Could Be the Reason: (Gabe and Sadie) (A Back to Jetty Beach Romance Book 3)

by Claire Kingsley

  “Listen to me, you sick son of a bitch,” Gabriel says. “If you ever come anywhere near Sadie again, you won’t walk away. I will fucking end you.”

  Adam’s eyes dart from Gabriel, to Hunter, to his bleeding hand. His mouth moves, but no sound comes out.

  “Maybe I should just end it now,” Gabriel says. “Baby, get out of the way.”

  “No,” I say.

  Adam’s face whips toward me. He’s white as a sheet, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. “That’s it, kitten.”

  I take two steps toward Gabriel and hold my hand out, nodding at the gun. “Give it to me.”

  Gabriel meets my eyes and nods once, then hands me the gun.

  The fear in Adam’s eyes burns away my terror. Suddenly, I realize he has no more power over me. This sniveling, manipulative, evil piece of shit can’t hurt me. He won’t hurt me. I won’t let him, and neither will Gabriel.

  I lift the gun and point it at his head, my hand steady. When I speak, my voice is calm. “I’m not going to kill you. I don’t have to. You’re going to walk out of here, in handcuffs. And then you’re no longer my problem. After this, I won’t think of you again.”

  I pause there, pointing a loaded gun at his head. The last of the color drains from his face and he starts to shake, cringing away from me. I lower the gun and hand it back to Gabriel. He passes it to Hunter, who flicks the safety and tucks it into the back of his pants.

  Hunter nods toward the front door. “I think they’re here. I already called.”

  Gabriel takes my hand and leads me out of the kitchen while Hunter goes to the broken front door. Police officers swarm in, shouting orders at Adam. He yells back, almost incoherent. She’s mine. You can’t take her from me. I’ll kill them both. They surround him.

  Someone tends to his wound, taking out the knife and binding his hand. He tries to resist, but they slam him over the counter and handcuff him. They lead him outside and his head hangs down. Defeated.

  The rest of the afternoon goes by in a haze. Gabriel holding me tight. Sitting on the couch while police officers question me. Someone gets me a glass of water. I tell them everything. How I know Adam. What he did to me back home. How he raped me. Stalked me. Harassed me. Gabriel gives them a copy of his home security footage. They thank us and assure us they’ll keep us posted.

  People come to check on us. Emma. Clover. Finn and Juliet. Lucas and Becca. Someone brings dinner, but I don’t eat much.

  When everyone is gone and the house is quiet, Gabriel gently leads me to bed. We strip off our clothes and get between the sheets. I’m utterly exhausted, but there are no more tears. I don’t feel like I need to break down while Gabriel comforts me. I’m strong. I’m whole. I settle into his arms, relishing the feel of his skin against mine, and simply rest.

  My nightmare is finally over.

  26

  Gabe

  The burned-out restaurant doesn’t look any better.

  I wander toward the wreckage, taking stock. It’s been a week since I was up here last, and all that’s changed is that a heavy rain soaked the pile of ashes and blackened wood that was once my restaurant.

  The sound of the waves carries up from the beach below. Without the building, the view is unobstructed, the ocean stretching out as far as the eye can see. A few seagulls circle in the air and a cool breeze blows in from the water. The tide is out, exposing a long expanse of sand.

  I bring out my phone and read over the email I got from the police department. I read it once this morning when it arrived. Sadie got a copy too, and neither of us said much about it. We didn’t need to.

  Adam was arrested for breaking and entering the day we baited him. After the police showed him the footage from my security system, he confessed to the arson. He wouldn’t admit he raped Sadie, not in so many words. But the way he described the assault made it clear she had repeatedly said no.

  In the truck of his car, they found gasoline, rope, duct tape, several tarps, and a set of knives and razor blades. When they contacted the police department in Missouri, they discovered he matches the description of a man wanted in the cases of a string of rapes across three counties. And his fingerprints are a match for prints found at the scene of several other crimes.

