He still was.
That was evident by the love and dedication he’d given her mother, especially during her illness. But she also knew that for her mother to be basking in so much love, affection and confidence, her father was living each day to reassure his wife that she was deeply loved and appreciated.
“I’d like to have my daughter back.”
Her father’s words, spoken in a husky, deep, emotional voice, cut into Sage’s thoughts, and without hesitation, she quickly crossed the room to him and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. She cried for the both of them, for all they had endured over the past eight months and, more recently, the past four days with her mother’s illness.
“I love you, Dad,” she said between sobs. “I love you and I forgive you. And most important, I will always be your daughter. No matter what.”
And Sage intended to make good on that promise.
CHAPTER THIRTY
A week later, Sage was returning to Anchorage filled with happiness that she and her father had resolved their differences and that her mother was at home resting, with her condition improving daily. Aunt Mable had returned and had taken over her mother’s care while her father returned to work.
As Sage tightened her seat belt in preparation for landing, her thoughts shifted to Gabe. She had tried calling him a few times and had left messages, but he hadn’t returned her call. After talking with Malcolm, she knew that he was still in Anchorage because her coworker had seen him at a few meetings. A part of her didn’t want to believe that not responding to her calls was Gabe’s way of letting her know that he had severed the ties between them.
She wrapped her arms around her stomach, remembering the exact time and moment she’d finally accepted that she was in love with Gabe Blackwell. It was when Ginger and Cinnamon flew in to see her mother and they had spent time catching up on things that were going on in their lives. Her two cousins had excitedly told her about the men they had met and fallen in love with. Seeing them glowing, happy and looking very much in love made Sage realize that she felt the same way about Gabe. There had been a reason she was missing him the way she was, why she constantly had him on her mind.
She loved him.
She had tried fighting it, tried convincing herself that it wasn’t possible, but deep down in her heart she knew that it was true. And after what she’d said to him, she knew her biggest challenge was in convincing Gabe that it was true.
She inhaled deeply, wondering if perhaps another reason he hadn’t returned her call was because he had already started seeing someone else. She didn’t want to think it, but that was possible. Maybe he thought, considering everything, that she was more trouble than what she was really worth, and that since one woman had already broken his heart, he didn’t intend to get hurt a second time. And if he still cared deeply for her, how could she convince him that she’d made a mistake and she was willing to make a relationship between them work?
As soon as the plane landed, she gathered her luggage and caught a cab straight to Gabe’s office, knowing chances were she would find him there. Riding up to his office in the elevator reminded her of the time they had made love in it. Her mind became filled with other pleasant memories of the intimate times they had shared.
His secretary smiled upon seeing her.
“Ms. Dunbar, welcome back.”
Sage smiled. “Thanks. Is Mr. Blackwell in?”
His secretary shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. He flew out yesterday morning for Detroit to attend his grandparents’ anniversary party.”
Sage nodded. She remembered he’d mentioned that to her. In fact, the last time they’d spent together, he had asked her to fly to his home with him and be his date that night. Fearing things were moving too fast between them if he wanted her to go home with him to meet his family, she hadn’t answered one way or the other if she would go. In fact, she had jumped to another subject.
“When will he be returning?” she asked the woman.
“Not for another week.”
Disappointed that it would be another week before she saw Gabe again, Sage’s stomach dropped. “All right. Thanks for the info.”
Feeling totally defeated, she turned and left Gabe’s office.
“The way I see it,” Rose was saying as she stood in front of the mirror blow-drying her hair, “if your man isn’t here, then you should go to him.”
Sage leaned against the bathroom door, shaking her head. “Rose, I can’t do that, especially since I don’t know how Gabe feels about me.”
Rose turned and looked at her, clearly annoyed. “He told you that he loved you.”
“Yeah, but that was almost a week and a half ago.”
Rose leaned against the bathroom sink and shook her head. “That’s right, I almost forgot that Gabe is a man who, according to you, doesn’t know his own heart.”
Sage glared. “That’s not funny.”
“You’re right it’s not funny; it’s pathetic. Will you give Gabe credit for at least having the intelligence we both know he has, Sage. The man loves you. If he didn’t love you, he would not have called me every day to find out how your mother was doing, as well as to see how you were, since he knew we kept in touch.”
Sage lifted a curious brow. “Why would he call you and not me? I left a couple of messages for him.”
“Because, in his own words and not mine, he wanted to give you space and time to think.”
“Well, he certainly did that,” Sage said, drawing in a shaky breath.
“In that case, you should tell him. But I wouldn’t wait until he returns. It’s time you take matters into your hands like I’m doing.”
Sage looked at Rose curiously. “What kind of matters are you taking into your own hands?”
Rose grinned as if she had a secret that she wasn’t sharing. “You’ll find out soon enough. All I can say right now is that I plan to offer Parnell a business deal that he can’t refuse.”
She then waved off any further inquiries from Sage. “No more questions about it since we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you and Gabe and how you can fix your screwup. I have plenty of suggestions if you care to listen.”
Sage tucked a loose strand behind her ear as she went into the bathroom and sat down on the edge of the bathtub, feeling desperate. “Okay, let’s hear your ideas.”
