traditionally boring.
“ Nothing wrong with that at all. I’m happy you want to reconnect with Rose and Ivy.” Taking her hand, he said, “Let me drive you the rest of the way home.”
“ Okay.” But she pulled her hand away.
His dark brows drew together, but he didn’t say anything, merely started walking to the edge of the woods. She followed him.
The moon might be as bright as day in the field, but the forest was another matter altogether, so she stayed close. Close enough to touch him. Tempting her to slide her arm through that triangular gap between his elbow and lean body.
If she was really honest, she was even more tempted to slide her hands all over him, to learn the hard planes and new muscles that hadn’t been there when they were teenagers, or even four years ago, when he would have held her hand while they walked. Back when he looked at her like she’d hung the Corn Planting Moon in the sky.
Now Elise would be the one who hung the moon for Gabriel.
Stopping at the edge of the highway, she glanced at him. Gabriel stood, phone in his hand and his thumbs moving. “Carlos is on his way.”
There was a tiny prick at her heart, but she breathed through the pain. Besides, it was ridiculous to think he would want spend more time with her. She never made it easy for anyone to be around her, not even her sisters. Turning away, she eyed the silver truck idling in the middle of the road.
“ Taking your truck?”
“ That’s the plan.”
Beams of light made her eyes squint. She put up a hand to shade them.
“ Gabriel, let’s go! We don’t have all night,” a man called out.
“ Yeah, can’t have Carlos out too late, or Shelia won’t be able to display his nuts in her trophy case tomorrow morning.”
“ Watch it, Noah. There’s a lady present,” Gabriel laughed, and then looked at her. “Sorry about the language.”
For some reason, the thought of him classifying her as a lady gave her pleasure, maybe even a little pride. “I’ve heard worse.”
He stepped closer to her, brushing the strand of hair that kept falling in her face. “Doesn’t matter. You deserve to be treated with respect.”
A thrill ran through her body. Hugging him seemed exactly the right thing to do, but she gave him her brightest smile instead. “Have fun, angel. Don’t forget to tip your stripper in singles.” Then she turned, but a warm hand on her arm guided her in the opposite direction.
“ Truck’s this way, sweetheart. I told you I’d drive you home, but Carlos showed up before I could. ” Another thrill at his touch, at his endearment. She was losing her ever-loving mind. This was Gabriel: he was like this to everyone.
Opening the door, he waited for her to climb inside. She stared at him, then the truck, and then back at him. Her brows were practically a part of her hairline. “But—but I thought y’all were taking your truck.”
“We are.” He grinned and pointed to the red truck a few feet in front of them. “What do you think I’ve been driving all this time?”
Speechless, she climbed in the cab and let him shut the door behind her. As the interior lights dimmed, she mouthed a ‘thank you’ to him. His grin widened before he jogged to his waiting friends. She could hear them laughing and calling each other names as he jumped inside.
The red truck took off, leaving her behind. She gripped the steering wheel, staring after the tail lights until she couldn’t see them anymore.
“ One day I’ll pay you back, angel,” she said softly, with absolutely no malice in her words or meaning. “One day you’ll see me and only smile, then go on with your life.”
Chapter Seven
Pellum & Foster was the newest and smallest law office in Holland Springs, but had an extremely large and powerful branch down in Wilmington, which was exactly why Summer had chosen to make an appointment with them.
“ I’ve reviewed the adoption paperwork, and frankly, Ms. Holland, you
“ Nothing wrong with that at all. I’m happy you want to reconnect with Rose and Ivy.” Taking her hand, he said, “Let me drive you the rest of the way home.”
“ Okay.” But she pulled her hand away.
His dark brows drew together, but he didn’t say anything, merely started walking to the edge of the woods. She followed him.
The moon might be as bright as day in the field, but the forest was another matter altogether, so she stayed close. Close enough to touch him. Tempting her to slide her arm through that triangular gap between his elbow and lean body.
If she was really honest, she was even more tempted to slide her hands all over him, to learn the hard planes and new muscles that hadn’t been there when they were teenagers, or even four years ago, when he would have held her hand while they walked. Back when he looked at her like she’d hung the Corn Planting Moon in the sky.
Now Elise would be the one who hung the moon for Gabriel.
Stopping at the edge of the highway, she glanced at him. Gabriel stood, phone in his hand and his thumbs moving. “Carlos is on his way.”
There was a tiny prick at her heart, but she breathed through the pain. Besides, it was ridiculous to think he would want spend more time with her. She never made it easy for anyone to be around her, not even her sisters. Turning away, she eyed the silver truck idling in the middle of the road.
“ Taking your truck?”
“ That’s the plan.”
Beams of light made her eyes squint. She put up a hand to shade them.
“ Gabriel, let’s go! We don’t have all night,” a man called out.
“ Yeah, can’t have Carlos out too late, or Shelia won’t be able to display his nuts in her trophy case tomorrow morning.”
“ Watch it, Noah. There’s a lady present,” Gabriel laughed, and then looked at her. “Sorry about the language.”
For some reason, the thought of him classifying her as a lady gave her pleasure, maybe even a little pride. “I’ve heard worse.”
He stepped closer to her, brushing the strand of hair that kept falling in her face. “Doesn’t matter. You deserve to be treated with respect.”
A thrill ran through her body. Hugging him seemed exactly the right thing to do, but she gave him her brightest smile instead. “Have fun, angel. Don’t forget to tip your stripper in singles.” Then she turned, but a warm hand on her arm guided her in the opposite direction.
“ Truck’s this way, sweetheart. I told you I’d drive you home, but Carlos showed up before I could. ” Another thrill at his touch, at his endearment. She was losing her ever-loving mind. This was Gabriel: he was like this to everyone.
Opening the door, he waited for her to climb inside. She stared at him, then the truck, and then back at him. Her brows were practically a part of her hairline. “But—but I thought y’all were taking your truck.”
“We are.” He grinned and pointed to the red truck a few feet in front of them. “What do you think I’ve been driving all this time?”
Speechless, she climbed in the cab and let him shut the door behind her. As the interior lights dimmed, she mouthed a ‘thank you’ to him. His grin widened before he jogged to his waiting friends. She could hear them laughing and calling each other names as he jumped inside.
The red truck took off, leaving her behind. She gripped the steering wheel, staring after the tail lights until she couldn’t see them anymore.
“ One day I’ll pay you back, angel,” she said softly, with absolutely no malice in her words or meaning. “One day you’ll see me and only smile, then go on with your life.”
Chapter Seven
Pellum & Foster was the newest and smallest law office in Holland Springs, but had an extremely large and powerful branch down in Wilmington, which was exactly why Summer had chosen to make an appointment with them.
“ I’ve reviewed the adoption paperwork, and frankly, Ms. Holland, you
Similar Books
