Wind Chime Point

7



Spending Saturday with Gabi and her family had been a revelation to Wade. Though he’d intended to drop by again on Sunday, he recalled his promise to his sister. If he failed to show up for Sunday dinner with all the answers she wanted, he’d never hear the end of it.

He was also struck by another thought, a surefire way to silence the questions and maybe to make a point with Gabriella at the same time. Since he knew Louise would never object to him bringing a woman along for Sunday dinner, he started with the tougher sell. He called Gabi.

“What are your plans for today?” he asked when she answered her cell phone. He thought she sounded half-asleep, her husky voice incredibly sexy, even though it was after ten in the morning.

“Well, I came outside a couple of hours ago to make a few lists, but I think I fell asleep,” she admitted.

He smiled at the exasperation in her voice. “Thwarted again, huh?”

“I’m beginning to think there’s something wrong with me. I just can’t focus. Do you suppose pregnancy saps your brain cells?”

She sounded so serious, so bewildered, he couldn’t help chuckling. “I wouldn’t know about that, but you know my theory about your lack of focus,” he reminded her.

“You think I don’t want to make any decisions.”

“Pretty much. But since you’re not totally engrossed in making a list, how about joining me for a traditional Sunday pot roast dinner? I’m due at my sister’s at one o’clock. You can see for yourself how she juggles things. You can ask her about that brain cell thing, too.”

“You told me she counts on you,” Gabi responded. “And she has a husband. I’d say the situations aren’t even remotely the same.”

“But you’re smart. So is she. I’m sure you can pick up a few tips.”

“What does your sister think is going on?” she inquired suspiciously. “With us, I mean.”

“To be honest, I’ve only mentioned you to her in passing. You’re not going to be walking into a roomful of people with high expectations. That would be your family.”

That earned him a chuckle. “Point taken. Okay, I’m at the point when any distraction sounds idyllic. Shall I meet you there?”

“Nope. I’ll come for you around twelve-thirty. No need to dress up, by the way. You’ll just be getting all messed up. These kids show no mercy.”

“Gee, you make this sound really special,” she said dryly. “Maybe I should reconsider.”

“It’s not the kids who should have you reconsidering. Louise is an attorney, remember? She may not have expectations, but she will have questions, I’m afraid. Brace yourself. She didn’t get a tough courtroom reputation for no good reason.”

Gabi laughed. “Are you sure you want me to come? It sounds as if you’re determined to scare me off.”

“Not at all. I just don’t want you accusing me later of not giving you a proper heads-up.”

“No chance of that,” she said. “I am duly warned and still desperate enough to take my chances.”

Now Wade laughed. “I knew you were made of tough stuff. See you soon.”

As soon as he’d disconnected that call, he made one to his sister. “I’m bringing a friend to dinner. Any problem with that?”

“A female friend?” she inquired hopefully.

“A female friend,” he confirmed.

“Well, hallelujah! Did you warn her about the chaos?”

“I warned her about the chaos and about you.”

“Me?” she asked innocently.

“Yes, you. Try not to pull a full-blown interrogation on her, okay?”

“Are we talking Gabriella Castle?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Silence fell.

“Louise, is something wrong? You don’t have some problem with Gabi that I don’t know about, do you? Is me bringing her by a bad idea?”

“I heard she’s pregnant, Wade,” she said, her tone somber.

“I’m well aware of that.”

“Under the circumstances—your circumstances—are you really sure getting involved with her is smart?” she asked, genuine worry in her voice.

Wade understood his sister’s concern. “Believe me, sis, it’s the best idea I’ve had in a very long time.”

“Okay, then,” she said, though she sounded far from satisfied. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“I’m counting on it,” he said. That, and a whole lot more. He hoped Gabi would see his sister’s family, hear about Louise’s mostly successful juggling act and realize it was possible to have it all. And that he wasn’t a bad person to have around for that particular ride.

* * *



Louise Johnson Carter’s home was in a gated golf community. Designed in the Carolina architectural style so popular in Sand Castle Bay, it was built up off the ground to protect the living space from storm surges. There were balconies on every level and sweeping views of the golf course and water. Inside, the space was one giant living area, with kitchen, dining area and comfortable seating for a large group of people. Bedrooms were on a separate floor.

