by Olivia Miles
“You changed my mind about that.” Doug lifted an eyebrow.
Gabby flushed with pleasure. “Glad to know I could be of service.”
“Actually, the help I need today is more of a personal nature.”
Candy visibly gasped and then scurried to the door. “That is most definitely my cue! Gabby I will call you later to discuss…well, you know.”
Yes, Gabby did know, and she was nearly certain it had nothing to do with Candy’s flowers or even Jackson Bradford. She shook her head as the door closed behind Candy, who was already pulling her phone from her bag and punching at the screen as she scurried down Main Street, not even bothering to open her umbrella.
Doug’s grin was wicked as he walked to the counter and leaned into it.
Gabby folded her arms over her chest and tipped her head. “Thanks for that. In case you didn’t notice, she has been trying to set me up for weeks now that she already has all of her step-daughters settled down.”
“Maybe now she’ll stop,” Doug pointed out.
Gabby considered this. “Maybe,” she said with reluctance, even though it was likely true. A single, attractive attorney had moved back to Blue Harbor. What more was there for Candy to say? On paper, he looked perfect. But Gabby knew the real Doug…At least, she thought with a start, she’d once thought she did.
“I’m here to see if you have plans this Saturday night.”
Gabby blinked at him as her chest began to pound, wondering if she was hearing him correctly, if she hadn’t misread their time together, if there really had been a moment on the dance floor when things shifted from an excuse to something they wanted—maybe even enjoyed.
She wondered if he was asking her on a date.
She opened her mouth and then closed it, unsure of what to say, or what she wanted to say. It was the Cherry Festival weekend; she had a solid excuse. Once upon a time, it would have been so easy. Clear cut. Black and white. The man had driven her absolutely crazy! But now… Now she had seen that there might be more to Doug than she’d first noticed.
She decided to keep things vague and friendly, because more and more, he was starting to feel like a friend. One she looked forward to seeing. One she saw a lot of, too.
“For once, I do not have a wedding to attend. Possibly my only wedding-free weekend until September.”
He winced dramatically. “Unless you’re willing to accompany me as my plus one?”
Her mouth was dry. Was this a date? What did he even mean? He’d made his stance on marriage and love as clear as the night sky. What could he possibly want from her as his plus one?
“My mom put me down with her friend’s daughter,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “Lanie Thompson.”
Gabby felt her breath exhale. So it was a friendly favor then. Nothing more than that. She didn’t know why she struggled to smile. Really, she should be relieved.
“Ah, you need a wingman, then.” She knew Lanie, of course. She was attractive, a successful real estate agent, and, like Gabby, single. “Last I checked, Lanie didn’t own hamsters.”
Doug laughed and shook his head. “I don’t want my mother thinking something might happen between us, because it won’t.”
She was quiet for a moment, even though a strange part of her was relieved. Many men would find the idea of a date with Lanie to be a nice way to spend the evening. “You certainly are closed off to the idea of love. Won’t even give the poor girl a chance!”
He shrugged. “I’d like to say that I’m sparing her disappointment by sending the wrong message.”
Gabby nodded. Perhaps it was noble of him, or perhaps it was just cynical. Either way, she should heed the advice.
“Let’s just say that if you think the woman in your shop just now was pushy, she was downright tame compared to the tricks my mother is playing.”
Gabby started to laugh. “Well, in that case…”
“What do you say? I know it’s a big ask.”
Gabby thought of the plans she had for this Saturday, or rather lack of plans altogether. In past years, her sisters and cousins had gathered together at the annual Cherry Festival, but this year, with so many of them now paired off, it wouldn’t be the same. Britt would be busy running the event with Robbie, and Amelia would be selling food alongside Maddie, but this time likely with the assistance of their boyfriends Matt and Cole. Even Cora had a new man in her life, and she couldn’t stop talking about showing his daughter all the wonders of the festival. Gabby had asked Jenna her plans in the hopes of pairing up together, but Jenna was busy with a summer music camp rehearsal, and her Clark cousins had bailed too. Brooke had a poetry club meeting, which Gabby was invited to, of course, not that Gabby was interested. Heidi was going on a date with a man she’d met online from a neighboring town, and Natalie couldn’t find a babysitter but said Gabby was welcome to stop by her house for some drinks instead.
Then she thought of Candy’s upcoming wedding, how the singles table would be filled with her cousins, possibly no longer even including Heidi, if her date this Saturday went well. There was little doubt in Gabby’s mind that Candy would find a way to accommodate an extra seat and place setting for any date that any of the single ladies in the family would find at the last minute. Given that Jackson would also be at the singles table, she’d likely have to field suggestive comments and glances from Candy at every turn. Considering that Jackson and Gabby were friends, that would be fine, if it weren’t for the fact that she knew Candy would think she had triumphed, and that love was about to bloom.