  It seems Adam Cooper wasn’t just terrorizing Sadie. He’s an unstable lunatic who’s responsible for so many crimes he’s going to prison for a long, long time.

  Sadie took the news well. It made her sick to her stomach to think about what they found in his trunk. But something has changed in her since the day he was arrested. She got her power back. She says it’s because of me—because of the way I’ve cared for her. But I don’t think so. Maybe I helped her, but this is her strength shining through. She confronted the devil and found him lacking.

  I know she’ll always carry the scars of what’s happened, but I’ll be there for her when she struggles. Together, we can move on.

  Her hand slips into mine and she leans her head on my arm. “The view is beautiful.”

  “Yeah, it really is.” I squeeze her hand.

  I have a decision to make. Where do I go from here? What is my life going to look like in the future?

  I could walk away. I could decide this restaurant took too much out of me. Do something else with my life. I try to envision what that life would be like. A life without cooking. Is it time for a new dream?

  “It’s going to be amazing,” Sadie says.

  I look at her. “What’s going to be amazing?”

  “The new restaurant.”

  I blink at her a few times. “What?”

  “Can’t you picture it?” she asks. “The old building was nice, but the dining room was too small. And the ceilings could have been taller.” She takes a few steps forward, her boots crunching on debris. “I’m imagining a big stone fireplace in the lobby. The windows were perfect, so we won’t need to change that. And I’ve been thinking about a balcony. Can you imagine, outdoor dining on the side of this bluff, overlooking the ocean? It would be amazing during the summer months, and we could put in those outdoor heaters for when it’s chilly. You once said you wished it had a private dining room, for small events. We could add that to the design. And that corner in the kitchen you hated? Redesign it. You can have more freezer space. And the wine cellar. Oh my god, Gabriel, you could redesign the wine room completely. Maybe get your contact at the winery to help.”

  I stare at her. “You’ve been thinking about this?”

  She smiles. “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

  “I don’t know, I just…” My throat tightens and I swallow hard. “You seem like you’re excited about rebuilding.”

  “I’m so excited,” she says, her eyes sparkling. “I have so many ideas. I know I’m not an expert or anything, and we’ll have to work with an architect to see what’s possible within the budget. I don’t know how much leeway we’ll have with the design. But I think we can make it incredible. Even better than it was before.”

  We can make it incredible. We.

  I don’t know how to articulate what I’m feeling, so I just stand here, staring at her.

  When I bought the Ocean Mark, it was the beginning of the end of my marriage. I don’t regret that. Amanda wasn’t right for me, and it’s better that she left, regardless of what I do with my career. Even before I met Sadie, I knew that. And going through that difficult time meant I was ready for Sadie when we did meet.

  I didn’t realize until this moment how afraid I was to move forward with rebuilding. To commit to making this happen. Would it be what Sadie wants? Would it be what I want if she didn’t?

  She does want this. Not only does she want it for me, she wants it for us.

  I’m so choked with emotion, all I can do is grab her and pull her into me. I hold her tight, stroking her soft hair, breathing her in.

  “Are you okay?” she asks.

  “Yeah,” I say and swallow hard. “I just love you so much.”

  Her hands thread around my waist and
she hugs me back, resting her head against my chest. “I love you, too.”

  Although I’m standing in front of a ruined dream, it’s not ruined at all. It’s going to take time and a lot of hard work to get there, but Sadie and I are going to build this dream together. A new one, meant for the two of us.

  No, not the two of us. The three of us.

  From the outside looking in, it might appear as if I had everything taken from me when my restaurant burned down. But I have everything I’ve ever wanted—everything I’ve ever needed. My life is complete.

  Almost…

  27

  Sadie

  The light fixture tilts in the back seat as I turn the corner. I wince and slow down. It was a floor model, so it’s not packed well—just sitting in an open box with a little bit of tissue paper stuffed around the outside for padding. I found it at a shop in town. As soon as I saw it, I knew it would be perfect for the new restaurant. I brought it home to see what Gabriel thinks.

