TESSA WAS STRESSED as the TIP executives began arriving Monday afternoon. It was hard to keep from second-guessing all the things she normally did, but she still greeted Rob and made sure to put a courtesy basket in the Joaquin Murrieta suite for him.
Though the housekeeping staff assigned to the El Dorado Mansion was of particular interest, she simply kept an eye on the schedule. It was difficult not to inquire whether anyone had specifically requested the assignment, yet even a request wouldn’t necessarily be suspicious. While some of the housekeepers had a favorite work location, others liked to rotate between the houses.
Around seven that evening, she was still working in her office when Gabe showed up.
“Time for dinner,” he announced, holding up bags from the Gilbraith Delicatessen. “Let’s eat at your place.”
She nodded and shut down her computer. They rarely took a chance of anyone overhearing them at her office, whatever the hour.
“Have you been on edge all day?” Gabe asked when the door of her apartment had closed behind them.
“That’s an understatement. It’s like waiting for a volcano to erupt. I swear I could hear a pin drop on the other side of Poppy Gold.”
“Operational readiness,” he murmured. “Awareness heightens, adrenaline revs in the bloodstream, and focus narrows to the essentials. Not that it’s a big leap for you—Poppy Gold is always your focus.”
Tessa sank onto the couch and petted Rocky, who was taking up most of the space. “Are you trying to start a fight?”
“No.” Gabe handed her one of the bags from the deli. “I just want the whole thing resolved. Rob is my kid brother. I’ll keep security on him for as long as it takes, but there’s always a chance of someone getting lucky.”
Tessa unwrapped the end of her sandwich and took a bite. She wasn’t surprised to discover it was her favorite, turkey and avocado; Gabe never seemed to forget anything. Rocky watched with an interested gleam in his eyes, but she didn’t want to start giving him table scraps.
Gabe swallowed a mouthful. “KJ has sent me a couple of texts. Believe it or not, he’s sleeping with one of Rob’s executives tonight.”
She choked. “At the El Dorado?”
“What can I say? KJ enjoys women and it’s the best way to keep an eye on the situation.”
Tessa hoped the woman knew it was just casual sex. Most likely, she decided. While KJ was charming, he was obviously a player. It was difficult to imagine him being friends with Gabe, but the comrade-in-arms thing was probably the explanation. On the other hand, maybe Gabe didn’t have friends; he just had contacts.
“Is KJ a sex addict or something?”
“He just enjoys the game and doesn’t see any reason not to enjoy himself.”
Tessa ate her sandwich, trying to fight off renewed depression. Gabe was leaving Glimmer Creek as soon as the thefts were resolved. It seemed ridiculous to think about what she’d do if he asked her to go with him, yet the thought kept going through her head. No children, a cynical life partner, away from family...but with the man she loved.
What about Dad? said a nagging voice in Tessa’s head.
Or Poppy Gold?
The bed-and-breakfast complex provided employment for half of Glimmer Creek in one way or another. Of course, somebody else could run it, and her father had improved a great deal over the past few months. He was just having more trouble right now because of his upcoming anniversary...
Tessa’s head began to ache.
She didn’t know why she was tearing herself up about it. Gabe wasn’t asking her to leave with him, and he wasn’t going to stay, so she didn’t have any decisions to make.
Except that wasn’t entirely true... She had to decide whether to have one or two more nights together with Gabe.
“Tell me, does operational readiness require celibacy?” she asked lightly.
He stroked the curve of her jaw with his finger. “I used to think it did. Don’t get me wrong, I like sex as much as most men—”
“No argument here,” she threw in with a grin.
“Brat. No wonder you used to be called Tessajinks. Anyhow, I thought it might make my guys less sharp, so I encouraged abstaining for a few days ahead of time. Now I wonder...” A faint expression of regret crossed his face.
“Wonder?” she prompted.
“Nothing. For the record, while it may be self-serving, I no longer advocate celibacy.”
She leaned closer and kissed him. “In that case, how about retiring upstairs? Rocky has claimed the couch, anyway.”
Gabe eyed the feline. In their brief acquaintance, Rocky had proved quite likable except for his habit of hogging the cushions. Rather than curling into a ball, the cat was stretched out on his back with legs extended an impossible distance. The pose suggested ultimate trust; he’d landed in a cushy life with Tessa, and he knew it.
