’s enough, Gabriella. You know I don’t agree with all of your decisions, but I have your best intentions at heart. Tristan was from good stock—”
“Damn it, Dad! This isn’t the Texas cattle lots! I’m not looking for the man who has the best breeding and the broadest shoulders! I’m looking for the man—or in this case, men—who love me for me. I don’t want to bounce from relationship to relationship all of my life like you have. Why can’t you understand that?” Gaby plopped down in a slipper chair feeling the weight of her father’s disapproval on her chest. William loved her deeply, she had no doubt of it, but she wished sometimes that he would keep his opinions to himself.
When she first announced her desire to attend design school it had triggered World War III between her parents. Her mother, Mari, encouraged Gaby to follow her dreams, but only because Mari liked the idea of having a famous fashion designer for a daughter, not because she really cared about Gaby’s future. Her father, however, had fought tooth and nail, doing everything he could to point out the ignorance of her choice. Gaby held fast to her decision, knowing it was the right one for her, and ultimately it paid off.
She was sitting in her own boutique. Designs by Lark was a success, and it was firmly because of Gaby, no one else. The decision to come back to Sunset Point had been a good one, too, and she wasn’t going to allow his doubts to weaken her resolve. She was a grown woman, and if she wanted to fall in love with three men, then that was her prerogative.
William’s jaw clenched, “Well, I can see that this discussion is going nowhere fast. I truly blame your mother. It was her idea to raise you on this island. I told her that the quirky relationships of the islanders would have a negative impact, but I didn’t expect…well…I suppose it doesn’t matter what I expected. I have a plan to catch in an hour, so I suppose I should go. We’ll talk more about this next week, Ella.”
“No, Dad. We won’t. I am in love with Kendrick, Michael, and Austin, and I have every intention of continuing my relationship with them. You can either support me or not, but it won’t change my decision.”
William stared her down for a moment and then flicked his glance to Quinn, who watched with open curiosity. “Quinn, it was lovely to see you again. I wish you luck with your newest child.”
“Thank you, Mr. Larkin. It was nice to see you, too,” Quinn said with a small smile. Gaby could hear the polite coldness in her voice, and knew that her friend was just as angry on her behalf.
“Gabriella, I will call you next week.” With that, William Larkin spun in his thousand dollar loafers and marched from the shop.
“Bye, Dad. I love you, too,” Gaby whispered as the first tears began to slip down her cheeks.
Quinn ran to grab a tissue and then hurried back to Gaby’s side. “Oh, Gabbers! I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say! You know he’s wrong, right?”
Gaby nodded and blew her nose loudly. “I know, but I hate that he disapproves of everything I do! Why can’t he just be proud of what I’ve accomplished? I’m a successful businesswoman. So what if I didn’t make my money off of land, or oil, or cattle like he did. I am building my own empire with my own two hands. Why can’t he just say “good job?”
“Because he’s an arrogant ass. It seems to be a penis thing,” Quinn said, and Gaby started to laugh through her tears.
“What?”
“I call it testosterone poisoning. Men seem to think that they are the only ones that know best for a woman, and if she has a brain of her own it irritates them,” Quinn said with a shrug.
“Oh, Q, you and I both know your men aren’t like that,” Gaby argued.
“Yeah, but they have had years of training. You think they came like that?” Quinn said, and both women burst into giggles. They laughed so hard that Gaby’s sides hurt when they finally calmed down.
“So what are you doing here, Q?”
Quinn smiled. “Oh, I was hoping that we could veg out for the night. I told the guys that I needed to get away from the restaurant and the kids for a couple of hours. The only person they trust me with right now is you.”
“That sounds like heaven. I will make us some nonalcoholic margaritas, and we can watch The Notebook on my sofa. Just let me lock up real quick.” Gaby had just flipped the sign in the window to Closed, when the phone rang.
“I got it!” Quinn called, hurrying to the back room to answer it. Gaby went ahead and threw the deadbolt on the front door and flipped the lights off. With all of the windows at the front of the store, the room stayed pretty bright, and she easily made her way to the back. As she stepped into her workroom she heard Quinn speaking into the phone.
“I just wanted to make sure you three have good intentions. Gaby is like my sister, and if you hurt her—”
“Quinn! What are you doing?” She gasped, ripping the phone away from her friend and pressing it to her ear.
“Just clearing the air with one of your men. I wanted to make sure they do right by you.”
Gaby closed her eyes for a moment before she spoke into the phone. She could hear Michael’s voice calling her name, but embarrassment made her throat dry.
“Gaby?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Good. Don’t be mad at her, Gaby, she’s just trying to take care of you. It’s cool.”
