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Authors: Karen Rose Smith
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embarrassment or frustration
with him, she wasn't sure. "I plan to be home around midnight, but if my
plans change, I'll let you know."
Nicholas
cleared his throat. "I'll take good care of her, Gabe. You don't have to
worry."
"That's
what I'm afraid of," Gabe mumbled.
Opening
the door, Nicholas let April precede him outside. Then he closed it behind
them.
Once
they were in the low-slung car with its leather scents surrounding them, Nicholas
looked at her. "I think you and I need to have a talk. But I'd rather do
it over a glass of wine than while I'm trying to concentrate on the road. How
about some music? Mozart or easy listening?"
"Easy
listening," she answered, suspecting exactly what Nicholas wanted to talk
about.
At the
restaurant with its fine linens, lit tapers secluded in hurricane lamps and
quiet atmosphere, Nicholas waited until they ordered before he folded his arms
on the table. "Okay, now tell me what's going on with you and Gabe."
She
wasn't about to evade Nicholas' question. Gabe was his best friend. But she
wasn't sure how to answer, either. "I wish I knew," she murmured.
His
brows arched. "He treated me like the enemy on the basketball court
today. We both have a keen sense of competition, but there's been a change in
his attitude lately, and I'm pretty sure it has to do with you. Did you agree
to come tonight because you knew it would make Gabe jealous?"
"No!
And I'm not sure jealousy has anything to do with it. He's acting like a
father letting his teenager go out on a date for the first time."
Nicholas
chuckled. "That's jealousy you're seeing, April. Trust me."
"He
just feels protective. He—"
"What's
going on, April?" he asked again.
She
shook her head, and tears pricked in her eyes. Sometimes the secret she
carried weighed her down so much she wasn't sure she'd ever be free of it. But
when she thought of the consequences of revealing it, she accepted the weight
of the burden. She'd like to confide in Nicholas, but she couldn't. At least
not about that.
"I
still have feelings for Gabe," she said honestly. "I regret leaving
five years ago."
Nicholas
studied her for what seemed like a long time. "Does he know?"
"No.
I buried them and ignored them after I left until I believed Gabe was a part of
my past. I treated him like a brother-in-law, and that's all he was. But
lately, especially since I came back to take care of Stephie, there's
this...tension between us."
"You're
afraid he's still in love with Vanessa," Nicholas suggested perceptively.
"Yes."
She could say so much more, but she knew something about Vanessa that might
change Gabe's feelings for his wife. But she didn't dare. Nicholas was too
quick. Even the subtlest of hints could set his mind in the right direction.
She didn't want that.
"This
is touchy, isn't it?" he asked as if he understood.
"It's
complicated."
"And
you didn't come out with me tonight to make Gabe jealous. You just needed a
little bit of breathing space."
"Something
like that, but maybe...maybe I thought a little jealousy wouldn't hurt."
"You're
an honest woman, April Remmington. That's rare these days."
"Not
so rare if you know the right women."
He grinned.
"Touché." After a pause, he said, "I don't have any advice for
you even if you'd want it. I'm not sure making Gabe jealous is the answer.
Time might be the only thing that helps here. But I can be your friend if you
need one. It's been a very long time since I had a friend who was a
woman."
She was
sure there was a story behind that statement, and maybe if she and Nicholas
really became friends, he'd tell her about it.
The
waitress brought their orders and set them down at their places.
Nicholas
picked up his fork and said, "Okay, no more serious thoughts tonight.
Just some good conversation, good music and good food. Is it a deal?"
"It's
a deal."
****
Throwing
off the covers, Gabe sat up on the edge of the
with him, she wasn't sure. "I plan to be home around midnight, but if my
plans change, I'll let you know."
Nicholas
cleared his throat. "I'll take good care of her, Gabe. You don't have to
worry."
"That's
what I'm afraid of," Gabe mumbled.
Opening
the door, Nicholas let April precede him outside. Then he closed it behind
them.
Once
they were in the low-slung car with its leather scents surrounding them, Nicholas
looked at her. "I think you and I need to have a talk. But I'd rather do
it over a glass of wine than while I'm trying to concentrate on the road. How
about some music? Mozart or easy listening?"
"Easy
listening," she answered, suspecting exactly what Nicholas wanted to talk
about.
At the
restaurant with its fine linens, lit tapers secluded in hurricane lamps and
quiet atmosphere, Nicholas waited until they ordered before he folded his arms
on the table. "Okay, now tell me what's going on with you and Gabe."
She
wasn't about to evade Nicholas' question. Gabe was his best friend. But she
wasn't sure how to answer, either. "I wish I knew," she murmured.
His
brows arched. "He treated me like the enemy on the basketball court
today. We both have a keen sense of competition, but there's been a change in
his attitude lately, and I'm pretty sure it has to do with you. Did you agree
to come tonight because you knew it would make Gabe jealous?"
"No!
And I'm not sure jealousy has anything to do with it. He's acting like a
father letting his teenager go out on a date for the first time."
Nicholas
chuckled. "That's jealousy you're seeing, April. Trust me."
"He
just feels protective. He—"
"What's
going on, April?" he asked again.
She
shook her head, and tears pricked in her eyes. Sometimes the secret she
carried weighed her down so much she wasn't sure she'd ever be free of it. But
when she thought of the consequences of revealing it, she accepted the weight
of the burden. She'd like to confide in Nicholas, but she couldn't. At least
not about that.
"I
still have feelings for Gabe," she said honestly. "I regret leaving
five years ago."
Nicholas
studied her for what seemed like a long time. "Does he know?"
"No.
I buried them and ignored them after I left until I believed Gabe was a part of
my past. I treated him like a brother-in-law, and that's all he was. But
lately, especially since I came back to take care of Stephie, there's
this...tension between us."
"You're
afraid he's still in love with Vanessa," Nicholas suggested perceptively.
"Yes."
She could say so much more, but she knew something about Vanessa that might
change Gabe's feelings for his wife. But she didn't dare. Nicholas was too
quick. Even the subtlest of hints could set his mind in the right direction.
She didn't want that.
"This
is touchy, isn't it?" he asked as if he understood.
"It's
complicated."
"And
you didn't come out with me tonight to make Gabe jealous. You just needed a
little bit of breathing space."
"Something
like that, but maybe...maybe I thought a little jealousy wouldn't hurt."
"You're
an honest woman, April Remmington. That's rare these days."
"Not
so rare if you know the right women."
He grinned.
"Touché." After a pause, he said, "I don't have any advice for
you even if you'd want it. I'm not sure making Gabe jealous is the answer.
Time might be the only thing that helps here. But I can be your friend if you
need one. It's been a very long time since I had a friend who was a
woman."
She was
sure there was a story behind that statement, and maybe if she and Nicholas
really became friends, he'd tell her about it.
The
waitress brought their orders and set them down at their places.
Nicholas
picked up his fork and said, "Okay, no more serious thoughts tonight.
Just some good conversation, good music and good food. Is it a deal?"
"It's
a deal."
****
Throwing
off the covers, Gabe sat up on the edge of the
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