Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

GABBY

“Hello, this is Bower, how may I help you?”

“Why do you answer the phone like that? You know it’s me,” I say as I put my phone on speaker and start to lotion my legs. My shower works, and even though I would have loved to have taken a shower in Ryland’s house to spend even more time together, I’m giving him a touch of space and time to get ready for the week ahead.

“I do it because it annoys you, and how am I keeping you on your toes if I’m not annoying you?”

“Maybe just by checking in?”

“Not as fun. Anyway, this is Bower. Who might I be speaking to?”

“You’re ridiculous.”

She laughs. “Okay, okay, tell me everything about this weekend. I shot Bennett a text congratulating him on his game, and he might have dished a little bit of tea about you, but I will let you tell me, and yes, I am saying this up front because I don’t feel like acting surprised and shocked when you do mention what really happened this weekend.”

“First of all, the fact that you talk to Bennett, that’s dangerous. I don’t like the cross pollination.”

“It’s for your benefit, so we can keep a close eye on you and make sure you’re okay. We’ve been doing it for years. You’ll be fine, suck it up.”

“So loving.” Years? How have I not known this? Years... “Second of all, what did he tell you?”

I lotion my arms as Bower says, “Just that there was something brewing between you and the coach and that you said you had feelings but weren’t sure how things would go. You left us on a cliffhanger. Now you need to tell us how everything went.”

“If I tell you, are you going to tell Bennett?”

“Absolutely,” she says, not even pretending to be on my side.

I sigh heavily. “Fine . . . we’re seeing each other.”

“What?” she yells into the phone. “You’re just going to come out with the information like that. You’re not going to ease me in? Add some foreplay . . . at least swat at my nipples before you drive it home?”

“Nope, giving it to you hard.”

“Well, let me catch my breath for a second. Golly!”

“Golly?” I ask, never in my life hearing my friend say such a thing. It almost feels like a swear word coming out of her mouth.

“Yeah, golly.” She clears her throat. “Now that I’ve adjusted to the girth you just shoved into me, tell me how it happened.”

Chuckling, I say, “Well, I got back to the place we were staying at, and there was one bed?—”

“Naturally, a romance author’s dream place to make the sparks fly. One-bed trope is the epitome of all tropes. Did he pretend he was cold and needed to snuggle? Or were you like . . . Oh Ryland, I have so much adrenaline, I need you to hold me to calm me down and then when he held you, he slipped his hand under your shirt and started teasing your tits? Ooof, I love a good swipe of a finger over a breast. Nothing will make me hornier.”

“You know . . . you need to stop reading those books.”

“Never! Those books give me life.”

Shaking my head, I cap off my lotion. “Nothing like that happened, well, sort of nothing. Honestly, it’s all a blur.”

“So he did swipe the boob.”

“Umm, perhaps, it was more of me taking my shirt off and moving over him.”

“Dear God in heaven,” she whispers. “That sounds fantastic.”

“It really was. It was after he confessed how he felt for me and that he couldn’t stop thinking about me. Honestly, it was pretty magical. So yeah, we’re seeing each other now.”

“Well, this is the best news ever. Are you excited? Apprehensive? Nervous? Just so horny that you don’t care about the rest of the feelings?”

“Clearly not as horny as you.” Bower laughs. “Yes, about being nervous and a little apprehensive. I want to make sure we do this right. He is pretty wary about being in any sort of relationship but is dedicated to making it work with me. But we have to think about his niece and her feelings. I want to be as respectful as possible. So a lot of navigating.”

“I get it, still . . . look at you thriving. New job, new place, new beau. I’m proud of you, Gabby.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“No, it is.” Bower grows serious. “This is a huge deal. After Nathan, I honestly didn’t think there’d be anyone who could enter your life and help you out of the darkness. What I didn’t expect was you helping yourself out of that darkness. You were the one who made the change and that’s something to be proud of. And then finding Ryland, who so far seems like a great guy— I wasn’t expecting you to open up your heart the way you have toward him.”

I sit on my bed and cross my legs. “In all honesty, it was hard not to open up, as I see my pain inside him. Like a mirror, reflecting right back, so I knew that I wouldn’t be embarrassed when talking to him about my past, that he wouldn’t judge me. I felt very comfortable, which made it easier to open up.” I think about the past twenty-four hours and just how comfortable I was. “I told him about Nathan, and everything that happened with him.”

“Please tell me he got all ragey and ready to break wrists.”

“Wrists, faces . . . I think he was ready to break all the things.”

“We love an overprotective hero. Obsessed.” I hear her sigh. “I need to find myself one of those.”

“Abel’s still single.”