  Home. Our home.

  I never moved back into my house. There was no question that I would move in with Gabriel. It’s no longer out of fear. We wanted to bring our lives together. He said he didn’t want to be away from me, and the baby. And I don’t want to be away from him either.

  Construction on the new restaurant is underway and we’ve been busy with an endless stream of meetings with the architect, general contractor, engineers, and designers. The new plans are positively stunning. Gabriel was able to put everything he wants into the design—more space, a better layout, tall ceilings, and even a balcony. He’s been on site all day, as far as I know. I’m hoping he’s home now.

  His car is in the driveway when I pull up. I get out of the car, my baby belly only just starting to make it awkward, and grab the light fixture from the back. It’s a little unwieldy, but not too heavy. I close the car door with my hip and head inside.

  There’s noise coming from the kitchen when I come in.

  “Hey.” I set the box down near the door. “What are you up to in there?”

  “Wait there,” Gabriel says. “Don’t come in yet.”

  I hesitate near the door, but that’s harder than it sounds. Whatever he’s cooking smells amazing. My mouth waters and my tummy rumbles. One thing I will say for dating a chef, you never go hungry. In fact, I’ve spent the last several months eating some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. Gabriel has been on a creative spree, testing things for the new menu. I’m the lucky one who gets to sample all his new creations.

  “Okay, I’m waiting, but I have something to show you.”

  The baby shifts, a soft fluttery feeling, almost like bubbles. He or she is still so small, but I’m feeling more movement every day. We haven’t found out if it’s a boy or a girl, but we have an ultrasound scheduled soon. I’m so excited to get a peek at our little one.

  The fact that Gabriel and I are having a baby together is still a little bit surreal. I find myself rubbing my belly, grateful for the reminder that this is all actually happening. This child. This man. This life.

  It’s more than I ever could have hoped for.

  After Adam was arrested, I sent my parents a copy of the footage from the security system. By their replies, they were stunned, and horrified. They begged me to forgive them and come back home. Even my brother sent a long message to apologize.

  I’ve done one of those things. I did forgive them. But I didn’t do it for them. I did it for me, so I could move on.

  I’m slowly letting them know more about my life, but although I can forgive, I’ll never really trust them. I discussed it with both Gabriel and my therapist, and they agreed that it’s healthy for me to allow the rift with my family to heal, while still keeping them at a safe distance.

  Forgiveness has given me peace. I’m not angry at them anymore, and that’s a beautiful thing.

  Gabriel comes out of the kitchen wearing an apron that says Hot Stuff Coming Through. I bought it for him as a joke, but he wears it all the time at home.

  “What are you up to in there?” I ask.

  He kisses me, his hand lingering on my belly. “You’ll see.”

  “Whatever you’re cooking in there better be for me,” I say. “I’m starving.”

  “You know I love to feed my woman,” he says, placing a little kiss on my nose.

  “Good, but here, look.” I point to the light fixture.

  He grabs it by the top and carefully picks it up. “This is beautiful.”

  “I was thinking it would go really well in that alcove by the private dining room.”

  “I agree, it’s perfect.” He sets it carefully back in the box. “Okay, my turn.”

  He leads me into the dining room. The table is set for two, complete with a crisp white tablecloth and candles in the center. He pulls out a chair and I sit down.

  I take the cloth napkin and place it in my lap while he brings out two plated meals.

  “It’s pan seared scallops, wrapped in bacon, with an herbed parmesan risotto,” he says, sliding one plate carefully in front of me.

  I breathe in the aroma—savory bacon, a hint of garlic, fresh herbs. “I like it already.”

  He smiles, but doesn’t sit down. Sometimes he sits with me and eats, but other times he just wants to know what I think.

  My fork slides through one of the scallops and I bring the bite to my mouth. My tongue pushes the food as I chew. I like to really concentrate on my first bite. Closing my eyes, I let the flavors settle. The bit of bacon is deliciously crisp and a tiny bit salty, which complements the warm, tender scallop perfectly. It’s so good I almost moan. He’s such a genius.

