Wind Chime Point

11



Wade was about to head out to his workshop for the evening when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID as he walked.

“Hey, Boone,” he said. “What’s up?”

“You busy?”

“I’m not doing anything pressing. Why?”

“I just had a call from Emily. She, Gabi and Samantha are on their way over to the restaurant for some kind of celebration. She suggested you might want to join us.”

“Emily suggested it?” he said, red flags flying. “Does Gabi know?”

Boone chuckled. “Hey, I’m only relaying the invitation. The behind-the-scenes machinations are way beyond me. You can’t seriously want to miss this chance, though, can you?”

Of course he didn’t want to miss it. “How soon?”

“They’re on their way now,” Boone said. “I gather they’ve finished a shopping spree and are coming straight here. I have no idea how the celebration thing fits in, unless they found an amazing bargain on shoes or something. That would be enough to make Emily’s pulse race.”

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Wade promised. “I have to find my protective armor in case Gabi’s not thrilled about my presence.”

“You two aren’t fighting, are you?” Boone asked worriedly. “Please tell me Emily’s not trying to pull off some kind of public reconciliation that’s bound to backfire.”

“My guess is she’s just meddling. I think the restaurant’s china and glassware are safe enough.”

“But you said...that bit about protective armor...”

“It was a joke, Boone,” he explained patiently. “Gabi and I will behave in a thoroughly civilized manner. I can almost guarantee it.”

“It’s the almost that troubles me,” Boone replied, then added in the resigned tone of a man growing used to being caught up in the Castle shenanigans, “See you shortly.”

“Hey, Boone,” Wade said, catching him before he’d had a chance to hang up. “You really don’t have any idea what they’re celebrating?”

“Not a clue. I just know I’m buying dinner.”

Wade laughed. “And now I’m celebrating.”

It promised to be an interesting evening, but then he hadn’t spent a dull moment around Gabriella since they’d met.

* * *



When Wade arrived at Boone’s Harbor, he found Boone and the three women at a round table by a window with an incredible view of the setting sun over the water. He knew perfectly well it wasn’t coincidence that the only available chair at the table was next to Gabi.

Gabi’s eyes lit with surprise when he pulled the chair out, but at least she didn’t seem annoyed to see him.

“Where’d you come from?” she asked. “I thought Castle’s was your hangout of choice.”

“Definitely, but Boone called and alerted me that there was a celebration on tonight’s menu here. He seemed to think I shouldn’t miss it.”

Rather than glancing at her soon-to-be brother-in-law for answers, she turned immediately to her younger sister as she said, “Is that so?”

Emily merely shrugged, feigning innocence and doing it badly. “I thought he might be interested in your news.”

Wade studied Gabi’s face. Her eyes did seem bright with excitement and her cheeks were tinted pink. “News?” he said, his curiosity stirred.

“I turned down the job at my old company,” she reported. “Just the way we discussed yesterday.” She gave Emily a defiant look. “See? No news there.”

Wade pursued it, anyway. “And you’re happy with that decision?”

“Very happy,” she said. “Better yet, my father seemed to take it surprisingly well.” She made a face. “At least after the initial shock of me rejecting his well-meant help wore off.”

“Good for you.”

“There’s more,” Emily prodded, clearly not satisfied with Gabi’s piecemeal revelation. “Tell him the rest. Boone’s dying to hear, too. I didn’t fill him in when I called.”

Wade watched as Gabi squirmed uncomfortably. “Is it something you’re not ready to talk about?” he asked, wondering if they needed to let her off the hook.

“Sort of,” she said, frowning at Emily. “It’s one thing for Emily and Samantha to know, but you guys are bound to think I’ve gone off my rocker.”

“I could never think that,” Wade protested. “Your entire approach to life has been mature and methodical. I can’t see that changing now.”

“Well, I can, because I’m not sweet on you,” Boone teased, then added, “but I’d never say it aloud.”

“I do so appreciate that,” Gabi replied, her tone tart.

Boone’s expression sobered. “If you don’t want to talk about it, Gabi, it’s okay. Don’t let Emily pressure you.”

“Hey, it is not okay,” Emily argued, poking Boone with her elbow. “Wade especially should hear this. I think he’s responsible.”

The comment worried Wade. Much as he might like Gabi, he didn’t want to influence decisions she needed to be making for herself. He knew the sort of simmering resentment that could cause in the long-term. There were some mistakes he wasn’t hell-bent on repeating, despite what Louise thought.

“Now I definitely want to know,” he said. “How much trouble am I likely to be in?”

Gabi smiled and touched his hand. “No trouble. Not yet, anyway.” She drew in a deep breath. “Okay, you know how you and I were talking about art last night?”

“Sure,” he said, more bemused than ever.