“No, I think I’m too much for him. I could already feel the vibe that he’d get annoyed with me but not think it’s cute. I need someone who can understand me when I say a one-bed trope is all I need in my life.”

“Not sure many would understand.”

“Which will make him a unicorn, and I’m willing to wait for a unicorn. Unicorns come glitter. What more does a girl need?”

“Jesus,” I mutter as I lie back on my bed. “Remind me why we’re friends again?”

“Honestly, I couldn’t tell you at this point.”

“Figured as much.”

Gabby: Headed to The Almond Store for more of those cookies. Do you want me to grab you anything?

Ryland: Is that why you bolted out of practice once it ended?

Gabby: That, and I really had to pee.

Ryland: And here I thought you were avoiding me.

Gabby: Why would you think that?

Ryland: You didn’t come over last night, didn’t say hi to me in the hall today. Barely looked at me during conditioning. You’re not playing it cool, Gabby.

Gabby: I’m working on it, okay? Sometimes I forget how hot you actually are until I see you, and when I saw you, I got all shy and weird. And yesterday, I didn’t come over because I thought you needed the time to reset.

Ryland: I’ll let you know if I need to reset.

Gabby: Okay. Also, if you could stop being so hot, that would be great too.

Ryland: I’ll try, not making any promises. But back to the cookies, grab one for me and come over tonight when Mac is in bed so we can have a cookie together.

Gabby: That I can do.

Ryland: And don’t wear underwear.

Gabby: Ooof, sorry, that’s a no can do.

Ryland: And why not?

Gabby: I got my period today, hence the cookies.

Ryland: Maybe I should be the one getting the cookies then.

Gabby: I got them, but I wouldn’t mind a snuggle when I see you.

Ryland: These arms are yours. See you in a bit.

Smile stretched across my face, I get out of my car and head toward The Almond Store, one of my favorite places in town.

When I open the door and the bell rings above me, I’m immediately sucked into the almondy goodness of the fresh, spotlessly clean store. Seriously, it’s like a comfort place for me being in here.

I spot Hattie at the counter talking to a woman with red hair, wearing a silky Kaftan, and head toward her.

“Hey, Gabby,” Hattie says with a wave of her hand.

“Ooo, Gabby,” the redhead says. “You must be the new teacher in town.”

“Um, yes.” I wave shyly. “Hi.”

The lady holds her hand out. “I’m Ethel, the owner of Five Six Seven Eight.”

“Oh wow, it’s so nice to meet you.” I take her hand and give it a gentle shake. “I love your inn. I stayed there when I came here for my interview. It’s so charming, and one of the best sleeps I’ve ever had.” She doesn’t need to know it’s because I slept in a pair of arms that I can’t wait to get to later tonight.

“Oh, you’ve stayed there? How lovely. Did you enjoy the breakfast in the morning?”

“Yes, the fluffiest eggs I’ve ever had.”

She leans in and says, “The chef puts cottage cheese in them.”

“Ooo, really? It’s a terrific touch.”

“I’ll give my compliments to the chef.” She winks. “How are you liking Almond Bay?”

“I absolutely love it,” I say, leaning gently against the counter. There’s nothing like some small-town talk to make this Gilmore Girls -like dream even more of a reality. I got the grump, the cute town, and now the friendly chatter.

“Here for some cookies?” Hattie asks.

“Half a dozen please.”

“On it.”

I turn my attention back to Ethel. “My brother, Bennett, went to school here the last few years of high school, but we lived on the outskirts, so being able to actually live in Almond Bay is truly a dream. I love everything about this town.”

“It is a great place to call home,” Ethel says. “Now, Bennett, is that Bennett Brinkman?”

“Yes,” I say brightly.

“Did I hear that he had his first major league start this past weekend?”

Wow, news really does travel fast.

“He did,” I say. “I went to the game. He’s worked so hard to get there and seeing him on the big stage was everything I could have hoped for.”

“That is so wonderful. Not to be nosy, but can I assume your parents are no longer with us?”

Not to be nosy? Something tells me she is the definition of nosy.

“They’re no longer in the picture. Just me and Bennett at this point.”

“Well, what an accomplishment for you two. You must be over the moon.”

“We are. Thank you.”

“The whole town is rooting for him. Maybe after the season, we can have a party for our very own baseball star here. I love throwing parties and events for the town.”

“That she does,” Hattie says as she sets the bag of cookies on the counter. “You should have seen what she did for Aubree’s proposal.”

“You helped with it?” I ask Ethel.

“Oh yes, dear.” She leans her elbow against the counter. “It was quite the spectacle. We had dancers and a band, and I sang while Rodney drove his train around. Unlike anything you’ve ever seen.”