“Be careful where you step once we’re inside,” Wade warned as he led Gabi up the first set of exterior steps. “Even though the kids have a gigantic playroom, their toys are underfoot everywhere. Periodically Louise or Zack do a sweep of the house and stuff everything into toy boxes, but that generally doesn’t last more than a couple of hours, and that’s if the kids aren’t home or are sound asleep.”

Gabi chuckled as she reached the landing and had to sidestep to avoid a fire truck, a baseball bat and a tea set. “A home is supposed to be lived in,” she said. “This one obviously is. I’d be more worried if it were too neat.”

“What a refreshing attitude,” the frazzled woman at the top of the steps said as she waited for them. “Some people seem to think this ought to be a showplace 24/7.”

“She means Zack,” Wade said as he reached his sister and kissed her cheek. “Lou, this is Gabriella. She prefers Gabi, though.”

“Then Gabi, it is,” Louise said at once. “I’ve heard a lot about you, but I don’t think our paths crossed back in the day.”

“I don’t believe so, either,” Gabi said. “And I love your home. The views are amazing.”

“Thanks. I try to make it a point to sit on the deck with a glass of wine from time to time and enjoy them. Unfortunately, most of the time, I just fall straight into bed at the end of the day.”

“Wade says you have a thriving law practice and five kids. I’m surprised you’re not comatose by midafternoon.”

“I would be if I slowed down long enough to realize how exhausted I am. Now what can I get you? Soda? Tea? Water?”

“Water would be great. And directions to the nearest restroom.”

Louise laughed. “Oh, do I remember those days! It’s right here on the left.”

“It’s awfully quiet around here,” Wade commented. “What have you done with the kids?”

“Zack took them for a walk. Sometimes that wears them out enough that they’ll be civilized through an entire meal.”

Wade regarded her indignantly. “You never shared that tip with me.”

“Because, my sweet brother, you can’t handle all five of them on a walk. You can barely keep up with them when they’re contained right here in the living room.”

“That is not true. They mind me.”

Louise rolled her eyes. “They might if you ever corrected them.” She grinned at Gabi. “Every night after he leaves here, I have to undo all the damage he’s done. He is not a disciplinarian, which is why my kids adore him. You’ll see. Just stay out of the way when they get back. They’ll head directly for him.”

Sure enough, just then a downstairs door crashed open and a child’s voice shouted, “Unca Wade’s here!”

Feet thundered up the steps. Gabi took a few steps back as four kids threw themselves at Wade with an exuberance that might have knocked him down had he not braced himself for them.

Louise shook her head at the sight, then turned to Gabi. “Why don’t you come into the kitchen with me? He’s going to be under siege for a while.”

Gabi made a quick stop in the restroom, then followed Wade’s sister into the huge open kitchen with endless expanses of granite countertops, tons of cabinets and a refrigerator that looked as if it could stock enough food for six families. For anyone who loved to cook, it was a dream kitchen. The aromas suggested Louise was one of those people.

“Something smells wonderful,” Gabi said as she accepted a glass of water from Louise. “How on earth do you find time to cook a real meal and keep up with everything else?”

“To be honest, it doesn’t happen every day. I manage some time on Sundays to put a few things together for the week ahead, but we rely on takeout more than I’d like.”

“I’ve just about lived on takeout since college,” Gabi admitted. “And I had no excuses.”

“Except for a demanding career, I’ve heard.”

“It took a lot of time, that’s for sure.”

“And now? How will you manage that and a baby?” Louise asked.

Gabi didn’t want to discuss the adoption possibility or her job status with a woman she barely knew, so she merely shrugged. “I guess I’ll figure it out,” she said.

“Want the single piece of advice someone once gave me that keeps me sane?” Louise asked.

“Sure.”

“Don’t expect perfection. It’s unlikely anyone will die if you don’t get to the dusting one week. While a balanced, healthy meal is certainly desirable, if you have pizza one night, enjoy it. If your kid skins a knee while you’re not around, don’t blame yourself. It could just as easily have happened while you were standing right beside him. And if they leave the house wearing mismatched, inside-out clothes they chose themselves, just close your eyes and be glad they remembered to put on shoes.”

Gabi smiled. “That sounds incredibly sensible. How long did it take you to buy into it? You must have been pretty driven to get through law school.”