“Doesn’t he sleep with you?”
“Definitely. He’s a lovebug. Jealous?”
Gabe put a hand out and pulled her to her feet. “I’ll survive. But let’s go upstairs before he wakes up and decides to join us immediately. That mattress is small enough without him.”
Smothering chuckles, they raced up the narrow stairs to the second floor. The bed wasn’t nearly long enough for a man his height, but it had one thing no other bed had ever offered.
Tessa.
* * *
GABE LAY AWAKE for a long time while Tessa slept. Rocky had waited until the commotion ended before jumping up and parking himself by her feet. The cat was purring so loudly it would have been difficult to sleep even without the thoughts circling in Gabe’s brain...pointless thoughts, like memories of the men he’d lost, and whether his rigid approach to mission prep had stolen important moments from them.
Would those men agree that staying away from their wives and girlfriends had been worth the questionable benefits? Wouldn’t they have been better off enjoying reminders of why they were about to risk their lives?
He hoped they’d ignored him.
He hoped they’d taken advantage of every minute, in whatever way that meant something to them, whenever possible, whether it was making love or riding a bike or reading stories to a child.
Children...
He swallowed a groan, thinking of the whimsical creatures outlined on the walls of Tessa’s old nursery. The air must have rung with her happy childhood giggles back then. Sometimes he could almost hear the echoes of those giggles, however ridiculous that sounded.
Was it possible for emotion to be imprinted on a place? Sadness had seemed to shroud some of the beautiful, ancient lands Gabe had visited, lands torn by centuries of warfare or tragedy. Equally, happiness seemed to brighten the room where Tessa had spent her early years.
“What’s up?” Tessa asked sleepily.
“What do you mean?”
“You got tense.”
Without realizing it, his body had become rigid. And however fanciful it might be, Tessa’s voice was like a lifeline in the darkness. In a few short weeks, she had turned him inside out, making him question the certainties he’d stood upon for so long.
“Sorry I disturbed you,” he murmured. “Maybe I should go work out.”
“Mmm, I can think of another way to relax.” She kissed his neck and slid her knee across his groin.
He smiled.
She did have the best ideas.
* * *
GABE WAS GONE when Tessa woke in the morning. She was disappointed, though she knew he’d wanted to get to work early. He’d asked her father to assign him to the various gardens near the El Dorado Mansion for the next few days, so that was where he’d be spending most of his time. She just hoped the thief hadn’t identified him as Rob’s brother.
Whatever Gabe claimed about being able to take care of himself, it still worried her.
“Mrrrow,” Rocky trilled, putting his paws on her arm.
“Hey there,” she murmured, glad for his comforting presence. He couldn’t replace the man she loved, but he’d be company when Gabe left Glimmer Creek for good.
With a sigh, Tessa finally got up and dressed. She’d carefully charged her cell phone the night before and put it in her pocket before heading out to the office. It was important to follow her usual morning pattern, which was to work a few hours at her desk and then do a walk-through of the facility.
But instead of making calls to her contacts on the East Coast, she mostly sat at her desk, thinking about Gabe.
He’d said little about his future plans. With his connection to TIP, he couldn’t lack for money, but he wasn’t the kind of person to enjoy a life of leisure.
Tessa got up and gazed out the window. She still had her dreams for Poppy Gold; they’d have to be enough once Gabe left.
Of course, there were no guarantees the industrial thief would reveal him or herself right away, but since the fake plans mentioned a contract to be signed Wednesday morning, they hoped for immediate action. Rob had even brought a fax machine as a prop, though Poppy Gold provided a business center.
Restless, Tessa waited until her usual walk-through time and headed out.
* * *
TESSA HAD RETURNED to her office when a text message from her grandfather came in on her cell phone.
Am tlkng 2 thf cllr id shws p gold bllrm.
Gabe’s warning to act normally flitted through her head as she jumped to her feet, but hang it all, this could be the only chance they got. Poppy Gold’s phone lines each had a unique caller ID. She might be able to spot the thief red-handed, still on the phone.
