Not wanting to distress his children further, Gabe offered them both a smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out.”
“I have an idea, Daddy,” Lindsey said brightly. “Miss Piper can babysit us.”
As desperate as he was, Gabe was tempted to consider the suggestion. But it didn’t seem fair to put that kind of pressure on her. “Miss Piper is too busy, Linds.”
His daughter’s lower lip jutted out. “You didn’t even ask her.”
Sighing, Gabe knelt down next to the bed. “Hey, Daddy will take care of it, okay?”
“But…”
“Would you like to watch a movie on the laptop?” he asked, hoping to divert his daughter’s thoughts.
Her eyes lit up. “In your bed?”
“You bet.” He got back on his feet. “I’ll be right back with your drinks and the laptop.”
Piper had moved into the hallway. She appeared mildly distressed, probably having heard Lindsey’s request to have her babysit.
“Thank you again for all your help.” He nodded toward the stairs. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
He indicated with his hand for her to proceed before him and followed her down the stairs. Suddenly, she whirled around. “She’s right.” She stood directly in front of him, crossing her arms over her chest. “You didn’t even ask me.”
“Ask you what?”
“To babysit.”
He tried to gauge her mood to see if he was reading her correctly. Right now she seemed peeved with him. “I don’t want to impose on you anymore than we already have.”
“It’s not an imposition, Gabe. I’m home all day and I really don’t mind.”
He stared at her, wondering why this woman wasn’t married with children of her own. She was amazing and kind and so unbelievably beautiful it overwhelmed him. He quickly dropped his chin and looked at his feet before she read any of this in his eyes.
“Never mind.” Her voice sounded stiff— not angry, but hurt. “I’m sure you probably have someone else more qualified to help… I’ll just head home.”
She started to walk away from him, but he reached out and snagged her hand. “Wait a minute.” A more powerful emotion rushed through him from the feel of her skin against his. “It isn’t that I don’t think you’re qualified, I just don’t want to take advantage of your kindness.”
“You aren’t.”
Peering into her eyes, he didn’t let go of her hand. It felt too good. Slowly, he circled his thumb across her palm and felt her tremble. At least he wasn’t the only one feeling this way. “You’re really amazing, you know that?”
Her lips tipped up on the ends. “You think so?”
“I do.” He wanted to pull her close and kiss her. Without overanalyzing things, he gently tugged on her hand and felt his breath catch when she took a step closer. He leaned toward her and was encouraged when she did the same.
“Dad?” Shane’s voice made Piper drop his hand and step away from him.
Disappointed by the interruption, while concurrently feeling guilty, Gabe released a pent-up breath and turned to look at his son. “Hey, bud, you feeling sick again?”
Shane’s blue eyes darted to Piper and then back to Gabe. “No, Lindsey is thirsty and wants the laptop to watch a movie.”
“Okay, I’ll be right there.”
The ten-year-old studied him, like he knew something was up but wouldn’t be able to name it. “Do you want water or Gatorade?” Gabe asked.
“Gatorade.”
“All right, go on back to bed.”
Shane trudged back up the stairs, making Gabe feel like the worst father. His kids were sick and he was putting the moves on his next-door neighbor.
“What time should I be here?” Piper asked as she slipped on her coat and zipped it up.
“I have to be to work at eight, but the kids should still be asleep.”
“All right.” She wouldn’t quite meet his eyes. “I’ll be here at quarter to eight.” She twisted the knob, and a gust of cold wind hit him in the face.
“Do you want me to drive you home?”
“I’m okay.” She waved goodbye and hurried across the frozen ground. Gabe waited until he couldn’t see her anymore before he stepped back and closed the door.
Even though he hadn’t actually kissed Piper Jensen, he’d crossed a line— a line he’d vowed to never venture near again. But now that he was here, it didn’t seem as frightening. Not with Piper.
