Destiny Came Knocking: A Snow Valley Romance

by Cindy Roland Anderson

  Piper wished she could just keep the humiliating experience to herself. Her mother had always been the type of person to sweep anything unpleasant underneath the proverbial rug so it was out of sight. Piper tended to do the same thing. In this case, she wanted to leave the rug alone and never reveal the dirt piled beneath it.

  But if she wanted to have a relationship with Gabe free of guilt, she needed to tell him why severance wasn’t an option. She was trying to come up with a way to tell him what had really happened when a gust of wind rattled the house so violently Piper was sure a window would break.

  “Daddy!” Lindsey cried from upstairs. “Where are you?”

  “I’ll be right back,” Gabe said, getting up from the couch.

  Piper watched him jog up the stairs. Then she turned and sank down onto the couch. Why hadn’t she just told him the truth? Gabe was an understanding person. He wouldn’t judge her the way most of the people at the school had. At least she hoped he wouldn’t.

  The ringtone for an incoming FaceTime call sounded from the front pocket of her purse. Piper knew it was her sister finally calling her back. She’d needed to talk to someone after she’d left Gabe’s house earlier, but Tomi hadn’t been available. Piper had been quite upset at the time so her sister was probably worried about her.

  “Hey, sis,” she said, wishing they were alone so she could get her sister’s advice.

  “You look and sound way too happy for this late at night,” Tomi said. “Please don’t tell me you’ve decided to take up drinking to drown your sorrows in.”

  “I take it you just got my earlier message?” Piper asked in a quiet voice.

  “Why are you whispering?”

  “Because.” Piper glanced over her shoulder to make sure Gabe was still upstairs. “I’m at Gabe’s house, and his kids are asleep.”

  “You are? But I thought you two kind of broke up?” Tomi’s gaze narrowed. “By the way, thanks for telling me you and your hot neighbor had started dating.”

  “We haven’t really been dating. Just hanging out, but always with his kids.”

  “Whatever,” Tomi said with an exaggerated eye roll. “So, what happened to change everything since you left me the message?”

  “The power went out.” At the confused look on her sister’s face, Piper explained all about the storm and how Gabe had come to her rescue.

  “Ah, that is so romantic.” Tomi wiggled her eyebrows up and down. “And now that the kids are asleep… maybe he’ll finally kiss you.”

  Just thinking about the incredible kisses they’d shared made Piper’s face go hot.

  “You already have kissed!” Tomi said way too loud.

  “Shh, he’ll hear you.” Piper glanced over her shoulder again. “I think he’s coming back down. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Send me a picture of the two of you. I’ll bet you’re so cute together.”

  “I’m not taking a selfie with him,” Piper whispered. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She ended the call just as Lindsey, Shane and Gabe all came into the family room.

  “Miss Piper, did the wind scare you too?” Lindsey asked, rushing over to Piper.

  “That was loud, wasn’t it sweetheart?” Piper said as Lindsey climbed onto her lap.

  “I didn’t like it.” The little girl snuggled into Piper. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Me too, honey.” Piper glanced up at Gabe and saw Shane watching her closely. “Did the wind wake you too, Shane?”

  “Something hit my window.” He leaned against his father’s side. “Dad thinks it was probably a shingle from the roof.”

  “From Mrs. Williams’s house?” she asked Gabe.

  “Possibly.”

  The house shook from another downdraft. Lindsey whimpered and buried her face into the crook of Piper’s neck. “Shh,” Piper said, stroking the little girl’s hair. “It’s going to be okay.”

  Gabe crouched down next to the couch and placed his hand on Lindsey’s shoulder. “Hey, Linds, how about we watch another movie until we all get sleepy again?”

  “Can it be a princess movie?” she asked, lifting her head up. “Like Enchanted?”

  “I’m okay with that but we better get everyone else’s votes.” He glanced over at Shane. “What do you say, bud, are you okay with that movie?”

  He shrugged. “The chipmunk is pretty funny.”

