Gabrielle and Vince discreetly moved to the other side of the kitchen. When his mother pulled away from him, he held onto her elbows as he looked down at her tear-stained face. “What's going on? It's not like you to get so upset about something like this.”
“I don't know if I'm coming or going these days,” she said, letting out a heavy sigh. “I can't seem to remember anything....I feel really fuzzy. A few times I've burned pots because I left the stove on. One day last week I left the water running in the sink. Mac caught it before it overflowed.” At the moment Mac was the only sibling who was living at home with their parents, which was a blessing considering the events of the past few weeks.
“Listen. There's been a lot on your plate lately. You've been so busy taking care of Dad that you've worn yourself to exhaustion. Of course you're forgetting things.”
She sent him a weak smile. “You're right. Of course. It's stress and fatigue. I need to slow things down a bit. And I need to call Dr. Rather's office to reschedule.”
“That's why I'm here to help out. You need to lean on me more, especially since I'm not living at the house anymore.” He winked at her. “Therein lies the beauty of having seven adult sons. We've got your back.”
“You can't help out here indefinitely, Remy. You've got to go back to your work. And if you're still serious about opening up a gallery here in Breeze Point you've got to go scouting locations.”
“I'm very serious about it. Matter of fact, I was planning to announce it at our next family get together, but I made an offer on a place. And my bid was accepted.” He didn't know if it showed on his face, but he was over the moon joyful about his gallery space.
“Remy! That's wonderful!” Maggie cried out, throwing her hands up in the air.
“Hey. Share the good news,” Vince cried out. “What's going on?”
“I just bought a space for my gallery. It's official. I'm sticking around Breeze Point.” Remy gazed directly at Gabrielle as he delivered the news. Vince let out a cry of jubilation while Gabrielle shifted from one foot to another and fidgeted.
“Congratulations,” she said with a shaky smile. “That's great news.”
“It is,” Remy said. “This is going to be the start to a whole new chapter in my life. The best is yet to come.” He hadn't taken his eyes off Gabrielle, sensing something pulsing between them even though she stood more than ten feet away from him. Little did she know that his number one wish for his future had everything to do with her. Them.
He felt a tight grip on his arm. “Remy, can we talk for a moment. Alone.” His mother's voice rang out sharply.
“No problem. Let's go in the office.” He nodded at the back office where they cut payroll and balanced the books.
He opened the door for his mother and ushered her inside the room.
She folded her arms across her chest and stared him down. Her cheeks were flushed.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Remy asked, feeling the heat of her stare.
She began tapping her foot on the hardwood floor. “What is going on between you and Gabi?”
“Nothing's going on. Not yet.”
Maggie arched a disapproving eyebrow. “Not yet. What's that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I want to get to know her better. I like her. A lot.”
His mother threw her hands in the air. “Remy. She's my employee. I really don't like the idea of having my son pursue a relationship with my employee.”
“You know I would never do anything to go against your wishes, but –”
She placed her hands on her hips. “But what?”
He placed his hand on his jaw and stroked it. “You're going to think I'm crazy.”
“It wouldn't be the first time,” she teased, her eyes dancing with mischief.
He figured he might as well just cut to the chase. “Mom, she's the one.”
Her eyes widened. She raised her hand to her throat. “The one? You barely know her.”
“I know,” he said with a groan. “And it's not for lack of trying either.”
“You're just infatuated. She's a beautiful woman. And she's a bit mysterious and unapproachable. You're used to women falling all over themselves to get your attention.”
“It's not just that. I promise you. She's the one. She's the woman who I want to be in my future....my wife, my partner, my everything. I know it sounds crazy, but I've never felt like this before. Nothing has ever felt so right.”
“Are you saying you've fallen in love with her?” Disbelief rang out in her tone.
How could he convince her of something he couldn't prove, something as timeless as the ages? Love. Pure and powerful, life affirming and frightening. Faithful and pure. He nodded, feeling something powerful break free inside him as he acknowledged the truth.
“Yes, I have. Almost from the first moment I laid eyes on her I felt something shifting inside me. I can't even put it into words, that's how incredible these feelings are.”
Maggie reached out and cradled her son's face between her two hands. “Aah, I see it in your eyes, my sweet, romantic boy. You really have fallen for her, haven't you?” She choked back a sob.
He leaned down and pressed a kiss against her forehead. “Hey, don't cry. It's not a bad thing, is it?”
“Remy, I want all my sons to find love. I feel so blessed to have Sarah as my daughter-in-law and Ryder engaged to sweet Tess. I want no less for you and all your other brothers. But you...ever since you were a little boy you've been my romantic child. You were the one who opened my car door for me and picked wild flowers for me on my birthday. And when you got older you started carrying groceries for the ladies at the supermarket. And on the first day of school you always brought your teacher a basket of fresh peaches. You see through the world through such a rose colored glasses. I just don't want you to get hurt.”
“There's no guarantee about that, unless I'm missing something.”
