by Cindy Kirk
The spicy scent of Gabe’s cologne grew stronger and Michelle realized that while lost in her thoughts, she’d taken a step closer. Even though a respectable distance still separated her and Gabe, it wouldn’t take much to bridge that gap.
She met his gaze. Almost immediately their eye contact turned into something more, a tangible connection between the two of them. A curious longing surged through her veins like an awakened river.
Michelle experienced an overwhelming urge to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him close, to feel the hard muscular planes of his body against her soft curves. To press her lips against his neck and—
“Dad,” a young female voice called out. “Grandma’s on the phone.”
Gabe’s hand dropped to his side. He turned toward the house, where his daughter stood on the porch, cell phone in hand. “Tell her I’ll call her back.”
Michelle took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. Thankfully the crazy spell tethering her to him had been broken. She tugged on the leash and Sasha stood. “Thanks again for the advice.”
“It was nice meeting you,” Gabe called to her retreating back.
“You, too,” Michelle said without turning around.
Tomorrow, when she saw her friends in church, she was going to tell them they could scratch the guy with the truck off their potential suitor list.
No matter how charming, sexy or caring her new neighbor was, she now knew he had a teenage daughter. Which meant Gabe Davis was one man she wouldn’t have, even served up on a silver platter.
Chapter Two
Thirteen-year-old Finley stopped at the foot of the concrete steps leading into the small white church and lifted her chin. “I’m not going in.”
Gabe expelled a breath and kept a tight hold on his temper. Before they left the house, he and Finley had agreed how the morning would progress. Apparently she’d changed her mind. From all the reading he’d done about adolescents, this behavior was typical for a girl Finley’s age.
Unfortunately he only had minutes to remind his daughter of their agreement before the service began.
“It’s not easy for me to walk in there.” Gabe kept his tone conversational and matter-of-fact. He’d learned to keep things calm around Finley. “But we have to start somewhere.”
“I’m dressed all wrong.” She glanced down at her yellow sleeveless dress. When she lifted her gaze he saw the worry in her eyes. “All the girls I’ve seen have on skirts and tops.”
Gabe knew better than to dismiss her concerns or try to placate her. At her age emotions were too volatile. “Perhaps you’ll start a fashion trend. After all, you’re a big-city girl.”
Okay, so perhaps Philadelphia wasn’t fashion central, but surely in the minds of middle-school-aged girls, her being from the East Coast counted for something.
Finley’s brows drew together and he could almost see her processing his words. Personally he thought she looked lovely. If he didn’t think a dad’s comment would make the situation worse, he’d tell her so. Finley’s hair was the color of rich Colombian coffee. Her blue eyes and fine features were from her mother. In several years she’d be a real heartbreaker.
Gabe pushed the thought from his head. He preferred to ignore the fact the little girl who’d once invited him to tea parties was now old enough to wear lip gloss.
“We need to hurry. I’m not walking in late.”
Her words pulled him from his reverie.
She practically sprinted up the steps. Gabe followed behind her, relief filling him.
Although he and Finley had attended church regularly since she’d been a baby, this was a different ball game. New town. New church. And in the fall, a new school. They’d waited to move until early summer so Finley wouldn’t have to start at the end of the year.
Now he wondered if that had been a mistake. Finley was already complaining of being lonely. His only hope was that she’d make a friend or two today at youth group. This morning she’d made it clear that she was only staying for the church service, but he still held out hope that he could change her mind.
To make this relocation successful, it was important they both reach out to the community. Gabe had already marked his calendar to attend the next Jackson After-Hours meeting, a chamber of commerce function for young professionals. But attending church was a first step in reaching out.
He realized that wasn’t exactly true. He’d met several guys at the Y yesterday. When they’d mentioned they attended this church, he’d decided he and Finley would check it out.
Not knowing how casual the service was, he’d forgone jeans for a pair of navy pants and a button-down shirt. As he walked into the church, it appeared he’d guessed correctly, although he did see some guys in denim and a few older men in suits.
The church appeared to attract a lot of young families. His heart twisted. He wished his daughter could have had the experience of having both a father and a mother. But Shannon had relinquished all parental rights when Finley was still an infant and had shown no interest in her since.
Her loss, he told himself for the millionth time.
He started to steer them toward a pew in the back until he saw all the parents with babies. Obviously the last few rows were reserved for those with small children.
Gabe continued down the aisle. He wasn’t sure what to feel when he saw a tall woman with long wavy blond hair a couple of pews ahead. He recognized her immediately. His neighbor. Michelle.
She was slender with long legs and curves in all the right places and big blue eyes. She appeared to be alone and he thought for a second about sitting beside her. But he wasn’t sure that was wise after what had happened in the driveway yesterday.
He’d almost kissed her. He’d wanted to kiss her. Yet, making such a move on a new neighbor could have disastrous consequences. After all, they’d just met. And while she’d said she wasn’t married, she hadn’t said anything about not having a boyfriend. A woman as pretty as she had to have some guy in the wings.
“Gabe,” a deep voice sounded behind him.
He spun on his heel to find one of the men he’d met yesterday playing basketball. There was a toddler in his arms. A pretty dark-haired woman and a girl about Finley’s age flanked him.
