sigh. “What are you going to do now?”
“Fuck if I know,” Gabe told him.
“There’s only one thing you can do,” a feminine voice said from behind Gabe.
Connor’s gaze swung above Gabe’s head.
Gabe twisted around to see Maddie standing in the doorway.
She gave him a quick smile and answered his silent question. “I thought I’d wait in the living room while Connor and you spoke in private. I… I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation.”
Maddie glowed. She had a gleam to her eyes that he’d never seen before. A gleam that Connor had reflected when he’d looked up at her. Gabe tried to ignore the tightening in his chest. He wasn’t jealous of Connor’s relationship with his ex-girlfriend. He was envious of the love that flowed between them.
“You have to go after her, Gabe,” Maddie said with conviction. “You have to prove to her that you are man enough for any woman.”
Gabe laughed out loud at her words, although they were not amusing. “Just like I proved I was man enough for you?” Christ, talk about his ego taking a knock. Dumped by Maddie in favor of Connor in the wee hours of the morning and rejected by Tina not twelve hours later. Ah, yes, Gabe felt as much a man as a castrated bull might.
Maddie pointed her finger at him. “You were more than man enough for me, Gabriel Carter. Hell, you did things to me no one has ever done before. You ignited fires I never knew could be lit.”
Connor growled at her from across the table.
“Hush, Connor,” Maddie chided. “You know what Gabe did to me. You were there when he did it. You encouraged him to do it.”
Connor made a strangled sound but said nothing. Gabe appreciated the effort it must have taken.
“My point is, Gabe,” Maddie continued, “I’ve been alone with you, and I can say with complete confidence that you are all any woman would need. Tina may have once loved both of you, but she never got to know you alone. I’m not surprised she fell for you and Connor. You presented yourselves as a package deal. When you left, Gabe, the relationship didn’t last. Without you, Connor and Tina didn’t work anymore.”
Yep, and Tina had made it crystal clear that without Connor she and Gabe wouldn’t work either.
“You have a dubious look on your face,” Maddie informed Gabe. “Get rid of it.” She walked to the table and took a seat between Connor and Gabe. She took Gabe’s hand.
“Maddie…” Connor objected, but she silenced him with a look.
Gabe gave him an apologetic smile. He knew how he’d feel if Tina took Connor’s hand now.
Maddie continued as if no silent communication had passed between the two men. “The Gabe I know would not doubt his ability to woo a woman. You charmed me and seduced me all by yourself. You gave me a chance to get to know you before Connor entered the picture. Yes, it’s true that when I met Connor I fell for him. I chose him. But Tina didn’t. She had her chance with Connor after you left, and she gave it up. What she never had a chance at was getting to know you separately from Connor. Getting to choose you.”
His heart twisted again. “I gave her that chance this morning. She wasn’t interested.”
“That’s bullshit,” Maddie said. “How can you expect her to say anything else? After four years of complete silence you surprise her with an admission of love. You think she’s going to throw herself in your arms and confess her undying love for you? Not a chance, buddy. You dumped her. You walked away. And I’m betting you hurt her in the process. No way she’s going to come running back to you after all that.”
Gabe remained silent. There was little he could say in defense. Heck, Maddie was right on every count.
“Go after her. Go show her the real you. The individual. The man separate from Connor.”
“She’s right, Carter,” Connor said. “You owe it to yourself and to her. Give yourselves a chance to get to know each
“Fuck if I know,” Gabe told him.
“There’s only one thing you can do,” a feminine voice said from behind Gabe.
Connor’s gaze swung above Gabe’s head.
Gabe twisted around to see Maddie standing in the doorway.
She gave him a quick smile and answered his silent question. “I thought I’d wait in the living room while Connor and you spoke in private. I… I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation.”
Maddie glowed. She had a gleam to her eyes that he’d never seen before. A gleam that Connor had reflected when he’d looked up at her. Gabe tried to ignore the tightening in his chest. He wasn’t jealous of Connor’s relationship with his ex-girlfriend. He was envious of the love that flowed between them.
“You have to go after her, Gabe,” Maddie said with conviction. “You have to prove to her that you are man enough for any woman.”
Gabe laughed out loud at her words, although they were not amusing. “Just like I proved I was man enough for you?” Christ, talk about his ego taking a knock. Dumped by Maddie in favor of Connor in the wee hours of the morning and rejected by Tina not twelve hours later. Ah, yes, Gabe felt as much a man as a castrated bull might.
Maddie pointed her finger at him. “You were more than man enough for me, Gabriel Carter. Hell, you did things to me no one has ever done before. You ignited fires I never knew could be lit.”
Connor growled at her from across the table.
“Hush, Connor,” Maddie chided. “You know what Gabe did to me. You were there when he did it. You encouraged him to do it.”
Connor made a strangled sound but said nothing. Gabe appreciated the effort it must have taken.
“My point is, Gabe,” Maddie continued, “I’ve been alone with you, and I can say with complete confidence that you are all any woman would need. Tina may have once loved both of you, but she never got to know you alone. I’m not surprised she fell for you and Connor. You presented yourselves as a package deal. When you left, Gabe, the relationship didn’t last. Without you, Connor and Tina didn’t work anymore.”
Yep, and Tina had made it crystal clear that without Connor she and Gabe wouldn’t work either.
“You have a dubious look on your face,” Maddie informed Gabe. “Get rid of it.” She walked to the table and took a seat between Connor and Gabe. She took Gabe’s hand.
“Maddie…” Connor objected, but she silenced him with a look.
Gabe gave him an apologetic smile. He knew how he’d feel if Tina took Connor’s hand now.
Maddie continued as if no silent communication had passed between the two men. “The Gabe I know would not doubt his ability to woo a woman. You charmed me and seduced me all by yourself. You gave me a chance to get to know you before Connor entered the picture. Yes, it’s true that when I met Connor I fell for him. I chose him. But Tina didn’t. She had her chance with Connor after you left, and she gave it up. What she never had a chance at was getting to know you separately from Connor. Getting to choose you.”
His heart twisted again. “I gave her that chance this morning. She wasn’t interested.”
“That’s bullshit,” Maddie said. “How can you expect her to say anything else? After four years of complete silence you surprise her with an admission of love. You think she’s going to throw herself in your arms and confess her undying love for you? Not a chance, buddy. You dumped her. You walked away. And I’m betting you hurt her in the process. No way she’s going to come running back to you after all that.”
Gabe remained silent. There was little he could say in defense. Heck, Maddie was right on every count.
“Go after her. Go show her the real you. The individual. The man separate from Connor.”
“She’s right, Carter,” Connor said. “You owe it to yourself and to her. Give yourselves a chance to get to know each
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