For some reason it seemed as if every woman in Serenity had chosen today to shop at the boutique. Many of the women were contacts Adelia had made through her school committees. They’d come to rely on her fashion sense, more than doubling the boutique’s business since she’d started working there.
Adelia closed the register after the last sale just past lunchtime and drew in a satisfied breath. She was exhausted, but it had been an excellent morning. Raylene was going to be over the moon when she saw the receipts.
Of course, today all those sales had come with a surprising number of questions about Gabe Franklin. Apparently word had already spread that Adelia had the inside scoop on the sexy construction guy who’d just returned to town. Since most of the women asking questions were married, she was a little surprised by the level of curiosity.
She’d managed to skirt the most intrusive questions by diverting attention to a new line of accessories and liberally tossing around compliments about the way the outfits being tried on fit perfectly or suited the customer’s coloring. Because she’d developed a knack for sincere flattery and a reputation for her own personal style, which she’d always achieved on a budget, her tactics mostly worked.
“Nice job,” Raylene said, startling her by emerging from the office in back.
“How long have you been here?” Adelia asked.
Raylene grinned. “Long enough to realize you could qualify for work at the State Department with those diplomatic skills you possess.”
Adelia laughed. “I was dancing as fast as I knew how. Who knew that even the married women in this town were so interested in the latest gossip?”
Raylene gave her an incredulous look. “Oh, please, it’s the town hobby,” she said. “Fed by Grace Wharton and, though I’d never say it to her face, by Sarah over at the radio station. She and Travis do their part to stir the pot by announcing some of the juiciest tidbits on the air. Heck, they even invite Grace to drop by just to make sure their listeners always know the latest.”
“Doesn’t anybody ever consider going to the source?” Adelia asked in frustration. Of course, she’d been relieved at one time that no one had come directly to her when her marriage was crumbling.
Raylene looked amused. “Are you suggesting that people just ask Gabe whatever they want to know about him?”
“Well, he is the one with all the answers,” Adelia replied. “I’m an innocent, uninformed bystander.”
“But it’s so much more fascinating to see how many of those answers you’re already privy to,” Raylene explained. “Were you really bothered by it? You know most of these women adore you. They’re not just being nosy. They’d really like you to be happy after all you’ve been through.”
“And they think Gabe is the answer?” Adelia asked. “Even though they profess to know nothing about him? One or two even seem to recall something about him being a troublemaker back in the day.”
Raylene chuckled. “Who doesn’t love a bad boy?” she asked. “Who cares what happened back then, anyway? The man is a serious hunk. He has a smile that makes women weak in the knees. I’d say that makes him a good candidate.”
“For what? A fling?”
Her boss winked at her. “No woman I know deserves to have fun more than you do. Why not?”
Adelia gave her a horrified look. “I have children. I have responsibilities. Flings were Ernesto’s thing, not mine.”
“Do not tell me the thought of letting a sexy man show you just how desirable you are has never crossed your mind,” Raylene said. “You’ll disappoint me.”
“Never,” Adelia said staunchly, then thought of the way that smile of Gabe’s made her toes curl. “Well, hardly ever.”
Raylene laughed. “Thank goodness. I was getting a little worried there.”
“But it’s a fantasy,” Adelia insisted. “I’d never act on it. My children need one parent with a sense of decorum. And if I did happen to lose my head and my self-control, I’d certainly never spread the news all over Serenity.”
“Not even to rub it in Ernesto’s sorry face?”
The thought of retribution did hold a certain appeal, Adelia thought, then immediately dismissed the idea. The momentary satisfaction wouldn’t be worth the potential humiliation of having her children hear about it.
“Not even then,” she said, though she couldn’t keep a tiny hint of regret out of her voice. Determined to change the subject, she studied Raylene. “You’re actually glowing. Pregnancy obviously agrees with you. How are you feeling?”
“The morning sickness seems to be over with, knock on wood. I feel pretty darn amazing.” Her expression brightened. “We’re going to find out the sex of the baby next week. At least I am. Carter’s on the fence. He claims he wants to be surprised.”
“You don’t believe him?”
