That evening after dinner Gabe and Lizzie sat out on the porch, sipping glasses of ice-cold tea. The lazy spin of the ceiling fan above them moved the humid air. Lizzie fanned herself with her hand, then swept her hair off of her neck, trying to cool off.
“Feels like a storm coming in.” Gabe rocked back and forth in the freshly painted rocker on the porch. Freshly painted, thanks to Sara Jane, who was doing everything she could think of to keep busy.
“It does.”
As if to confirm their guess, lightning crackled in the distance, lighting the sky and illuminating a live oak tree in the front yard.
“With all the planting Mom and Sara Jane have done in the garden, they’ll appreciate a good rainfall.”
“They have done a lot on the garden. It looks so nice.”
“I know Mom loves having the company out there while she works on it.”
“Sara Jane is trying so hard to keep busy. At least she got to see Rachel today. Though I take it, it didn’t go very well.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“Rachel won’t answer my calls or texts. I feel terrible. I know I was hard on her that night Sara Jane left. And at a time Rachel was having a rough go of it. But Sara Jane was having a hard time, too.”
“I know you didn’t say anything, but I saw the bruises on Sara Jane’s arm the other day. And what I think was a bruise on her face that she’s trying to cover up with makeup. It’s not hard to connect the dots,” Gabe said quietly.
Lizzie looked over at Gabe’s kind face. He probably couldn’t imagine a man striking a woman. Heck, she couldn’t understand it. “Sara Jane is a strong woman. She’s going to get through all this.”
“I’m sorry she has to deal with it. On top of dealing with Rachel. And losing her son-in-law.”
“Life is really crummy sometimes, isn’t it?”
“At times.” Gabe took a sip of his drink. “But we all have to deal with what life throws us.”
There was a faraway look in his eyes, and she wondered what he was thinking. Before she could ask, a crack of thunder boomed, shaking the house.
“You want to go in?” he asked.
“I’d kind of like to stay out here and watch the storm come in.”
He stood. “Then let’s move over to the glider. It’s more protected.”
She followed him over to the glider and settled beside him. The rain splattered down on the roof of the porch. Lightning cracked again and again. Thunder raged.
But here on the porch, sitting next to Gabe, slowly gliding back and forth, the fury of the storm was somehow soothing instead of frightening. The storm had also pushed in a welcomed cool breeze as it swooped in around them.
The ice in Gabe’s glass rattled as he took a sip. “So how’s the shop coming along? Getting things all ready for the opening?” He slowly pushed the glider into motion.
“I am. So close. I’m sure I’ll keep thinking of more things that need to be done up until the moment I put the open sign in the window, but really, things are taking shape. It looks better than I had ever imagined.” Did that sound like she was bragging?
“I’m happy for you. How’s the website coming?”
“I’m getting that finished up, too. I was stuck, but Eric happened to call, and he walked me through how to fix it.”
“Pays to have a techie son, I guess.” A flash of lightning illuminated his smile. “Glad you two are getting along now.”
“So am I. I sometimes—” She stopped. It just sounded too terrible if she put it into words.
“Go on, tell me.” His look of encouragement gave her courage. And he was just so easy to talk to. Maybe even easy to bare her soul to?
“I feel like suddenly my life is starting to fall in place. That I’ve made it fall into place. I’ve worked so hard. And I’m just so content with my life now. It’s… it’s a strange and unusual feeling for me. This contentment. And I feel guilty that I feel this way when Rachel is so miserable. She’s my best friend. And I don’t seem to be able to help her.”
“I think Rachel is going to have to figure out how to help herself. Maybe she’s just so angry right now at what’s happened that she can’t sort it out yet. You and Sara Jane are safe people to take her anger out on. Like a kid does with his mom sometimes, knowing he won’t lose her love when he does.”
She stared into his eyes. “Maybe you’re right. We do love her. I want to help, but she’s pushing me away.”
“She’s going to have to figure it all out. What her new life is going to be like. I know from experience, we sometimes have to just deal with situations we never dreamed we’d have to deal with.”
She looked at him expectantly, but he didn’t offer any other explanation. She leaned back in the glider, the gentle back and forth soothing her like a beloved quilt on a cool winter’s night. Familiar, comforting. The simple moment was just so perfect.
They sat like that, watching the storm ebb and flow around them until it finally started to ease.
She looked over at him and caught him staring at her with a peculiar look on his face. She smiled at him and he leaned closer. Her breath caught in her throat and her pulse started to race. Before she could think, do the sensible thing to pull away, his lips settled on hers. Warm. Gentle.
Confusion swirled through her. Pull away? Deepen the kiss? Why was this so difficult?
She jerked back and put her hand up to her mouth. He stared at her a long moment. “I… you okay? I thought…”
“No. I mean…” She jumped up. “I wasn’t expecting it.”
“I wasn’t either. It just felt… right.” His gaze bore into her.
She looked away. “I’m not ready for anything like that. I just wanted us to be friends.”
The glider squeaked as he moved. “Then that’s what we’ll be. Friends. Didn’t mean to upset you. Won’t happen again.”
Did his words have a hint of hurt laced in them? “Gabe, I—”
“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. We’ll be friends. I like being friends with you.”
She turned to look back at him again.
He gave her a warm, reassuring smile. “It’s fine.”
She nodded—not fully convinced by his words. She walked to the door and slipped inside, hoping it didn’t look like she was running away. Though she kinda was. She wasn’t ready for anything else in her life now. There was the shop. Rachel. Sara Jane.
Then he had to go and kiss her and ruin everything. Ruined a perfectly good friendship.
Now he’d gone and ruined everything. What had he been thinking? Why in the world had he kissed Lizzie?
Gabe’s heart thundered in his chest, mocking him.
He’d just felt so at peace, sitting out there with her watching the storm come in and then slowly slip away. The sound of the raindrops on the porch roof. The cool breeze that drifted in with the storm. The rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning.
Yet, there they sat together on the glider, safe and sound. Connected. Almost like they were the only two people in the world.
And she’d kissed him back. She had. Like she’d enjoyed the kiss.
But then got scared or uncertain or maybe just overwhelmed.
He set the glider in motion again, hoping it would soothe his nerves. The thing was, he cared about her. He did. And he really enjoyed being friends with her. Talking with her. Laughing with her.
And teasing her. He enjoyed that. The way her eyes lit up and a grin would spread across her face. Then… zing… she’d throw a snappy remark right back at him.
He could talk to her about anything. Well, almost everything. There were still some things that were best kept hidden in the past. And honestly? He didn’t feel like it was his story to tell.
He stared up at the sky where the clouds were starting to clear and one lone star flickered above.
His timing was terrible. Really, what had he been thinking? She was opening the shop. Problems with her very best friend. She had so much to deal with. Starting up a relationship now would be overwhelming.
He’d just back off and give her space. He could do that. He would do that. He’d be cordial and civil and… he’d just try his best to avoid her so she wouldn’t feel as awkward as he did.