She scrutinized him for several seconds. “So what she meant to say was my daddy doesn’t want to marry you?”
Now it was Gabe’s turn to be embarrassed. He could tell she wanted to ask why he’d been discussing marriage to her with his six-year-old daughter in the first place. “When I was tucking Lindsey in last night she asked me if I could marry you.” He left out the part that she wanted Piper as her new mommy and wondered if she could also get a new baby brother or sister out of the deal. “I explained to her that I couldn’t marry you because we didn’t know each other very well.”
“That’s true.”
Gabe considered her for a moment. This was the perfect chance for him to tell her that he’d like to get to know her better. That he wanted to date her. That ever since his daughter had asked him to marry Piper, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. That even though falling in love still scared him, and his son might not like the idea, he wanted to give it a shot.
Before he could voice any of his feelings, Lindsey and Shane started arguing.
“Miss Piper!” Lindsey shouted from the living room. “Shane doesn’t think I cooked dinner.”
“Duh, that’s because you didn’t,” Shane said. “You just helped her.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“No it isn’t.”
Sighing, Gabe pushed away from the countertop. “I better stop this before it blows up into a fight.”
He walked into the family room just as Shane called Lindsey stupid and told her to shut up. “Hey, you know better than to talk to your sister like that. Apologize right now.”
“No, she is stupid.” Shane glared at him with defiance. “I hate Piper, and I don’t want her to be my new mom!” He threw down a piece to his Legos and stormed up the stairs. A few seconds later, Gabe heard his bedroom door slam shut.
So much for his decision to date Piper. He didn’t want to be responsible for anymore hurt to his children.
Glancing at Lindsey, Gabe held out his arms. “Hey, Linds, come here.” She fell into his embrace and gripped him around the neck. “It’s okay, sweetie,” he said, rubbing her back with his palm.
In between great gulps, she explained all she’d done was tell Shane she wanted Miss Piper to be their new mommy. In her little mind, it was that simple. But life was sometimes so complicated and so unfair. His children didn’t deserve to feel this kind of pain. They were innocent.
He just let her cry, part of him wanting to join in with her. Shane’s reaction was a reality check about all the issues he’d have to deal with if he did start dating, let alone got remarried. He couldn’t do that to his kids. Not until they could understand adult things.
“It’s going to be okay.” He pulled her back from him and wiped away the tears with his thumb. “Why don’t you go into the bathroom and wash your face with cold water, and I’ll go talk to your brother.”
“Is he in trouble?”
How could Gabe discipline him for his actions? It would be like putting an infant in time out for crying. “He shouldn’t ever talk to you that way, and I’ll make sure he says sorry.”
Satisfied for now, Lindsey went into the bathroom. Gabe got to his feet just as Piper came into the room. The color was gone from her face again, and she had her coat on. “Hey, I let Rascal out back and covered the casserole with tinfoil. There’s rice on the stove to go with the dinner.”
“You don’t have to go.” The words were out of his mouth before he could consider the ramifications. Hadn’t he just come to the conclusion that dating was a bad idea for his kids? Logically, he knew it was the best thing to do, but it was hard when his heart yearned to have someone like her in his life. He’d forgotten how it felt to connect with someone. MaryEllen had stopped loving him long before she’d cheated on him.
“I think I better.” She licked her lips. “And maybe I shouldn’t come over anymore. You know, so your kids don’t have to worry, especially Shane.”
The disappointment he felt physically hurt as if his heart had shrunk inside his chest. “If that’s what you want.”
Her eyes clouded, and he knew it wasn’t fair to lay all the responsibility at her feet. “I want your children to be happy,” she said softly.
Gabe dropped his chin to his chest. He wanted his children happy too. But he also wanted to be happy again. Cold air surged into the room, and Gabe raised his head and watched Piper walk out of his life.
Lindsey came out of the bathroom and glanced at the door. “Where did Miss Piper go?”
“She decided to go home.”
