“What made you want to change your painting process?”
“Because it wasn’t a process. It was desperation. I went to art school on a full scholarship. I knew I’d need to sell paintings right after I graduated if I was going to have money to eat. So I worked hard, slowly building my collection into something I could market. Even after I became well-known, I worked long hours. The last six years have disappeared and apart from a healthy bank account, I don’t have anything to show for it.”
“You don’t seem like the type of person who could lock herself away from the world.”
She handed Gabe the last dish. “You can do anything if you have the right motivation.”
His gaze lingered on her face. “I’m sensing there’s a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”
“I lost track of what’s important. I was so caught up with being a commercial success that I didn’t spend time with the people I love.” She glanced at Gabe, wondering if he would understand the guilt she was carrying. “Until mom and I left Sapphire Bay, we lived in the cottage with my grandparents. Even when I was at college, I used to spend each vacation here. When I moved to Europe, all that changed. I could have chosen to come home more often, but I didn’t.”
“You were building your career.”
“That’s what I told myself. Last year my grandparents died in a car accident. I’ll never get back the time I could have spent with them.” She took a deep breath and stared through the kitchen window. “Grandma and I used to sit on the veranda, talking about what’s happening in our lives. Granddad used to take me fishing and tell me stories about the steamboats that used to cross Flathead Lake. They were wonderful people.”
“Your grandparents would have understood why you didn’t come home.”
“That doesn’t make it okay.” She turned to Gabe, half-afraid to tell him how selfish she’d been. “Instead of going to their funeral, I went to the opening of my exhibition in London. Afterward, I knew I’d made the wrong decision.”
“Why are you here now? I know you need to paint two canvases, but you could have done that anywhere.”
Natalie sighed. “This might sound strange, but I need to find the person I used to be. I was going to leave Venice in September, but the burglary brought my plans forward.”
“And I nearly derailed them by renting the cottage.”
“It worked out okay.”
“It did.”
The sadness in Gabe’s eyes worried her.
He folded the dishtowel and placed it on the counter. “If it’s any consolation, I can relate to what you’ve said. While I was working in the police force, my whole life centered around my job. When I met Michelle, I never thought we’d be more than friends. But over time, our friendship grew into love.” He looked down at his hands. “I was going to ask her to marry me.”
“That must have been a horrible time.”
“Not as horrible as realizing how isolated I’d become. After Michelle’s funeral, I took six months off work. I needed to make some changes in my life.”
“Did you go back to your job with the police?”
Relief replaced the sadness in Gabe’s eyes. “No. While I was on leave, I submitted my first novel to an agent. They loved it and sent it to one of the largest publishing houses in New York City. Two weeks later I signed a contract and started editing my second novel.”
“Is your life heading in the right direction now?”
He looked away. “Until five months ago, I thought it was.”
She didn’t know what had happened, but he didn’t seem happy. “Can you fix what’s happened?”
“I thought coming here would have helped, but it hasn’t. Someone is stalking me.”
That was the last thing Natalie expected to hear. “I didn’t think people did that anymore.”
“You’d be surprised. It started with emails, then escalated to letters and photos. I ignored most of what the person said until the photos started arriving. I heard about your cottage from a friend of your mom’s. After what was happening, it seemed like the perfect place to lay low. Unfortunately, it hasn’t stopped the letters.”
“Does the person know you’re here?”
“I don’t think so. The letters are still being sent to my agent.”
Natalie frowned. “Is that why you don’t want anyone to know you’re a writer?”
“If the person who’s stalking me knows I’m here, they could make everyone’s life difficult. If you want me to move out, I will. It was hard enough dealing with what’s happening myself. I don’t expect you to get caught up in my mess.”
Natalie looked at Sherlock. He was curled in a ball, sound asleep on her rug. They’d both been through so much. “I don’t mind you living beside me, but I think we should get a security system. It wouldn’t hurt to replace the locks on the doors, either.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. The chance of anyone finding you here must be a million to one.”
Gabe didn’t seem so confident. “If anything changes, I’ll leave right away.”
“If that makes you feel better, then okay. But for now, let’s enjoy dessert. Would you like some chocolate cake with the ice cream you brought?”
“That would be great. I’ll get the ice cream.”
She was still thinking about what Gabe had said when he placed the carton of ice cream beside her.
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
Natalie looked at him and frowned. “It’s Brooke you should be thanking. She dropped the cake off this afternoon.”
Gabe touched her hand. “I don’t mean about the cake. I was thanking you for letting Sherlock and me stay here.”
She moved her hand. The tingles rushing along her arm weren’t the kind that boded well for a platonic friendship. Gabe intrigued her. He made her wish she could let go of the past and jump into a new life. But she wasn’t ready and didn’t know when she would be.
“We’re both making changes in our lives,” Natalie murmured. “If we can’t rely on each other, who can we trust?”
“I wish it were that simple.”