“Maybe I would if he hadn’t bought four gallons of paint in various colors for the nursery this past weekend. If ever a man needed to have an idea whether he’s having a son or daughter, it’s my husband,” she said, then confided, “I think he’s secretly hoping for a boy.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Three of those four gallons of paint were in different shades of blue,” Raylene said with a smile. “It makes sense, too. He’s been guardian to his two younger sisters for several years now. It would be natural for him to want to raise a son.”
“How about you? Do you care?”
Raylene shook her head. “I’m just so thrilled to have a man like Carter in my life after the disaster of my first marriage and to be having a child I’d never expected to have, I honestly don’t care. The girls were already in their early teens when Carter and I met, so it’s not as if I’ve had baby girls in my life. But Carter’s so amazing with all the kids in town. He spends a lot of his spare time helping Cal Maddox and Ronnie Sullivan coach all the sports teams. I’d love to watch him teaching his own son how to do all those little boy things.”
Adelia smiled at Raylene’s wistful expression. Then her friend sighed.
“The girls are rooting for a niece,” Raylene admitted. “They came home the other day with a tiny pink outfit that they’d bought with their babysitting money. When I suggested perhaps they should have waited till we know for sure, they looked as if I were betraying them by even considering the possibility it could be a boy. They love that women are the dominant force in our household. They don’t want to see the odds evened, not even a little bit by a kid who won’t even be able to talk for a year or so.”
Adelia could hardly relate to the excitement in Raylene’s voice. She wished she’d shared that sort of excitement with Ernesto during her pregnancies. His daughters had been a disappointment to him. By the time Tomas had been born, he’d lost all interest.
“I am so happy for you,” she told Raylene. “You deserve this.”
Raylene laughed. “I really do, don’t I? It took a long time to get past my ex’s abuse and the agoraphobia that kept me a prisoner in my own home.” She shook her head. “My gosh, I sound like I lived through my own personal soap opera.”
“You did,” Adelia said. And every time she thought of what she’d been through with her cheating husband, considering Raylene’s past helped her to put it into perspective. No matter a person’s own difficulties, there was always someone who’d been through something just a little worse and survived. It was good to remember that.
“You know what?” she said. “I think we deserve a little celebration. Why don’t I run next door and get some decaf or tea, if you’d prefer, and a couple of cupcakes?”
“I’m all in favor of cupcakes, but what are we celebrating?” Raylene asked.
“Survival,” Adelia replied at once.
Sometimes, she thought, she didn’t give herself half enough credit for that.
* * *
At Sweet Things, Adelia was studying the cupcake display case, trying to make a decision, when Sarah McDonald came in.
“I need caffeine,” she announced with an edge of desperation in her voice. “I just finished a double on-air shift at the radio station.” She sighed heavily, then retracted her order. “Make it decaf.”
“You need more than coffee, with or without caffeine,” Lynn told her. “I’ll bet you haven’t eaten all day. Pick out a couple of cupcakes on the house.” She glanced at Adelia. “You, too.”
“You can’t be giving away your inventory,” Adelia protested, her business instincts kicking in.
“Of course I can,” Lynn replied. “Especially if it means I can put a sign on the door that says I’m sold out for the day and can go home.”
Adelia and Sarah exchanged a worried look.
“Are you okay?” Sarah asked. “Now that I look closely, I can see the circles under your eyes. You’re a woman in serious need of sleep.”
“Thanks so much for noticing,” Lynn replied wearily.
“Just an observation,” Sarah said. “I know for a fact you’re in here before dawn every day because I see the lights on when I go into the station for my morning show. And the lights are usually still on right up till dinnertime when Travis and I go for our walk before he goes in to do his stint on the air.”
Lynn sighed. “For so long I dreamed about how wonderful it would be to have my own bakery, but I never believed it would happen. Then Mitch and Raylene and the Sweet Magnolias started pushing and convinced me I could pull it off. Baking’s always been second nature to me. Running a business is not. If you say a word about this to my husband, I’ll call you a liar, but I don’t know how much longer I can keep up this schedule, especially now.”