The only thing blooming in Gabby’s life these days were the flowers in the shop. And maybe, a friendship with Doug Monroe. It had been a long time—if ever—since she’d had such a steady male companion before, and for once, it was nice not to expect more to come from it, but rather to just enjoy his company, because that’s what she was doing, she realized with a start. She actually enjoyed spending time with him.
“On one condition,” Gabby said before she had a chance to consider the ramifications of her words. “You be my plus one to Candy’s wedding the following Saturday.”
“A family wedding?” He looked at her with such suspicion that Gabby pinched her lips, bracing herself to be put on trial, something that he had mastered at a young age.
“The worst kind,” she said. “Everyone there has a vested interest in seeing me matched up. And they don’t understand the kind of guy I’m looking for.”
“And what kind of guy is that?” Doug asked, his voice gruff, as his eyes held hers with such interest that she eventually had to look away.
She straightened the stack of gift cards on the counter and lifted her chin a notch. “Someone attractive, at least to me. Someone kind and warm and funny. Someone who has my back and stands at my side. Someone who has passion, and interests, but makes me a priority too. Someone who is just as happy to spend a quiet night together at home as they are taking an exciting vacation. Someone who values family and this community, because I love Blue Harbor and I don’t think I could ever leave. Someone who knows me and loves me for who I am, faults and all. Oh, and someone who remembers the little details. Someone who brings me my favorite flower, not because it’s a holiday or birthday, but…just because.”
He stared at her for an unsettling amount of time and then nodded and pulled in a breath. “Well, it sounds like you know exactly what you want. But then, you always were someone with strong opinions.”
She snorted. “If that isn’t the pot…”
He grinned. “Hey, we have a lot in common, including a need to get some matchmakers off our backs. So, do we have an agreement?”
He extended his hand, and she wavered for just a minute before taking it in her own. It was warm and smooth and solid, and a bolt of excitement shot up her spine.
She shook it with force, as she would in any business arrangement.
“It’s a deal,” she said.
He grinned at her as he pulled away. “You know, we’re a lot better when we’re on
the same side. Some might even say a force to be reckoned with.”
Gabby sighed as she watched him exit through her door and disappear down the sidewalk. It was true that she and Doug were turning out to be on the same side for many things…
Except when it came to their opinions on love and romance.
Doug’s office was a few blocks up the street and just off Main, and the sky opened up as he pushed open the door, shuttering the loud clap of thunder.
He propped his umbrella near the coatrack and nodded to his receptionist, a nice woman named Sherry who was, like so many others, a friend of his mother who was all too happy to pick up the work since her husband had passed away last year.
“Any calls while I was gone?”
Sherry shook her head. “Your two o’clock should be here soon.”
Doug nodded and gathered up the mail from the basket on her desk, pausing when he caught Sherry’s watchful stare.
“Is everything okay, Sherry?” he asked.
“I was just going to ask you that.”
“Me?” He looked at her quizzically.
“You look so…happy. Excuse me for saying this, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you quite so cheerful.”
Doug didn’t take the bait. He was wise enough to know that his mother had no doubt asked Sherry to do a little digging about Doug’s personal life, to keep her ears open for any incoming calls from eligible women, that sort of thing.
“Huh. Must be the weather,” he said with a grin as a flash of lightning made Sherry jump in her seat.
He managed not to chuckle as he walked back into his private office and settled in his chair. Did he seem happier? In truth, he felt happier. He’d kept to himself for so long that he’d forgotten how much more energized became when he got out a little and socialized.
Doug the downer. Strange that a nickname from high school could still make him frown even after all these years. Apparently, keeping his head in the books had managed to catch some people’s attention anyway, even if it wasn’t those that he’d hoped.
He made a mental note to take his brother up on his offer the next time Justin stopped by. Socializing was good for him, but making a habit of socializing too much with Gabby Conway was another.
He’d heard what she said, what she was looking for, and he…he couldn’t promise any of those things, even if a strange part of him wanted to rise to the challenge.
Pushing away that thought, he tended to his emails, focusing on the one thing in his life he used to be able to control—work.
A short while later, Sherry tapped on his door. “Your client is here.”
He pushed back his chair, standing to shake the hand of a woman who was probably only a few years older than he was. Pretty, with shoulder-length blond hair and sad blue eyes.
He saw Sherry give her the once-over, clearly assessing her potential in case it was worth reporting back to his mother. Her eyes darted away when she realized she’d been caught.
“Tea or coffee?” she asked, her cheeks flushing.
The woman held up a hand. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“That will be all, Sherry,” Doug said, watching patiently as his assistant reluctantly closed the door, all the way, and only after she was sure that he was still watching. A moment later he saw a red light flash on line one—no doubt Sherry was already phoning his mother with the scoop.
The client, luckily, didn’t seem to pick up on this lack of professionalism and instead gave him a wary smile. “Thank you for agreeing to meet me. I…I’ve never done something like this before. I can’t even believe I’m here.”
This wasn’t the first time Doug heard this. He glanced at his original correspondence with her. Married ten years. Two kids. Both seeking custody. He groaned internally.