She was so different from MaryEllen in so many ways. He was certain she didn’t have a selfish bone in her body. And knowing she wasn’t selfish reassured him that she wasn’t the type of person to ever have an affair.
He really hoped his children recovered quickly from the stomach virus, because he wasn’t just taking Piper Jensen to the sledding party as his neighbor— he was taking her as his date.
Chapter 9
The Wesson’s house was quiet. Too quiet for Piper’s racing mind. The brief interaction with Gabe this morning had left her with more questions than answers. He seemed different today. Much less reserved and almost flirtatious as he’d thanked her for taking care of the kids last night and staying with them today.
She sank into the overstuffed chair across from the piano and wished she could play something to help her forget about Gabe Wesson. He had looked so handsome in a crisp white shirt and tie, a look she’d always found sexy. He’d smelled good too. So incredibly good it had made coherent thinking next to impossible.
At least she’d comprehended most of what he’d said just before he left. Enough to know the kids had done well through the night and if they got sick again she could call Cole Taggart, the family’s doctor. He must also be a personal friend because Gabe had left her the man’s cell number and said she could text the doctor if she had any concerns or questions.
So far the children seemed okay, but she wondered if she should wake them up soon. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked the time. It was almost nine-thirty. If they didn’t wake in the next fifteen minutes she would do it.
Unlocking the home screen, Piper noticed she had several new messages waiting for her. Lately, reading email was like playing a game of chance. After so many rejection letters, the odds had to be in her favor to get something positive. She tapped the icon and her stomach dropped when she saw Emma had replied to her email.
Tears filled her eyes as she read over the message. While Emma was deeply disappointed with the news, she had decided not to hold Piper financially responsible and asked her not to make what had happened public so it didn’t damage her reputation as a breeder. Moreover, Emma loved Piper’s mother and didn’t want her reputation sullied either. Wiping her eyes, Piper finished the letter.
This doesn’t change the other terms, sweetheart. I know you’ve had a rough couple of years. Juliette wants you to stay at her house until she returns in April. I wish you all the best with the puppies. I’m sure you’ll find loving homes for them all.
“Miss Piper?” a little voice said. “I’m awake.”
“Good morning, Lindsey,” Piper said, spying the little girl at the base of the stairs. “How are you feeling?” She popped up from the chair and crossed the floor.
“My tummy’s hungry.”
“What does your tummy feel like eating?” Piper asked, crouching down before her. The braid had come loose, and she pushed some of the wavy strands out of the little girl’s eyes. “Maybe some toast and juice?”
“I like cinnamon toast.”
“So do I,” Piper said, grateful the sickness was short-lived. She got to her feet and held out her hand. “Let’s go see what we can find.”
Lindsey took a seat at the bar, hugging her stuffed horse and watching Piper make the toast. She sprinkled a small amount of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the toast and placed it in front of the little girl. “Do you want apple or orange juice?”
“Apple.”
While she poured the juice into a cup, Shane padded barefoot into the ki
tchen. “Good morning,” Piper said, offering him a smile.
He studied her for a few seconds, like he wasn’t sure if he wanted her to be here or not. Finally, he slipped onto the barstool next to his sister and mumbled a hello.
“Do you want the same thing as Lindsey?” Piper asked.
He shrugged. “I guess.”
Piper popped the bread into the toaster and asked him which juice he wanted. “Orange, I guess,” he said, sounding a tad on the resentful side. When she placed the toast in front of him, he scowled. “My mom always puts more cinnamon on than that.”
“Okay.” Piper retrieved the container and sprinkled a little more on. “Better?”
“I guess,” he said for the third time that morning.
Sensing he wasn’t a morning person, Piper didn’t try to make small talk with him. Besides, she suspected he was resenting her for not being his mother. She understood that. When she’d spent summers with her dad, she’d resented Maggie at first. Her stepmother was so sweet, though, it hadn’t taken long for her to lose her bad attitude.