“So do I.” She found a knife and cut two slices off the cake. When her apartment was broken into, she’d felt violated. Knowing someone had gone through her belongings and trashed the one place she should have been safe, was devastating.
No one had ever stalked her, but it must be worse than what she’d experienced. No matter where you went or who you saw, you’d feel as though someone was watching you. That kind of stress could break a person’s confidence and their ability to live a normal life.
If she could make Gabe’s life easier by giving him somewhere safe to live, then that’s what she’d do. Even if he did make her wish for things she’d never wanted—until now.
Two evenings later, Natalie turned to the next page in the document Brooke had given her. “I don’t know much about business plans, but this looks great.”
“Do you think I’ve included the right information?”
Natalie hadn’t been exaggerating when she said she knew nothing about business plans. If Brooke asked her to critique a painting or write a marketing plan for an exhibition she could have done it with her eyes closed. But this was different. Brooke’s dream of opening her own confectionery store rested on the strength of the plan in front of her.
“We should ask Gabe. He’s good with words.” Natalie had no idea if he knew about business plans, but it was worth a try.
Brooke leaned her elbows on the kitchen table. “I haven’t seen him in town very much. He must be enjoying his vacation.”
Gabe had told everyone he was here to enjoy a summer beside the lake. And if they really pushed, he said he used to be a police officer.
Natalie just hoped no one dug any deeper into his life. “I see him when he’s walking Sherlock each morning. It looks as though he’s enjoying his time here. If Gabe can’t help, you could ask one of the business owners in town. They might have an idea of what the bank manager wa
nts to see.”
Brooke bit her bottom lip. “Do you think Gabe would mind us interrupting him now?”
Natalie picked up her cell phone. “I’ll call him and ask.”
After a short conversation, Natalie handed Brooke the draft document. “He’s happy to look at it now.”
By the time they walked around the outside of the cottage, Gabe and Sherlock were waiting for them on the veranda.
“Come inside,” Gabe said with a smile. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I’m happy to add my thoughts.”
Natalie looked around her grandparents’ cottage. Gabe had added a few things of his own, but the furniture and rugs were exactly the same.
She looked above the fireplace and frowned. “Did the realtor take all the photos and paintings off the walls?”
Gabe cleared a space on the dining room table. “I’m not sure. What you see is what was here when I arrived.” His hands stilled. “You haven’t been inside your grandparents’ cottage since you came home.”
Natalie swallowed the lump in her throat. “It’s your home. I didn’t want to intrude.” Gabe’s gray eyes connected with hers. There was so much compassion and understanding in their depths that she had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying.
“Why don’t you have a look around while I read the business plan.”
She shook her head. “I don’t need to. Just being in the living room is enough.” Natalie ran her hand along the back of the rocking chair. Her grandfather had built it from trees that grew around the cottage. Her grandma had made the bright orange rug under the coffee table, and the TV was the same one her mom had bought them many years ago. So much was the same, but without her grandparents, it would never feel like the home she remembered.
Sherlock sat beside her.
She knelt on the floor and gave him a big hug. “Who’s a good boy?”
He leaned into her arms, panting softly.
Gabe sighed. “You’re the only person apart from me who can do that.”
Natalie ran her fingers through Sherlock’s thick coat. “That’s because we’ve got a special bond.”
“And you give him chicken for breakfast.”
“It was only a couple of times,” Natalie murmured. “He loved it.”
“I’m sure he did.” Gabe picked up a pair of glasses and opened the folder Brooke had given him. “It shouldn’t take me too long to read this.”
“Brooke and I did some research about what should be in a business plan. I left our notes at the back of the folder.”
“We think we’ve covered everything,” Brooke added. “But it would be good to get a second opinion.”
Gabe settled into one of the chairs. “I hope I can help. The coffee’s still hot if you’d like a cup.”
“Why don’t we take Sherlock for a walk?” Natalie suggested. “I’ve got my cell phone with me. If we’re not back by the time you’ve finished, just call.”
Sherlock ran across the room and sat beside the French doors.
Gabe’s gaze moved from his German Shepherd to Natalie. “It looks as though you’ve got your answer. Take the whistle. It’s on top of the refrigerator. If Sherlock goes too far, blow it and he’ll come running.”
“We won’t be long,” Natalie said as she headed toward the kitchen.
He nodded and opened the folder.
Whatever advice Gabe could give them would be better than none. All Natalie and Brooke had to do was get Sherlock home without him rolling in anything too smelly. And that, she knew, would be harder than fine-tuning Brooke’s business plan.
By the time Natalie and Brooke came back from their walk, Gabe had finished reading the business plan. He’d made some notes and highlighted the text he thought needed to be more obvious.
“What do you think?” Brooke asked.
“It looks great to me. The only question I have is whether you want to buy or lease the store you’ve found.”
“I’d like to buy the building, but I don’t know if the bank will lend me the money. That’s why there are two different budgets.”