  Gabe smiled and then met Piper’s eyes. “Are you okay with it?”

  “I happen to love that movie.”

  “Great.” An alert for a new message sounded as Gabe got to his feet. He pulled out his phone and scanned the message, his brow furrowing with concern. “Who wants popcorn?” he asked, slipping the phone back into his pocket.

  “Me!” Lindsey and Shane answered at the same time.

  “Okay, Shane you get the movie set up, and Miss Piper and I will go make the popcorn.”

  “Can I come help?” Lindsey asked.

  Piper was about to answer yes when Gabe crouched back down. “Miss Piper needs you to stay right here and keep an eye on the puppies while we’re in the kitchen.” He tapped the tip of her nose with his finger. “Think you can do that?”

  It was obvious to Piper that Gabe needed to talk to her alone, most likely about whatever message he’d just read.

  “Yep.” Lindsey climbed off of Piper’s lap and leaned over the arm of the couch to watch the puppies. “I won’t touch them. I promise,” she said.

  Gabe held out his hand, and Piper placed her palm against his. That crazy zing of attraction skittered across her skin as she got to her feet.

  “Is it an update from the sheriff?” Piper whispered as they walked into the kitchen.

  “Nope.” He let go of her hand and pulled his phone out from his pocket, unlocking the home screen. “But I think I may have solved your employment problem temporarily. At least I hope you’ll take the job.”

  “What is it?”

  “How do you feel about being a nanny?” he asked tentatively.

  “For your children?” When he nodded, she asked, “But what about Doreen?”

  “Read this.”

  Gabe handed her his phone, and Piper read the text message out loud, “Mr. Wesson, I should’ve texted earlier, but my plane just landed. I know this is crazy and super short notice, but I won’t be able to watch the kids anymore because my boyfriend and I just eloped to Mexico!”

  “Wow, I did not see that coming.”

  “Neither did I.” Gabe lifted a brow. “Well?”

  Piper needed to find work, but watching Gabe’s kids was much more than a job. It was a step toward the possibility of them becoming a family. Somehow she knew that Gabe felt the same way. That he was willing to take a risk on her.

  “I’ll take the job on one condition.”

  “Piper, don’t even think about telling me I can’t pay you. This is a real job offer.”

  “I know. That’s not my condition.”

  “Okay,” Gabe said as he slipped the phone into his pocket, “what is it?”

  “I accept the job, but only if you let me do the cooking too.”

  Grinning, Gabe wrapped his arms around Piper, pulling her close. “Deal, but then I have a condition as well.”

  “And what would that be?” Piper asked as she wound her arms around his neck.

  “That I get to kiss the cook whenever I get the chance.”

  “I think I can agree to those terms.”

  He dipped his head and kissed her with a tenderness that stole her breath. She slipped her arms around to his back and leaned into him, fitting against him so perfectly. It was in that moment she knew she had fallen in love with Gabe Wesson.

  Chapter 16

  Gabe read over the final document, checking for any errors before he sent it off to his client. He had one more email to answer, and then he could call it a day and get home to his kids and his new nanny of three days.

  Lindsey had been so excited Piper was going to be her new nanny that she’d almost st
arted crying. Shane hadn’t been as enthusiastic, but he wasn’t opposed to it either. Gabe had talked to the little boy about it before saying anything to Lindsey, and Shane had given him his consent. But when he caught Gabe kissing Piper last night in the kitchen, he’d acted out again by refusing to eat the dinner Piper had made and told her that his mom was a better cook than she was.

  Like before, Shane regretted his outburst, and Gabe was proud of him when he’d apologized to Piper before she went home. Always so gracious and kind, Piper once again praised Shane for his courage to say sorry.

  While Gabe liked his stipulation of kissing Piper whenever he got the chance, he was much more careful about doing it so his kids didn’t see. It was hard though, because he loved coming home to find her at his house. It was something he could get used to on a permanent basis.