The kids ate the toast, requesting more when they were done. Hoping the food wouldn’t make a second appearance later on, she made them each two more pieces. Shane didn’t complain about his toast this time.
Once they were done, they both went into the family room to play. Shane got out his Legos while Lindsey set up her Barbies to play rodeo again. It appeared that their stomach virus had moved on as quickly as it had set in.
Leaving the kids to play, she let Rascal outside and loaded the dishwasher. The dog whined a few minutes later and Piper let him back in. In a few hours, she’d have to run over to her house to let Anastasia out. Maybe then she could grab her laptop. She hadn’t planned on having any downtime today and had left her computer at home.
Since the kids were content playing, she wandered over to a bookcase and frowned at Gabe’s selection of books. Most of them were law books he’d probably used in college. The rest were children’s picture books with a few scattered magazines in between.
Turning away from the bookcase, she eyed the piano in the corner of the room. It beckoned to her, and she couldn’t resist the temptation any longer. A thin layer of dust covered the bench, letting her know it had been a while since anyone had played. Hoping the piano was in tune, she sat down, opened the lid and positioned her hands on the keys.
Without any music to read, she played a song from memory. The melody worked like magic, easing the stress she’d been living with for months. Her fingers flew over the keys, and she lost herself in the moment.
“That sounds pretty,” Lindsey said from beside her. “Like a princess song.” The little girl sat down next to her. “Can you play another one?”
Piper had a few Disney songs in her repertoire and played a game with Lindsey to see if she could guess what movie the song was from. The little girl was pretty good and got all of them correct.
Shane appeared on her other side. “Don’t you know any cool songs?” he asked, a challenge in his tone.
Piper smiled and began playing the theme song to Harry Potter. “Can you guess what movie this is from?” she asked as he took a seat next to her.
He named it easily and then asked her to play another one. Just as she started playing the theme to Star Wars, Lindsey jumped up from the piano bench and yelled, “Daddy’s home!”
Piper ceased playing, suddenly self-conscious. She hadn’t asked for permission to play his piano and hoped he wasn’t upset. “You’re home early,” she said when their gazes collided.
“My client had an emergency and had to reschedule for next week.”
She started to get up, but Gabe shook his head. “Please don’t stop on my account. It’s sounds nice, and I never have time to play anymore.”
“You play?” she asked, not sure why she found that so appealing.
“Not as well as you.” His blue eyes were focused solely on her, and Piper got the feeling he found her ability to play just as appealing.
“Is this for us?” Shane asked, holding up a blue frozen drink from the local gas station.
Gabe turned toward his son. “Yes, but only if you’re feeling better.”
“We haven’t throwed up all day,” Lindsey said, picking up the other drink.
“That’s good to hear.” Gabe slipped off his dress coat. “But you two need to drink those in the kitchen, please.”
The kids happily complied, leaving Piper all alone with their father. Gabe turned around and loosened his tie. Feeling extremely warm, Piper was about to get up when he slid onto the bench next to her. She felt her breath catch as his thigh pressed against hers, and he glanced down at her. “Chopsticks?” he asked with a teasing grin.
“Um… sure.”
Gabe started with two fingers. When it was time for her join him, instead of playing her part with two fingers, she embellished the song using the upper keyboard. When they finished, he nudged her in the shoulder. “Show off.”
Warmth spread through her making her feel boneless. Their eyes held, and it was as if they were right back to the night before when he had almost kissed her.
“So the kids were okay today?” he asked softly.
“They were great.”
“Thanks for watching them. It’s difficult when I’m the only parent they have.”
“I’m sure that’s hard not having their mother close by.”
He laughed. “MaryEllen is only a couple of hours away. She just doesn’t have time for Shane and Lindsey because she’s too busy with the baby and her new husband.”
The mention of the baby confused Piper. How could Gabe be such a wonderful father and yet give up custody of his youngest child? “Oh, I thought since you didn’t have visitation rights with the baby that they lived in another state or something.”