His mother bit her lip. “No. Love is a leap of faith. There are no guarantees. Just tread carefully. I have the feeling Gabi has been through a lot in her young life. She's as skittish as a colt at times. I don't want to tell tales, but—”
Remy frowned. Did his mother know something about Gabrielle's past? He wanted to know it all—good, bad, in between.
“What is it?” he pressed.
“I don't want to break any confidentiality rules, but her resume was all over the place. Gaps in hiring. No high school listed. Moving from town to town. Incomplete information.” She let out a sigh. “The only reason your father hired her is because he's a softie. He felt bad for Gabi. We suspect she's had a hard time in life.”
Remy's heart pinged inside him. All he could think about was what could have made a young woman bounce from place to place like a rubber ball? What was she searching for that she hadn't found? And what was she running away from?
“Tread carefully, my love. You may be in over your head.”
His mother's words resounded in his ears as they made their way back to the kitchen. Gabrielle shot them a curious look, as if she was wondering about their private conversation. He considered that slight progress since she was clearly interested in what he'd been doing. Within minutes they all got back to business with his mother ducking out to make a call to Dr. Rather and reschedule her appointment. He made a mental note to check in with her about all the stress she'd been under. Perhaps she should speak with a therapist about all her pent-up emotions and the emotional effects of his father's stroke and rehabilitation. It might do her a world of good.
Before he knew it, it was late afternoon and all the party bags had been filled, tied and boxed up. Remy took out the camera and snapped a few pictures to display on the bakery's website. Ever since Sweet Treats had ventured into online ordering and event catering, the business had really taken off into the stratosphere. Thanks to Brandon's business acumen, he'd been able to convince their old fashioned parents to be more innovative in their business model.
He looked across the bakery to find Gabrielle staring at him. Busted! She immediately ducked her head down and continued tidying up the counter space where they'd been working.
Vince glanced up at the wall clock. “It's getting late. I need to drop these off at the venue. It's on the other side of town, so I should be heading out.”
“Want some company?” Gabrielle asked, her features drawn tight across her face.
Remy frowned. Was she trying to get away from him? Vince didn't need an escort to drop off the baked goods. Not to mention if she left, it would leave him solo to man the bakery.
“I think we need two people to stay here and man the fort,” Vince said. “Remember, we stay open an extra hour tonight.”
“Let me help you with the boxes,” Remy offered, grabbing a few and heading out back to the parking lot where the Sweet Treats van was parked. Within minutes all the boxes were situated in the back of the van and Vince was on his way to the Breeze Bay Sea Port. Whistling a happy tune, Remy walked back into the bakery and strode right over to where Gabrielle was standing at the bakery counter. She was servicing a few customers, making suggestions about which items they might like and rattling off the bakery's best selling items. When she smiled and thanked the customers for stopping by, a large part of him wished she'd bestow a smile like that on him. What would it feel like, he wondered, to be the focus of that dazzling smile? Once the customers had departed, he leaned on the counter and swung his gaze over to Gabrielle.
“So, I guess it's just the two of us,” he drawled.
“All of us have pasts. Surviving them is the challenge.”
Blue Donahue
Chapter Two
Just the two of them. The way he said it caused shivers to race through her bones. Even though her head was telling her not to read too much into any of Remy's comments, her heart was singing a different tune. His behavior towards her was slightly flirtatious. The looks he sent in her direction were full of admiration...and interest. Whenever he looked at her, he really seemed to be studying her. He had such an intense vibe about him. The very atmosphere in Sweet Treats buzzed and hummed along with his high energy persona. On several occasions she'd seen very attractive customers checking him out, a fact that he seemed oblivious about.
They worked together as a team, with Remy manning the cash register while she busied herself in the kitchen and occasionally helped him out with the customers. He was a natural with the customers. His light, breezy tone and laid back personality had everyone smiling along with him. She envied him. Even though she could turn on a smile for a customer, it didn't really permeate to her whole being. Why couldn't she be like that in her everyday interactions with most people? Why did she always feel the need to put a suit of armor on?
Right before closing, Remy asked her if she wanted to learn how to make a Donahue favorite recipe. Cinnamon buns. Gabrielle's stomach groaned at the mere mention of the delicious treats. So far she hadn't made them herself, nor had anyone gotten around to showing her the secret recipe. Although part of her wanted to get as far away from Remy as possible, another part of her desperately wanted to learn how to make Donahue cinnamon buns.
Don't be such a wuss! She scolded herself. Stay for a little bit and learn something new. It was her goal for this year. To soak up as much knowledge as she could in order to broaden her horizons. To stretch herself and to be open to new experiences. Not to be so separate and apart from everything. This was the perfect opportunity!
“Sure. Sounds good,” she said in a voice that sounded way more casual than she felt on the inside. She shoved her trembling hands in her pockets, willing herself to calm down. She was fairly certain Remy didn't bite.
