Would today be the day he broke down her walls? Would she look him in the eye or continue to ignore him? It irritated him to no end that she teased and smiled at a few of his brothers, but after that first meeting, she'd had nothing for him but a blank face and forced pleasantries. Had he done something to rub her the wrong way? Was he trying too hard?
He wanted to find out every little thing about her. What was her favorite color? She wore a lot of sea greens and blues, but he imagined she would look beautiful in almost anything she wore. Where was she from? He'd discovered she'd moved to Breeze Point a few months ago, but he knew nothing about where she'd been living prior to arriving on the shores of Cape Cod. What were her favorite flowers? He wanted to shower her with dozens of roses and take her for moonlit walks on the beach.
Even though his family labeled him a romantic, he'd never believed in love at first sight. Not until now. Not until Gabrielle. And this tight sensation lodged in his chest wasn't letting up any. He feared it never would. And it was now his life's mission to get to know her, to somehow get her to look at him, not straight through him. For a man who was used to being universally adored and pursued, Gabrielle Turner was proving to be quite a challenge. It scared him a little bit to realize that she might never give him the time of day. Her heart might never be his.
*
Every morning when she woke up, Gabrielle Turner thanked her lucky stars that she'd ended up in Breeze Point, Cape Cod. With the sun streaming through her windows and the weather forecast predicting a glorious June day, Gabrielle had no complaints. And even if she did, she wouldn't. It wasn't her way, especially since she knew others had it so much worse off than she did. Not when she'd been through enough bad times in her life to realize that things were good at the moment. Better than good, actually. They were great. Her decision to come to the Cape a few months ago had turned out to be a fantastic decision. Memories of a summer vacation with her family back when she was ten years old had prompted her to come back to Breeze Point to live.
She was so tired of changing her zip code every year. There was a yearning inside her to place permanent roots somewhere. She wanted to be in the presence of people who knew her inside and out, not just her first name or the sight of her as she walked by them. Gabrielle wanted to belong, to be part of the fabric of a town. She wanted close friends to confide in and who she could go out for a cup of coffee with on a Saturday morning. Maybe then, the feelings of loneliness that inhabited her world would be filled up with other emotions like joy and contentment. Maybe she would finally be at peace.
After a quick five minute walk to her place of employment, Sweet Treats Bakery, she checked the front door to see if it was locked. After turning the knob and meeting no resistance, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The heavenly smell of apples and cinnamon and chocolate hung in the air, the perfect medley of scents. Even though she'd already eaten oatmeal and scrambled eggs this morning, her stomach grumbled noisily. She heard the sound of pots and baking trays clanging in the kitchen. Of course he'd beaten her to work. Vince Di Fazio was a wonderful employee. He was dedicated and kind and very prompt. More than prompt, actually. On most normal work days, he started an hour earlier than he was scheduled. It made her feel like a slacker.
“Hey, Gabi. Beautiful morning, isn't it?” With his bald head, goatee and olive skin, Vince was a comforting sight to behold. His kind demeanor and willingness to show her the ropes at the bakery endeared him to her. He'd treated her with nothing but kindness and taken her under his wing in the kitchen. She'd learned more from Vince in the last few weeks than she'd ever dreamed possible.
She sniffed the air, inhaling the delicious aroma. “Hey, Vince. It's shaping up to be a gorgeous Cape Cod day,” Gabi said with a smile. “What is that heavenly smell?”
Vince beamed at her. “I made some cinnamon and apple donuts. Now I'm making whoopie pies for the event we're catering. I have a batch in the oven.”
“Mmm,” she said, rubbing her tummy. “I smell the cocoa...and vanilla, right?”
“You've got a great sense of smell. The perfect accessory for a baker.”
“I love baked goods. Too much in fact.” Working at Sweet Treats was wonderful, with the exception of the constant temptation surrounding her. Cookies. Cannolis. Cupcakes. Eclairs. She loved them all. And she didn't discriminate!