Louise chuckled. “You have no idea. I believe the message finally took root after Peter came along. He was my second. With Bryce, I kept thinking I should be able to manage it all. With Peter, I took a deep breath and started to accept that I couldn’t. I still have my freak-out moments when I think I’m messing everything up. Ask Wade. But I’m getting better.”

Gabi hesitated, considering if Louise might be the perfect person, after all, to answer the question she hadn’t been able to shake. “Do you think it would be insane for me to try to have this baby on my own? Look at all the backup you have, and you still freak out.”

Louise looked startled by the question. “But you are having it on your own, or am I wrong about that? Is the dad in the picture?”

“No, he’s not.” She drew in a deep breath, then revealed, “But I’ve been thinking the best thing for the baby might be adoption.”

Louise’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow! I had no idea.” A frown settled on her face. “Does Wade know about that?”

For a minute, Gabi was thrown by the concern she saw in Louise’s eyes. “He knows.”

“What does he think?”

“It’s not something we really talked about. It’s pretty much my decision to make.”

“Gabi, I may be the wrong person to be asking about this,” Louise said candidly. “I have absolutely nothing against adoption. I think it’s a wonderful choice under many circumstances. I don’t know enough about yours to know if that’s the case.”

There was something left unspoken. Gabi could sense it. She could feel it in a sudden coolness in Louise’s attitude, but she didn’t understand it.

And unfortunately, as the afternoon went on, nothing happened to change the chill in the atmosphere. As soon as she could politely do so, Gabi suggested to Wade that they should leave. She noticed that there was no argument from Louise.

Gabi sighed as she slid into Wade’s car, leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

Wade slipped into the driver’s seat, but rather than starting the car, he turned to her. “Mind telling me what happened between you and my sister? It was painfully obvious that something did. What on earth did she say to you? If she offended you, I’m sorry. She tends to get pretty protective where I’m concerned.”

Gabi didn’t try to pretend that she hadn’t been aware of the tension. “It wasn’t anything she said. It was me. I said something about adoption and it kind of freaked her out.”

Wade heaved a sigh. “I can imagine,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“What did I miss? Why would she react that way? And she asked if you knew I was thinking about it.”

“Lou’s very protective of me, especially since I lost Kayla and the baby. She’s obviously aware that I have feelings for you.” He met her gaze. “Can you see where this is going?”

It suddenly dawned on Gabi what he was saying. “She sees me giving up this baby as you potentially losing another child.”

“Something like that.”

“But, Wade, we’re not involved,” she protested.

“That doesn’t seem to stop me from having feelings for you,” he said ruefully. “She can see that. All her sisterly, protective instincts kicked in.”

“I told you this was too complicated,” Gabi said, feeling awful. “I’m so sorry. The adoption thing is on the table. I feel as if I have to consider it. Not to think about it would be irresponsible under my circumstances.”

“Circumstances change,” he said, his gaze direct. “I’m not saying yours have. It’s way too soon to say that, but they do change, Gabi. Keep an open mind.”

She shook her head. “Wade, you’re great. I don’t want to be careless with you.”

“Hey, I’m a grown man. I can handle a few complications.”

“But maybe—”

“No maybes,” he said adamantly. “We’re friends. I’m not walking away from that.”

Gabi couldn’t help wondering, though, if she ought to do what he so obviously couldn’t or wouldn’t do and walk away herself, especially if a decision she was likely to make about her child was destined to hurt him.

* * *



Wade thought the dinner at his sister’s had gone well enough, at least until the adoption issue had come up. Despite that, Gabi had been great with the kids and had entertained them all with stories of spending her summers here working for Cora Jane. On the way home he’d suggested they stop for a cup of decaf at a small coffee shop, but she’d pleaded exhaustion. There’d been unmistakable relief in her eyes when he hadn’t argued.

Back at her grandmother’s he’d debated a kiss goodbye, one a bit steamier than those he’d bestowed up to now, but even though he’d longed to kiss the perpetual frown off her beautiful face, he’d figured she wasn’t even close to ready for that. And it would definitely muddy those waters she was already fretting about.

