“All right, what time should I be ready?”
“Seven-thirty.”
“I’ll see you then.”
“Yeah, see you then.”
With a nod and a truly enigmatic smile, Gabriel let himself out of the cottage.
As the door clicked shut quietly, Madelyn joined Buddy on the sofa. The dog immediately climbed into her lap and rolled onto his back so she could rub his belly. Petting him, she stared into the fire, wondering again what Gabriel was up to.
Maybe her imagination was working overtime, but it seemed to her he’d been quite taken with the idea of giving her a ride to school. More so than such a simple favor warranted.
Try as she might, though, she couldn’t come up with any viable ulterior motive he could have. Finally she gave up, shifted the dog off her lap and crossed to the table where she’d left her books and papers.
Much as she hated to admit it, her respite was over. She really did have work to do—a lot of work. Still, as late afternoon turned to early evening, her mind wandered more than once to thoughts of Gabriel standing by the cottage door, looking much too much like a cat who’d caught the canary.
What Madelyn had meant to be a onetime occurrence turned, instead, into a daily ritual, thanks to Gabriel’s quiet insistence. Claiming he should have realized sooner how silly it was for both of them to take their cars to school, he somehow managed to convince her that riding with him and Brian was not only wise, but also economical.
She didn’t put up much of an argument since she did enjoy their company on the relatively short commute. And, to her credit, she did offer to take a turn at driving. However, since Gabriel often needed his truck during the day for trips to the school’s district office, they agreed switching off wouldn’t really be feasible.
None of the other faculty members seemed to notice their new arrangement, or if they did, no one seemed to take exception to it. After several days, meeting Gabriel and Brian outside the garage at seven-thirty in the morning had become almost routine, pleasantly routine.
Unfortunately, parting with them when they returned in the afternoon wasn’t quite as gratifying. Much as she loved the cozy comfort of the little cottage, she would have much preferred to spend her evenings at the house with Gabriel and Brian. Having had a taste of what living with them would be like, she wasn’t as happy, or as satisfied, as she’d once been on her own.
Of course, she was careful not to let them know that. She refused to impose on Gabriel more than she already did. Not when she was afraid she was pushing her luck as it was. And since Brian came to visit at the cottage as usual on Monday and Thursday, she wasn’t exactly isolated.
In all honesty, what she missed most was just sitting in front of the fire, talking with Gabriel as they’d done Saturday night. They had shared a closeness then that she longed to rekindle. Although, given a choice, she would rather not discuss Ethan again.
While he had been their link at the outset, eventually, when she mustered the courage to tell Gabriel what she believed to be the truth about his death, he could also prove to be the wedge that ultimately drove them apart.
However, their relationship with Ethan certainly wasn’t all they had in common. Given the opportunity, Madelyn was sure they would find lots of other things to discuss. Like what Gabriel was building out in his workshop, or the series of photographs she’d taken of Santa Fe now on display at Henry Martin’s gallery, or school, or Brian, or even Buddy—
“You’re awfully quiet,” Gabriel said. “Not starting to feel sick again, are you?”
Drawn from her reverie, Madelyn glanced at Gabriel and smiled reassuringly.
“Not at all,” she said.
They were in the truck, headed home from school late Friday afternoon after dropping Brian off at Donny Murphy’s house. Since she and Gabriel would be at the school’s Valentine dance all evening, he had arranged for his son to spend the night with his best friend.
“That’s good. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on all the fun tonight,” Gabriel teased.
“Actually, I’m looking forward to it,” Madelyn admitted.
“Then you’ve obviously forgotten how chaotic riding herd on a gymnasium full of preteens surging to the beat of the latest grunge rock and hip-hop can be.”
“That’s true. But then, I haven’t gotten out much lately.”
“You haven’t, have you?” Gabriel said as he pulled into the driveway. Then he added casually, “But we can certainly change that.”
Disconcerted by his use of the word we, Madelyn said nothing as she gathered her tote bag and purse. She hadn’t intended her comment as a play for sympathy. Nor had she been angling for a date. But how could she explain that without looking more foolish than she already felt?
Seeming totally unaware of her embarrassment, and apparently expecting no reply, Gabriel hopped out of the truck, walked around to the passenger door and opened it for her.
“Got everything?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Avoiding his gaze, she took his proffered hand and stepped onto the driveway.
“I guess we’d better try to leave around six-fifteen. Even though the dance isn’t supposed to start until seven, there will be the usual early arrivals.”
“We’re going together?” Madelyn eyed Gabriel questioningly, wondering if she’d understood him correctly.
She was going to the dance, but as far as she knew, not with—
“Yes, together. No sense in your driving there alone,” he stated matter-of-factly.
Somehow it had never occurred to Madelyn that he expected her to go with him. He hadn’t said anything until just now. But then, they’d been riding back and forth to school together all week. Unlike her, he had probably just taken for granted they’d do the same tonight. And since she couldn’t think of any reason why they shouldn’t, she agreed quite happily.
“No, no sense at all.”
“I’ll stop by the cottage for you at six-fifteen, then.”