“Not too much. Just right,” Vince said with a wink. “Before I forget, Remy's going to help us out today. We have that big order to fill.”
“Remy Donahue. He's going to be here today?” Her heart began to thrash around inside her chest. And she wished her voice didn't sound so high pitched and full of alarm.
Vince turned towards her, his eyes full of questions. “Yes. Is there a problem with that?”
Yes, there was a problem. A huge, pathetic problem. Every time Remy was in her orbit she became a nervous wreck. Remy, the son of her employers, Maggie and Alec Donahue, was a stunning, debonair man. He exuded class and sophistication. With his lean athletic build, cafe au lait colored skin and endearing smile, he gave her heart palpitations every time he worked with them at the bakery. She'd met a bunch of Maggie and Alec's sons and Remy was the only one who made her feel tongue tied and nervous. But there was no way she could tell Vince that Remy made her uncomfortable. The very idea of doing so made her feel awkward. He would never understand in a million years.
“No, of course not,” she said in a strong voice. “I just figured Maggie would be working today since Alec has been making such great strides.” Alec Donahue had suffered a stroke several weeks ago, one that had put him out of commission and in various therapy programs to help with his recovery. Remy had been picking up the slack for his parents so they could focus on Alec's health.
“Maggie has her own appointment this morning, so Remy volunteered to come by and put in some hours.” Vince scooped more batter and placed it on a baking sheet. “We can definitely use him. This order for the birthday party is one of the biggest we've seen in weeks.”
“Of course. He'll be a big help,” she murmured, urging herself to get a grip before Remy walked through the doors of Sweet Treats. She couldn't put her finger on what exactly she was feeling whenever Remy was nearby. There was a strange, heightened awareness she felt whenever he was in her radius. Although she'd had plenty of teenage crushes, as she'd grown older she'd shied away from relationships, with the exception of a few dates here and there. Those relationships had never gone anywhere, mostly due to her lack of interest. There was something inside her, she knew, that resisted getting close to another human being. A part of her was frozen in time.
The jangle of the bell alerted her to his presence before he even uttered a word. She swallowed past the huge lump lodged in her throat. She darted a glance in his direction, sucking in a ragged breath as she laid eyes on him. The very air around her had changed by mere virtue of his presence. Tall, dark and handsome. He had a flair about him that would make him stand out in a crowded room. With his cafe au lait complexion and wavy dark hair, he reminded her so much of the Creole men in her native New Orleans. Today he was decked out in a short sleeved blue polo shirt and a pair of nice looking khaki pants. Greetings immediately came flowing out of his mouth. “Good Morning, Gabrielle. Vince. It's supposed to be a perfect summer day.”
Gabrielle. Not Gabi. She loved her nickname, but she also adored the way the name rolled off his lips like poetry. He made it sound beautiful. Special. It made her shiver right down to her toes.
“Good Morning,” she said, not allowing her eyes to focus on him for more than a few seconds at a time. Each and every time she saw him, fear rose inside her that she would stare at him for way too long. And who could blame her if she did? His face was more than interesting. It was striking. Those cheekbones. The strong tilt of his jaw. The regal nose. The perfectly symmetrical face. Sigh. She could probably write a poem about his physical attributes. His body was lean and long. He was fit, but not overly muscular. He had the toned look of someo
ne who lived a healthy lifestyle. Self- consciously, she fidgeted with her work apron. She looked down at her own curvy frame. She could stand to lose a few pounds here and there. If only she could keep away from the tantalizing desserts made with love at Sweet Treats. If only she could stay away from snacks and treats. She let out a soft sigh. Maybe with a little more exercise added to her day, she could drop these last few troubling pounds.
Remy rubbed his hands together. The gesture made him look like a little boy awaiting a present. “So, where do you need me?”