Lindsey’s eyes widened. “Is she coming back?”
He was fairly certain Piper wasn’t ever coming back. Still, he couldn’t tell his daughter that. “No, not tonight, honey.”
“But what about my cracker dinner?”
“We’ll still eat it.” Although he doubted he would be able to taste or enjoy a single bite. “Let’s go talk to your brother,” Gabe said, holding out his hand.
As they approached Shane’s bedroom, Gabe saw the door was cracked open a fraction, and then he heard the patter of feet run across the floor. Shane had most likely been at the top of the stairs eavesdropping.
Knocking once, he pushed open the door to find his son sitting on his bed. The anger he’d expressed earlier was no longer on his face. Instead, he looked lost and in need of a hug. Gabe let go of Lindsey’s hand and held out his arms. The little boy practically flew from the bed as he threw his arms around Gabe’s neck.
After giving Gabe a squeeze, Shane pulled back and said, “I’m sorry I told Lindsey she was stupid.”
“Thank you. Do you think you can tell her that?”
“Yes.” He looked at his sister. “I’m sorry, Linds.”
“Miss Piper went home, and she’s not coming back,” Lindsey said, brushing off the apology. “She won’t get to eat any dinner.”
Shane took this in and actually looked like he felt bad about that. “Can we take her some dinner?”
Gabe felt a spark of hope. “I think that would be nice.”
“I’ll go get my coat!” Lindsey shouted as she raced out of the bedroom.
“Dad?” Shane asked, that troubled look back in his eyes, “are you going to marry Piper?”
If someone had asked Gabe that question a few weeks ago, he would’ve laughed. But he hadn’t counted on meeting someone like Piper. Drawing in a fortifying breath, Gabe decided to be honest. “Not right now.” He swallowed, unsure of how much he should say or if what he said was even possible. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Lindsey… I haven’t known Miss Piper very long and would need to spend time with her before she and I decided whether or not to get married.”
“Would she be my new mom?”
“Nobody can ever take the place of your mom, Shane.” Gabe tamped down his irritation for his ex-wife. He had never wanted to have this kind of conversation with his child. “I’m still your dad even though your mom married Liam, right?”
“Right.” His blue eyes lit up. “Mom said he’s my stepdad.”
“Exactly. And when you and Lindsey stayed at your mom’s house that week I had to go to Texas, did that mean I wasn’t your dad anymore?”
“No. You’re always my dad.”
“Always. Even when I’m not with you… I’m always your dad.” Gabe pulled the little boy in for a hug. “Your mom doesn’t live with us anymore, but she still loves you and Lindsey, okay?” That last part was stretching the truth. MaryEllen wasn’t capable of truly loving anyone else but herself.
“Okay.” Shane squeezed Gabe hard. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too, kiddo.” He released his hold and straightened up. “Now let’s go eat dinner. I’m starving.”
Ten minutes later, armed with the casserole and rice, Gabe and the kids walked over to Piper’s house. The wind had picked up a little, and he dreaded the forecasted high winds. He needed to remember to batten down everything outside that could blow away before going to bed.
/> Hoping Piper would be receptive to their peace offering, Gabe knocked on the door. He followed up with ringing the doorbell a minute later.
“I’m cold, Daddy,” Lindsey said, moving in close to Gabe’s leg. “Why won’t Miss Piper answer the door?”
“Maybe she’s not home,” Shane said. “Can you call her?”
Gabe shifted the casserole so he could free up a hand. He patted his pockets, but came up empty. “I must have left my phone.”
“I want to go home,” Lindsey said. “It’s too windy.”
The wind had picked up in the short time they’d been outside. Glancing one last time at the door, Gabe nodded his head and followed his children back to the house. Snow skimmed along the cold surface, and the front door already had a small drift forming along the bottom.
While the kids warmed up in front of the fireplace, Gabe found his phone and texted Piper.
Are you okay? We brought dinner over to share with you but no one answered. BTW, it was Shane’s idea.