“Well, I dug out those old paintings of mine this morning.”

“And they were incredible?” he asked hopefully.

“Oh, no. They were every bit as awful as I’d remembered,” she said, though she sounded surprisingly okay with that.

“I’m not following this,” Boone said.

“Hush,” Emily told him. “Just listen.”

Gabi’s flush deepened as Wade and Boone stared, awaiting the obviously big announcement.

“Just thinking about telling you all this is embarrassing,” she said, her nervousness plain. “I’ve probably made a huge mistake. This whole idea is ridiculous. I can’t imagine what I was thinking.”

“Stop that this minute!” Emily commanded. “It most certainly is not ridiculous! Surprising, maybe, but not ridiculous.” She jumped in to take over since Gabi obviously couldn’t find the words to explain. “We were in this little art-and-gift shop, and suddenly Gabi took one look at these wind chimes and went all gaga over them. Right, Samantha?”

“Definitely gaga,” Samantha confirmed, a grin on her face.

“It was like she had some sort of epiphany right there in the middle of the store,” Emily continued. “She told Samantha and me she wants to make them.”

Wade couldn’t seem to keep his lips from curving into a smile. The ultimate businesswoman playing with bits of colored glass? He couldn’t imagine it lasting, but for now it seemed like the perfect answer for the transition period she needed.

“Seriously?” he asked. “Wind chimes?”

Her expression sheepish, Gabi nodded. “I think so.”

Boone looked totally perplexed. “Hold on a minute. For years you’ve been the single most driven member of the entire Castle sisterhood, leaving even Emily here in your dust, and now you want to give all that up to make wind chimes? That’s some epiphany!”

“I was just thinking that if I’m going to change my life, maybe it ought to be in a dramatic way,” Gabi responded defensively. “And there’s something special and beautiful about wind chimes. They’ve always made me happy.”

Wade leaned closer and kissed her cheek. “Congratulations!”

Though Boone continued to look skeptical, he lifted a glass. “You know I wish you lots of success, Gabi.”

“Thanks. Of course it remains to be seen if I have even the tiniest bit of artistic talent. For all I know, once I’ve had a few lessons all I’ll have to show for it will be a lot of glass cuts and blood loss.”

Samantha reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. “Whether you turn out to be the world’s best wind-chime maker or not, I’m so impressed that you’re going for this, Gabi. It’s a daring move. I’m proud of you.”

“Hear, hear,” Emily said.

Wade could see the impact their enthusiasm had on Gabi. It was clear just how much she counted on her sisters’ support. Her eyes were shining as they toasted her. And if there was even the tiniest shadow of doubt in her mind about her decision, for now at least, she hid it well.

* * *



Gabi accepted eagerly when Wade offered to drive her home after dinner. She’d been dying to hear his uncensored reaction to her decision.

Once they were in his car, she turned to him. “Okay, now tell me what you really think about all this. Am I insane to even consider something like this out of the blue?”

His somber expression as he faced her made her pulse beat unsteadily.

“Oh, no,” she whispered. “You do think I’m crazy.”

He shook his head at once. “It doesn’t matter what I think,” he said. He was quiet for a long time before he faced her squarely and asked, “Just tell me one thing. Do you really, really want to give this a try? Or are you just desperate to seize on anything that doesn’t require you to go back into the same old corporate grind?”

She frowned at the questions, mostly because he was asking things she’d been wondering herself, but avoiding answering. “Do you know how annoying it is that you always seem to cut right to the heart of things?”

“You asked,” he reminded her. “How about an honest answer?”

She drew in a deep breath and thought about the question. “Maybe a little of both,” she admitted. “I mean, I can see being passionate about something like this, about creating something so beautiful, something that will make people happy when they hear the sound on the breeze.”

“But?” he prodded.

“I know I was also getting frustrated by not having made a decision. At least this is a step forward, even if it’s not necessarily on the right path.”

Wade nodded. “I had a feeling that might be part of it.”

Her conviction wavered. “Should I just forget all about this?”

“Absolutely not,” he said, surprising her.

“Why not?”

“Because changes aren’t always black-and-white decisions. There’s nothing wrong with experimenting, as long as you understand that the results might not be what you wanted or expected. It’s never wrong to explore, to take risks, to shake things up as long as you understand why you’re doing it.”

“And I do know with absolute certainty that I want something different,” she said, confident on that point at least. “This certainly fits that criteria.”

His eyes sparkled with amusement. “It certainly does. I think you successfully stunned both of your sisters when you made your announcement in that store and then Boone when you told us tonight.”

“And you? You weren’t even a tiny bit taken aback?”

“Nah,” he said, then claimed, “I’ve known for months that there was an adventurous soul in there yearning to break free.”

