by Candis Terry
“Well, you don’t know what you’re missing. I myself am rather fond of dive bars and restaurants.” She poured several boxes of noodles into the boiling water and gave each a quick stir. “So who’s your friend in high places that hunted me down for you?”
“I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you.”
“Tell me or I will kill you.”
“Ease up, cowgirl. I called in a favor from a buddy in law enforcement who owed me one. Still had to bribe him with a steak dinner. By the way, you don’t have any outstanding warrants.”
“Funny. Why didn’t you just pay one of those sites on the internet like PeopleFinder? It probably would have cost you less than the steak dinner.”
“Finding you at any cost was worth it.”
Great. Now he sounded like a total bullshitter. Or maybe he was totally telling her the truth. Chances were she was right. He probably shouldn’t have come here. They’d had their one night. Still, if she was going to work for him, shouldn’t he know a little more about her?
Good excuse.
She set down the wooden spoon and gave him a look. “I don’t know whether to be flattered that you cared enough or ticked off that you invaded my personal info.”
“I’m going to vote for the flattered option.”
No smile crossed her lips as she studied him for an uncomfortably long moment. Then she said, “Jury’s still out.”
“I’ve got time. How about another cup of coffee?” He pushed the half-empty mug toward her for a refill then pointed at the stove when really, he should retreat and get the hell out of there. “So what are you making?”
“The ultimate macaroni and cheese.”
“The ultimate?”
“Baked. Three cheeses. Topped with panko breadcrumbs. And the secret weapon.” She reached inside the refrigerator, pulled out a slab of bacon, and held it up. “Bacon makes everything taste better.”
“On that we agree. So is this for a party or something? Those are some pretty big foil pans.”
“If you really want to know, why don’t you ask your cop friend? Maybe he can do another bio search on me.”
Regret tightened his throat. “Are you really pissed?”
Her shoulders lifted on a sigh as she pushed the refilled mug his way. “No.”
“Good. Because I really did worry about you. Not just last night but after you left my house on Friday too.”
“You did?”
He nodded.
Her expression softened. “I’m not used to having someone worry about me.”
With one sentence she delivered another bit of telling information she probably hadn’t planned to reveal. Before he could delve deeper, her cell rang. She glanced at the number and smiled.
“Sorry, I have to take this.” She put the phone to her ear. “Nonni!”
Parker watched her face light up before she disappeared from the room and closed her bedroom door. Somebody cared about her. Not that he was eavesdropping, but without any effort he could hear her muffled side of the lively conversation.
In Italian.
Though he couldn’t understand one damn word, he could tell it was a good call from the amount of laughter and vocal inflections. And yeah, she may have been talking to her grandmother, but hearing her speak fluent Italian was sexy as hell.
Several minutes later he heard her say, “Addio, Nonni. Ci vediamo dopo l’anno nuovo. Io ti amo.” And he wondered exactly what she’d said.
Another couple of minutes passed before she came back into the kitchen with the tip of her nose pink as though she’d been crying.
“Everything okay?”
She nodded then dumped the macaroni noodles through a strainer. “Sometimes I just miss my grandmother.”
“I know what you mean.” Parker’s stomach tightened. “I miss mine too.”
“You don’t visit her?”
“She died a long time ago.”
“I’m so sorry.” Her meaningful and understanding expression touched his heart and made him wonder how much loss she might also have suffered in her life. “Was she wonderful?”
“She was the best. She was always baking something or she’d be putting up jams and jellies for the local farmers’ market. Or she’d be reading adventure stories to me and my brothers.” Sweet memories of the woman flooded his heart. “Why don’t you visit your grandmother?”
“I’d like to, but she lives so far away.”
“Where?”
“In Italy.”
“So that’s how you found your cooking school?”
Her gaze shot up to his and he briefly wondered at the surprise he saw there.
“No. I found that all on my own. My nonni lives in a very small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business.”
“Sounds like Sunshine Valley, where everybody knows your name.”
“In your case, that’s a good thing. Right?”
“How’s that?” All he could think of were the whispers that had caught fire as soon as Aunt Pippy spilled the beans to a long-winded friend about the vineyard’s financial troubles and their new half sister.
“Word of mouth will be the best advertisement for your restaurant,” Gabriella said.
“I hope so.”
“I know so.” She dumped the strained noodles into the large foil pans.
“I appreciate the vote of confidence.” He waited for her to say something off-handed about her working there as his chef so it was a sure bet the reviews would be positive, but she left him hanging. “Tell me about your grandmother.”
“Actually, I’d rather hear about your aunt Pippy. You made her sound like quite a character.”
Another evasion.
She was quite good at throwing those around.
“She is. But she’s something you have to experience for yourself.” He pointed to the foil pans filled with steaming noodles. “What are you planning to do with so much ultimate mac and cheese?”
“I’m taking it to the women and children’s shelter. The women there have escaped really bad situations with only the clothes on their backs. They literally leave with nothing. As often as I can, I like to fill their bellies with a little comfort food.”