Adelia studied her intently, then gasped as she recognized the signs. “You’re pregnant!”
Sarah’s eyes widened. “You are, aren’t you? Oh my gosh, it’s like an epidemic. Raylene, you.” She blushed furiously. “Me.”
“You, too?” Lynn said, her expression brightening. “We’re all going to have babies? That’s amazing.”
“Okay, that does it,” Adelia said. “Bag up a half dozen or so of those cupcakes, put the closed sign on the door and come with me. We’re having a party.”
“A party?” Lynn echoed.
“Right this second,” Adelia confirmed, a little surprised by her own spontaneity. She couldn’t recall a single time in her adult life when she hadn’t had to consider a million things before moving forward on something fun. This was just one more indication that she was carving out a new path for her life.
“Next door,” she told the two women. “Raylene’s over there waiting for me to get back. We were just going to celebrate survival, but this will be so much more fun, like an impromptu baby shower.”
“Without the presents,” Sarah said, feigning disappointment.
Adelia laughed. “There will be plenty of time for the real thing, complete with lots and lots of presents,” she promised. “This is just for us, and anyone else who wanders by.”
Lynn nodded happily. “I’ll just bring a whole tray of cupcakes. And I have a pot of decaf I just made.”
“Then we have ourselves a party,” Adelia declared.
“You know,” Sarah said, her expression thoughtful. “The only other people I know who are so eager for parties at the drop of a hat are the Sweet Magnolias. Adelia, you’d fit right in. You get right into the spirit of a celebration.”
Lynn’s eyes immediately lit up. “You would, you know.” She turned to Sarah. “We’ll have to work on making that happen.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Adelia protested. “I wasn’t angling for an invitation.”
“Of course not,” Lynn said. “But these are women you know, women who know what it means to be friends. Surely you’re not telling us you have all the friends you need.”
“Not possible,” Sarah answered for her. “You may not know you need these women in your life, but you do. Alone, every one of us may be pretty amazing, but together…”
“We could run the world,” Lynn chimed in, completing the thought.
“Or at least Serenity,” Sarah amended.
Adelia couldn’t deny that the prospect of having strong bonds with women who’d always have her back held a lot of appeal. She knew the original band of Sweet Magnolias—Maddie Maddox, Dana Sue Sullivan and Helen Decatur-Whitney—had been there for her sister-in-law even before Elliott had come into Karen’s life. Raylene credited them with all but saving her life, too.
But Adelia didn’t want to push herself into a clique where she might not be welcomed.
Sarah nudged her. “I can practically hear those wheels in your head going round and round. This is not some exclusive secret society, I promise. You’ll see. Of course with all these pregnant women these days, our wild margarita nights have gotten pretty tame. Everybody’s drinking virgin cocktails.”
“Frozen limeade,” Lynn confirmed. “Amazingly, it seems to have the same effect as the alcohol-laced variety. We all get a little crazy. I think it’s about knowing we can say absolutely anything and nobody’s going to judge us.”
“Exactly,” Sarah said. “Adelia, we’ll make sure you know the next time we’re getting together.” She gestured toward the display case. “Pack up those cupcakes, Lynn. I’m starving.”
Adelia marveled at the way her trip to pick up coffee and a couple of cupcakes had suddenly turned into a special occasion. And when they trooped into the boutique, Raylene didn’t seem to be the least bit flustered by the impromptu party.
“I’m calling Annie and telling her to get over here,” she said at once. “Since we’re going to be talking babies, she’s going to want to be in on it.” She glanced at Sarah. “Does she know about you yet?”
Sarah shook her head. “Not even Travis knows, so I’m swearing you all to secrecy right this second.”
“But it’s okay if we let Annie in on the secret, right?” Raylene said. “How cool is it that we were best friends growing up and now the three of us are all having kids at the same time? Plus Lynn.”
Adelia sat back and listened to their excited chatter. Not once when she’d been pregnant with any of her children had she been surrounded by girlfriends like this. She’d counted on her sisters, instead. While they’d all been great back then, it hadn’t been the same as this. If that invitation to get together with the Sweet Magnolias truly did come her way, she wasn’t going to hesitate. She felt a surprising longing deep in her soul for what these women had found together. Maybe real sisterhood wasn’t about biology at all.