“Wow, I’ll have to ask Aubree to see pictures.”

“There are plenty,” Ethel says, pushing off from the counter. “Well, I best be getting back to the inn. I’m supposed to meet the Peach Society for a meeting about this year’s holiday festivities. I’ll be sure to talk to them about a homecoming for our very own Bennett Brinkman.” She presses her hand to my arm. “Take care, dears.” And then she walks off, the bell above the door announcing her departure.

Hattie looks at me when she's gone and says, “If you want to keep anything a secret in this town, keep it away from her.”

I chuckle. “I could sense that.”

“Love the lady, but man, does she go fishing for information.”

“Thanks for playing it cool then about Ryland and me. I mean . . . you didn’t say anything, right?”

“God no, Ryland would murder me. I won’t be the one who lets that cat out of the bag.” She leans in and whispers, “But I will say I’m so freaking giddy about you and him. Thank you for giving him a chance. I love seeing my brother happy. He deserves it.”

That warms my heart because the bond Ryland has with his sisters is the same kind of bond I have with Bennett—it’s one of the many things I like about him.

“No need to thank me.” I can’t hold back my smile. “I really like the man, and I’m just glad he’s giving me a chance. I know how difficult it was for him to open up.”

“You have no idea, but I won’t get into that because it’s his business to tell, not mine. I’m just very happy for the both of you, and trust me when I say your secret is safe with me.”

Just then, the door opens, and a girl in overalls and a straw hat walks in, carrying a wooden box full of jars.

“Echo,” Hattie says. “Have you come with the honey?”

“I have,” the girl says as she walks up to the counter and places the box down. She turns to me and smiles. “Hi, I’m Echo. I work with Aubree over at Rowley Farm. You must be Gabby.”

I take her hand and shake it as I glance at Hattie. How on earth does this girl know me?

Hattie waves off my questioning brow. “Everyone is going to know who you are at this point.”

I laugh. “Good to know. Yes, I’m Gabby. Nice to meet you, Echo.”

“I heard we’re going to have a girls’ night soon. Is that true?” Echo asks.

“That’s what I’m planning,” Hattie says. “Maybe Friday next week. I was thinking about having everyone over to the house, kicking Hayes out, and then complaining to all of you about how my super-hot, beautifully talented, and sweet boyfriend hasn’t proposed yet.”

“What did he say? Keep mentioning it, and he’ll prolong the wait?” Echo says in a lecturing tone.

“He can’t hear me now.”

“How do you know? Maybe he bugged the place,” Echo challenges.

Hattie looks around the store, eyeing the corners, and then dips her head under the counter to give a good look. “Well, if he did bug the place, then he’s going to have a rude awakening when I find the microphone. No sex for a month.” She leans toward the counter. “You hear that, Hayes? No sex.”

I let out a low rumble of a laugh, loving Hattie. She reminds me a lot of Bower, which is comforting since I miss my best friend so much.

“You know.” She stands taller. “Maybe that’s what my problem is. Maybe he’s not proposing because I’m giving away the milk for free. Maybe I need to hold out on him.”

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Echo says and then picks up a few jars to restock the shelves.

Hattie rings me up, and I give her my card to pay. “What do you think?” Hattie asks. “Think he will ever propose?”

“I don’t know him well enough to decide, but I will say this. If he takes much longer, he’s a fool because you’re an absolute delight.”

She clutches her chest. “Ugh, that’s what I tell him every day.”

We laugh together, and I grab my cookies and card from her, telling myself I don’t need to eat one of these cookies when I get into the car, but I know I’ll fail at self-control.

“I’m serious about next Friday, though. Let me know if you’re interested. We’d love to have you. I think my friend Maggie might be coming up to visit as well.”

“That would be great,” I answer. “Count me in.”

“Wonderful.” Hattie smiles. “See you next Friday.”

It didn’t occur to me until I walked over to Ryland’s house that maybe I should have talked to him about hanging out with his sister before accepting the invitation. I’m trying to take this slow for him, and I don’t want to overstep my boundaries. Maybe he’s not comfortable with me hanging out with his sisters. Not yet at least.

I walk up the steps to his back door and consider knocking for a moment, but then realize that might be weird since I used to just walk in, so I open the door myself and walk into his quiet house. My eyes immediately fall to the table in the kitchen where he usually waits, and when I don’t find him there, I glance around the kitchen but come up short.

Confused, I shut the door behind me, cookie bag in hand, and I peek around to the living room where I find him walking down the stairs.