Gabe stared at the screen, hoping she would reply. After a few minutes had passed without any indication she’d received the text, he slipped the phone into his pocket and called for the kids to come eat dinner.
The food was good, even rewarmed in the microwave, but the mood was very subdued. Both of the kids were quiet and worried about the wind. After taking their plates to the sink, Gabe suggested they get ready for bed and then they could watch a movie together.
“Can Miss Piper come watch it with us?” Lindsey asked.
Gabe glanced at Shane to see how he felt about his sister’s request, but both children’s eyes were focused on the howling wind outside. A forceful gust rattled the kitchen window and the lights flickered. He really hoped the power didn’t go out. Like most of his neighbors, he had a generator. Mrs. Williams didn’t.
“I’ll try calling her again to ask while you two get into your pajamas.”
Lindsey smiled and made a hasty retreat, leaving Gabe alone with Shane. The little boy looked uncomfortable, like he wasn’t sure what to say.
“Is it okay with you if we ask Miss Piper to watch a movie with us?” Gabe asked.
“Yes, but what if she says no because of me?”
That was a real possibility, but she wouldn’t do it out of a revenge or anger. Gabe crouched down so he could see into Shane’s eyes. “Miss Piper isn’t angry with you, Shane. She cares about you and Lindsey.”
“I don’t hate her, Dad. I don’t know why I said that.”
“I know you don’t hate her.” Gabe exhaled slowly. “Sometimes we say things when we’re scared or don’t understand something. I promise you Miss Piper isn’t mad at you.”
“I want to say sorry.”
“I think that’s a good idea.” Gabe stood up and smiled. “Now go get your PJ’s on and I’ll call Miss Piper.”
As soon as Shane left the room, Gabe withdrew his phone from his pocket. He was disappointed Piper still hadn’t replied to his text. Maybe her feelings really had been hurt and she didn’t want to hear from Gabe. He hesitated bothering her until another gust of wind shook the entire house. He needed to make sure she had plenty of firewood available and an emergency flashlight handy.
Tapping on her name, he made the call and walked into the family room to stand in front of the picture window. The back porch light was on, but the rest of the house remained dark.
Gabe turned away as the phone rolled over to voicemail. He nearly ended the call without leaving a message when he spied the baby grand piano he’d neglected over the past year. He shouldn’t have ever given up playing just because life got hard. It made him determined not to give up on Piper.
“Hey, I really need to talk to you. Will you please call me back? I don’t care how late it is, but in case you’re worried as long as there is a light on, you’ll know I’m up.”
Chapter 13
Piper’s car shuddered against the wind as she turned into her driveway. The drive home from Big C’s had been harrowing with nearly whiteout conditions from the drifting snow. She was so grateful she hadn’t crashed. There hadn’t been another car on the road the last few miles and— in her hasty departure— she’d forgotten her phone at home.
The garage door lifted, and she pulled into the tight space, grateful to have made it home. She turned off the engine and instantly missed the heat source. She shivered and waited until the garage door was closed before exiting the vehicle.
Anastasia barked when Piper stepped into the dark house. She flipped on the kitchen light and called out to the dog. “Hey, girl, sorry I left you and your babies in the dark,” she said when her dog skidded across the wood floor to rub against her leg. “You probably need a potty break, don’t you?” The dog barked once as if in agreement.
Piper kept her coat and gloves on and let Anastasia out back. Unable to stand on the porch, she closed the door and looked out her kitchen window to check out Gabe’s house. The snow blew sidewise, and she could barely make out the flickering lamplight in the family room.
Her heart ached and so did her stomach. Not only had she indulged in a cheeseburger and large order of fries from Big C’s, she’d also had a slice of hot apple pie and ice cream for dessert.
