Kayla stood there in stunned silence. She knew exactly what he was doing. He had made up a lie to appease her sisters and then ended the lie with some truth.
She wished she had been there that day. Kristina must have been working. She was one of Melody’s friends’ daughters. Kayla had the flu for a week, and Melody had been on vacation. They’d been desperate for help and grateful when Kristina had agreed to work for a few days.
“I’m glad you agreed to take over your grandfather’s properties, even though I’m sure you’re sad about him,” Sarah said as she smiled at Gabe.
“I appreciate that, Sarah.”
She handed him his iced coffee and then gave Kayla hers.
Lauren kept looking at Gabe and Kayla. “We had something similar happen to our family,” she finally said.
“Oh, yeah?” Gabe climbed down the ladder and leaned against it while sipping his coffee.
His full attention was on Lauren and what she was about to say.
“Our nana passed away two years ago and gave Kayla the thankless job of acting as the new family matriarch. And let me tell you, our family has a huge amount of issues.”
“I may have been given the title, but I don’t really believe in it. I like to think of myself as the family helper. That’s how I’m honoring Nana. Besides, everyone pitches in and does their share in keeping the family together,” Kayla added.
“No,” Sarah said. “You’re the one who keeps us on the straight and narrow.”
“Thank you, but that’s not true. We’re all in charge of making our own choices.”
“We love you.” Sarah threw her arms around Kayla’s waist.
For a moment, Kayla forgot Gabe was in the room. But then she heard him shift his feet. She glanced over and found him looking at them with an intensity that had been missing in his eyes up until that point.
Kayla stepped away from Sarah. “Look, I want to clear the air for a second,” she said, glancing at all of them. “I told Gabe that you both know he and I were together.”
“Oh, thank God,” Lauren said. “This was starting to feel awkward.”
“And you suck at lying,” Sarah said, laughing.
Kayla grabbed her sisters’ hands. “Thank you for not blurting out to Gabe that you knew about us. Thank you for protecting me.”
Lauren threw her arms around Kayla and Sarah. “Sisterly love.”
“Sisterly love,” Kayla and Sarah said in unison.
“Okay, enough. You guys are making me nauseous,” Gabe said as he continued painting.
The sisters laughed.
“Get used it, Gabe,” Sarah said.
Kayla’s heart clenched. She wasn’t sure what Gabe was thinking. He wasn’t her boyfriend. Only her landlord. He didn’t have to get used to anything when it came to her and her family.
Gabe didn’t look at them when he responded. “I could get used to way worse things.”
Sarah and Lauren laughed, but Kayla didn’t. His response made her heart flutter, but what did it mean? He’d barely been back in her life for two days. Was he thinking he wanted more? Did she want more? Well, as he’d said, there could be worse things.
A few minutes later, it was back to work as usual. Gabe finished painting half the wall and said he’d be back to finish another day. Kayla reiterated that she could do it herself, but he said he enjoyed painting. Customers started rolling in, but once business died down a little, she sent Lauren and Sarah home. They’d opened the shop early. They deserved to leave before closing.
As Kayla was about to flip over the shabby-white sign to indicate the store was closed, Ben and his mom, Erica, walked in.
“Kayla!” Ben grabbed her leg and gave her a huge hug.
“Hi, cutie.” She hugged him back.
“Sorry, I’m in a bit of a rush. I’m taking classes in acupuncture, and they allow Ben to stay on the side and play. He’s very quiet. The only problem is, I need to find something to keep him busy. Do you have a coloring book, by any chance?” Erica asked.
“Of course.” Kayla went to grab one of the coloring books with pirates on it when a thought occurred to her. “How do you like acupuncture?”
“I love it. My grandmother taught me when I was young, but I need a proper certification so I can make money with it. I love my jewelry business, but acupuncturists seem to be doing well these days. I thought I could do both.”
Kayla handed over the coloring book with crayons and then gently squeezed Erica’s hand.