  Of course Piper was more than just a nanny and a cook. She was Gabe’s girlfriend, and tonight they were making their first public appearance as a couple at the sledding party at the GH ranch. He could hardly wait to stake his claim.

  There was a brief knock on his door before Jolene, his secretary of the past seven years, stepped inside. “Got a minute?” she said.

  “Sure.” He was surprised when she closed the door behind her. “What’s up?”

  Jolene licked her lips and wouldn’t quite meet his eyes. “I think there’s something you need to see.”

  “Okay.” He gestured toward the paper she twisted in her hands. “Is that it?”

  She nodded. “I did what you asked and researched potential teaching jobs for Piper.” She bit down on her lower lip. “But I came across something I think you need to see.”

  The muscles in Gabe’s shoulders tensed as he took the folded paper his secretary offered him. Anxiety gripped him around his chest as he unfolded it and focused on the letter. His mouth went dry and blood pounded in his ears as he read over the story of how Piper Jensen, a respected teacher and mentor, had been called out as a husband stealer after having an affair with a married man.

  He swallowed, unable to believe the printed words. It had to be another Piper Jensen. That was the only reasonable explanation.

  “Thank you, Jolene.” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to anyone about this until I can ask Piper about it.”

  “Gabe, you know I won’t.” She held him with a worried gaze. “I know I only met Piper a couple of days ago when you all stopped by the office, but I like her. I know there has to be some kind of explanation for this.”

  “I hope so.” He tried to offer her a reassuring smile, but felt too hollow inside to do a convincing job.

  “I’m sorry, Gabe. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

  He waited until she was gone, grateful she’d closed his door again to give him privacy. His hands trembled as he typed Piper’s name into the search engine. Since it wasn’t a common name, he was surprised by the links that popped up. He selected the first link with a similar heading as the one on the paper Jolene had given him. He felt sick inside when he read about the school board firing the teacher for her improper conduct. At the end of the article there was a picture of the accused woman. It was his Piper.

  Not anymore, he thought as he ground his back teeth together and closed his laptop. He couldn’t believe he’d fallen for another cheater. At least he hadn’t married this one.

  Scooting back from his desk, he packed the computer inside his briefcase, put on his coat, and exited his office. Jolene sat at her desk, looking at him with pity. Gabe had seen that look before, and by more people than those in his office. It was the same look he’d endured when MaryEllen’s indiscretions had come to light.

  “Have a good weekend,” he said, not bothering to wait for a reply.

  He exited the building and made his way to the covered parking garage to locate his truck. Fingers of icy air penetrated his coat, but he welcomed the cold. It matched the dead feeling inside his chest.

  The drive home was a blur as Gabe grappled with the realization that the woman caring for his children was just as dishonest as the woman who’d given birth to those children.

  As he turned into his house, he was surprised to see Kellen and Ivy Thomas’s truck parked in the driveway. Maybe the sledding party had been cancelled and they were just letting everyone know. Gabe hoped that was the case. He certainly wasn’t taking Piper sledding with his family, but he also didn’t relish the idea of facing his friends without her. Snow Valley was a close-knit community and word had spread quickly about Gabe and Piper’s budding romance.

  He walked into the house, discounting the tantalizing scent of something sweet baking. His heart nearly stopped when Piper met him at the door. “You’re home early,” she said brightly.

  Unable to look at her, he ignored her greeting. “Is the sledding party canceled?” he asked Ivy.

  “No,” Ivy said, looking both concerned and confused. “We just stopped by to pick out which puppy we want before they’re all gone.”

  “Gabe, are you okay?” Piper asked, touching him on the arm.

  His muscles went rigid as his body reacted to the attraction he felt for her. He hated himself for his weakness and stepped away from her. “Where are the kids?”

  “They’re in by the puppies with Kellen,” Piper answered in a soft voice. “Gabe, what’s going on?”

  He had to tell her, but not with his children in listening range. “Ivy, I need to talk with Piper alone. Can you and Kellen stay with the kids while we go next door?”