She released the breath she had been holding, and relief washed over her. He wasn’t upset. He was actually defending Quinn. If she wasn’t in love with him before, her heart ached with it now.
“I know, I’m sorry. Sometimes she forgets her place and sticks her nose into other people’s business,” Gaby said, pointedly glaring at Quinn, who just stuck her tongue out.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m glad to know that you have friends who care so much about you. Anyways, I called to tell you that we’re not going to be able to come by again this evening. The chief decided that some extra training was in order for everyone, so we’re going to be here late in the gym.”
Gaby smiled at the phone. Michael actually sounded really disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to see her tonight.
“That’s okay, I understand. I am going to hang out with Quinn tonight anyways.”
“Will you b
e having naked pillow fights?” He sounded so hopeful that Gaby laughed.
“Uh, no. Quinn is nine months pregnant, remember? I can’t see her having any interest in pillow fights right now.”
“Well, it was worth a try. Why don’t we make it up to you tomorrow night and take you out to dinner? Kendrick was saying he wanted to try that bar across the street from your shop.”
“Oh, you mean Kraken’s Cave?”
“Yeah, the one with the big wooden sea monster out front.”
“Sure, that sounds like fun. How about you guys pick me up at seven tomorrow night?”
“Okay, we’ll see you at seven, sweetheart. Have a good night with Quinn.”
“Night, Michael.”
She hung up the phone and turned back to Quinn, who was smiling ear to ear.
“What?”
“I’m so glad to see you happy. That’s all.”
“You’re crazy. I’ve been happy.”
Quinn shook her head, her dark hair bouncing around her shoulders. “No, not like this. When you talk about them you glow with an inner joy that I’ve never seen before. I’m just happy to see it. And I think it’s awesome that you found yourself a ménage just to stick it to your dad.”
Gaby laughed. “Well, I didn’t seek out this relationship. It just kind of happened. And Daddy loves me in his own way, that’s the only reason he would show up here to check on me.”
Quinn harrumphed as the phone’s sharp shrill ring cut the air again, and Gaby was still smiling when she lifted it to her ear. “Did you forget something, honey?”
There was a pause, and Gaby’s stomach dropped.
“Honey? Hmm, well it’s been a while since you’ve called me honey. I guess this means that you’ve changed your mind about coming back to me?”
Fuck a duck. Why did Tristan have to call me tonight? First her dad and now Tristan. Maybe she would make a separate batch of alcoholic margaritas for herself.
“What do you want, Tristan?” she snapped at him, but he just chuckled at her impatience.
“Well first I want you to get your ass back to New York. I’ve spoken with your father, and he agrees that you made a rather impetuous decision in leaving me and New York behind. I explained to him that I just took a new job with Versace and—”
“Versace? You told me it was Oscar De La Renta. What kind of game are you playing at, Tristan?
He hesitated and Gaby jumped on it. She knew he was a liar, and this just proved it all over again. “I’m tired of this, Tristan. Stop calling me. I don’t care who you are, or who your parents were, or how much money you have—”
“Gabriella, I have been patient enough with this whole endeavor. I’ve allowed you time to find yourself, and now I’m telling you to grow up and pack your shit. If you aren’t here in the next few days I will have to come to that godforsaken island to make sure that you are doing what I’ve told you, and then you can travel back to New York with me.”
Gaby’s mouth hung open and she stared at the phone in shock. Tristan had never spoken to her like that before. Yes, he had been arrogant and rude, but never threatening.
“I’m not moving back, Tristan. And you and I are over. The sooner you understand that the sooner you can move on and find a woman to love.”
“I don’t fucking need a woman to love. I need you.”
Quinn must have interpreted Gaby’s expression because she pulled the phone out of Gaby’s hand and hung it up without speaking. For several moments they stood there silently staring at each other. Drawing in a shaky breath, Gaby tried to speak.
“He hasn’t given up.”
“Yeah, I kind of caught on. Are you okay? What did he say?”
“He told me that he was tired of being patient with me, he was coming to get me and my stuff and moving me back to New York.”
Quinn snorted out a laugh, “Yeah, I’d like to see him try it! With all of the men you have surrounding now! I can just imagine how protective the guys will be when you tell them he’s threatening you!” Gaby’s eyes shot away from Quinn’s and she gasped.
“Gaby, you have to tell them.”
“Tell them what? That my ex is a douche bag? There is no way he will actually come down here. I’ll call the phone company tomorrow and have his number blocked. I should have done that months ago, but I thought if I was patient he would go away.”
Quinn shook her head. “This is a bad idea. Your men deserve to know. How would you feel if someone was threatening them, and they hid it from you?”