* * *
Gabe walked past Chic after six and was surprised to find the lights still on and laughter drifting from inside. He paused long enough to glance inside and see Adelia, Lynn and three other women he didn’t recognize sitting on an assortment of chairs and stools with a large pastry box, napkins and Styrofoam coffee cups scattered across the counter. Judging from the tossed aside cupcake papers, the women had been having themselves a little party.
It was the laughter, though, that got to him, especially Adelia’s. He’d been under the impression that she didn’t have a lot of friends. Perhaps he’d based that on his own tendency to go through life alone.
Taking one final glance inside, he smiled to himself and walked on.
At the Serenity Inn, he showered, changed into clean jeans and a fresh shirt, then headed for his usual lonely dinner at Rosalina’s. For once, though, the comfortable rut he’d carved out for himself bothered him.
As soon as he was settled in his regular booth, Debbie brought his soda. “Let me guess. A large pepperoni pizza,” she said.
“Not tonight,” Gabe said, startling them both. He gave a quick glance at the menu, then said, “How about the lasagna and a salad?”
A smile broke across her face. “Well, hallelujah! It’s about time you started experimenting.”
Gabe chuckled. “I take it you recommend the lasagna.”
“I recommend anything other than pizza,” she replied. “Not that there’s a thing wrong with our pizza. It’s excellent, but not as a steady diet. Who knows? Next time maybe you’ll really cut loose and try the eggplant Parmesan.”
“One step at a time,” he said.
Debbie glanced across the restaurant just then and another smile lit her face. “Well, well, well, this is definitely a night full of surprises. There’s Adelia and it looks as if she’s all alone.” She glanced at him. “You want some company?”
Gabe shook his head. “Skip the matchmaking and bring my dinner, please,” he said, even though he couldn’t quite take his gaze off Adelia. She was glancing around nervously. When her gaze fell on him, she actually looked relieved.
Gabe stood as she crossed the room. “You looking for somebody?”
“Not really. My mom has the kids, and when I left work, I didn’t feel like going home, so I decided to stop by here for dinner. Then I walked in the door and realized I haven’t eaten a meal by myself in a restaurant in years. I also realized I didn’t much like the idea of it.”
Gabe laughed. “Well, unless you were putting yourself to some sort of a test, you’re welcome to join me. I wouldn’t mind the company. I’m pretty sick of my own.” He leaned closer and whispered, “It will make Debbie very happy. She thinks I have no life.”
“And you care what your waitress thinks?” Adelia said, clearly amused.
“No man likes being the object of pity,” he told her.
“No woman, either,” she confessed. “If you really don’t mind, I’d love to join you.” She hesitated. “It’s not a date, just so we’re clear. I’ll buy my own meal.”
“How about we negotiate that?” he suggested. “It might be even worse for my image if Debbie thinks I’m a cheapskate on top of everything.”
No sooner had Adelia slid into place than the waitress reappeared. She gave Gabe a subtle thumbs-up, but Adelia caught it. He could tell she was about to launch into an explanation about this being a chance encounter, not a date, and decided that was a whole lot more than Debbie needed to know. He jumped in before she could speak.
“Debbie, can you hold back my order till Adelia’s is ready?”
“Already done,” she said, giving him a look that told him she was proud of her intuitiveness. “Hon, what can I get you?” she asked Adelia. “Gabe’s breaking with his pizza tradition and having the lasagna and a salad. How about you?”
“Lasagna sounds excellent,” Adelia said. “A small salad, too.”
“Perfect. I’ll be back in no time,” Debbie promised.
Gabe met Adelia’s nervous gaze. “Since you’ve made it abundantly clear that this isn’t a date, why are you so nervous? Or are you just on a sugar high?”
She looked startled by the question. “A sugar high?”
“I passed the boutique on my way home and it looked as if you and some friends were gorging on Lynn’s cupcakes.”