Reining in his impulses had cost him, though. He’d been up most of the night, restless and edgy, and thinking way too much about her possible decision to give up her baby. When she’d first mentioned it in a casual way, he hadn’t really taken in all the implications. Now he was forced to. Lou was right about one thing. It had the potential to rip his heart out.

A few months ago, he’d never have considered taking such a risk, but this was Gabi. Did he want to throw away what might be his one chance with her because of something she might never decide to do? Though the glib answer was no, he understood that he needed to give the question more thought and face the very real possibility that he’d once again wind up with a broken heart. Not today, though. Today he just wanted to get another glimpse of Gabi.

Since the lack of sleep had left him in desperate need of caffeine, he’d picked up two large containers of coffee this morning along with a box of homemade, still-warm doughnuts from a local doughnut shop, one of the most popular destinations in Sand Castle Bay.

He drove over to Cora Jane’s, parked his truck on the street even though Cora Jane had long since left to open the restaurant, then walked around back. He knew instinctively he’d find Gabi out there, making yet another attempt to organize her life and get it back on track.

Sure enough, he found her with a yellow legal pad on her lap, sitting in a weathered Adirondack chair in a patch of sunlight. Her face was turned up to the sun, her eyes closed. She glanced up when he took the pad from her lap. She tried to snatch it back, but he moved out of reach, checking out the page.

“Nothing?” he said quizzically. “I thought you’d have a huge master plan for your life outlined by now. It is nearly eight in the morning, after all.”

She scowled at him. “I thought so, too,” she said with unmistakable frustration.

“Maybe it’s too soon,” he suggested yet again. “Maybe you need to let your mind settle down, instead of trying to force things. My best ideas always come to me when I’m not really thinking about work.”

“I know you’re right, but sitting around and waiting for some muse to strike isn’t my way. And seeing everything your sister has accomplished, despite all the commotion in her life, just made me more determined to figure this out and get going.”

“I understand that you’re highly motivated, but your way obviously isn’t working,” he said, then waved the box of doughnuts under her nose to provide an immediate distraction.

Her eyes widened with delight. “They’re still warm?”

“Of course.”

“Any with chocolate icing and sprinkles?”

He grinned at her eagerness as she grabbed the box from him, then drew in a deep breath, taking in the scent of sugar and chocolate and warm, old-fashioned cake doughnuts.

“I can’t remember the last time I had one of these,” she murmured as she reverently lifted one from the box. Her expression turned ecstatic as she took the first bite.

Wade got a little turned on watching her. His mind drifted to all the other, far more intimate ways he might give her pleasure and earn that look. She finally caught him staring.

“Oh, did you want one?” she asked, her expression all innocence.

“Glazed, please,” he said, because it was safer than mentioning what he really wanted.

Using a napkin to pick it up, she handed him one of the glazed doughnuts, then plucked a second one from the box.

“For the baby,” she told him.

He grinned. “Of course it is.”

She gestured toward the two containers he’d set on the table between them. “Is one of those decaf?”

He nodded, checked the marks the clerk had made and handed the decaf to her. “Here you go.”

“You’re turning out to be quite handy to have around,” she noted as she blissfully sipped at the coffee.

“Glad to be of service. Now tell me what’s on your agenda for the day.”

“Getting my life together,” she said at once, snatching the legal pad back.

“A little ambitious,” he countered. “How about coming with me instead?”

“Don’t you need to work today?”

“I can spare a little time for a worthy cause,” he assured her.

“Where would we go?”

“I want to show you something.”

She frowned at his deliberate evasions. “No clues?”

“Not a one. You’ll have to trust me.”

The fact that she didn’t even hesitate before agreeing gave him hope.

“Okay, then, let’s go,” she said, though she cast a disappointed look at the remaining doughnuts.

“Bring them along,” he said. “In case you get hungry. Lou was always starving. It comes with the territory.”

She slid a glance at him. “You’ll make a great husband someday, thanks to all these little tidbits of information you’ve picked up from your sister.”

“She might have been an annoying pest, but she definitely had her uses,” he agreed. “And give me a little credit. I was smart enough to pay attention and take mental notes.” He sobered for a moment. “And I did have a trial run, albeit a brief one.”

She looked startled by the oblique mention of his marriage, but gave the subject a wide berth. “I wonder why more guys don’t do that?” Gabi murmured, her expression thoughtful. “Pay closer attention to what women need, I mean.”