The following morning, Sage was on a plane again, en route to Detroit. She inhaled deeply to calm the butterflies floating around in her stomach. She had gone over and over in her mind all the words she planned to say to Gabe when she saw him. But deep down she knew the final words would be spoken from her heart.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Sage tried to relax as she stood in front of the door after ringing the doorbell. From the sound of music and voices she heard on the other side, she knew the anniversary party had begun.
It hadn’t taken much probing to find out everything she’d needed to know from Gabe’s secretary, including where his grandparents’ anniversary would be held and the proper attire. She’d barely had enough time after her plane landed to check into a hotel and quickly change. She glanced down at herself. Since she would be meeting his family for the first time, she didn’t want to wear anything brow-raising, yet on the other hand, she wanted to wear something that would definitely capture Gabe’s attention. She felt the dress she was wearing, one she had purchased at a dress shop in Anchorage, was perfect.
The door opened, and an older woman with beautiful silver gray hair and a smile that reminded her so much of her mother’s stood in the doorway looking radiant.
“Yes?”
Sage swallowed and hoped what she was about to say sounded convincing. Automatically, she reached out her hand. “Hello, I’m Sage Dunbar, a friend of Gabe’s. He invited me here tonight, but I had to leave Anchorage when my mother became ill before letting him know whether I would attend.”
The woman accepted her hand without hesitation, and although Sage was sure they had
never met before, she saw the woman’s eyes light up when she’d said her name.
“Hello, Sage, and I’m Joella Blackwell, Gabe’s mother. Is your mother all right?”
Sage blinked, upon realizing the stunning woman was Gabe’s mother. “Yes, she’s doing fine, so I thought I would take Gabe up on his invitation; but he doesn’t know that. I tried calling him earlier on his cell phone when I arrived and couldn’t reach him.”
The older woman chuckled. “That doesn’t surprise me. He’s been doing errands for me, lots of them, and probably deliberately cut his cell phone off thinking I would be calling with additional things for him to do.” She stepped back. “Please come in.”
“Thanks,” Sage said nervously. As soon as she entered, she swept her gaze around the room. There were a lot of people in attendance, but there was no sign of Gabe anywhere.
“Don’t worry,” Joella Blackwell said, chuckling again. “He’s around here somewhere, and I bet he’s hiding out so I won’t find something else for him to do. And wherever he is, there’s no doubt in my mind that Christopher is with him. They’re like two peas in a pod, those two.”
Joella Blackwell was beaming from ear to ear, and Sage wondered why. She then remembered what Gabe had once shared with her about his mother’s chronic matchmaking antics.
“If you’d like, I can help you look for him in this crowd,” Joella Blackwell offered, still looking pretty pleased with herself.
Sage shook her head. Just in case Gabe would not be happy to see her, she didn’t want to have an audience when he asked her to leave. “If you don’t mind, I’ll just look for him myself.”
The woman smiled, and for some reason, Sage had a feeling that just like her mother, this woman could read her mind.
“Yes, that’s fine. And after you find him, make sure he returns you to me so that I can introduce you to everyone.”
Sage couldn’t help but return the older woman’s cheerful smile. “All right.” She then walked off in search of Gabe, hoping that when she saw him, he would be willing to hear her out.
Christopher took a slow sip of his punch while he studied Gabe. They were standing outside on the lit patio, taking a breather from the multitude of well-wishers who’d come to congratulate the elder Blackwells on their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
Gabe and Chris hadn’t had a chance to talk, at least not privately, since Gabe had arrived two days ago. Ma Joella had kept them both busy doing various chores in preparation for the anniversary party.
“You okay, bro?” he finally asked.
Gabe met his gaze. “Yeah, man, I’m okay.”
Christopher nodded. He was hearing one thing but seeing another. Instead of ignoring it, he decided to push forward. “I thought Sage would be coming with you tonight.”
Gabe took a sip of his punch, then responded, “She left to return home on an emergency. Her mother took ill and had to be hospitalized a week and a half ago.” There was no reason to bore Chris with the details that even if there had not been an emergency, chances were Sage would not have come.
“And how’s her mother doing?”
“From what I understand she’s recuperating nicely.”
Christopher nodded and took another slow sip of punch. “So the only reason for your long face is because you miss her.”
If only you knew, Gabe thought. Yes, he was missing Sage like crazy. And the way they’d last spent their time together didn’t help matters. “Yeah, I miss Sage, man. I miss her a lot.”
“If that’s true, it will make what I have to say a lot easier.”
Gabe whirled around at the sound of the familiar feminine voice. His pulse quickened when he saw Sage, and he drew in a shaky breath. “Sage, what are you doing here?”
Sage struggled to pull air into her lungs. “You invited me.”
“Yeah, but you never indicated you would come, and that was before you said all those things that night.”
Sage’s mouth went dry under the intensity of Gabe’s gaze. “I shouldn’t have come?” she asked, needing to know if she’d made a mistake in coming, and if he wanted her to leave.