Gabi rolled her eyes. “You did not.”

“Well, I have to admit I hoped there was.”

“No dull, staid corporate type for you?”

He held her gaze then and leaned cross the console to cup a hand behind her neck, drawing her close. When their lips met, there was nothing dull or staid about the kiss that followed.

He leaned back, smiling. “No worries on that front. I suspect you’ll always be able to keep my heart racing and me guessing.”

Gabi studied him with wonder. “How can you see me that way, when nobody else does?”

“Maybe no one else has taken the time to look beneath the surface,” he suggested, then added pointedly, “Not even you.”

Gabi thought about that and realized it was entirely possible he was exactly right. She’d made up her mind at an early age that she had to impress her father to get his attention. When it hadn’t worked, she’d tried even harder, never taking her eye off that single elusive goal. During the years when other teens changed course a half dozen times, she’d stayed on the straight and narrow. Whatever whims might have passed fleetingly through her heart had been determinedly ignored in favor of higher achievements.

“I feel as if I’ve picked the worst possible time to take off on some journey of self-discovery,” she said.

“Because of the baby?”

“Of course because of the baby. Do you remember hearing about the flower children of the sixties? My impression was they were self-indulgent and irresponsible. Is that what I’m turning into?”

“I suppose it remains to be seen,” he responded candidly, eyes twinkling. “But I seriously doubt all those old responsible habits of yours can be kicked that readily. You’ll try this, and if it doesn’t work out, you’ll move on to something that does.”

“You seem to have a lot of faith in me.”

“Yes, I do,” he said without hesitation.

His immediate belief in her was a revelation. How different her life might have been if she’d had even an iota of that from her father.

“I think you might be very good for me, Wade Johnson,” she told him quietly.

The admission, coming as it did on top of so many other recent and unanticipated changes in her life, scared her to death. And, of course, there still remained the very big question of whether she could possibly be any good for him or whether he was trying desperately to recapture a time in his past when he’d had everything he wanted. Deep in her gut, she couldn’t help remembering how tragically that had ended.

* * *



When Gabi finally got back to Cora Jane’s, she was surprised to find her grandmother waiting up for her.

“Is everything okay?” Gabi asked at once. “You’re never up this late.”

“I thought we should talk,” Cora Jane said. “Samantha told me a little about what went on today. Sounds as if you’re looking to make some mighty big changes.”

“And you disapprove?” Gabi asked worriedly. She’d been expecting her grandmother’s blessing. Not having it would be an emotional setback.

“Of course not,” Cora Jane said readily. “I’ll always support you in whatever you want to do.” She studied Gabi intently. “I have to admit to being surprised, though. Is this Wade’s influence?”

“Maybe just a little,” Gabi said, “but the decision was all mine. I don’t want to go back to my old life, not any of it. In fact, I think tomorrow I’ll speak to a Realtor about putting the town house on the market.”

Astonishment lit her grandmother’s eyes. “Really? What then?”

“I’d like to stay here with you, at least until the baby comes.” She regarded Cora Jane hopefully. “Would that be okay?”

A smile spread across her grandmother’s face. “You know it would be,” Cora Jane said at once. “And to be honest, I wouldn’t mind having a baby under my roof again, if you want to stay on for as long as it suits you.”

Gabi smiled at the gentle nudge. “One step at a time, okay?” She studied her grandmother’s pleased expression. “Grandmother, do you think there’s a plan for us? You know, a bigger one?”

“From God?”

Gabi nodded, knowing that her grandmother’s faith ran deep, even though she missed church more Sundays than not because of Castle’s.

“Oh, I think He probably has a few ideas,” Cora Jane told her. “But the way I understand it, He’s left it to us to figure things out on our own. That would explain how so many folks manage to make a mess of things.”

“I don’t want to make a mess of this,” Gabi said. “I don’t mean the whole wind-chime thing. I’m talking about this baby. What if keeping it is all wrong? Would I be totally selfish if I decided to try to raise it on my own?”

“Honey bun, if you’re asking if I think you’ll be a good mother, the answer is yes. Just the fact that you’re asking these kind of questions of yourself tells me that. I trust you completely to put the best interests of that baby first.”

“I want to. I’ve thought all along it would be best if it were in a home with two loving parents. I certainly didn’t want it to become a pawn in some never-ending battle between Paul and me.”

“There’s definitely a lot to be said for a child being with two parents who’ve been longing for a baby,” Cora Jane agreed. “But it could be that you’ll be able to give that sort of home to this child yourself.”

It said a lot about what had been going on recently that she wasn’t taken aback by the suggestion. “You’re talking about Wade,” Gabi said.

“The man is crazy about you,” Cora Jane reminded her.