Besides, she was probably the closest of anyone who knew what was going on. Gabe was staying near the El Dorado Mansion, and she could only presume KJ and his security guy expected to be near there, as well.
Tessa hurriedly sent a return text to her grandfather, Gabe and Great-Uncle Milt, then ran down the back staircase and headed for Old City Hall.
* * *
GABE WAS SWEEPING the walkway of the house next to the El Dorado Mansion when a text alert sounded on his cell. He pulled the phone out, and a chill went through him when he saw the message from Tessa.
He took off running for the old town center. The second floor of the historic town hall boasted an elegant ballroom, useful for large meetings, but nobody was scheduled in it that week. He silently ascended the back staircase, reassured to hear the low murmur of Tessa’s voice, followed by another that was loud and shrill.
Cautiously peering around a corner, he saw Tessa with Judy Stokes, a member of the housekeeping staff he’d met only a couple of times. They were alarmingly close together. Tessa’s gaze flickered briefly, acknowledging his presence, even as she remained focused on the other woman.
He stopped and saw Milt Fullerton on the other side of the ballroom, coming in through the front gallery.
“Robert McKinley is so high and mighty,” Judy said with a sneer. “He deserves what he gets. Born rich. He doesn’t know what it’s like to scramble for a living.”
“Is that why you’ve been selling information about TIP?”
“No. My father would be alive today if it wasn’t for him.” Judy’s voice rose higher. “Dad made a little mistake five years ago. Just a single, tiny error in judgment, but McKinley couldn’t overlook it. Instead he made sure Dad was indicted for smuggling.”
“You must have been devastated.”
“That isn’t the half of it. My father killed himself before the trial. Just one little mistake,” Judy repeated, edging toward hysteria. “He’d be alive today if that SOB had a heart.”
“So you decided to get back at Rob by selling information from TIP to his competitors.”
“What else could I do? I just wish McKinley had fallen on that staircase and broken his neck. Dad deserves justice.”
“It was clever getting TIP to use Poppy Gold for their business retreats,” Tessa said casually. As Gabe crept forward, he detected a hint of disgust in her eyes.
“Yeah. I was researching import-export companies that might buy information and found an article about Poppy Gold and its connection to Connor Enterprises. That’s when I got the idea. Now get out of my way. I’m leaving.”
“Surely you realize the police will be right behind you.”
“There’s no proof. I made sure of it.” She strode forward, only to have Tessa kick a chair in her path.
While Gabe got to Judy first and restrained her, Milt was a fast second. He snapped handcuffs on her wrists so fast it was impressive.
“You can’t prove anything,” Judy screamed. “Hearsay isn’t admissible in court.”
“Actually, I recorded your confession on my phone,” Tessa said. “And by the way, you’re fired.”
Judy screamed again, struggling and kicking.
“What do you mean about recording her confession?” Milt asked.
“I activated the sound recorder on my phone before I came in. It was in my pocket, but she’s pretty shrill, so it probably worked.”
No wonder Tessa had gotten so close to the other woman. It had been smart, but additional proof wouldn’t have been any comfort if she’d gotten hurt or killed. Gabe wanted to yell and kiss her at the same moment.
For the first time in his life, he’d been truly terrified. If Tessa died or got hurt...
With abrupt clarity, he understood Liam’s anguish at losing his wife, the wound that could never truly heal.
When two other officers arrived and took charge of Judy Stokes, Milt turned his attention to Tessa and gave her a royal scolding. “Don’t ever do anything like that again,” he concluded, only to have her kiss him on the cheek.
“You’re sweet to worry, Uncle Milt.”
“I’m serious,” he insisted, but his gruff expression had vanished. “Now give me your phone. It’s evidence.”
With the scene quieting down, Gabe immediately rang Patrick Connor.
“The suspect is in custody, and Tessa is all right,” he said as soon as the call was answered, going on to explain what had happened.
“Thank God. We’ll leave for Poppy Gold in the morning. My granddaughter is going to get a blistering lecture. I never would have cooperated if I’d thought she would confront the thief by herself.”
“Do it over the phone before you arrive,” Gabe advised, thinking how Milt had crumbled beneath his great-niece’s charm. “I suspect she has you wrapped around her little finger along with everyone else in Glimmer Creek.”