Christopher cleared this throat, deciding to intervene. “I think the two of you need privacy, so I’m going back inside.” He walked over to Sage and leaned down and kissed her cheek. “It’s good seeing you again, Sage, and I’m looking forward to introducing you to Maxi and my son.”
“Thanks. I’d like that.” She watched Christopher leave, then turned her attention back to Gabe. If there was any doubt in her mind that she loved him, that doubt was erased as she met his gaze. She loved this man with all her heart.
“I’m glad you came,” he finally said, answering her question.
That made hope rise up in Sage. “Are you?”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad I came, too.”
Gabe nodded. “How’s your mother?”
“Her condition has improved. She’s home and recuperating nicely. I arrived back in Anchorage early yesterday and went by your office. Your secretary told me you’d be gone for a week, and I couldn’t wait that long to see you again.”
Gabe lifted a brow. “Why?”
“To say some things to you?”
Gabe laughed and shook his head. “Haven’t you already said enough?”
Sage knew she deserved that, and it made her more determined to set things right between them. She inhaled deeply, working up her courage. His expression was unreadable, and she was unsure what his feelings were. She had overheard him telling Christopher that he had missed her, and that meant something. At least she hoped so. “I had a chance to think about things while I was away, Gabe.”
He leaned against the patio rail, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Did you?”
“Yes.”
“And what things did you think about, Sage?”
“I thought about how much I cherish our friendship, our unique closeness and just how lonely my life would be without you in it.” She paused to steady her voice before she continued. “And I thought about what you mean to me.”
Gabe continued to look at her, and Sage knew he wasn’t giving her an inch. She had botched things up between them, and he intended for her to make things right on her own without any help from him.
“And just what do I mean to you, Sage?” he asked slowly. The gaze that held hers never wavered.
She swallowed deeply because what she was about to say was coming straight from her heart. “You mean everything to me, Gabe, and I’m sorry I only recently figured that out.”
“Define what you mean by everything,” he said throatily, with emotions deepening his voice.
She knew what he was asking, what he wanted her to admit. She took a step forward and stood directly in front of him. “I love you, Gabe, with all my heart. I’m sorry for not realizing it before and for walking away. But I was afraid and allowed my insecurities to take control of my mind. Being away from you gave me time to think, and I’m willing to take things to the next level.”
He shook his head. “That’s not good enough for me anymore, Sage.”
Sage felt as if the patio floor had dropped from beneath her with his words. “Oh.” She blinked back tears. Was he telling her that he no longer wanted her?
Gabe took a step closer and reached out and touched her wet cheek. He immediately knew she had misunderstood what he’d said. “The reason it’s not good enough anymore, Sage,” he decided to clarify, “is because I think we would be shortchanging ourselves if the next level is all we’re aiming for. If you love me the way I love you, then you would agree.”
Tears ran down Sage’s cheeks. “Agree to what?”
“Agree that there won’t be any levels between us. I want a solid relationship, one built solely on love and trust and not levels. You are the woman I want in my life forever, till death do us part and all that good stuff.”
Sage smiled through her tears. “And I want you in my life forever, that till death do us part and all that good stuff, to
o,” she said softly. “You were right, Gabe. We do belong together. I don’t want to belong to any other man but you. I love you so much.”
Gabe took another step forward, bringing her thigh to thigh with him. “And I love you so much, too.” He placed his finger under her chin and lifted it to meet his lips. Sage melted into him, needing his touch as much as she needed to breathe.
She mated her tongue with his hungrily, realizing that eleven days apart had caused a wave of desire to consume her as well as him. His mouth was hot, his body aroused, and he was sending signals to her that she interpreted. He needed to make love to her just as much as she needed him to make love to her.
When she heard the clearing of someone’s throat, she pulled away and blushed, wondering who had caught them in such an overindulgent situation. She almost dropped when she turned and saw it was Gabe’s mother.
“I see you found him,” Joella Blackwell said, smiling brilliantly at Sage.
Sage nodded, clearly embarrassed that the woman had come upon her and Gabe literally kissing their mouths off. Before Sage could think of anything to say, Gabe pulled her closer into his arms, wrapped his hands firmly around her waist and answered in a voice that was filled with deep emotion, “No, Mom, I found her. I found the woman I’ve been waiting my whole life for, and she’s my perfect fit.”
EPILOGUE
One year later
“Welcome to Eden, Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell.”
“Thanks, and we’re glad to be back,” Gabe said to the smiling hotel receptionist.
Sage glanced around the immaculate hotel, completely in awe. Everything was beautiful, pristine, impeccable and elegant, from the rich-looking carpeting on the floor to the expensive curtains adorning each window. She glanced up at her husband and smiled, proud of both of their contributions in making Eden a reality.
They had married two weeks ago in Charlotte and had immediately left to get lost at sea when they took an Alaskan cruise where they had watched from their private balcony as eagles dived for fish in Alaska’s Inside Passage and marveled at the Alaskan glaciers they passed. Seeing a glimpse of Glacier Bay and the orcas at play in the icy waters had been breathtaking. But nothing, Sage thought, was more breathtaking and beautiful than the man she was now married to.
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