Josie

by Beth Gildersleeve

  Josie looked up at him and brushed away an escaped tear. “How? What can I do?”

  “Marry me,” Gabe proposed. He hoped Josie hadn’t noticed his lack of enthusiasm. He’d had more excitement in his voice when he’d ordered his coffee drink earlier. Josie stared at him. Gabe leaned forward and lightly touched her chin. She brought her jaws together tightly and wrapped her arms around herself. “Josie, I’m asking you a question. Will you marry me?” His voice was urgent this time.

  Josie sat silent and stunned; her face a blank slate. Gabe didn’t know what she was thinking. For all he knew she could be planning to dump her coffee over his head. Or dump his mug. Or both. Gabe grabbed his mug and swallowed the rest of the still too hot brew. His eyes watered and his throat burned, but he deserved it after the pain he’d just inflicted on her.

  She bit her lower lip and turned her gaze toward the window. He knew she was weighing her options. He’d led her to believe that a no answer would just close the plant and, therefore, impact Jamie, but so much more was at stake. If she said no, Gabe wouldn’t be the CEO of Witz Holdings so he couldn’t save the family businesses. Gabe wiped his hands on his pants and glanced at his watch. He sighed. He hadn’t expected an immediate yes, but he didn’t think it would take her this long to answer.

  “Well, what do you think, Josie? Will you marry me?” he asked as his eyes met hers in the window’s reflection. He watched as she took breath, squared her shoulders, and turned to face him.

  “I think it can only be a question if there’s an option. I really don’t have a choice, do I?” A bitter bride was not what Gabe had wanted, but if it got the job done, he’d find a way to live with it and make it up to her. “If I say no, everyone will hate me,” Josie said.

  “No one will know. This stays between us.” It was the least he could promise her.

  “I’ll know. And if Jamie ends up in treatment again or behind bars or worse, it will all be my fault.”

  “Josie, this is my family’s fault and mine. I’ve had plenty of time to get married, I just didn’t think they would enforce the marriage clause. I thought I could fight it.”

  “Does it say anything else? Any other surprises that I need to know about?”

  “No.”

  “So, no doctor’s note attesting to my qualifications as a broodmare? A measurement of my sturdy child-bearing hips, perhaps?” she asked caustically. Gabe hadn’t considered children before or thought about being a father, but she obviously had. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have brought it up. This might be the incentive she needed to close the deal.

  “No, but since you brought it up, how would you feel about children?”

  “Between us? Or adoption?” Josie sounded interested. Maybe this is the incentive she needs? he thought. He’d always assumed he’d have a family eventually so the thought of children didn’t scare him.

  “Ours.” Gabe was having a hard time focusing. He kept envisioning taking her broodmare hips for a ride of his own. He’d never thought of her sexually, and now that he had, he couldn’t stop.

  “What if we can’t? What if it doesn’t work?” He heard the longing in her voice. He leaned toward her.

  “Then we keep trying until it does and, if it’s not meant to be, we can explore other options.” Josie nodded her head.

  “How long do we need to stay married?”

  “There’s no minimum time requirement.”

  “Looks like your grandfather missed a detail,” she said.

  Gabe reached for her hands and turned them over in his. Hers were cooler than they had been earlier. “Josie, there’s no romantic spin I can put on this, but I sense you’re a realist like me. If I need to get married to keep my position and help the company, there’s no one else I’d rather marry than you. I promise I’ll be faithful to you and I’ll do my damnedest to make you happy. And if children are in our future, they’ll be both our joint responsibility. I don’t expect you to give up your ambitions and dreams to raise them. We’ll figure out a way and we’ll do it together.” Gabe saw her shoulders relax and he took a deep breath.

  “I want a prenup,” she blurted. Damnit! I’d forgotten about that. The last thing I need is to get married to save the company but lose it in a divorce, he thought as he nodded his head in agreement. “Sorry, but I need to protect Jo’s Joe.” She’s worried about her assets? He decided not to question her. He’d play along since it worked in his favor.