A bark of laughter came over the phone. “Excellent point. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Gabe’s next call was to his brother, who showed up at the ballroom within minutes. Judy Stokes promptly began shrieking profanities until the two officers took her away.
“Her father was guilty of a whole lot more than a single lapse in judgment,” Rob explained, his face grim. “Norman began smuggling from China and other countries before I became president of TIP. Diamonds, art pieces, anything he could slip into a shipment. I worked with customs authorities for months to catch him.”
Tessa looked sad. “She believed his story, but why didn’t her name raise a flag for you? Stokes isn’t that common.”
“Because her father’s last name was Chambers. I remember he had a married daughter, but not much more. It never occurred to me to add him to any of our lists since he’s deceased. I’m sorry you got caught in the middle of this.”
“Hey, it wasn’t your fault.”
Rob still looked guilty and Gabe understood how he felt. He might be furious with Tessa for taking chances with her safety, but she was still an innocent bystander. While Rob could repay the financial losses Poppy Gold had suffered, he couldn’t make up for her fall on the staircase.
Tessa talked briefly to her father, giving him an explanation and reassuring him, while Milt finished processing the scene. Gabe silently apologized to the white-haired giant. Despite his age and lack of big-city law enforcement experience, the police chief was efficient and knowledgeable.
The formalities took a while, but finally they all agreed to come the next morning to sign their statements. Tessa left to call her grandfather with a more in-depth explanation.
“What now, big brother?” Rob asked when they were alone.
“What do you mean?”
“Where are you going from here?”
It was a good question; Gabe just didn’t have an answer. What he wanted and what was best for Tessa were two different things.
* * *
TESSA HAD JUST gotten home when Gabe pounded on her door.
“How could you do such an insanely dangerous thing?” he demanded when she answered. “Confronting that woman alone was crazy.”
“I couldn’t take the chance of her getting away.” The scolding didn’t bother her; she was just glad they’d caught the guilty party. The call with her grandfather, on the other hand, had been slightly more upsetting. She’d reassured him over and over that she was all right, but he and Grams were still coming to Glimmer Creek to see for themselves.
“You’re impossible,” Gabe declared.
“I’m just me.” Tessa had expected him to be angry, but he looked even more upset than she had anticipated. “Have you found out more about Judy Stokes?”
He glared. “She got divorced after her father’s suicide but kept her married name. Apparently she was more interested in getting revenge than in discarding reminders of her ex.”
A thought occurred to Tessa, and she cocked her head. “Why aren’t you giving me a hard time about blind loyalty? That’s what Judy is guilty of...in addition to everything else.”
“Because you aren’t capable of plotting revenge for years and breaking the law to get it.”
Gabe’s reply was a curious compliment.
“Don’t think I’m done,” he added. “You weren’t supposed to risk your life. What if she’d had a gun? Chairs won’t protect you from a bullet. I thought you had brains, but that was the most idiotic stunt I’ve ever seen.”
“Imagine, I didn’t think you cared about me.”
“Of course I care,” Gabe snarled, without seeming to realize what he’d just said. He went on ranting and she sighed. There was probably just one way to stop him.
Tessa started unbuttoning her blouse and Gabe’s gaze was suddenly riveted on her. She moved closer and put her arm around his neck.
“Don’t think you can distract me,” he said hoarsely.
“Wanna bet?” She rose on her tiptoes and kissed him.
He didn’t say another word the rest of the evening.
* * *
TESSA WOKE ALONE the next morning.
It was what she’d expected, but a flash of anger went through her.
She was certain that Gabe loved her as much as she loved him, and if she was willing to risk getting her heart broken, that was her decision. Anyway, her heart had already made the choice.
Tessa threw her clothes on and marched to Gabe’s studio. She found him outside packing his SUV.
“I wasn’t going to just go without saying goodbye,” he said quietly.
“What difference does that make?” she demanded. “You’re riding off like the Lone Ranger, but just like the Lone Ranger, you’re your own best proof that people have good in them.”
“Tessa, I’m older than you.”
“Eight years,” she scoffed. “You’re being ridiculous. If I was eighteen that might mean something, but it doesn’t at our ages, as you well know.”
* * *
GABE SIGHED.