Though Madelyn kept reminding herself that Gabriel was just being pragmatic, she flitted around the cottage—Buddy close at her heets—thoughts of the evening ahead filling her with anticipation.
One would have thought he was whisking her away to a romantic rendezvous rather than to a preteen dance at the local junior high school where they would more than likely spend most of the time apart. But to Madelyn that was infinitely more appealing than spending another night alone.
To ensure that as many students as possible attended, dancing to music provided by a disc jockey was actually only one of several activities planned by the PTA for the evening. A cakewalk, bingo game and a variety of carnival booths along with a refreshment stand had been set up in the gymnasium, and dress had been designated as casual.
Standing in front of her closet, Madelyn mulled over what to wear. Originally, she had planned to don tailored slacks and a sweater. But when she reached into the closet, her hand latched on to the simple black wool dress she hadn’t been able to resist buying while she’d been in St. Louis.
The slim sheath accentuated her slender curves, while the white satin collar and French cuffs added a modest touch of elegance. She would probably be just a tad overdressed in it. But if she tied her hair back at the nape of her neck with a small black bow and wore her gold-andpearl stud earrings, she’d still look relatively subdued.
Her mind made up, she headed for the kitchen, fed the dog, heated some soup for herself, then retreated to the bathroom for a relaxing soak in the tub.
By the time Gabriel knocked on the door, she was dressed, but not necessarily ready to go. Eyeing herself critically in the mirror, she wished she had settled for the slacks and sweater, after all. Chaperoning a mass of preteens at a school dance didn’t really call for such preening on her part, and she wasn’t really going with Gabriel, just riding along in his truck.
However, it was much too late to change.
Hoping she wouldn’t look too out of place, she shushed the
dog, then quickly slipped into her black wool coat and grabbed her purse.
“I’m not early, am I?” Gabriel asked as she opened the door.
“No, not at all,” she assured him, stepping out into the cold, clear, smoke-scented night. “You’re right on time.”
Seeing that he wore a dark suit, white shirt and tie beneath his open overcoat, she felt somewhat relieved. Apparently, “casual dress” didn’t necessarily apply to the faculty. Since the school principal was dressed as formally as she, Madelyn figured she wouldn’t stand out like a sore thumb, after all.
“Hope you had a chance to relax,” Gabriel said as he started the truck and backed down the driveway. “We’re going to have a busy evening ahead of us.”
“I did.”
“What about dinner?”
“A bowl of soup.”
“That’s all?” Frowning, Gabriel glanced at her.
“I wanted to save room for nachos and a hot dog.” she admitted, smiling ruefully. “I love that kind of stuff, and I haven’t had either in ages.”
“Well, then, we’d better see that you have time to hit the refreshment stand before everything’s sold out,” he teased.
Liking the way he again used the word we, Madelyn readily agreed.
“Just save room for coffee and dessert later,” Gabriel added as he pulled into the school’s parking lot.
“Are the PTA members serving that, too?”
“No, I thought we’d stop at the café on the Plaza afterward. To wind down. If you’d like...”
“Oh, yes,” she hastened to reply, not only surprised, but quite pleased by his suggestion. “I’d enjoy that very much.”
“I would, too.” In the semidarkness of the truck’s interior, Gabriel look over at her, smiling as he met her gaze. “So, it’s a date?”
“Yes, it’s a date,” Madelyn murmured, noting that, once again, he had a rather speculative gleam in his dark eyes.
A pleasingly speculative gleam that made her heart beat a little faster.
Sure that she had read way too much into Gabriel’s glance, Madelyn walked into the school building with him.
Although thirty minutes remained until the official start of the dance, most of the faculty and PTA members were already arriving, along with a smattering of students. Everyone seemed to know Gabriel, and as they headed toward the classroom that had been set up as a coat-check stand, he exchanged numerous greetings along the way.
Madelyn smiled and nodded, speaking to the few people she recognized. There was a noticeable curiosity about her among the others, but since everyone also seemed friendly, she wasn’t discomfited by it. She was still the new kid in town, and she was arriving with the principal, so some interest in her was to be expected.
With gentlemanly courtesy, Gabriel helped her out of her coat and handed it, along with his, to the parent in charge of checking them. When he turned back to her, he paused and looked at her, head to toe and back again, his eyes widening with such obvious appreciation, the heat of a blush warmed her cheeks.
“Where are you scheduled to work first?” he asked, though she had a feeling that wasn’t really what he’d wanted to say to her.
Unfortunately, they were surrounded by at least a dozen other people, all vying for his attention.
“Hallways and rest rooms,” she replied.
For security reasons, as well as general crowd control, parents and teachers had been assigned a different area of the school for each of the three hours of the dance.
“Followed by?”
“The front door, then the gym.”
“I’ll bring you some nachos once the first rush is over,” he promised.
“Thanks.”
He reached out and gave her arm a quick squeeze, then turned to talk to the PTA president, a slightly overweight, middle-aged woman wearing a bright red, satin-and-lace dress at least one size too small.
Reluctantly, Madelyn moved away from him, joining the other teachers, most of whom had brought along spouses or dates. They welcomed her into their midst, making introductions and light conversation until the time came for them to take up their various stations.