Remy's eyes widened and blinked a few times in response. No doubt he was surprised by her acceptance of his invitation to spend some time with him. She didn't blame him, considering she'd been a bit standoffish towards him. Two seconds later he grinned at her, letting her know in no uncertain terms that he was pleased at her decision. He quickly began assigning her duties and between the two of them they had assembled all the ingredients and baking materials they needed to get started. A few of the ingredients made her scrunch up her nose in surprise. Nutmeg and applesauce.
Remy was a natural born teacher. He was patient and funny. He made sure to show her each step in a way she could keep up with and retain for the next time she made cinnamon buns. Every minute she was spending in his presence encouraged her to like him more and more. If only her feelings weren't romantic in nature. He seemed like the sort of man who would make a great best friend. But there was nothing platonic about the feelings rumbling around inside her.
Before they knew it the first two batches of cinnamon buns were cooked to perfection and piping hot from the oven. He reached out and took each bun off the baking tray with a spatula, placing them one by one on a cooling rack. One of the buns he slid onto a plate. He took a knife and cut the bun in half, jutting his chin in its direction. “We can go halfsies on this. It'll be cool in a minute.”
“It looks amazing,” she said, practically drooling at the sight of it. “And it smells even better.” Who was she kidding? At first she'd thought about declining a taste, but the sight and smell of it was too tempting to pass by.
With a hint of impatience, Remy reached out and took his half of the cinnamon bun, then took a small bite. He nodded his head. “Go ahead. It's nice and warm.”
Gabrielle reached for her half and took a big bite. The bun nearly melted in her mouth. “Ooh, this is scrumptious,” she mumbled.
“I can't get enough of these things,” Remy said, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed the remainder of his bun.
Gabrielle smiled at the way he devoured the treat in two bites. He must have quite a metabolism, considering he had the physique of an athlete.
“Now comes the tricky part. The glaze. Are you up for it?” His eyes were dancing with mischief. “It might get messy.”
“Of course,” she said. “What's a cinnamon roll without glaze?”
He leaned in towards her, his gaze assessing. “I thought I detected an accent earlier. Nawlins? Am I right?”
Butterflies skittered low in her belly. Her throat felt dry. “Y-yes, I was born there.” No one had ever hit it right on the head like that.
“A little something we have in common, although there's just of a trace of my accent left. I was born in New Orleans too...and lived there until I was almost nine years old.”
She should have known. Ever since she'd first met Remy he'd reminded her so much of a multitude of Creole people in her native New Orleans. Now she knew why. Perhaps that was the reason she felt such an attraction towards him. He reminded her of something familiar, something that was a part of her heritage and where she'd come from. Something she'd never stopped yearning for in all these years. Home.
“So, what about your family? You never told me about them earlier.”
She shrugged as her insides twisted painfully. “Not much family to speak of. My parents split up a few years ago. My brother moved to California and I haven't seen him in a few years.” The wistful tone of her voice echoed in her ears. “He's in the entertainment business so it keeps him pretty busy.”
“You need to visit him or have him come here to Cape Cod.”
“Maybe,” she said with a shrug. If only it were that easy. Her family had collapsed under the weight of grief and tragedy. It wasn't so easy to put it all back together again.
“Use your time with your loved ones wisely. Tomorrow is never promised...you know.”
Yes, she did know. Intimately. Acutely. On a very deep level. Her anger rose to the surface. Who was Remy to lecture her about not wasting time with loved ones? He wasn't the only person who'd lost someone near and dear to them. She felt terribly about the death of his parents, but she didn't appreciate his know it all, sanctimonious tone. Who was he to judge her? She found herself bristling with discomfort.
“Sometimes things aren't that simple, Remy. I'd g
ive anything to have my family all together in one place, but the past can be a barrier to the future,” she snapped, her voice as cold as ice.
Remy frowned. “I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to help—”
“You know, I really should be getting home now...it's getting late,” she interrupted.
His eyes were full of regret. “Please don't leave. I was just about to show you how to make the glaze.”
“Another time. I really should get going.” She turned her back on him and ripped off her apron, stuffing it down inside her shoulder bag.
“Then let me take you home.”
She held up her hand. “I'm good. My apartment is only a few minutes down the street.”
“It's getting dark out there. There's lots of cars on this road.”
“I'm fine,” she snapped. “I've been taking care of myself for a long time now.”
“That doesn't mean you don't need help from time to time.” Ryder's tone was soft and soothing.
Their gazes locked, and once again she found herself tongue tied by this sensitive, gorgeous man. Every time she was in his presence she grew to like him more and more. And it frightened her because she didn't want to grow to rely on Remy or find herself attached to him. Life had taught her that people—even the ones you loved with all your heart and soul—were nothing more than temporary. The permanent ache inside her was a reminder of everything she'd loved and lost.
Remy reached out his hand to her and she instinctively took two steps away from him. With a mumbled goodbye she turned on her heel and left the bakery. The front door jangled wildly behind her as she made her departure. As the cool night air swept across her shoulders she wrapped her arms around her middle. She felt immediately guilty about the way she'd spoken to Remy. He was the son of her employers and if he wanted to, he could make trouble for her.
Until You Loved Me (Seven Brides, Seven Brothers Book 3) Page 3