THE REST OF THE WEEK, Isaac and Gemma managed to avoid each other. Which was good, Isaac thought as he approached Bisky’s house on the day Bisky’s daughter, Sunny, was supposed to come home.
Bisky had insisted that both he and Gemma be present for the big reveal. Which meant he’d see Gemma today, probably for the last time.
He ran his fingers through his hair, always unruly, and knocked on Bisky’s door.
Gemma answered, wearing red jeans and a white gauzy shirt, her hair loose around her shoulders. His mouth went dry.
Fang scampered out from the kitchen, barking madly, and she scooped him into her arms.
“Come on in,” she said, and she sounded awkward, as awkward as he felt.
He wished things could have been different, wished she could stick around, that she wasn’t from a family that had given her such high expectations.
He walked in. “Where’s Bisky?”
“She went to Sunny’s friend’s house to pick Sunny up. She should be right back.”
He cast about for something neutral to talk about. “Is everything ready?”
“For the big reveal? Yes, I think so.”
Fang strained in her arms, staring at Isaac, struggling toward him.
“Do you want to take him?” she asked. “He’s been touchy since the Ron thing.”
“Sure.” He felt fond of the dog by now, glad he’d been able to protect him from Gemma’s brother.
She held out the dog, and Isaac tucked him snugly against his chest. Surprisingly enough, the dog settled immediately.
“We’re home!” Bisky’s voice came, loud.
“Who are you yelling to?” Sunny sounded cranky. Uh-oh. From what he’d seen of family groups at the hardware store, there was no cranky like teen girl cranky.
“We have company,” Bisky said, ushering the girl in the door.
Sunny quickly concealed the irritated expression on her face, but not quickly enough that Isaac didn’t see it. Oh well. Sunny was a nice girl, but she’d just gotten back from a school trip. She probably wanted her mom to herself.
“We’ll be on our way soon, I promise, hon,” Gemma said, giving Sunny the briefest of hugs. “I’m all packed.”
She was packed? She was leaving?
She couldn’t leave. Something close to panic rose up in Isaac’s chest.
“So,” Bisky said, “we need to head up to the attic for just a minute. These two are taking a box with them, and I want to make sure it’s okay with you.”
It seemed like a fairly ridiculous excuse. Sure enough, Sunny balked. “Whatever it is, it’s fine,” she said, yawning. “I just want to take a nap.”
“Soon,” Bisky said firmly, and to her credit, Sunny didn’t protest anymore. She just sighed and stood up.
They all trooped up the stairs. Sunny glanced into her bedroom and did a double take. “What did you do to my room?”
“I’ll explain in a minute. Up here, hon.” Bisky ushered Sunny to the stairs that led to the attic. Isaac and Gemma trailed behind.
Bisky stepped aside so Sunny could go first.
Sunny wasn’t paying a lot of attention, but when they got to the top, she stopped still, almost causing a pileup of people behind her.
“Mom? What did you do?” Sunny rushed to the window, then spun and looked at the bed, now covered with a pristine white spread and blue pillows. Gauzy curtains hung in the windows, and the carpet he’d put in looked nice, all newly vacuumed. No TV—Bisky had been adamant about that—but there was a low bookshelf holding schoolbooks and paperbacks.
“Just a little surprise,” Bisky said, smiling with what looked like satisfaction.
“But how could you...money’s so tight...” Sunny burst into tears and flung her arms around her mother. “I love it so much, Mom. Thank you.”
Bisky looked shiny-eyed, too, as she held her daughter. Isaac felt more rewarded by this job than he had in ages. It was great to make a family happy.
Deep inside, he longed for a child of his own, because moments like this were what it was all about. Doing things for each other, making each other happy.
He felt an arm snake around his waist and looked down to see Gemma smiling up at him. “Good stuff,” he said, and draped an arm over her shoulders.
She felt absolutely, perfectly right at his side.
Sunny was moving around the room now, looking into the bathroom, raving over the wall hangings.
And Bisky was laughing. “Don’t give me too much credit,” she said, gesturing toward Gemma and Isaac. “It’s these two who did all the work.”
Sunny came over then and hugged them both. “I can’t believe you did this for me,” she said. “I can’t even tell you how happy I am right now. I’m going to love having this privacy and space.”
Isaac saw Bisky’s happy expression slip, just for a moment. Maybe she hadn’t thought about it, but Sunny was going to spend a lot of time up here, away from her mother. It was right, and the nature of things, but it couldn’t be easy for a single mom of one.
Bisky got a phone call and walked over to the far corner of the room to take it. Sunny grabbed Gemma’s arm. “I’m worried about Mom.”
“Why?” Gemma studied her.
“She had a week to herself. She used to, you know, go out and have fun, but now...”
“Now she just focuses on you?” Gemma smiled at Sunny. “You’re a sweet child to care so much about her, but she’ll be fine.”
“But,” Sunny said, her eyes filling, “I’m growing up, and I’ll go away to college, and who will take care of her then?”
Funny that Sunny thought she took care of her mother rather than the reverse. “Your mom’s pretty resourceful,” he reminded her.