“Can I ask you something? And you’ll keep it confidential?” Kayla asked.
“Anything for you. Kayla, you’ve helped Ben and me more than you know.”
Kayla smiled. “My sister-in-law has been trying to get pregnant, but she’s struggling. I’ve heard that acupuncture does wonders for fertility issues.”
“You’re right. My grandma taught me a lot about fertility. Does she live in Bella Cove?”
Kayla nodded.
“How about I stop by her house tomorrow evening and see what’s going on with her?”
“I’d love that, but let me make sure it’s okay with Jessica first.” Kayla gave her a hug. “I know you’re in a rush, so I’ll text you her address and confirmation that she’s available. Her name is Jessica Conway.”
Kayla was so excited that the second they left, she called Jessica and left a message on her voicemail.
“Hi, Jessica. It’s Kayla. I have a dear friend who’s a customer at my store. She’s also an acupuncturist who knows a lot about fertility, and she wants to help you and Matt. If you’re open to it, she could stop by your house tomorrow. Please let me know, so I can give her a heads up. Thanks.”
Then she texted Matt and told him the same thing. She grabbed her purse, but before she went out the back door to get into her car, she looked out her front window toward Gabe’s new office. She had liked seeing him today in her store. Gabe being there felt right but wrong at the same time.
Just as Kayla was about to turn away from the window, Gabe came out of his office door and locked it. He glanced across the street at her store, and she wondered if he sensed her looking at him.
When he was at the store earlier, she’d had such an urge to throw her arms around him. She missed his hugs. He had strong arms, and when he used to hug her, he’d envelop her in his warm embrace. She’d always felt so safe when Gabe had his arms around her. No one else ever made her feel that way. But she didn’t know if Gabe still hugged the same way. She didn’t know much about him at all now.
Kayla was the first one to look away. Not because she wanted to. She had to exert every ounce of effort to look somewhere other than at him. But she had made a mess of things by leaving him. She’d destroyed them. When the time was right, she would speak her truth. Not that it would make a difference, but she didn’t want him to hate her. He was her only true love. Always had been and always would be, no matter what.
Chapter Six
Kayla pulled into the garage and leaned against the steering wheel with her head in her arms. Today had been an exceptionally difficult day…another one in what was starting to seem like a stretch of them. At the same time, it hadn’t been all bad. She was hopeful about helping Matt and Jessica. And her sisters were doing a wonderful job at the shop. They loved working there even more than Kayla did. Not that she didn’t enjoy owning her own store…but the heartache she experienced every time she looked at a child’s smiling face was killing her. Deep down, Kayla had given up all hope of ever having children. How could she take care of a child when her family sucked up so much of her time? But what she’d noticed and found incredibly odd was that when Gabe had been in the store today, she hadn’t felt sad…not even once.
She grabbed her purse and was about to exit her car when the passenger door flew open. Josh sat down, and Kayla screamed.
“Josh, don’t ever do that again. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” She glared at him. He looked terrible. Now what…?
“I know, I’m sorry. I’m
going crazy, Kayla,” he said as he ran his hands through his hair and then down his face, which looked as if it hadn’t been shaved in days.
“Maybe you should try showering and shaving. That’ll make you feel better.”
He slammed his hand on the dashboard, making Kayla jump.
“Nothing will make me feel better except a car. But Dad refuses to buy me one.”
Kayla had had enough. She placed her hand on his arm.
“Josh, what’s going on with you?” she asked, keeping her tone soft, unthreatening.
He was breathing loudly through his nose. “Nothing.”
“Are you struggling to remain sober?”
He glanced at her, then looked straight ahead. One second passed. Then two. “Yeah, I am.”
Kayla kept her hand on his arm. “Why are you choosing to be sober, then?”
His eyes remained straight ahead. “For a car.”