“Nick.” Gabe frantically searched for the last name. “Delacourt.”
“You nailed it.” Nick flashed a smile. “This is my wife, Lexi, and our daughters, Grace and Addie.”
They stepped aside to let the other members of the congregation pass while completing the introductions. After Finley’s comments outside, Gabe couldn’t help but notice that Addie, Nick’s oldest daughter, wore a denim skirt and red top.
He pretended not to see the pointed look Finley shot him.
“Most kids our age sit together during the service.” Addie focused on Finley and gestured toward a row of young teens seated just ahead of the babies and young families. “You’re welcome to join us. If you want, that is.”
Finley glanced at Gabe. “Is it okay?”
Gabe quickly assessed the situation. Normally he was very particular about letting his daughter be unsupervised with kids he didn’t know. But the church was small and she’d be in plain sight. “Fine with me.”
“Afterward we all go to youth group,” Addie added. “While our parents eat breakfast.”
Gabe could almost see the refusal forming on his daughter’s lips when Addie continued in a low tone, “Your dress is really cool. All the girls are going to be jealous.”
“You can pick me up after youth group,” Finley announced.
Gabe cocked his head and met her gaze. Even though this was exactly what he wanted, in their household, it was understood his daughter didn’t call the shots.
“If it’s okay with you, that is,” Finley quickly added.
He nodded. “Sounds like a workable plan.”
Finley squeezed his arm, then hurried off talking in low excited tones with her new friend.
Gabe refocused on Nick’s wife
. “It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Delacourt.”
“Please, call me Lexi.” She glanced over his shoulder, then gestured with one hand. “Why don’t we sit together? Looks like there’s plenty of room.”
When Gabe turned to see where Nick’s wife pointed, it was the open area next to his neighbor. He hid a smile. Even in church it appeared he couldn’t escape temptation.
He followed the couple to the pew. Nick motioned for his wife to go in first, but Lexi shook her head. “Let Gabe.”
Her husband looked perplexed. “I thought you’d want to sit by Michelle.”
“Oh, we can chat later.” Lexi lifted a hand in a dismissive wave. “It’s best I sit by the aisle in case Grace gets fussy.”
Gabe had been the focus of too many matchmaking efforts over the years not to recognize one. Which meant Michelle didn’t have a boyfriend. Although for the next six months his priority was settling into his new job and helping Finley acclimate to her new surroundings, he might make time for a date or two.
Acting as if it didn’t matter where he sat, Gabe slipped into the polished bench next to Michelle.
She turned from the older couple on her left. “Oh.” Her eyes widened. “Hello.”
It wasn’t quite the enthusiastic greeting he’d expected.
“Good morning,” he said politely before shifting his attention to his basketball buddy. But Nick was talking with his wife in a low tone.
“I didn’t know you went to church here,” he heard Michelle say as the organ began to play.
“This is my first time.” Gabe reached for the hymnal at the same time as she did and their hands brushed. He felt an unexpected flash of heat.
If Michelle experienced the same sensation, she gave no indication. When they rose for the opening song, he ended up sharing the hymnal with her. He didn’t mind. But he caught her glancing around as if looking for an extra book.
His own singing voice was passable, but Michelle’s was, well, simply awful. He couldn’t decide if she was tone deaf or couldn’t read music. She appeared oblivious to how bad she was, singing loudly and with much enthusiasm.
Gabe cringed as she belted out the last note of the song in a higher pitch than everyone around her.
She closed the hymnal, smiled and sighed. “I love to sing.”
“I can see that,” he said diplomatically. In an attempt to ignore the enticing scent of her floral perfume, he fixed his gaze on the pastor.
The sermon was a variation of one he’d heard a thousand times but could never hear enough. The message revolved around good arising out of the trials experienced in life. It was his and Finley’s story. An eighteen-year-old kid propelled into being a parent when he was still a boy. Giving up a football scholarship and college to be a father. Shannon walking out of their lives when Finley was only two months old. The road certainly hadn’t been easy, but his life was so much richer for having Finley in it.
After making it through a Scripture reading by a woman with a lisp and sharing the hymnal with Michelle for several more off-key renderings, Gabe’s ears rang.
After the benediction, Nick turned to him. “While the kids are in Sunday school and youth group, a bunch of us go for breakfast at The Coffee Pot. Care to join us?”
Gabe understood the importance of the invitation. He knew that if he shied away, he might not be invited to join them again. Or if he was, another invitation might be a long time coming.
He glanced at Finley who was laughing with Addie. He didn’t need to ask if she’d changed her mind about staying for youth group. The smile on her face told him the answer.
“Sure. Thanks for asking.” Even though Gabe hadn’t had a lot of time to explore the town, Jackson wasn’t that big of a community. If he knew the approximate location of the destination, he should be able to find it easily. “Where’s the café located?”
“It’s downtown.” Lexi leaned around her husband and flashed Gabe a smile. “Not far, but parking can be a problem. Why don’t you leave your vehicle here and ride with Michelle?”
“Michelle?”
“Didn’t Nick tell you? She’s coming to breakfast, too.”