“And she’s strong and smart and beautiful. If she wants companionship, she’ll have it. Male or female.” Gemma hugged Sunny. “Listen, I’m going to take off,” Gemma said. “So glad you’re happy with your new space, Sunny. Bisky,” she called to her cousin, who’d just ended her phone call, “thanks for all your hospitality and for giving me the opportunity to do this.”
“Thank you! It’s perfect!” There was more hugging, and then Gemma started down the stairs.
She was leaving. He might never see her again. “I’ll walk her out,” he told Bisky.
She narrowed her eyes, studied his face for a minute and then nodded. “Sunny and I will be up here,” she said. “Go.”
GEMMA STEPPED CAREFULLY down the stairs, since her eyes were blurry with tears.
She was so happy for Bisky and Sunny. The satisfaction she felt at what she’d created—what they’d created—made her certain that starting her own interior design firm was the right thing to do. Homes helped families, and she wanted to help people have the perfect home.
She had to admit, she wanted a perfect home and perfect family for herself, but it wasn’t going to happen. She’d tried and failed. Failed as a wife, and lost her chance as an adoptive mom.
Fang slept in a sunny spot by the window. She picked him up and made her way out to the car, but when she opened the door of it, there was Isaac behind her.
And that was what would make it really hard to leave. She loved it here, and she cared for Isaac a lot, but it wasn’t going to work. He didn’t feel the same.
The bay breeze was cool, the sun sparkling brightly on the water. She looked out across it and then turned to face Isaac. “Thank you for everything,” she said. “That was a great project to do.”
“It was,” he said. “But Gemma...” He reached out and pushed back a lock of her hair.
He was going to kiss her goodbye. Just like he had before. It had rocked her teenage world and she’d never gotten over it.
“I wish you wouldn’t go,” he said.
She turned away and set Fang down into his little dog seat on the passenger side of the car. She had to avoid Isaac’s kiss. Maybe then, she wouldn’t be so sad.
“Gemma.” He said her name forcefully, so forcefully that she turned back to face him. He was so handsome, and his eyes were so warm.
She felt like she couldn’t breathe. “Yeah?” she managed to say.
“Gemma, I mean it. Don’t go. Stay and let’s see if we can make something of this.”
His words soothed a sore, aching part of her heart, but she still felt insecure. “Your aunt said it. I’m not your kind. I won’t fit in.”
“You fit in perfectly. You fit perfectly.” And then he was pulling her close and tucking her against him, and they did fit perfectly together.
He lowered his mouth to hers.
The kiss was epic. Of course, because it was the last.
After a moment, she pulled away. “I can’t stand it,” she said. Tears pressed at her eyes, but she wouldn’t cry. Wouldn’t let herself cry.
“You can’t stand...what?” He looked puzzled, hurt.
“I can’t stand for you to kiss me and leave me feeling so much when it’s never going to work.”
Fang barked behind her. She needed to get on with her drive, with her life. The trouble was, the life she was going back to seemed cold and desolate.
Isaac took her hands and held them firmly. “I just want you to explain,” he said. “Okay, you’re going to leave, but why? What is it? You don’t like it here? You don’t want to get involved with a man who’s middle of the road in looks and success and income?”
He thought he was middle of the road? “Don’t you see, Isaac, that I’m an outcast?”
He tilted his head and studied her, so closely that she felt self-conscious and looked away.
He touched her face, let his hand tangle in her hair. “No. I don’t see that.”
“Then you’re not looking.”
“I am looking. I see a woman who’s stronger in the broken places. A woman who’s gone through things and has scars, sure, but who’s more beautiful for all she’s been through. A woman who’s creative and funny and yeah, different, but different is good.”
She gulped in a breath. “I want to believe you, but...” But she’d heard the reverse for most of her life, first from her family, and then from the husband they’d picked for her.
“I can make you believe if you’ll stay and try,” he said. “Stay and try.” He held out his arms, but he didn’t come closer. It was up to Gemma to decide.
She hesitated. There would be adjustments to make, efforts to fit in that might or might not work. A business to start.
A relationship to try, to take a chance on.
Back home there was... Familiarity? The comfort of knowing where she fit in, even if it wasn’t a good place?
She looked at Isaac’s strong, open face, his warm eyes. Yes, everything inside her said all at once, and she stepped forward.
Fang barked as they kissed again, and then Bisky and Sunny came out of the house. “You’re still here!” Bisky sounded happy.
“I think...” Gemma said. “I think I’m going to stay in Pleasant Shores for a while.”
“You are?” Bisky opened her arms wide. “I’m so glad. Let go of her, Isaac. I want to hug her, too.”
“Yes!” Sunny pumped her fist. “You can keep Mom company.”
Fang whined from his dog seat, and Isaac reached into the car and picked him up. “What do you think, dude? Stay awhile and get to know me better?”
Fang barked, and they all laughed, and hugged, and Gemma cried a little, happy tears.
She’d never felt a part of things, not really. But now...
She leaned against Isaac’s chest, and he put a strong arm around her.
This, her heart said, and it came to her: this was what home felt like. This place and these people, and most of all, this man.
Finally, after a lifetime of longing for it, she was home.
Read on for a sneak peek at the next book
in Lee Tobin McClain’s The Off Season series,
coming this Christmas!