“I've got this here,” Vince said as he opened the huge stove and brought forth more whoopie pies. “Why don't the two of you start putting the first batches of whoopie pies in the plastic bags? They should have cooled down by now. Between the two of you it should be fairly quick work. We need two hundred fifty of 'em looking nice and pretty.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Remy said. He turned towards her, no doubt hoping for some confirmation that this was a good idea. His eyes were practically twinkling. Did this man ever have an off day? He was the most positive, content person she'd ever met. She simply nodded, unable to form a single word on her tongue. She quickly moved over to the table and began pulling out the fancy, special event bags. He followed right behind her, standing so close to her at the table that their arms were practically touching.
“Why don't I bag them and you can put the ties on,” she suggested, knowing she had to work through the silence on her end. She couldn't very well ignore the man, especially since they were working as a team.
“Perfect,” Remy said, flashing her a pearly-white grin that was dazzling. What in the world was he so happy about all the time? Did he down happy pills with his orange juice when he woke up in the morning? Or was he just one of those people who had it all going on?
“So, how is life in Breeze Point treating you?” Remy asked, his tone light and conversational.
“It's fine,” she answered, placing the whoopie pie in the plastic bag before handing it off to him. She watched as he tied the gold ribbon at the top of the bag, his long fingers precise and graceful. An artist's hands. From what she'd gleaned from Alec, Maggie and random talk around Breeze Point, Remy was a world famous artist. Even before she'd laid eyes on him, Gabrielle had heard all about his brilliant work and his world-wide following.
“Where did you live before here? Was it here on the East Coast?” Remy didn't seem fazed at all by her clipped response. Didn't he get it? She wasn't a conversationalist and she didn't like talking about herself or her life.
Discomfort lodged in her chest. She didn't like answering questions like this. It felt way too personal. Taking a deep breath, she forged ahead. What would it hurt to answer his question? She couldn't be downright rude.
“Umm....all over actually. Maine. Vermont. New York.” And that was only a handful of the places she'd lived, but he didn't need to know all her business.
“Wow. Sounds like you're an adventurer.” Remy's voice was filled with enthusiasm.
An adventurer. That was one way of looking at it she supposed, although she would never have categorized herself that way. Most times she felt as if she was running away from her life and trying to avoid the past. She wasn't brave, and little did Remy know it, but she wasn't an adventurer. Not by a long shot. Their lives couldn't be more different. Remy came from such a well-established family. The Donahue's had such strong ties in Breeze Point. Working at Sweet Treats had afforded her the opportunity to learn such wonderful things about Alec and Maggie. Kind. Caring. Inspiring. Loving. Adored by all. Pillars of their community. Faith driven. Although her family had once been firmly entrenched in their community, those ties had been cut years ago. Sometimes she found herself wishing for the things she'd taken for granted as a beloved child growing up in a tight-knit family. Little had she known then how quickly things could change.
“How was it growing up with such a large family?” She blurted the question out. Big, bustling families fascinated her, especially ones like the Donahues.
His eyes lit up. A smile stretched across the canvas of his face. The overall effect made her stomach flutter. “It was the best. Not perfect, by far. But we grew to be the best of friends. Did you know we were all adopted?”
Gabrielle shook her head. “I heard that somewhere, but not the details.” She was so curious as to how Maggie and Alec had adopted seven boys, each one different from the next. She hadn't met all of them yet, but they seemed to be a fun-loving, diverse bunch. It was refreshing to see such a harmonious, blended family. It couldn't have been easy for any of them, she imagined.
“We all have different stories. Each and every one of us.” His expression swiftly transformed to one of solemnity. “My parents were killed in a car accident. I was in the back seat sleeping at the time of the crash—the sole survivor.”
Gabrielle raised her hand to her throat. “Oh, Remy. That's terrible. I-I'm so sorry to hear that. It must have been awful for you.”
“I don't remember much about it...being in the hospital or finding out that they'd passed. But, for some reason I remember my last night with them so vividly, all the way down to the color shirt my Dad was wearing. We were at a carnival having the time of our lives. It may sound odd, but when I think of them I always remember that they died with love and joy in their hearts. A lot of people can't say that. And I was incredibly blessed to be spared.”