  “Perfectly understandable.” Gabe pulled out a pen from his jacket and grabbed the clean napkin at Josie’s elbow. He scribbled out a contract. “How’s this?” he asked as he handed it to her.

  Josie read it out loud. “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours. We have no claim on each other’s business interests no matter what the future holds.” She looked at him like he was the village idiot and then looked back at the napkin.

  “I don’t think this would stand up in a court of law,” she said kindly. Gabe shrugged. As it stood, he knew it wouldn’t.

  “No, but it would go a long way to showing our intent.” Gabe had a team of lawyers whose sole mission was to keep him, his family members, and Witz Holdings out of the courts and gossip columns. He knew they could get this napkin interpreted to not endanger Witz Holdings or him. He looked around the almost vacant shop. Late afternoons were the quiet time for Jo’s Joe. “We should probably have someone witness our signing,” he suggested. Josie paled even further.

  “Nanette should be here any minute for the evening shift, but she’s a minor. She probably shouldn’t sign.” Josie looked anxiously around the room. “We can’t use a customer. We need to act as though eloping had been the plan for a while. I don’t want people’s pity.” It offended Gabe that she thought people would pity her for a quickie marriage to him, but he kept his mouth shut.

  “What about Josh or Elle?”

  “The newlyweds? Are you kidding?” She looked at him like that was the dumbest idea she’d ever heard. “Plus, with our twin thing, Josh will sense something’s up, and I don’t need his protective caveman routine added to your family’s Game of Thrones.”

  He watched her worry her lower lip. Hopefully, she’d find a solution because he was out of them. “I’ve got it!” she said as she popped up and grabbed her phone from the back pocket of her jeans. Gabe watched her stride back to the counter as she talked to a mystery person on the phone. She walked around the counter and he heard the grinder whir to life. She’s making coffee? he wondered as he grabbed his own phone and selected the first number in his favorites list. She answered after the first ring.

  “Good afternoon, Gabriel. How are things in the hamlet of Haven?” He rolled his eyes. It was a standing joke between him and Darlene, his personal assistant and longtime Witz employee.

  “Good. Listen, do we have any time left on the jet time-share?”

  “I’ll need to check. Can I call you back in about ten minutes?”

  “No. I’ll tell you what I need and you can do whatever is needed to make it work. Then text me the details.”

  “You’re the boss,” she said.

  “I need two seats to Las Vegas. Tonight.”

  “Private birthday party?” she asked. He knew she was fishing for details. Darlene was a notorious gossip but she didn’t have an evil bone in her body. He wondered how she’d managed to survive in their corporate offices all these years.

  “Something like that. Work your magic.”

  “And it has to be tonight? Would tomorrow work?”

  “Tonight. It doesn’t even need to be a direct flight.”

  “Wow, you are desperate. She must be something special,” Darlene said.

  “She is,” Gabe agreed. Normally Gabe wouldn’t have taken the bait, but Darlene was a hopeless romantic and he knew this would make her happy. “Between us, okay?”

  “My lips are sealed,” she promised and he could almost see her zipping her lips. “I’ll get right on this and text you with any questions.”

 
“Perfect, thanks. And Darlene? Have a good weekend.”

  “You, too, Gabriel. And happy birthday.”

  Gabe smiled and pocketed his phone. He could always count on Darlene.

  Nanette hurried in the front door. Gabe glanced at his watch. The teen was right on time. He watched as she slid behind the bar and tied on her apron. She put the drinks Josie had been working on into a beverage carrier while Josie bagged up some items from the bakery case. Josie grabbed the carrier and bakery bag and strode back toward him. “Let’s go,” she ordered.

  3

  Gabe was smart enough not to ask questions. He just followed her out the door. Now that Josie seemed on board with his plans, she was moving full steam ahead, but he’d noticed that she’d never actually said yes. He wasn’t going to slow her down by clarifying, though. She might rethink things, and he couldn’t risk that. He’d meant what he’d said. If he had to get married, Josie was the best option. He liked and respected her. And they were both married to their businesses. She wouldn’t be a distraction. He knew in his gut they could make this work.