“I suspect they don’t have any idea of the rewards that could come their way. For instance, having a beautiful woman look at them the way you looked at me when I handed over those doughnuts.”

“How’d I look at you?”

“As if I had a lot more going for me than I did a couple of days ago,” he said.

“Seriously? You think I can be won over by doughnuts?”

“Sweetheart, I’m hoping you can be won over by someone taking the time to treat you the way you should be treated. Doughnuts are just the beginning.”

He worried that his candor might alarm her, but instead she looked amused, and maybe just a little bit intrigued. He kept his grin to himself. It was all going nicely according to plan. Who’d ever suspect that a laid-back guy like him even understood the importance of a well-defined plan? He had a hunch that was going to work in his favor with a woman like Gabi.

* * *



Gabi looked around in surprise when Wade pulled up to a garage beside a beautiful little cottage that had obviously been restored with a lot of loving attention to detail. Emily, the master interior designer, would have had a hundred questions about the work Wade had done. Gabi was merely charmed.

“Your house, I assume?”

“And my office,” he said, gesturing toward the garage.

“I didn’t know carpenters needed offices.”

“That’s because you’ve never seen my real work.”

“I saw what you did at Castle’s,” she contradicted. “The cabinetry you built for Grandmother was lovely. Boone says you’re the best in the region at that kind of custom work.”

“It pays the bills,” he said with a careless shrug.

Her gaze narrowed. “But it’s not your passion?”

“It’s definitely not my passion.” He opened the garage door then.

Gabi halted beside him, her mouth agape. There were wood carvings everywhere, seabirds so exquisitely detailed they looked as if they might fly away. Decoys that had been hand-rubbed to a soft sheen, probably not intended to be put into the water, but displayed on mantels or in galleries.

The scent of wood shavings filled the air, a clean and earthy mix of cedar, pine and others she couldn’t identify by their aroma.

“Wade, these are amazing,” she said softly as she went from table to table, unable to resist running her fingers over the wood, certain at times she could feel each individual feather beneath her touch, the fluttery beat of a tiny heart.

“You’re an incredible artist,” she said, glancing away from the carving she was holding and into his eyes. “Why are you wasting your time doing cabinetry?”

He shrugged. “Like I said, it pays the bills, and I enjoy working with wood, no matter the form it takes. There’s satisfaction in creating something beautiful.”

She turned and looked at him. “Why did you bring me here? It’s not just because you wanted to show off these beautiful things, is it?”

“Why do you say that? Maybe I wanted you to see another side of me or perhaps I felt in need of having my ego stroked this morning.”

She frowned at the comment. “You’re the least egotistical man I know. You’re also sneaky. Given the context of our recent conversations, I know there’s a message here for me.”

“What do you think it is?” he countered, looking vaguely amused.

Gabi struggled to figure it out. She was sure it was staring her right in the face.

“That there’s more than one way to find satisfaction in life,” she said eventually, studying his face for some hint of approval. She felt ridiculously like a kid hoping the teacher would praise her for grasping an elusive concept.

“Very good,” he said, his grin spreading. “And how does that apply to you?”

“I’m not sure. I already know there are other PR jobs out there and eventually I’ll find one.”

He looked oddly disappointed by her response. “If that’s what will bring you satisfaction and fulfillment, I’m sure you will,” he said.

Gabi frowned at his tone. “You’ve been talking to Cora Jane or Samantha, haven’t you? They’ve been telling you that I was only doing this ridiculously demanding job because I wanted my father’s approval, that my heart really isn’t in it.”

“They might have mentioned something like that,” he admitted. “Are they right?”

“I’m very good at what I do.”

“But that’s not the same thing, is it? I’m very good at cabinetry. I have more work lined up than I can handle. I can take pride in that on a lot of levels.”

Gabi glanced around the workshop again. “But this is what really makes you happy.”

“Yes.”

“Then do it. Commit to it.”

“It’s hard to walk away from a sure thing,” he said, then looked her in the eye. “Isn’t it?”

Gabi understood what he was doing. All this pushing and prodding to reevaluate her choices had probably been Grandmother’s idea. Or maybe Samantha’s. They’d known she wouldn’t take the advice if it came from them, so they’d enlisted Wade. Unfortunately for her peace of mind, he’d made a very credible argument.