  “This is ama—”

  My eyes open and I stop. Gabriel is no longer standing next to the table, waiting for me to tell him what I think. He’s kneeling next to me.

  On one knee.

  He takes my hand and I don’t know if there’s a cascade of butterflies in my tummy, or if the baby just did a somersault.

  “Sadie, I knew a long time ago that I wanted to marry you. Do you remember the day we went out of town? When you came to the restaurant to talk me into going away with you for a couple days?”

  I nod. I don’t trust myself to speak.

  “I knew then,” he says. “I typed love you when we were texting, and I deleted it because I hadn’t told you yet. But I knew. It wasn’t just that I loved you. People say that all the time, and they even mean it. But they aren’t necessarily ready for what I’m about to ask you. I was ready. I was ready that day to commit to you forever, and I’ve been waiting for the right time to do this ever since.”

  He produces a small black velvet box, but just holds it. “We’ve been through a lot and I’ll always be so grateful that you came into my life. I know you think I helped you, but Sadie, you saved me. I was so lost before you. I was lonely and sad. I was grumpy all the time because it seemed like all around me were people living perfect, happy lives. And then there you were, looking at me with those dazzling green eyes, and everything changed. I’d lost my way, and you helped me find my purpose again. Find my passion. You gave me a reason—a reason for everything.”

  With a deep breath, he opens the box. A ring sparkles, the candlelight flickering off the diamond.

  “Oh, Gabriel,” I breathe.

  “Sadie, will you be my wife?”

  “Yes,” I say, before the words are even out of his mouth.

  Gabriel smiles—that smile that I love so much, that’s not a secret anymore—and takes out the ring. I hold up my hand, trying not to tremble, and he slides it onto my finger.

  He touches my face and brings his lips to mine. I wrap my arms around his shoulders, melting into his kiss.

  When he pulls back, he smiles, his eyes sparkling. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too. So much.”

  “You’re still thinking about the food, aren’t you?” he asks.

  I laugh. “Is that bad? I’m starving.”

  He brings my hand to his lips and kisses my fin
gers. “Of course not. Let’s eat.”

  28

  Epilogue: Gabe

  One year later…

  “And this is Daddy’s favorite.” I pinch a little bit of chocolate mousse between my fingers and bring it up to Violet’s mouth.

  “Gabriel?” Sadie peeks her head through the doorway. “What are you doing back here? You’re not trying to help, are you?”

  “No.” I kiss the top of Violet’s head. “Just showing my little cupcake a few things.”

  “Don’t sneak her any food,” she says with a smile.

  “I know, I know.” I look down at my daughter and quickly wipe the smudge of mousse from the corner of her tiny mouth. I’m holding her facing outward, propped on one arm, my other hand holding her tummy to keep her steady. Her face turns up to mine and her big green eyes sparkle as her mouth opens in a gummy smile. “You don’t have any teeth, do you cupcake?”

  I tickle her and she squirms, letting out a soft giggle.

  “Don’t hide back here too long,” Sadie says. “People are starting to arrive.”

  “I won’t.” I smile at my wife.

  My wife. It’s amazing how much I love the way that sounds. Sadie Parker. Our wedding was small, just a few close friends and family. Sadie wanted to get married before Vi was born, and I couldn’t wait to marry her, so it all worked out. I’ll never forget how beautiful she looked that day.

  Of course, she’s beautiful every day.

  I step out of the way of Marcus, the new assistant chef. He’s handling the food for the event today, since I’m supposed to be a guest.

  “I guess we should see who’s here,” I say, adjusting my grip on Violet. She kicks her legs as I smooth down her little pink dress. The little bit of hair she has—red just like her mommy’s—is held in a tiny clip. At six months old, she’s not very mobile, but she likes to be able to look around and see what’s going on.