She was right, the years didn’t matter, but the experience did. He’d seen more terrible things over those eight years than Tessa would see in a lifetime. But they weren’t sights that had made him wiser or stronger...just older. He’d tried to convince himself that it would be all right, but how could he be with her and not destroy her spirit?
An inner voice jeered at him.
How could a force of nature be destroyed? If Tessa’s mother had been anything like her, the two of them together must have been overwhelming.
“Tessa, it’s best for you if I—”
She crossed her arms and stuck her chin up in challenge. “Don’t try to decide for me. I’ll decide for myself, thank you. Maybe if you stopped leaving, you’d discover something worth staying for, or something worth taking with you.”
Gabe wished it was that simple.
Yet as he looked into Tessa’s eyes, he wondered if it was that simple. The problem with being the one who rode to the rescue was that all the villainy became overwhelming. Tessa was a lifeline in the darkness, but was reaching for it worth the chance of hurting her? Because if there was one thing he was certain about, he’d cut off his arm before he would cause Tessa pain.
“I bought something the other day,” she said unexpectedly. “Don’t ask me why, but something told me to get it for you. Think of it as a going-away gift.”
Gabe took the book she held out, and his mouth twitched as he read the title: Barbecuing for Beginners.
While people barbecued in the city, it seemed the quintessential small-town activity, signifying home and family and everyday life. Nothing had ever sounded more wonderful, though a life with Tessa wouldn’t be calm; she was a one-woman tornado. Perhaps his choice was similar to the one Liam had made.
“What if I admitted that I love you and hope to stay in Glimmer Creek, but still don’t want kids... What would you say?” he asked.
“Is that a test?”
Maybe it was, though the idea of Tessa pregnant with his child was seductive beyond belief. Then Gabe remembered what she’d told him once—that every child represented a shining light of hope. It was true, and Tessa was his own shining light.
“Forget I said that,” Gabe whispered, pulling her close. “I’ve decided I want it all, too. Tell me you love me. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.”
* * *
TESSA KISSED GABE BACK.
“I’ll love you forever,” she promised.
An excited cry startled them both, and they looked around to see Jamie and Lance.
“Are you getting married?” Jamie asked.
“I haven’t proposed yet, but I’m planning to,” Gabe told her. “How about it, Tessa? I happen to know Poppy Gold puts on great weddings.”
“Goody!” Jamie shrieked before Tessa could accept. “I can’t wait to tell everyone.”
“Hold on,” Tessa ordered. “In the first place, yes, I’ll marry you, Gabe. In the second, I’m going to tell the family, Jamie. You’ll just have to wait.”
“Can I at least get everybody to come to the old town square park for a potluck picnic?” Jamie begged. “There aren’t any events tonight and you could tell them then.”
The family was always having impromptu gatherings, but Tessa wondered if it would be too much for Gabe. She glanced at him and he nodded, seeming unconcerned.
“All right,” she agreed.
Jamie and Lance left excitedly, but Tessa had little hope her cousin would resist hinting about the upcoming announcement, at the very least.
“We’d better tell Liam before he hears it another way,” Gabe advised, apparently coming to the same conclusion.
Back at Poppy Gold, they finally found her father in Guest Registration. The elder Connors had arrived, and when they hadn’t been able to reach Tessa, they’d called him.
Pop smiled the first real smile she’d seen from him in over eighteen months.
“That look in your eyes...it’s just like your mother on our wedding day,” he said simply.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Gabe interjected, “I proposed to your daughter without talking to you. We’re getting married.”
Delighted exclamations came from Tessa’s grandparents and the other employees working in Guest Registration, and she soon found herself being hugged by everyone in the building. No doubt the family would know about her engagement hours before the impromptu party that night; good news traveled at the speed of light in Glimmer Creek.
Tessa finally ended up back in Gabe’s arms, and the expression on his face was a priceless gift.
He gave her a long, slow kiss.
Of all her dreams that had come true, Gabe was the best one of all.
* * * * *
Look for the next book in the
POPPY GOLD STORIES miniseries,
CHRISTMAS WITH CARLIE,
available December 2016 wherever
Harlequin Superromance books are sold.
Keep reading for an excerpt from HOME FREE by Claire McEwen.
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