“That’s a really nice gesture.”
“It’s the least I can do.” She shrugged. “The holidays are coming up fast. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to live in a shelter at all, let alone during this time of year. Comfort food always makes me feel better. So I always hope it helps them a little bit too.”
“You take them comfort food often?”
She shrugged. “As often as possible.”
Parker set down his coffee mug and joined her at the counter. He took her chin in his hand and lifted her face. “I never knew you had such a soft spot.”
“So the dominatrix boots fooled you.”
“You fooled me. I want to know who you are when no one’s looking. So, Gabriella.” He brushed his thumb across her plush bottom lip. “Tell me. What are you hiding?”
Her eyes widened and then she barked a laugh that confirmed he’d hit the mark. “That’s ridiculous. What would I have to hide?”
There was the million dollar question.
And honestly, why did it matter to him?
A few hours later Gabi and Parker left the women and children’s shelter. After delivering several large pans of her ultimate macaroni and cheese, she noticed he’d become unusually quiet.
“It’s tough to see that, isn’t it,” she said, not asked, because she already knew the answer.
He nodded, steering his SUV through the rain. “I had no idea. And literally no clue their living restrictions were so rigid. They weren’t even going to let me in.”
“That’s because some of the women are too fearful of men and they’re still in danger.”
“And that’s the reason each room has a double deadbolt?”
She nodded. “Sometimes their abusers discover where they are and try to break in to force them to come b
ack. Or . . . worse.”
Parker sighed and Gabi knew exactly the scenarios running through his head because she’d imagined them too. Sadly, he’d only seen a fraction of why she supported the women and children’s shelter. By the deep furrows creasing his forehead and the corners of his eyes, she knew the visit had affected him a great deal. She understood. It broke her heart every time she went to the facility and heard the stories of the women who had to live there until they could get back on their feet and be safe. There were all kinds of abuse. Gabi had learned that not all were delivered in a physical manner. A lot came through words. She’d learned that passive-aggressive confrontations could be used in almost as painful a manner as a physical blow. But unlike a bruise, those wounds sometimes never healed.
The visit today gave her another snippet of insight to Parker. They’d only known each other a short time, and yet, she felt she knew him better than men she’d dated for months. Dangerously warm and fuzzy feelings squeezed her heart. She knew she had to be careful. It would be so easy to fall in love with him. Good thing she’d vowed to distance herself. Of course, now that he knew where she lived that might prove to be a bit more tricky.
“What we saw in there really hits home,” he said.
“How so?” She turned her attention away from the sights on the streets and back to watching him. His hands were tight around the steering wheel, and though she couldn’t see his eyes because he was looking straight ahead, she could tell that he was deeply troubled.
“Jordan’s fiancée, Lucy, was one of those women.”
“Oh my God.” The thought sickened her. “No wonder your brother is trying so hard to give her everything he can for their wedding.”
“He still feels guilty.”
“But how could her bad marriage be his fault?”
“Because he stood her up for that graduation dance.” He reached over and turned down the radio. “She met her ex in college and married very young. Jordan thinks if he hadn’t treated her so badly that night, she wouldn’t have hooked up with some loser who used her as a punching bag. He thinks maybe she didn’t believe she was good enough to find anyone better.”
“Surely he knows that’s not true.”
“Doesn’t matter. That’s how he feels. He loves her so much. And he’s really not just trying to make up for fucking up so bad with her. He’s just crazy about her. She’s made him a better man. He knows it. And he’s going to do everything in his power to make sure that he’s good enough for her.”
For a moment Gabi didn’t know how to respond. She’d never met such a selfless man in her life. On the best of days, her father could never even come close. Even her own brother—who’d become her father’s narcissistic mini me—stood on rocky ground with marriage number two. He wouldn’t have a clue about sacrificing anything to make and keep a woman happy.
Gabi couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have that kind of love. To have a man appreciate and cherish you like that. To have a man a woman could trust with everything.
Even her darkest secrets.
“I like your brother,” she said.
Parker chuckled. “You don’t even know him.”
“But I can see him through Lucy’s eyes.” And that’s all that mattered. When she looked at Parker, she knew he’d be a man a woman could trust like that. He valued the women in his life and he’d protect them at all costs.
He’d do the same for the woman he loved.
During the rest of the ride he became increasingly quiet and Gabi wished she knew exactly what was going on in his head.
Once they reached her apartment, he parked his SUV then held his jacket over her head to guard her against the pounding rain as he walked her to the door. The gesture was sweet and maybe even a bit old-fashioned, but she totally loved it.
In the world she lived in, the men she knew were too wrapped up in themselves to care about anyone else. Parker was like a beacon of light in that stormy sea. He was smart, sexy, talented, and compassionate. By the time they reached her door, it was all Gabi could do not to ignore her earlier vow, wrap her arms around him, pull him inside, and tear off his clothes. But when she unlocked the door and stepped into her living room, he remained at the doorway.