Kayla shook her head. “I don’t believe that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“It may be part of the truth, but that’s not the only thing keeping you sober. You don’t need a car. You can always take a train or bus out of town. There are solutions, and you know it.”
He looked at her. “I work at our furniture factory every single day. I should be able to buy my own car.”
“You’re right, and I’m sorry. But I personally added up how much the furniture business lost when you gave away our secrets. There are consequences to your actions.”
“I understand that, but according to your calculations, I won’t be earning money for another two years and three months.”
Kayla sighed. “But you have a place to live, I make sure you have new clothes, you have food to eat, and when you want to go out with your friends or on a date, I make sure you have money. As long as you’re in Bella Cove, you have to pay off your debt. It’s not fair to the family. You harmed us, Josh.”
Josh hit the dashboard again. “I can’t leave Bella Cove unless I have a car.”
“I told you, if you really want to leave, you can take a bus or train.” Kayla paused. “I know what’s really going on here, Josh. You can’t fool me. By staying sober you think that either the family will cave in and start paying you a salary again, or you think I’ll cave in and give you some of Nana’s money. You know Dad won’t give you money because if it was up to him, you wouldn’t have been able to even step foot in the furniture factory.”
Josh groaned. “I know.”
“Yet you keep on trying to push him to give you money. You know he won’t, but maybe I will. Because you think I’m weaker than Dad is.”
Josh looked at her directly. There was a meanness in his eyes that unnerved her.
“You’re not weaker than Dad is, but Nana said on her deathbed that you’re in charge of her money. If there was any type of a family emergency, you’re to use it. This is a family emergency, Kayla. I’m dying here.”
Kayla looked at him, stunned. “So you’re staying sober so I’ll give you some of Nana’s money to buy a car.” Her heart dived into her stomach. “I don’t think you’ve changed, Josh. You may have fooled everyone in the family, but you haven’t fooled me. Even Dad thinks you’re calmer now, but I know differently.”
“I’ve been sober for a year. Two months ago, I screwed up and had a few drinks, but I told the family.”
“You had no choice. You came home drunk and smelling like alcohol.”
“But you were the only one who saw me.”
“But I would have told everyone if you hadn’t, and you knew that. Still, the only reason you told everyone was so they’d think you were really sorry.” Kayla dropped her hand, inhaled, closed her eyes, and leaned back in the seat. “How can I give you Nana’s money when you stole her jewelry?”
“But you found it in my room. So maybe I took it, but I didn’t sell it.”
Kayla glared at him. “This conversation is over, Josh.” She grabbed her purse, opened the car door, climbed out, and then slammed the door shut. She knew how to solve so many of her family’s problems, but she had no idea what to do with Josh. He was so different when they were growing up. They used to laugh together, and he’d follow her and her sisters around the house. Whenever they had a play date with one of their friends, Josh would come, right up until they became teenagers. Even then, Kayla would go to him if she had a question about a boy. It was too hard to talk to Matt about that stuff. He was the oldest, and extremely protective over her and her sisters, but they could go to Josh. Now she couldn’t remember the last time she had gone to him for anything.
She walked into the house and heard Josh following, stomping his feet as if the world had wronged him.
Kayla was about to grab some leftover turkey from the fridge when she saw her parents out on the back porch, talking with Gabe. He seemed to be showing them a blueprint an architect must have drawn for him. He rolled it out on the back table and was pointing to a few things. Kayla had just finished dealing with Josh, and now she had to deal with this. How long had Gabe been here? Maybe he had told them about the two of them. Years ago, he wouldn’t have betrayed her like that, but who knew what he might do now?
Kayla inhaled deeply and opened the back door.
“Hi, Mom, Dad, Mr. Wademan.” She smiled at all of them, even though she wasn’t feeling very pleasant on the inside.
“I’m your landlord and new neighbor. Please, call me Gabe,” he said.
He was looking at her in that distant way she disliked, but he also made it clear he hadn’t revealed their secret. She was grateful for that at least.