Anastasia scratched at the door, and Piper let her back in. Snow covered her dark coat of fur until she shook it off. Piper grabbed a kitchen towel and wiped up the floor. Then she followed the dog to her bed and watched the squirming puppies all settle down as soon as their mother was back with them. Wind rattled the windows and the lights flickered. Piper decided she better find her phone and prayed it wasn’t dead. If the power went out, she would have no way to communicate since Mrs. Williams didn’t have a landline.
After searching for a few minutes, she found her phone on top of the bed. Thankfully it still had more than fifty percent battery power remaining. The home screen revealed she had missed several text messages. Most of them were from her sister, asking if she’d received the package and if the boots fit. Piper felt guilty that she hadn’t even opened the package.
The last text was from Gabe. She clasped a hand over stomach as she read the sweet message about he and the kids coming over to have dinner with her. If only she’d stuck around a little longer instead of running away to escape the pain. As she descended the stairs, she listened to the voice message he’d left her.
Suddenly, the house shook from a burst of wind, and then everything went dark. Piper carefully navigated the last few steps. The howling wind magnified its fierceness in contrast to the eerily quiet house. Aside from the glowing embers from the fireplace, Piper couldn’t see anything. She opened the flashlight app on her phone to help guide her to the kitchen.
Gabe had said if there was still a light on it meant he was up. How would she know that with the power out?”
Frustrated, she stopped in front of the window and stared. While she was in complete darkness, Gabe’s house was still lit up. How was that possible? Feeling relieved by the sight, she found his number in her contacts and called him.
“Piper?” he said, sounding a tad on the grumpy side. “I’ve been worried about you. Where have you been?”
Ignoring his irritation, she chose to focus on the fact that he’d been worried about her. “I went out to eat and accidentally left my phone on my bed.”
“Is your power out?”
“Yes.” She pressed her face closer to the window and squinted. “Why isn’t yours?”
“I have a propane generator.” He sighed. “It’s going to get cold tonight. Do you have plenty of firewood?”
Of course there was firewood. However, since she relied on the furnace, she hadn’t bothered to bring anymore in. “Yes, but I’m guessing it’s under several inches of snow right now.”
He didn’t respond right away, and she waited for him to scold her.
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all night,” he said with a laugh.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m coming over to get you, Anastasia
and the puppies. Can you be ready in five minutes?”
“Gabe, I’m sure the power will come on shortly. We’ll be fine.”
“Sorry, but refusing is not an option. The power could be out for hours and the temp is supposed to drop low enough the county warned residents to keep the faucets in the house dripping so the pipes don’t freeze.”
Piper didn’t want to freeze to death. More importantly, she didn’t want the puppies to freeze. Still, she wasn’t entirely comfortable having a sleepover at the Wesson’s house.
“Piper, don’t overthink this. My couch has a bed that is actually comfortable, and you’ll be sleeping in it all by yourself.”
This was silly. Gabe was being a good neighbor. He didn’t have any nefarious plans to compromise her. However, he had said her power going out was the best news he’d heard all night. Could that possibly mean he wanted to see her again?
“All right. Can you give me fifteen minutes?” She needed to gather up some essentials like a toothbrush, her makeup, and her pillow.
“Sure. I’ll drive my truck over.”
“Okay, thank you.” She ended the call and used the flashlight on her phone to look in the kitchen junk drawer. Every kitchen seemed to have one, and Mrs. Williams’s had been no exception. Piper was pretty sure she’d spied a flashlight in there.
She opened the drawer and found two small, rubberized flashlights. Pressing the button, she was relieved when the cluster of LED lights cut through the darkness. She turned the light off on her phone and then remembered what Gabe had said about leaving the faucet on. Then pointing the flashlight in front of her, she followed the bright beacon up the stairs to the guest bedroom.
The wind sounded far more dreadful up here than it did downstairs. A branch from the tree outside her window tapped against the glass at a rapid pace. She could hear the low pitch of air forcing itself through some tiny space in the window. It kind of sounded creepy, and her imagination started to conjure up images of someone hiding in her closet or under her bed.
Destiny Came Knocking: A Snow Valley Romance Page 11