“I’ll think about what you’re saying,” she said eventually. “You can report back that the mission was accomplished.”

He chuckled. “Not the entire mission,” he said, his gaze capturing hers. “I have one of my own. It’s entirely separate from theirs.”

Her heart stuttered at the look in his eyes. The conversation was suddenly taking a turn into uncharted territory. She could feel it.

“Oh?” she asked, unhappy because her voice shook.

He took a step closer, then another, then bent down. He waited, his lips so close she could feel the soft sigh of his breath against her skin. With one hand cupping her cheek, he closed the distance between them.

The tender kiss was the most sensual, erotic one she’d ever experienced. In its sweetness there was caring and carefully controlled passion, a combination with which she had no experience at all. The gentle demand of his mouth on hers stirred longings she’d never expected. Of all the bloody times for that to happen, she thought as she pulled away with regret.

“We can’t,” she whispered.

He smiled. “We just did.”

“I mean again. We can’t do that again.”

Amusement twinkled in his eyes. “Is there some law I don’t know about?”

She frowned at the ridiculous question. “Of course not.”

“That man, the father of your baby, is he not as far out of your life as you’ve told me?”

“Oh, he’s gone,” she said without hesitation. That was one of the few real certainties in her life.

“Then I don’t see the problem.”

She took his hand, pressed it against her belly just as the baby gave a kick. “That’s the reason,” she said.

He smiled. “You think that kick means the baby doesn’t like me?” he asked.

“No, I think the baby is a huge barrier to me even thinking about getting involved with anybody. My life’s upside down, Wade. I already have more decisions to make than I can handle.”

“I understand you have a lot on your plate, and I don’t want to add to the pressure,” he said. “I just want you to know where I’m coming from. I don’t see the baby as an obstacle.”

She frowned. “And it bothers you that I do,” she guessed.

“A little bit, though I certainly can understand that the circumstances are complicated. Bottom line, though, if I don’t have a problem with you being pregnant, why should you?”

“How can you not have a problem with it?” she asked with exasperation. No man could possibly be as accepting of another man’s child—a child still in the womb—as he seemed to be. Could he?

“Because when I see you glowing like the expectant mother you are, when I feel that baby’s kick, all I can think about is how amazing any child of yours is bound to be.” He held her gaze. “That is all I think about, Gabi. It’s the only thing that matters, not how the baby was conceived, how complicated it’s made your life.”

Though there were tears in her eyes at the sweet thoughtfulness of his words, she couldn’t seem to stop herself from saying, “When it’s real, when it’s flesh and blood and screaming in the middle of the night, all of those things will most definitely matter.”

Surprisingly, Wade looked oddly angered by her candid reply. “That’s some other man talking, Gabi. Not me. Don’t sell me short.”

The intensity of his reaction, the fire burning in his eyes when he spoke, almost convinced her. Almost.

The irony, of course, was his claim that his mission to seduce and make her his was his own very personal one. Instead, she knew all too well that it was exactly the one Grandmother and her sisters had had in mind for months. How could she trust that they hadn’t worked their very persuasive magic to tempt this sweet, gallant, vulnerable man into doing something he’d never do if his common sense had time to kick in?

And wasn’t that exactly what Louise, who knew him best, had been worried about, that Wade was in way, way over his head, perhaps for reasons even he didn’t fully comprehend?

Seizing what he was offering would be so easy. She was desperately in need of unconditional backup and here it was, in the form of a man who had a whole lot going for him. But those complications she’d mentioned were real, and if she cared for him, even a little bit, she had to weigh his happiness as well as her own.

“Wade,” she began.

He cut her off. “It’s too soon. I’m pushing too hard. I know everything you’re going to say.”

“This habit you have of reading my mind is really exasperating,” she complained.

He gave her a wry look. “You’re into clueless men?”

She laughed at that. “Hardly. I believe I’ve had my fill of those.”

He nodded. “That’s something, then. We’ll table this conversation for a later date. In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do to convince you that I know exactly what I’m doing.”

She studied him for the longest time, saw the total sincerity in his eyes, and wanted desperately to believe him. As she’d just thought, things would be so easy then.

But hadn’t she learned all too recently that life was almost never easy and miracles were in short supply?