As good as his word, Gabriel sought her out as she walked along a far hall, checking for stragglers. Falling into step with her, he handed her one of the soft drinks he carried along with a plate of nachos. They shared the crispy, cheese-coated chips, not saying much. Then, at Eileen Duggan’s behest, he was off again to break up a minor altercation between two girls who wanted to dance with the same grinning, couldn’t-care-less boy.
Except at a distance, Madelyn didn’t see Gabriel again until the dance was almost over. On duty in the gym, she had just polished off the hot dog she’d been craving when the disc jockey, in deference to the baby-boomer parents and teachers, slowed down the tempo with a Motown golden oldie.
As the velvet-voiced male vocalist sang about his girl, Gabriel appeared out of nowhere and halted beside her.
“May I have this dance?” he asked, sliding a hand under her elbow and urging her toward the dance floor.
“I have a feeling you’re not taking no for an answer,” she replied lightly.
“You’re right. I’m not,” he said, pulling her close.
Though she was somewhat disconcerted at being singled out thus, Madelyn didn’t think their sharing one dance would cause too much of a stir. She had seen Gabriel on the dance floor with several of the other teachers, some of the parents, even a few of the bolder students.
Granted, he hadn’t danced slow dances with them. But then, none had been played until now. Which made her feel rather special, no matter how she tried to convince herself that she really had no reason to.
Gabriel was an excellent dancer, and Madelyn easily followed his lead, giving herself up to the sensual rhythm. She also marveled at how well they fit together as she savored the warm, solid feel of his arms around her.
“I don’t think I’ve told you how lovely you look tonight, have I?” he asked, his mouth close to her ear, his voice low, his breath tickling her neck.
Startled by such a personal compliment given in such an intimate way, Madelyn jerked back, stumbling a bit as she looked up at him. He met her gaze, his eyes steady, his expression serious. At a loss for words, she shook her head as she once again fell into step with him.
“Well, you do.”
“Thank you.”
Unable to decipher what, if any, underlying meaning there might be beneath his softly spoken words, she lowered her gaze. Almost imperceptibly, his arms tightened around her, and for just a moment, as the music faded, she rested her head on his shoulder.
Surely he hadn’t been coming on to her, had he? But the way he’d looked at her, the way he’d held her, the words he’d spoken, all seemed to add up to something more than a casual exchange between two friends of the opposite sex.
A few minutes later, as she quieted a rowdy bunch of students cutting up in line at the refreshment stand, Madelyn told herself she was being silly. With Gabriel across the gym, his back turned to her, she found it easy to believe she’d been letting her imagination run wild.
Certainly nothing else he had said or done since their first meeting several weeks ago indicated he had any personal interest in her. He had been kind and helpful to her, but she had gradually come to realize that Gabriel Serrano was generally kind and helpful to anyone in need.
And, in his mind, he would always couple her with Ethan, the brother who had caused him so much grief. More than likely, he thought of her as he had Lily ten years ago. To him, she was another abandoned woman in need of aid. And, regrettably, all used up.
She wished there were some way she could tell him that Ethan had never engaged her emotions in quite the way Gabriel suspected—that, in truth, she hadn’t loved anyone until now—without running the risk of sounding like a desperate fool.
By ten-thirty, the last of the students were on their way home, the PTA cleanup crew had set to work and the faculty was finally fr
ee to go.
Having talked some sense into herself, Madelyn chattered inanely about nothing in particular on the walk to Gabriel’s truck, the ride to the cafe on the Plaza, even over the steaming cups of cappuccino and slices of decadently delicious raspberry cream cake they ordered.
Gabriel eyed her curiously, making only a token effort to hold up his end of the conversation until Madelyn finally ran out of chirpy comments. Sitting beside him in the truck as they neared home, she plucked nervously at the fabric of her coat as a discomfiting silence suddenly stretched between them.
Unexpectedly, Gabriel’s hand settled over hers, and she swung around to face him.
“Did you have a nice time tonight?” he asked, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Very nice,” she murmured.
“But you’re upset about something.” He made it a statement rather than a question.
“No, I’m not,” she said, then added when he glanced at her skeptically, “really.”
“Am I making you uncomfortable, then?”
“No.”
At her all-too-hasty reply, he favored her with another dubious look.
“I’m just a little wound up from all the excitement,” she hedged. “And that second cup of cappuccino probably isn’t helping any, either.”
“Because I wouldn’t want you to think I would ever knowingly do anything to upset or embarrass you,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken.
“I know that, Gabriel.”
Looking away, she stared out the window, more confused than ever.
“Good.”
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then released her so he could maneuver the truck into the driveway. After parking in the garage, he walked with her to the cottage door.
With a full moon shining high overhead, the courtyard was bathed in a shimmering, silvery glow. Key in hand, Madelyn turned to thank Gabriel for a lovely evening. As she did, he moved a step closer to her and took the key from her.
“Let me get the door for you,” he said, reaching around her to fit the key into the lock.
Unable to move away from him with the door at her back, Madelyn fixed her gaze on the top button of his overcoat and willed her heart to stop racing.
Daddy By Default Page 14