  Ivy’s large eyes flitted to Piper and then back to Gabe. “Sure.”

  As soon as she left, Piper stepped in front of him. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this. Please talk to me.”

  Their eyes met and Gabe steeled himself against the pain reflected there. “I will, but not here.”

  Her jaw tightened, and the pain in her eyes morphed into frustration. “Fine.” She marched toward the door. “Then let’s go talk.”

  “You need a coat.”

  She whirled around and pinned him with a hard glare. “I don’t need a coat.” Then she opened the side door and stepped out into the cold.

  Gabe followed behind her, glad when she didn’t demand an explanation on the way to her house. Although still angry by her deception, the pain from the loss of their relationship was trying to wedge its way into his heart.

  The house was warm, but Gabe still felt chilled to the bone. “All right,” Piper said. “What’s going on?”

  “I found out the reason you left your job. Or I guess I should say why you were fired from your job.” He watched the color drain from her face, confirming the truth.

  “I was going to tell you.” She clasped her hands in front of her, almost as if pleading for him to listen to her. “I was just so embarrassed.”

  “Embarrassed?” He snorted a laugh. “You had an affair with a married man and were fired from your job because his wife called you out as a husband-stealer, and you’re only embarrassed?”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t have an affair.”

  “So you never dated a married man?”

  “Yes… but I didn’t know he was married.” A few tears slipped down her cheek. “You have to believe me.”

  “Sorry, but it’s a little late for that, Piper. You’ve had plenty of opportunities to tell me about why you were fired.” He couldn’t help remembering all the times he’d questioned MaryEllen about her whereabouts only to believe the lies she’d fed him.

  “I know, but I… I was embar— humiliated about the whole situation and just wanted it to go away.”

  “You didn’t think I’d eventually find out you’d had an affair?”

  Her eyes narrowed, and she angrily wiped away a tear. “I didn’t have an affair. That implies that I slept with Tucker… and I didn’t.”

  Gabe was relieved by her declaration, but only if she were telling him the truth. How could he trust her when she’d withheld so many
details? He could feel himself weakening toward her. He had to remind himself how many times he’d given MaryEllen the benefit of the doubt only to find out she’d been lying to him for almost a year.

  “I don’t know what to believe, Piper. I’m going to need time to work through this.” He ran a hand over his jaw. “I’ll be enrolling the kids in the afterschool daycare on Monday so you won’t need to worry about watching them anymore.”

  A light died in her eyes, and he wanted to recant his words. He hadn’t really planned on saying them so why had he made that edict without thinking it through?

  “All right.” The defiance was gone from her voice, replaced with resignation that made him want to give in and forgive her. “I won’t bother you anymore. Just leave the door unlocked after you leave for the sledding party and I’ll come get Anastasia and the puppies.”

  With those final words, she turned and walked out of the room and out of Gabe’s life. Now that the anger had almost drained away, Gabe was left with a heart full of regret and hurt. He trudged back home, knowing there would be questions about what had just happened. He hated spreading gossip about Piper, but was it gossip if it was true? As he entered the house, he could hear Lindsey laughing. His daughter would be heartbroken about Piper no longer babysitting her, but more so because she wanted Piper as a mother.

  Gabe consoled himself that Shane would probably be relieved he had broken up with Piper. Even though Shane liked Piper, he still struggled with the idea of Gabe dating again, let alone remarrying.

  Ivy was the first to spot him when he stepped into the family room. He could see the disappointment cross her features when she realized Piper wasn’t with him.

  “Did you and Kellen decide which puppy you’re taking?” Gabe asked, slipping off his coat.

  “They want Tank,” Shane said, sounding a little disappointed. The kids had fallen in love with the overzealous puppy and had been secretly hoping Gabe would give in and let them adopt him.

  “Where’s Miss Piper?” Lindsey asked, scrunching up her little nose. “She promised to braid my hair for the sledding party.”