Tears gathered in her eyes. Remy's words were so beautiful and poignant. And in such stark contrast to her uncle or grandparents' deaths. They'd died afraid and abandoned and isolated. On that terrible day God had forsaken all of them. There wasn't a single blessing to cling to regarding their deaths.
“Gabrielle, what is it? Hey, I didn't mean to make you sad.” Ryder's warm chocolate eyes flared with concern. He reached over and squeezed her hand. She fought against the urge to pull away from his touch. It felt so good, yet so foreign. It had been so long since she'd taken physical comfort from another human being.
She fought past the emotions swarming over her like a horde of bees. She found herself blinking away tears. Remy's powerful story had struck a nerve. For a moment everything she'd fought so hard to suppress came crashing over her in unrelenting waves. The evacuation orders. The prediction of the worst storm in New Orleans' history. The utter devastation of her city and her beloved family members. The horror as her family had to confront the reality of what had happened to their loved ones. The X marks in front of her grandparents' home. She stuffed down her feelings, not wanting Remy to see her pain nor wanting to get swallowed up by it.
“I-It's nothing. It's so tragic...and beautiful,” Gabrielle murmured
Remy's gaze was unrelenting. He appeared to be studying her...hard. There was something about his level of intensity that was making it difficult to shutter her emotions the way she usually did. He'd just bared his tragic past to her, yet she was sitting on her own painful past, one she was constantly trying to shove down into a secret hiding place. A past she never spoke about. It was starting to chafe her like a yoke around her neck.
“Life can be tragic, but sometimes beauty rises out of tragedy. That's how I think about my life,” Remy said.
“And it's so personal for you to share with me. You don't even know me.” There. She'd said it. The thing she'd been thinking. How could Remy be so open with a virtual stranger about his heartaches?
“Every time I speak about my birth parents I'm honoring them for loving me and giving me life. And every time I tell someone about my adopted parents, I'm honoring them as well by shining a light on their great act of love. How can that be wrong?”
Honoring his parents. It was a lovely sentiment. For a moment she let the idea of it settle over her like a warm shawl. The idea of it was comforting. And startling. She hadn't done a single thing to honor her grandparents or her uncle. All she'd done was run from the pain of losing them.
How could she honor them when the very thought of them filled her with such massive guilt she could barel
y breathe?
“So, what about your parents? Are you close with your family?”
The jangling sound of the door opening served as a means of rescue for Gabrielle. Talking about her family would open up a can of worms that would be difficult and painful. It was something she avoided at all costs. Thankfully, she'd gotten a reprieve, courtesy of Maggie Donahue.
*
“Mom, what are you doing here?” Wasn't she supposed to be at her doctor's appointment at Breeze Point Hospital? Confusion flooded him as he mentally searched his mind for a reason she might have shown up at the shop. Had he gotten the date wrong? No. They'd just spoken about it yesterday.
“That's a fine question for the owner,” she teased, making her way past the counter and towards the kitchen. Her arms were filled with bags. Remy rushed forward to take them off her hands. She rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek.
“What about your appointment?” he asked, placing the bags down on the counter.
“Appointment? What appointment?” A baffled expression marred her placid features.
Remy let out a hollow laugh. “Mom. You had an appointment with Dr. Rather today for your mammogram and ultrasound. Remember? You asked me to come by today and fill in for you.”
“No, that wasn't today, was it?” Her brows were knit together. She began biting her lip.
“I'm pretty sure it was,” Remy answered, trying to keep his voice light and easy. As it was, his mother looked as if she was coming apart at the seams.
Maggie's face fell, then crumpled as she dissolved into tears. “Oh my goodness. I forgot. How could I have forgotten?”
Remy reached out to his mother and wrapped his arms around her. He patted her on the back and comforted her the best way he knew how. “Hey. Come on. We all make mistakes like that from time to time.” He placed a kiss on her forehead and continued to hold her as her small frame was racked with shudders. “It's no big deal.”
Until You Loved Me (Seven Brides, Seven Brothers Book 3) Page 2