She laughed. “Guilty as charged. I had three.” Her expression sobered. “What on earth am I doing ordering lasagna after that? I should tell Debbie just to bring me the salad.”
“Did you want the lasagna?”
She nodded. “It sounded wonderful when she mentioned it. I haven’t had it in ages.”
“Then you’ll have a couple of bites if that’s all you want and take the rest home,” he said.
“Thank you for not making me feel guilty.”
There was something in her voice that made him frown, a hint of an unspoken apology. “What would you have to feel guilty about?”
It was clear the question flustered her, but he couldn’t imagine why. “Adelia, why would you feel guilty about ordering whatever you wanted?”
“You didn’t know me a few years ago,” she said softly, not meeting his gaze. “I was a mess. I’d gained some weight with each of the kids. Ernesto—”
“The man who cheated on you,” Gabe said, not even trying to hide his disgust. “Was that his excuse, that you’d gained weight?”
She gave him a rueful look. “He didn’t think he needed an excuse. But he did like to throw my weight in my face. If I’d just admitted to him I’d had three cupcakes and then ordered a big meal, I’d hear about it for days.”
“Your ex-husband was a pig,” Gabe declared forcefully, not even remotely inclined to censor himself.
A startled expression spread across her face. “Do you know him?”
“No, but I’ve heard enough to know the type. Don’t waste a single minute worrying about his opinions. He doesn’t deserve that much respect.”
To his surprise, she frowned at his vehemence. “You won’t say anything like that around the kids, will you? Ernesto is still their father.”
“Of course not,” Gabe said. “It’s not my place, though maybe they should know the truth about the kind of man he is.”
She shook her head at once. “Selena knows and it’s tearing her apart. I don’t want the younger ones to be disillusioned. One day they may figure things out for themselves, but I’d like them to remain innocent as long as possible. They love their dad.”
“That’s more generous than he deserves,” Gabe said.
She smiled. “I know that. I get to feel all noble. Maybe that’s better than spending as much time as I’d like wanting to rip out his heart.”
Her comment startled him, but as the heartfelt sentiment registered, he chuckled. “Now you’re talking.”
“You sound like my brother. He’d love it if I’d give him permission to beat the daylights out of my ex, but I won’t do it.”
“Nobility’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” he said. “Sometimes plain old revenge is awfully sweet.”
She studied him curiously. “You sound as if you know that firsthand.”
Gabe sighed. “To be honest, I do, and those memories are not among my proudest moments.”
“I’m sorry to have sent you back there, then.”
He shrugged. “Protective instincts die hard.”
“Who was it you were protecting?”
“My mother.”
“What made you think she needed your protection? She was the grown-up, after all.”
“She was older,” he corrected. “That didn’t make her mature. She got mixed up with too many guys like your ex-husband. She had a reputation around town as what you’d probably call a party girl.” He shrugged. “Or maybe worse. By the time I was in my teens, I knew she deserved the label, but that didn’t mean I liked hearing it.”
“So you fought,” Adelia concluded.
“And got kicked out of school eventually. I was a troublemaker back then, no question about it.”
“Have you reformed?”
“I’d like to think so, which is probably the only thing that makes your ex-husband safe.”
“You do know I don’t need you to fight my battles for me,” she said. “Any more than I want Elliott fighting them.”
Gabe nodded. “But you’ll let me know if that ever changes, right?”
“Probably not,” she said softly. “But I appreciate the thought, Gabe. It’s been a long time since any man other than my brother wanted to look after me. It’s a little disconcerting.”
“Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I offered to be anyone’s knight in shining armor,” he told her. “That’s a little disconcerting for me, too.”
She smiled. “Then it’s a good thing this isn’t a date.”
“Oh?”
“No obligations or expectations when it comes to shining up that armor.”
But for reasons he didn’t want to examine too closely, Gabe found that he was more disappointed than reassured.
* * *
Despite her nervousness, Adelia enjoyed dinner with Gabe more than she’d expected to. And somehow he’d managed to pay the check for both of them, probably when she’d made a visit to the ladies’ room. Her protests had fallen on deaf ears, as had her perfectly reasonable arguments that he didn’t need to walk her home.