Gaby sighed, “Honestly, right now I don’t even want to think about it. Let’s go upstairs and relax, and I’ll give it some thought tomorrow. The guys are going to take me out for dinner tomorrow night. You can help me pick out my outfit for my date.”
Gaby knew Quinn wasn’t happy about her decision, but she didn’t want to worry the guys. They were still trying to feel their way in a new community, a new job, and new relationship. There was no need to give them more to worry about. I can take care of Tristan myself. Stiffening her shoulders, Gaby led the way up the back stairs to her apartment more determined than ever to forget about Tristan Rogers.
Chapter 9
Austin reached Gaby’s front door first, his anticipation getting the best of him because they were about ten minutes early. It had only been a few days since he was with her, but it felt like an eternity. It was a little unsettling how much she meant to him. In less than a week she had become an integral piece of his life. It brought thoughts of home and watching his buddy Tyce Dawson fall for his wife Sidney. Seemingly overnight, Tyce and his brothers had become wrapped up in their woman, unable to function properly without her, and now Austin was doing the same thing.
The bell chimed, and he glanced over his shoulder at Kendrick and Michael, who stood a couple feet away at the bottom of the steps. This was the first time they had been with her as a trio since the sailboat incident. They were even picking Gaby up at her place for an official date as a foursome. Tonight they were going to take her out for drinks, dinner, and dancing. God, I hope I don’t step on her toes.
“Gaby?” he called after a moment and then he rang the bell again. Concern filled his gut when she still didn’t respond, and he tensed. He could see Kendrick and Michael’s bodies reacting with apprehension out of the corner of his eye, but he was focused on the door in front of him. “Gaby? Are you in there? Gabriella?”
Nothing. Austin dug his phone out of his pocket and dialed her cell phone number. It rang several times with no answer, and panic started to form in his chest.
“Maybe she got delayed in the shop?” Michael said, fear tingeing his voice.
Kendrick shook his head, “No, the shop was closed. The lights were all off and the signed was flipped. Maybe something is wrong. Why wouldn’t she answer the door?”
Austin turned back to Michael. “You’re sure she said seven?”
“Positive.”
“Okay, then, I’m going in.”
“Austin, wait man, you can’t just kick in her door because she’s late for a date.” Kendrick was always the voice of reason, but this time it really irritated Austin.
Thankfully Michael spoke up, “I want to go in, too, Kendrick. What if Gaby is hurt, or sick, and she is lying on the floor in that apartment in a pool of blood?”
“Shit. Well don’t kick the door down! We can pick the lock,” Kendrick said, reaching for his wallet to pull out a credit card and grumbling. “If LT finds out we’re breaking the law, he’s going to kick our asses off of this island.”
No more words were necessary as the credit card slid into the crack and spread the lock so that they could push the door open. Austin took a moment to consider how easy it was to break in, before he was up the back stairs and at the apartment entryway in a moment, muscles tensed and body braced for whatever he might find. He could hear a whirring sound coming from the hallway, and he moved quickly in the direction.
“Gaby?” His voice sounded almost shrill in his ears. The l
ast time a woman had been in trouble had been back home in Apache Crossing. Sidney had almost died. He wasn’t even ready to consider losing Gaby. “Gaby?”
A squeal and then the sound of something clattering to the ground drew him to a closed door. When it burst open to reveal a shocked and pale-faced Gaby, clad only in a towel, Austin’s fear immediately burst into desire.
“Austin? What are you doing in my apartment?” She glanced over his shoulder and flinched. “Kendrick? Michael? What is going on?”
“We knocked and rang the bell, and you didn’t come to the door.” Thankfully Kendrick still had the power of speech because Austin’s tongue had dried up again.
“And we tried to call your cell phone, but you didn’t answer it either.” Michael had the grace to look embarrassed. Austin noted the blow dryer still whirring away on the floor of the bathroom, and it hit him.
“You were blow drying your hair,” he stated, and she nodded, a small smile creeping over her face. “You didn’t hear the doorbell or the phone, because the blow dryer was going.”
“Yes, and you three are a few minutes early. If you had been here on time, I wouldn’t have still been drying my hair, and I would have heard you. I’m not sure whether or not to be pissed you broke into my apartment, or flattered you care so much,” she said with a small laugh, shaking her head so that her glorious tumbling curls danced around her naked shoulders. She clutched the towel to her deep cleavage, and Austin felt his cock thicken.
“I’m sorry, love. We didn’t mean to scare you,” Austin said, trying to force himself to look at her eyes and not the nipples that were poking through the terry-cloth towel.