  “Where are we going?” he asked as they reached the corner of the block.

  “Fortress Advisers. My lawyer, Miller Lynch.”

  “Should I be worried that you have your attorney on speed dial?” he asked as he quickened his pace. She sure could move those long legs of hers.

  “Miller has a sweet tooth and often texts me when he needs a sugar fix.” She didn’t answer my question, again. It didn’t take long for them to cover the remaining few blocks to Fortress. Josie kept up their quick pace, and the crisp air blowing at their backs encouraged them not to linger. A few people looked like they wanted to say hi to Josie, but she just smiled and kept moving. He’d need to add determined to her growing list of assets.

  Gabe had never been to Fortress Advisers but he’d heard about them. They were a small firm comprised of Miller Lynch, an attorney specializing in business law and estate planning, Croix Adams, a CPA, and Rica Palma Thorpe, a financial planner.

  When they arrived, Gabe opened the door for Josie and followed her in. This looked nothing like the legal and financial offices he frequented. Comfortable chairs filled the waiting room and the grey walls and white trim were homey yet sophisticated. Everything here was light and friendly, a far cry from what he’d expected.

  “Oh, Josie, you’re a sight for sore eyes! I see you brought treats, too,” a striking redhead said as she walked down the stairs from the upper floor. “Did Miller call you?” she asked as she narrowed her eyes.

  “No, I called him,” Josie said as she handed the woman what looked like an iced tea. “Wren, this is my friend Gabe Kane. Gabe, this is Wren Lynch. She’s the part-time receptionist here and Miller’s better half.”

  “Isn’t that the truth,” Wren joked and the women shared a smile.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you and put a face on the artist. I’ve seen your oil paintings around town.” He didn’t mention that he’d recently bought one of her landscapes for his home.

  “Hopefully a lot more people will be seeing them soon. I have a gallery showing in Seattle this winter and one in Chicago late spring. Lucky for me, my studio is upstairs. It’s exciting and scary. Some days I feel like a dog in a hubcap factory.” Wren waved her slender arm toward the seating area. “Make yourselves comfortable. Miller hopped on the phone just before y’all walked in. But if he knows you’re coming, he’ll keep it brief.”

  Josie opened the bakery bag and tilted it toward Wren, who said, “Wouldn’t this be a lovely trend? Clients bringing their own refreshments.” Wren pulled out a cookie. Josie pointed the open bag toward Gabe but he shook his head. He had to be careful. If he didn’t watch himself, he’d balloon up like one of those Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. Josie and her desserts were a temptation.

  “Can you give these to Rica and Croix?” Josie asked as she handed the beverage carrier and the cookie bags to Wren. “Rica’s is the chai tea latte and Croix has the strawberry smoothie.” Josie grabbed the remaining drink. “I’ll keep Miller’s with me.”

  “And what did my husband get?” Wren asked.

  “None of your business, woman.”

  Gabe turned his head toward the deep voice. He watched as the dark-haired man stepped out of an office and dropped a light kiss on Wren’s forehead. “Josie’s my last appointment for the day. Then we can head home, okay?”

  “Perfect. I’ll give Rica and Croix their treats and then clean up my mess upstairs. And, Counselor, don’t ruin your appetite snacking,” Wren warned as she walked away. Josie introduced Miller to Gabe as they moved into Miller’s office.

  “We need something witnessed,” Josie explained to Miller.

  Gabe pulled the napkin from his pocket. “Sorry. It’s a little rough.” Gabe cringed as he handed it to Miller.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Miller said as he looked at it. “You’d be surprised, or maybe appalled, by how much business is done in this town on the back of napkins. Can I at least type this up on letterhead?”

  Josie looked at Gabe for guidance and he nodded his head.

  “That would be great, thanks,” Josie said as she stuffed her hands in her jean pockets.

  Miller took a sip of his mystery drink and sighed. “Is there anything you want to change?” Miller asked as he gestured for them to sit down in the chairs across from his desk.