“This is Serenity, for goodness’ sake,” she said as they stood on the sidewalk in front of Rosalina’s. “The Serenity Inn is in the opposite direction from Swan Point.”
“And I just ate a huge meal. A walk is just what I need,” Gabe said, his jaw set stubbornly.
“I’m not going to win this debate, am I?” she asked in frustration.
“Not a chance,” he agreed cheerfully. “Give in gracefully.”
It was a pleasant night with a soft breeze and the scent of honeysuckle in the air. A tiny sliver of a moon lit the inky sky.
They’d stayed at Rosalina’s much later than Adelia had intended. She was grateful that the kids were spending the night with her mother, so there wouldn’t be the endless round of questions that would have ensued if she’d arrived so late to pick them up.
She and Gabe walked in companionable silence for a couple of blocks. She was very aware of the man next to her. Masculinity radiated from him in alluring waves. It was a little scary—no, a lot scary—that she was so aware of him. And when he tucked a steadying hand under her elbow when she stepped off a curb, the touch, rather than helping, almost caused her to stumble. It was like a jolt of electricity to her system.
Gabe glanced at her curiously. “You okay?”
“Of course,” she said, though there was an unmistakably breathless note in her voice that belied that.
Another touch had her pausing in her tracks. She looked up in alarm to see his gaze on hers.
“Adelia,” he said, his voice like a soft caress.
“Uh-huh,” she murmured, lost in his eyes.
“I think I’m going to have to kiss you,” he said, his lips curving slightly. “Tell me now if that’s going to freak you out.”
She swallowed hard. “It’s going to freak me out,” she whispered. Then, keeping her gaze locked with his, she added, “But I want you to.”
He seemed startled by her candor. “You do?”
She blinked. “Unless you’ve changed your mind. I mean, if you have, it’s okay. I really have no idea how to do this, Gabe.”
“Do what? Kiss a man?”
“Uh-huh.”
A smile spread across his face. “I’ll bet you do,” he said. “Let’s see.”
He lowered his head slowly until his lips were so tantalizingly close she could feel his breath whispering across her cheek. Her pulse jumped. Anticipation and heat built low in her belly. If he didn’t do it soon, if he didn’t put his mouth on hers, she thought she very well might cry.
As if he sensed her nerves were at their limit, he closed that last bit of distance, touching his firm lips to hers. That tantalizing heat she’d been feeling exploded into a demanding fire. She put her hands on his shoulders, not just to steady herself, but because she needed to touch him, to feel his muscles bunch, telling her that he was as affected by this moment as she was. She needed to know she wasn’t just some pitiful woman desperate and hungry for a man’s touch and that he wasn’t kissing her because he’d sensed that and felt sorry for her. She needed reassurance that the desire she was so sure was simmering between them went both ways.
The kiss, so gentle at first, deepened in a way she only vaguely remembered. That desperation and hunger curling inside her seemed to be matched by a similar intensity in Gabe. There was a moan low in his throat as their tongues tangled and he pulled her even closer.
Adelia couldn’t think after that. Nothing mattered except that extraordinary demanding heat inside her and the wonder of discovering she was still desirable.
The sound of a car in the stillness of the night seemed to shock them both. Gabe reluctantly drew back. Adelia even more reluctantly let him go.
“That was…” Words failed her.
“Unexpected,” he said, looking as shaken as she felt. He smiled. “We might have to try it again sometime.”
A profound relief spread through her. “We might,” she agreed solemnly.
He ran a finger along her cheek as if he wasn’t quite ready for the moment to end. “Soon.”
Though a part of her wanted to demand that soon be, say, a half hour from now, she managed a teasing grin instead. “We’ll see.”
To her surprise, he laughed.
“What?” she demanded.
“Sweetheart, you haven’t forgotten how to kiss or how to flirt.”
Adelia couldn’t think of a single thing he might have said that would have pleased her more. She was beginning to think her brother and Raylene might have been right, after all. Maybe Gabe was going to turn out to be the best thing to happen to her, the right man at the right moment in her life…even if nothing lasting ever came of it.