His eyes narrowed. “The reason I don’t have visitation rights is because I’m not the baby’s father.”
Piper felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Gabe. I just assumed the baby was yours.”
“Don’t worry. I assumed the same thing.” He fingered a key on the piano. “My wife had an affair with an old high school boyfriend. They’d reconnected on social media and started seeing each other secretly. After she got pregnant, she let me believe I was the father, even though we’d taken measures to prevent any more pregnancies.” He plunked on the piano key and blew out a big breath. “She was so mad at me and blamed me for the pregnancy, knowing very well I wasn’t the one responsible. I groveled for weeks, feeling so guilty, and then a few months before she was due everything came out.”
Piper hated the pain in his eyes. No wonder Tucker’s wife had wanted revenge, even if Piper hadn’t actually had an affair. Caroline had believed her husband had been lured away by another woman. It didn’t matter that Tucker had been the one to find Piper through the online dating site she’d signed up for. It didn’t matter that he had told her he was divorced, even after she’d asked why it still showed he was married on his Facebook account. He’d given her some excuse about not changing his status for business reasons, and she’d been so blinded with love she actually believed him.
“That’s terrible, Gabe. I’m sorry you and your children had to go through that.”
“Thanks.” He tweaked a shoulder up in a shrug. “Life’s hard, but at least I have my kids.”
“You are blessed. I’m so glad you allowed me to take care of them today.”
“Allowed?” He looked at her, a smile replacing the hard lines in his face. “I think I’m the one who should be thanking you for being willing to take care of my sick kids.” His gaze held her like an embrace and then moved slowly over her face before settling on her mouth. “I’d like to—”
A loud ding from her cell phone interrupted his sentence. Piper cursed herself for not silencing her phone. She just hoped the text wasn’t from Tomi. She knew Piper was watching Gabe’s kids and had teased her about playing house with her hot next-door neighbor.
; Piper glanced at the phone, which was propped up against the music stand, and saw the text had come from Ian Davies, asking her if she was busy tonight.
“We can reschedule Rascal’s obedience training,” Gabe said abruptly. “So don’t let that stop you from going out with Ian.”
Before Piper could respond, he got up from the piano and stomped up the stairs. She stared at his back, wondering what had just happened. She was tempted to march up the stairs to ask him what was wrong and to also finish his sentence. How could he leave her hanging like that?
Then a possible answer popped into her mind. Could Gabe be jealous? The irritation she’d felt with his abrupt words and subsequent departure was instantly replaced with pleasure. Gabe liked her.
Grinning, she leaned forward and snatched up the phone. Even if Ian were asking her out again, she would give him the same answer she’d given him the previous times he’d asked. No.
Swiping her finger across the screen, she opened the full message.
Are you busy tonight? I have a family who is interested in one of the puppies and they want to come by to see them as soon as possible. Their daughter’s birthday is coming up and they want to surprise her with a puppy.
Can they stop by before six? If not, I’ll be home around seven-thirty and they could come then.
I’ll ask and get back to you.
Okay, or I’ll be home all day tomorrow.
Sounds good.
Smiling, Piper tucked the phone into her pocket and glanced at the stairs again. Gabe liked her. Now she had to figure out a way to let him know she liked him too.
Chapter 10
Gabe yanked off his tie and tossed it on the bed. He should’ve stayed downstairs and held Piper to her commitment. Then he could have asked her out like he’d started to do before Ian swooped in.
He scowled as he took off his dress shirt. How exactly was a grown man supposed to tell a woman he liked her? He’d been out of the game for so long he had no idea what he was doing. Maybe he should create a list of ways to kiss her. It had worked for Kellen Thomas when he’d decided to pursue Ivy. He could still remember a few of the ideas from their wedding luncheon. Jace McAllister had framed the now famous list and gave it to Kellen as a joke. But Ivy and Kellen had liked it so much it had been on display at the reception.
Destiny Came Knocking: A Snow Valley Romance Page 8