  Josie laughed nervously. “Since the ink isn’t even dry on this one, I think we’re —”

  “Actually, I do want to make a change,” Gabe interrupted her. “Can you add something about only splitting the Haven household expenses? I’ve got some property west of Haven and Josie shouldn’t have to support that.”

  The men looked at Josie for confirmation. “I guess.” She shrugged her shoulders. Miller must have interpreted that as consent since he sat down and began to type.

  Gabe relaxed. Neither of them had pressed him for details. He didn’t want to explain about his small home on the Kane estate in Woodland, a small peninsula that jutted into Lake Minnetonka. There were five homes on the estate. His was a good distance away from the others. It had been the old grounds keeper’s cottage, and he’d converted it during his early twenties. After his parents had moved to Napa Valley, they’d tried to convince him to move back into the “big house,” but he’d refused. That was their house and he’d been quite comfortable in the cottage for the few times he’d been back in Minnesota.

  Until this last year, he’d spent most of his time away from Minnesota at the other businesses, learning more about them and figuring out how to maximize their potential. In fact, Gabe had spent a year at each of their businesses. As the soon-to-be CEO of Witz Holdings, he needed to know its businesses intimately.

  Josie sat straight in her chair, looking at the floor. She turned her head at the sound of knocking on Miller’s door frame. A dark-haired woman stood there and Josie introduced Gabe to Rica, the financial planner in the firm. She thanked Josie for the latte and reminded her they were long overdue for a lunch date. No sooner had Rica left than a guy showed up. At the rate they were going, they’d never get the prenup signed. Gabe glanced at his watch as Josie introduced her to Croix, the CPA.

  “Thanks, Jo,” Croix said, saluting her with the almost empty smoothie cup. “I sent Elle an email earlier today reminding her to get me a copy of your books so we can make sure there isn’t something you should buy before the end of the year to help offset taxes.”

  “Shouldn’t be a problem,” Josie assured him.

  “Don’t forget the coffee roaster,” Gabe said.

  “I can’t buy it until I know where I’m putting it.”

  “I have a place in mind, remember?” He was fairly certain he could find space at the Woodworks. There was that weird room with an east-facing window. It currently served as the cemetery for dead office equipment and furniture.

  “Anyway,” Croix said before Josie could ask him to elaborate. “How much do I owe you?” H
e pulled out his wallet.

  “Your money’s no good with me, Croix Adams. This was my treat. You guys all take such good care of me and the business.”

  Croix slurped up the last of his smoothie before saying, “Jo, you’re too good to us. I should snatch you up before anyone else does.”

  “Too late. Gabe beat you to it,” Miller said as he loaded a piece of paper into the printer.

  Croix stood there in stunned silence for a moment and then said, “Well, if I’m going to be defeated, it might as well be by the great Gabriel Kane. You’re moving up, Jo. Congratulations!” Croix said as he tossed the empty smoothie cup into the trash can and walked away.

  Gabe looked at Josie out of the corner of his eye. She looked confused. She really doesn’t know who I am, he realized. Most people, especially business people in Minnesota, knew who he was. All this time he’d thought she’d been playing it cool. Acting like he was a regular guy like some people did. But she hadn’t known. As far as she was concerned, he was just a part owner and manager of the Haven Woodworks. Gabe tried to wrap his head around that. It had been a long, long time since anyone had liked him for himself. And she must like him if she was willing to marry him, right? At least a little bit? Crap! I hope Croix and his big mouth didn’t just ruin this.

  “Half the time I don’t know what Croix is talking about,” Josie confessed to Gabe as she shrugged.

  The printer hummed to life, and Gabe watched it suck in the letterhead. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, he thought grimly. He should tell her who he was, but, damn, it felt good to be liked for himself. And, if she knew the truth, she might not marry him.

  “Croix says it’s part of his charm,” Miller grumbled as he handed the document to Josie.

  She held it toward Gabe and he leaned closer to her so he could read it. She smelled like coffee and pastries. He read it and looked at her. “Does this work for you?” he asked Josie.