“But it’s way too soon to even think about something serious like that developing between us,” Gabi protested. “We’re close, but it wouldn’t be fair to make a decision for my child based on Wade being in my life to help.”

“He’d be a wonderful father,” Cora Jane said.

“I know that,” Gabi said in frustration. “I’ve seen him with his nieces and nephews. It’s just that...” Her voice trailed off as she tried to put her concern into words.

Cora Jane remained surprisingly quiet, allowing Gabi time to think. When the silence dragged on, rather than filling it with advice, she stood, poured herself a cup of herbal tea, then sat back down, waiting expectantly for Gabi to pick up where she’d left off.

“Sometimes I worry that Wade’s attracted to me because of the baby,” she admitted at last.

To her regret, Cora Jane didn’t immediately argue the point.

“I suppose it’s natural to wonder about that since he lost his wife and baby not all that long ago,” her grandmother said thoughtfully. “But have you considered the fact that he was hanging around here with his eyes glued to you back in August before you got pregnant?”

“He was here because you kept dreaming up jobs for him to do,” Gabi reminded her. “I’m not sure we can base anything on that.”

“Well, I happen to know for a fact that those jobs took days longer than they needed to, and that, missy, was because of you. Thank goodness I wasn’t paying him by the hour.” She shook her head. “I think you can put that worry out of your head. It’s you Wade cares about. I believe the baby is just an unexpected blessing to him.”

Her grandmother’s insight reassured her to some degree, but Gabi wasn’t quite ready to let go of the possibility that Wade saw her—and the baby—as a way to fill a huge emotional void in his life.

“Well, maybe there was a little chemistry on his part back then,” she conceded, not even trying to hide her skepticism.

“But not on yours?” Cora Jane asked, clearly amused. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how hard you worked to keep your eyes off him. You were not immune, Gabriella, and if you say you were, I’ll call you on the fib.”

Gabi blushed under her gaze, but didn’t dare argue.

“And that standoffish behavior of yours was all out of some misguided sense of loyalty to Paul, I imagine,” Cora Jane added. “If he hadn’t been in the picture, well, I think things might have heated up pretty quickly.”

Much as she wanted to save her pride, Gabi could hardly deny that Cora Jane was probably right about that. She’d honestly thought she was in a relationship back then, but it hadn’t kept her from sneaking the occasional peek at the very sexy Wade, who was underfoot wherever she turned. With Emily and Samantha tormenting her about him, it had been all but impossible to ignore the man.

“Okay, so maybe there was a little chemistry back in August,” she conceded. “It didn’t go anywhere.”

“Because you worked hard to make sure he knew you weren’t available,” Cora Jane said. “That didn’t stop him from coming by here just about every afternoon after you’d gone, hoping I’d spill some little snippet of news about you.”

She smiled. “And, of course, I got a good look at his face the day you reappeared here, very obviously pregnant. He looked as if Christmas, which was long past, had come around again especially early and just for him.”

“You’re exaggerating,” Gabi said.

“Am I? How long did it take him to ask you out once you’d told him you were no longer with Paul? Five minutes, maybe? Ten? No more than that. Does that sound like a man who’s the least bit put off by you being pregnant? I’d say it’s a man who’s seen an opportunity and seized it. I respect a man like that.”

Samantha scowled at her. “It is really exasperating to have an unrepentant spy in the family.”

“Maybe so, but I take my role seriously,” Cora Jane said, grinning. “Look, honey bun, I’m not saying you have to marry the man tomorrow. I’m just saying you should open your heart to the possibilities, just the way you’ve opened it to a new direction professionally.”

“I’m barely out of a relationship with the baby’s father,” Gabi argued.

Cora Jane waved her hand dismissively. “You can call that whatever you want, but it wasn’t a relationship in my book. I think Paul’s behavior since you found out you were pregnant is proof that I’m right about that.”

Gabi could hardly argue the point. “Okay, I’ll think about what you said,” she promised.

“Fair enough. Now what’s your next step?”

“I’m hoping to speak to that gift store owner tomorrow. The cashier said she’d have her call me.”

Cora Jane immediately looked flustered. “Oh, my goodness, I got sidetracked when you walked in the door and forgot to tell you. She did call. Her name’s Meg Waverly. She says she’ll be happy to give you the information you want. She needs to know if you preferred one style of wind chime over another, since she buys from several local artists. Just give her a call tomorrow on her cell phone or stop by the store around ten. She’ll be there to open.”

Gabi took the slip of paper from her grandmother and glanced at it. There it was in black and white, the contact information for someone who might guide her into the next phase of her life.

How astonishing was that? And maybe just a little scary, since now she’d have to make good on all these pie-in-the-sky dreams she’d been expressing today.