The moment he sees me, he pauses and then blows out a heavy breath. “Jesus fuck,” he whispers, making his way all the way down. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Sorry.” I chuckle. “Did I startle you?”

“Yeah, you did,” he says walking up to me and wrapping his arm around my waist, pulling me into him and tilting my head back so he can mold our lips together.

And it’s so delicious.

God, it’s been a day and a half, yet it feels like it’s been a week since I’ve kissed him. Going undetected at school and practice was a challenge to say the least.

When he pulls away, he presses his forehead to mine and whispers, “Fuck, I missed these lips.”

Butterflies erupt in my stomach because I’m not sure anyone has ever really said anything like that to me. Not even in my happiest stages of a relationship.

“Go sit down on the couch while I get us drinks. Iced tea okay?”

“That would be perfect,” I say as I go to the couch and set the cookies on the coffee table. Since I’m assuming Mac is just falling asleep, I don’t say anything to him and just wait. Thankfully he doesn’t take very long and saunters over, looking so freaking fine in a simple Almond Bay baseball T-shirt and athletic shorts. He doesn’t have to do much, just shorts and a T-shirt and he has me practically drooling.

He sits beside me, places our drinks on the coffee table, and then tugs on my hand. I move over his lap to lean my back against a pillow propped up against the couch arm and drape my legs over his.

“How are you feeling?” he asks.

“Okay,” I say as his hand falls to my thigh. “Better now.”

“Same.” He smiles at me.

I smile back.

And God, I feel like a teenager, getting to hang out with my crush, attempting to be quiet so his parents don’t hear us. But instead of parents, it’s his niece.

“What did you and Mac do tonight?”

“Well, she was in the mood for quiche.”

“Oh really? I wouldn’t expect a four-year-old to know what quiche is.”

“She learned about it from a book she read in school. Apparently, some mouse is really good at making quiche. I don’t know, but she was determined to have one tonight. And I thought how hard could it be to make?”

I wince. “How did it go?”

“Let’s just say I almost ruined the oven by overfilling the pie crust. Thankfully I was able to save the egg from splashing into the scalding oven. The crust burnt, and I feel like we added too much spinach, but I was nervous there wasn’t enough, so I added extra, but then it felt like we were just chewing through spinach. You could imagine how a four-year-old did with that.”

“I’m assuming not well.”

“Yeah, not well at all. When I asked her what she thought, she gave me a solid thumbs down and said she never wanted quiche again. So I ruined that for her.”

I chuckle. “I bet it wasn’t that bad.”

“When you came in, I wasn’t tucking Mac in bed. I was flossing because I got spinach stuck everywhere.”

“Oh gosh.” I cover my mouth in laughter. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to laugh, but I’m just imagining the entire encounter. Maybe when we open up to Mac about our relationship, I can help her make a quiche that isn’t full of spinach. Change her mind a bit.”

“Are you good at making quiche?”

I nod. “It was one of the easiest and cheapest things I’d make for me and Bennett. It was great for him because it was filled with protein, and I’d be able to shop at the dollar store for some of the ingredients, making it a very cheap meal.”

“I might need a lesson, then.”

“I think I can arrange that.” I lean over and grab the cookie bag and pull out the cookies, one for him, one for me. I’m the first to take a bite, and the moment the cherry almond flavors hit my tongue, I internally wish I got a dozen instead of a half. “These are so freaking good.”

“I can get you the recipe,” he says.

“And ruin the magic?” I shake my head. “No way. I will forever and always need these from your sister. I’d never be able to replicate it. I’m more of a cook than a baker.”

“I’m neither and very grateful for an air fryer.”

He’s so adorable. “What would you say is the best thing that you cook?”

“Right now, hmm, I’ve been winning with the homemade pizza. I’ve been using a cauliflower crust that Mac seems to love. She gets veggies in her meal, and she likes it.” He shyly shrugs. “It’s the little wins. I always try to think about Cassidy and what she’d try to do. She never let Mac challenge her with food. She always ate what was on her plate, so I try to replicate that.”

“Seems like you’re doing a good job in all aspects. From what I’ve seen, she’s happy and healthy, and that’s all that really matters, right?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

I finish off my cookie. “How’s she adjusting to the new house? I know you were worried there for a bit.”

“I think putting things away and getting furniture in place has helped a lot, but I still want to try to make this place look more like a home.”

I look around at the plain walls and the bare floors. “I think a few small touches would make a difference. Like an area rug for the living room, something large that Mac can play on. You can get a shelf right there with cubby drawers for her toys. Some curtains would look good, and then a few framed pictures. Maybe have Mac draw something for the walls.”

“That’s a really good idea. I think she’d like to do that. She loves drawing and painting.”