Gabe flipped to the pages Brooke was talking about. “I think you should make it really clear that your preference is to buy the building. Why are you asking a bank manager in Polson for the loan?”
“Because that’s the closest bank.”
“Will they know about property prices in Sapphire Bay?”
Brooke frowned. “I don’t know. Do you think I should include some kind of property overview?”
“It wouldn’t hurt. A realtor could give you a list of commercial buildings that have sold in the last twelve months. I’ve made some notes about small things. Apart from the property prices and making it clear that your preferred option is to buy the building, the plan looks okay to me.” He handed the folder to Brooke. “What will you do if the bank won’t give you the money?”
“I’ll keep working from the commercial kitchen in my garage. But the store in town is perfect. It used to be a French bakery. Apart from some painting and signage, I won’t need to change anything for a long time.”
“Where’s the building?”
“On Main Street. It’s about five buildings away from the general store.”
Gabe knew the property Brooke was talking about. The French bakery was still open when he’d arrived in town. With its wide veranda, arched windows, and red-brick exterior, the building would make a wonderful candy store.
“Have you thought about working with a business partner?”
Brooke nodded. “I did, but it didn’t seem realistic to expect someone to invest in a confectionery store. Most of my sales are through word of mouth and at the markets and fairs.”
“You described ways your business could grow. Putting those actions into place might appeal to an investor.”
Brooke sighed. “I really want to do this on my own. If the bank doesn’t lend me the money, I’ll rethink my decision to involve a business partner. Otherwise, my garage will have to do. Thanks for taking the time to help me. I really appreciate the suggestions you made.”
Gabe smiled. “You’re welcome. If you want another opinion, talk to Mabel at the general store. She could review your sales projections to see if the peak business times match what you’ve identified.”
Brooke picked up her bag and patted Sherlock.
His dog didn’t even bat an eyelid. Sapphire Bay was turning him into a giant teddy bear.
Natalie grinned. “Don’t worry. We won’t corrupt him too much.” She handed Gabe his whistle. “We didn’t need this. Sherlock stayed beside us the whole time.”
Gabe’s eyebrows rose. “What did you bribe him with?”
Natalie patted Sherlock’s head. “We didn’t have to bride him. He enjoyed our company.”
Sherlock wasn’t the only one. And that worried Gabe almost as much as the stalker who was following him.
Chapter 5
The screech of a drill rattled through the cottage. Natalie dropped her head into her hands. It had been four hours since the team from Fletcher Security had arrived. Four hours of non-stop drilling, banging, and questions.
A dark-haired man stuck his head around the doorframe. “We’re turning off the power for about half an hour. Is there anything you need to do before we cut the switch?”
She looked at Tanner and sighed. She didn’t need power, all she needed were a few hours of peace and quiet. “I’m okay. Have you checked with Gabe?”
“He’s not here. He went to the lake with his dog.”
Natalie looked enviously through the window. If she could have picked up her canvas and worked from somewhere else, she would have.
“I’ll tell you when we’ve turned on the power.”
“Thank you.”
Tanner’s slow smile made her feel slightly less grumpy. Finding a company to install a new security system was harder than she’d thought. Polson was their closest town and the contractors were all busy. When she’d mentioned her problem to a friend in Bozeman, H
olly told her to call Fletcher Security. Within two days, Tanner and his team were reviewing her non-existent security and recommending different options.
Gabe had added his thoughts and between them, they’d come up with a plan that would keep the property and themselves safe.
Natalie sighed as silence wrapped itself over the cottage like a thick, fluffy blanket. She studied her painting, dipped her brush into the gray-green paint, and added more color to the background.
Half a blissful hour later, Tanner knocked on her door. “We’re finished. Is it a good time to go over the setup?”
“I’ll just clean my brushes. Where do you want me to meet you?”
“We’ll start by the back door of your side of the cottage. Gabe’s home, so I’ll show both of you at the same time.”
Natalie slid off her stool and replaced the lids on her paints. At least they wouldn’t have to worry about someone breaking into the cottage. If Gabe’s stalker got past the state-of-the-art security system Tanner had installed, they were in more trouble than they thought.
Gabe smiled as she walked through the living room door. “You look comfortable.”
She hoisted her old dungarees higher and grinned. “They’re my favorite things to wear when I’m painting.” She twirled and gave a theatrical bow. “I found them in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.” She ran her hands down the paint-splattered denim. It was so thin she could have been wearing cotton.
“They’re very…artsy.”
“You should see my other paint clothes. I’ve got a shirt for every occasion.” She jumped when Tanner cleared his throat.
“I don’t have any multi-colored clothes, but I have installed some flashing lights. Do you want to see how they work?”
She smiled at their security installer. “Go for it.”
After twenty minutes of moving around both sides of the cottage, Natalie was in awe of what the team from Fletcher Security had achieved.
She waved her hand in front of an infrared beam protecting Gabe’s French doors. “This is amazing. Are you sure it works?”
Falling For You (Sapphire Bay Book 1) Page 5