* * *
Michelle saw the startled look in Gabe’s eyes when he turned. And the Cheshire-cat smile on Lexi’s lips.
“What’s going on?” When the service ended, Mr. Calhoun, the older gentleman to Michelle’s left had started telling her a story and Michelle had missed Gabe and Nick’s conversation.
“Gabe is coming to breakfast with us this morning,” Lexi said in a pleased tone. “I told him he could ride with you, because parking can be an issue and you know where it is. You don’t mind, do you?”
The café was less than a mile away, easy to find with simple instructions. And parking? While Gabe might not be able to park in front of the restaurant, he’d for sure find a space within a block of the building. Lexi knew that as well as she did. The gleam in her eyes suddenly made sense. Her friend was playing matchmaker.
Yet Michelle could hardly accuse Lexi of that in front of everyone. And she didn’t want to make Gabe feel unwanted. It wasn’t that long ago that she’d been new in town.
“You’re welcome to ride with me.” Michelle kept her tone light. Just because she didn’t want to date the guy didn’t mean she couldn’t be sociable. “If you want to, that is.”
Gabe smiled and her heart fluttered.
During the drive to the café, Gabe asked a lot of questions about her, then listened as if he was really interested in her answers.
Michelle shared how she’d wanted to be a doctor for as long as she could remember, touched on the rigors of med school and residency. Even though she mentioned she’d once been briefly married, she didn’t share any specifics about that breakup and nothing about her recent dating challenges.
By the time they entered the café, she realized he knew a whole lot about her and she knew very little about him. Of course, she already knew the most important thing...he had a teenage daughter.
After he opened the door for her, Michelle paused in the doorway. “What made you decide to move to Jackson Hole?”
But she never got an answer. Several other couples came up just then, the men recognizing and greeting Gabe, joking about some basketball game. They introduced him to their wives. By the time they reached the table and sat down, the question was forgotten.
* * *
Michelle took a seat at one end of the table. Gabe sat down across from her. Ryan Harcourt, an attorney in town, pulled out the chair next to her, his new bride, Betsy, on the other side of him. Betsy was the best friend of Adrianna Lee, the nurse-midwife in Michelle’s office. Ryan and Betsy were eagerly anticipating the birth of their first child in the fall.
“How’s the house coming?” Michelle asked Ryan. The young couple were in the process of renovating a bungalow Betsy had inherited from her great-aunt.
“It’s starting to feel like home.” Ryan glanced at his wife and she nodded. “Of course anywhere with Betsy feels like home.”
“You always say the sweetest things.” Betsy cupped his face with her hand and kissed him gently on the lips.
Out of the corner of her eye, Michelle caught Gabe staring. Before he turned away she saw something that looked almost like envy in his eyes. Apparently whatever had happened between him and his daughter’s mother hadn’t left him bitter.
Michelle didn’t have time to dwell on the matter because the waitress appeared. The older woman with wiry gray hair and garish orange lipstick moved quickly, knowing most at the table had to be back to the church in an hour to pick up their children from Sunday school.
When it came time for Michelle to order, she didn’t hesitate. “I’ll have the farmer’s breakfast.”
By the time she finished giving the waitress the specifics Gabe’s mouth was hanging open.
“Can you really eat all that yourself?” he asked with something akin to awe in his voice.
“Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.” Mi
chelle shrugged, telling herself she didn’t care what he thought. “I follow that old adage about eating like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a beggar for dinner.”
“Well, you certainly look healthy.”
The admiration in his tone made her glad she’d taken a little extra time getting ready this morning. Her cobalt-blue sleeveless dress with a beaded belt at the waist not only flattered her figure but the color also made her eyes look extra blue.
“I’ll consider that a compliment,” she said with a wry smile.
For a second she thought Gabe was going to say more, but then Nick asked him a question. He shifted his attention and she never got it back.
“Come with me to the restroom.” Lexi leaned over and whispered, then pushed back her chair and stood.
Michelle followed her around several tables to the small restroom at the back. “I’ll wait out here.”
“No.” Lexi grabbed her arm. “Come in with me.”
“It’s just a one-seater, Lex—”
“I’m just going to touch up my makeup.” Lexi opened the door and shoved her in first, then followed behind. “You can talk to me.”
Her friend was up to something. And Michelle had a feeling she knew just what it was. The first words out of Lexi’s mouth confirmed her suspicions.
“What do you think of him?” Lexi spoke in a confidential whisper even though they were the only ones in the small room.
“Is that what this is about?” Michelle rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall. “Are you trying to hook me up with Gabe Davis?”
“You have to admit he’s a hunk.” Lexi’s amber eyes sparkled.
“He’s good-looking enough, I guess,” Michelle reluctantly agreed, hoping the admission didn’t come back to haunt her. “But there’s no chemistry.”
Michelle pushed from her mind the sizzling shock she’d received less than an hour before when her hand had brushed against his across the hymnal. And all those times during the service when she had only to inhale the spicy scent of his cologne for her heart to pick up speed. Of course, glancing back at Gabe’s daughter—his teenage daughter—was all it took for her heart to return to normal rhythm.