“Yeah, and you can get frames from somewhere like IKEA so they look professional. It might make her feel more special.”

He finishes his cookie and rubs his hand over my thigh. “You’re really smart.”

“Not really, just thinking of some simple things to do inexpensively. You learn where to shop and how to be thrifty when counting every penny, that’s for sure.”

“But they’re the type of things that will make a difference, so thank you.”

“Of course. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in your shoes. If Bennett had a kid that he left with me, I think I’d have a hard time getting up every day to take care of the child because they’d just be a stark reminder of how I lost my brother.”

“That’s how it was for a while,” he says softly as he reaches over me for his drink, which I help him grab. He offers me a sip even though I have my own, and I take it. “But Aubree was really helpful during those days. We were living in the farmhouse. She was in the guest house, and it was like we were both trying to take care of Mac at the same time. We did dinner every night together. She helped with pickup and drop-off at school, and at night, she’d go off to the guest house, and I’d sleep on the couch.”

I nod in understanding. “I know the feeling. Was there not enough room for you?”

“Couldn’t stomach sleeping in Cassidy’s room, so I took up the couch. What about you?”

“One-bedroom apartment when Bennett was a teenager. I knew it was best if I gave him the room for his own privacy, plus I worked late, so I took the couch. It worked. Sometimes you make the sacrifices for others.”

“You do,” he says softly. “Tell me something about your childhood that you liked. I feel like we always talk about the bad. Do you happen to have a happy memory?”

“I do.” I snuggle in close to his chest as he sets down his drink on the side table. His arm wraps around my back, and I’ve never felt more comfortable. This, right here, this is where I want to be. For someone who has always been at the helm of protection, it feels so amazing to be protected for a moment. “Bennett, I think, was in middle school, and we were headed to get some ice cream down the street. We were walking down the sidewalk when, out of complete luck, Bennett stumbled across a twenty-dollar bill on the ground. He was in awe. We looked around to see if anyone dropped it, but when we found no one, we decided to use it.”

“What did you use it for?”

“There was this sundae at the ice cream store that we always dreamed about getting but never had the money for because it was eighteen dollars. It was the extreme of all extreme sundaes. Twelve scoops of ice cream, five toppings, two sauces, whipped cream, and a dozen cherries.” I smile, remembering the look on Bennett’s face when I sat down at the picnic table with the large dish. “We ate the entire thing and then laid out on the baseball field, staring up at the sky, talking about all the good things. It was as though having that one good thing helped us focus on other positives. It was nice. Much needed. Of course, we had the worst stomachache of our entire lives, but it was so worth it.”

He strokes my hair. “I love that story.”

“So do I.” I lift my chin and press a kiss to his lips. It’s quick and sweet and just what I need at the moment. “What about you? What’s one of your favorite moments?”

“Easy, my dad wanted us out of the house because we were bugging him. He was feeling particularly gracious that day and gave me one hundred dollars. Told me not to come home until he passed out. Which usually on a weekend was around six at night.”

“I hate that.”

“Knowing it was six at night was a relief for all of us. Sometimes, when I see that it’s six, I still feel that sense of relief, even as a thirty-five-year-old man.”

My expression softens as I cup his cheek. “I also hate that.”

“Me too.” This time, he kisses me. When he pulls away, he cups my cheek for a second and then continues his story. “One hundred dollars got us pretty far that day. The first thing we did was drive to the arcade down the road, and we each got ten dollars to use. Then we all bought huge ice cream cones. We went mini golfing, and since Cassidy was friends with the owner’s daughter and they knew about our situation, they gave us unlimited games and free rides on the go-carts. We spent the rest of our money on food and soda. We laughed so much that day. I kind of felt like Richie Rich, going around and spending money without thinking about it.”

“What a great day.”

“It really was. Interesting how money was a central theme around one of our best days growing up.”

“When you’re deprived of it, you unfortunately miss out on opportunities, no matter how many times you attempt to make your own.”

“It’s very true. We did pretty well without any money at our disposal, but hell, when we had moments when we could spare a few bucks, we made sure to make the most of it.”

“Same.” I smile. “You know, I’ve never met anyone else with such a similar and complicated life experience as me. Makes me feel not so alone.”

He strokes my hair gently. “I feel the same way, babe.”

I sigh into his chest, unsure of how I was able to be this lucky. Life has been. ..hard. But right now, sitting with a man who gets what it’s like to struggle, to grieve with what life has given you, it’s truly unbelievable. His comments don’t show pity but comprehension, and that’s both sobering and reassuring.

We’re both survivors.

And if this does go well, we could be survivors together.