“Aren’t you coming in?”
To her surprise and dismay, he shook his head.
“Why not?”
“I think maybe you had the right idea all along.” He stepped closer, cupped her face in his big hands, and gently kissed her lips. Then he looked down into her face, his blue eyes troubled. “I like you, Gabriella. A lot. And there’s nothing I’d like better than to come inside with you and show you exactly how much.”
“But?”
“But . . . I’m seeing a different side of you.”
“So . . . what? You think I’m an axe murderer or something?”
He gave her a faint smile. “I just think you deserve a guy who has more to offer than I do.”
She doubted anyone could lay claim to that. “Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re a forever girl who needs and deserves a forever guy. I can’t be him. And I don’t want you to waste your time. Believe me.” He swept the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip. “Running away from me was the right choice.”
The first time she’d run because they’d agreed to one night only. Bailing in the early morning hours had saved both of them from an awkward situation. The second time she’d run because it became pretty clear that she’d never be able to keep things between them casual. But like the flip of a coin, right now, she wasn’t so sure she wanted him to walk away. No. On second thought, she was pretty sure she didn’t want him to walk away. Finding a forever guy hadn’t been on her list, but she’d damn sure take one right now if it was Parker.
“Why don’t you come inside so we can talk this over?”
The slow shake of his head told her he thought coming inside was a bad idea.
“I made a mistake coming here. But I do think you’re a gifted chef, Gabriella. After Thanksgiving, if you’re still interested in working at the restaurant, come by and we’ll do a proper job interview. Application, resume, references, the whole shebang.”
He said nothing more, just turned and walked away.
This morning she’d been positive that working for him was a bad idea because she was afraid she’d become too involved. Now, she was only sure of one thing—she was already too involved. Her heart ached in a way that had nothing to do with proving herself in the culinary world. Because what the hell good was success if you had no one to share it with?
Chapter 8
Parker had barely made it back to his houseboat, pulled a bottle of very appropriately named Rock Bottom Ale from the fridge, and collapsed on his sofa before his cell rang.
“We’ve got her cornered,” his brother Declan announced, sounding more exhausted than victorious.
“Her who?” Parker asked, too tired to think.
“Our elusive and sneaky aunt. Ethan caught her tiptoeing out the door with a packed suitcase. Apparently she thought she could escape again without having to tell us the story about Mom and Dad.”
Fuck.
Parker was drained. He didn’t have an ounce of energy left to even nuke a microwave dinner. He was dog-tired and his emotions had been tangled up in a knot since he’d left Gabriella’s apartment. Not that he’d wanted to leave. He’d wanted to go inside, toss her over his shoulder, and carry her into the bedroom. He’d wanted to slip between the covers and make love to her for the rest of this rainy, shitty day.
But on that trip to the women and children’s shelter, she’d confirmed everything he’d begun to imagine about her. Aside from her fire and sass, she had a heart and soul that saw no end. And though she might very well be the kind of woman he’d like to spend eternity with, he needed to be honest. He didn’t have the time or the energy to put into a relationship right now. He was spread too thin in too many directions to be good for anyone. She deserved to have someone mo
re like Jordan. A man who was willing to drop everything, to do whatever it took to devote however much time was needed to make her happy.
He couldn’t put himself out there like that.
Not now.
Not in the near future.
Maybe not ever.
And if he couldn’t commit, it would be unfair as hell to drag Gabriella into this mess he called life.
“Did you chain Aunt Pippy to a chair?” he asked Declan.
“Didn’t have to. She has a brother sitting on each side and one in front of her. Lucy and Brooke are standing by in case she uses the excuse that she has to use the restroom. No chance of her escaping out the window.”
Parker nearly laughed as he pictured his two future sisters-in-law standing as potty room guards.
“What are they going to do, go into the bathroom with her?”
“They say if they have to they will. Nicki’s in her room upstairs determined not to come down until we force her. And Lili is on her way up to the house now. We’re just waiting on you.”
Parker longingly eyed the bottle of ale in his hand, then without taking a drink, set it down on the table. “I’m on my way.”
With the box of cookies Gabriella had made him in his hand, Parker stood outside the door of his childhood home listening to the ruckus inside that sounded like an unruly crowd at an MMA title match.
Someone needed to call in a referee.
The longer he stood there, the more the voices escalated. In the time it had taken for him to drive from Portland, the situation had somehow turned into a shouting match. While arguments and disagreements were not unusual for his family, he didn’t like the caustic tone he heard. Most differences were thrown out there with a sense of levity that helped calm down those in battle. Tonight’s clash felt as cold and bitter as the wind that blew at his back.
He snatched a cookie from the box, stuck it in his mouth, and pushed all thoughts of the woman who’d baked it from his mind. Chomping his teeth into the flavorful bite, he steeled himself against the inevitable and opened the gates of hell.
What he found on the inside of the house was even crazier than what it had sounded like from the outside.