“Gabe is building a spectacular house,” her dad said.
Kayla didn’t want to look at the blueprint, but she was tempted all the same. She stepped forward and took a peek, then immediately regretted it.
“So the house will be white?” her mom asked.
“Yes. I’ve always dreamed of living in a large white house.”
Kayla’s heart clenched. Her first instinct was to run or scream, but she couldn’t leave Gabe alone with her parents or make a scene. Gabe was well aware of that.
From what she could tell, the drawing depicted the exact house he had described to her when they were at school. Their house. God, this was so unfair. If he had even mentioned he knew of Bella Cove and that his grandfather lived a few miles away, things could have been different, would be different now. All she’d known was that he grew up in Los Angeles, and his parents still lived there. In order to marry Gabe, she’d have to live there, too. Gabe made it clear that they’d be working for his dad after graduation.
And she would have done that. She would have remained in California, married him, and worked for his dad, who was some big psychologist, even though her heart had been split. Half of it had been in Bella Cove and half had been with him. But everything changed when Nana died.
“We’re so lucky to have a nice new neighbor,” her mom said, beaming. “Would you like to stay for dinner?”
Kayla’s heart dropped into her stomach. She looked at Gabe, begging him with her eyes to say no. Luckily, he was shaking his head.
“I already ate at my office. I just came here to introduce myself and show you my plans. And also to tell you in advance that I’m sorry for all the noise. They’re starting to build tomorrow, and it’s going to get really loud.”
“Not a problem. It’ll be a beautiful house when it’s finished,” her mom said.
“Thank you.”
“But, please, you have to stay for cake at least. I made my favorite crumb cake. You love that cake, don’t you, Kayla?”
Kayla swallowed hard. “I do.”
“Well then, I can’t refuse crumb cake, especially if it’s your daughter’s favorite.”
“I’ll get the cake.” Kayla’s heartbeat sped up. She practically ran inside the house and found the cake on the counter. She took a slightly shaky deep breath and turned around, only to find Gabe standing a few feet away.
“You didn’t need to come in
. I have the cake.”
“It’s the gentlemanly thing to do, to help.”
She scooted around Gabe and glanced outside. Her parents were still there, looking over his blueprint.
“You didn’t need to come here,” she whispered.
“I did. Tomorrow, they’re going to start building my house, and I wanted to warn your family. I know it’ll be disruptive, and I wanted to apologize and introduce myself at the same time. It’s called having good manners, Kayla.”
Kayla moved to his side, so she could face him and still see her parents out of the corner of her eye. Her dad was already looking back, a suspicious expression on his face.
“It wasn’t necessary.” Kayla kept her voice down.
“It was the right thing to do.” Gabe’s jaw was clenched.
Kayla couldn’t take this anymore. Gabe being around her family was too much.
“Why didn’t you tell me at school that your grandfather lived in the Hamptons near Bella Cove?”
“I didn’t know. I knew he lived in the Hamptons, but I had no idea that was near Bella Cove.”
“But it was on Long Island.” She raised her voice, then quickly looked at her parents to make sure they hadn’t heard.
Luckily, her mom was talking to her dad, no doubt discussing Gabe’s new, “beautiful” house.
“First of all, I wasn’t familiar with Long Island, and second, I hadn’t spoken to my grandfather in a long time, not until two years ago. My parents stopped speaking with him when I was seven. It was one of those ridiculous family squabbles. My grandmother passed away, and a year later, my grandfather started dating someone else. No one liked her or the idea he was dating so quickly, so everyone stopped talking to one another. My grandfather tried a few times, but my parents wanted nothing to do with him. I contacted him two years ago because it was the right thing to do, and I needed him. We spoke a few times. Then three months ago, he called me out of the blue and told me he was sick. He wanted to see me before he died. Of course, I agreed. He tried to reach out to my parents again, but they’re stubborn. I’m telling you the whole truth, Kayla.”
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