“Please, make yourself comfortable.” Once they were seated, he asked her for more details, noticing the sadness in her eyes as she explained the reason for divorce, or rather, lack thereof.
“Both of us are dedicated to the kids. But more and more, it’s like we’re two parents, rather than a married couple. It’s not easy to find time for romance, and well, it caught up with us. It’s like we’re coworkers. We’re not getting any younger, and I’m not sure I believe it will ever get any better, or that we can ever get back to the way it used to be.” Her eyes welled with tears and he handed her a box of tissues he kept on his desk.
“Have you sought counseling?” He felt nearly as surprised at himself as the woman looked.
“Here I thought you’d just draw up the papers and get right to it!”
“I could. But I don’t think that’s what you want. And there’s no rush.” He could sense her hesitation, sense the feeling of hope that seemed to linger within her, despite the tears that she brushed away.
She nodded. “I’m almost afraid of more disappointment. That must sound cowardly.” She gave him a watery smile.
He frowned at her. “It doesn’t at all. You’re protecting yourself. I understand.”
More than she knew. Only unlike this woman, who eventually made it clear that if her husband was willing to try, she wanted their marriage to work out, Doug wasn’t sure what he wanted anymore.
Or if protecting his heart at all costs was worth the price of loneliness.
Chapter Ten
Gabby stood outside her building on Saturday evening, staring down Main Street, only now realizing that she wasn’t even sure what kind of car Doug drove, much less the color. But then, there was a lot about him that she didn’t know—more than she thought. And what she had started to learn made her like him. And that…well, that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
She adjusted the heel of her strappy shoes and then smoothed down the skirt of her outfit, a dusty blue cotton lace dress that was too restrictive for the weddings where she was setting up flowers, but tonight she wouldn’t have to worry about that. Tonight, she was just there to have fun. To be a wingman. A distraction.
Nothing more, she reminded herself.
Just when she was about to drop to a bench and kick off her heels, a black sedan with tinted windows came sliding down the street. She didn’t need to wait for the window to roll down to know that it was Doug—the license plate made it very clear. So clear in fact that she knew she needed to get any remaining thoughts of last Saturday’s dance out of her head for good. It had been a near miss. An indiscretion. A major lapse in judgment.
She bent down and glared at Doug through the open window. “Easy divorce?”
His grin made it nearly impossible to stay mad at him for long, even if years ago that grin did nothing but make her do just that. Once, she’d found it arrogant, smug even. Now she realized that Doug had a sense of humor, and getting a rise out of her was part of it.
“It was obvious? I wasn’t sure from the lettering,” he said.
She rolled her eyes but resisted the grin that was tugging at her mouth as she opened the door and slid onto the smooth leather seat. “Oh, it was obvious.” Glaring, really. A reminder that she needed to get her emotions in check and pronto. This man was just as much trouble as Jackson Bradford, possibly worse. And just like Jackson, he would remain a friend.
An attractive friend, she thought, quickly raking her eyes over him. So he filled out a suit nicely. Plenty of men did.
He shrugged. “You’re a business owner. It’s marketing.”
“It’s crass,” she replied, clicking her seat belt in place. She gave him a scolding look, but his gaze had already drifted to her legs. Stiffening, she set her handbag on her lap. Her pulse began to race.
“So…how is business?” Not that she particularly wanted to know about all the broken hearts in town, but it was conversation, and this was a little awkward, sitting here in his car, while he merged with the steady but light flow of traffic and began to move down the familiar streets that she had walked and biked a thousand times, even if now they felt a little different. She hadn’t been in a car with a man in…too long to admit. It felt exciting.
And that was something that she really couldn’t afford to feel. Not with a man who had chosen a license plate like that, even if it was probably just in jest.
“It will take time to build my practice up,” he said.
“Not enough people falling out of love?” She met his sidelong glance and managed to suppress a grin.
“Believe it or not, I’m trying to help people.” He glanced at her, and despite her reservation, she shrugged.
“But to answer your question, I’m branching out into other towns. Blue Harbor is small. There are only so many people who could ever require my services.”
She nodded, understanding the need to expand the scope of marketing. “Several of my customers come from Pine Falls, especially for big events. But the deliveries for everyday celebrations are usually people in Blue Harbor.”
“Any idea who is doing the flowers for tonight’s wedding?” he asked.
“No, but I’ll admit I’m curious. Almost as curious to know how it is you managed to get a plus one so close to the wedding. The bride and groom don’t mind?”
He gave her a little wince. “They didn’t do a table chart.”
She gasped, unsure what was more horrifying, that guests would be left to sit wherever they could find a chair or that she was essentially crashing the party.
“Please tell me you told them I was coming.” Her next sentence would be to tell him to turn the car around, or to let her out at the corner. She could walk back.
He laughed then, a long and throaty laugh that made her start to snicker, even though she didn’t see what was so funny.
“Oh, you should have seen the look on your face!” He wiped his eyes at the next intersection, still chuckling.
Her gaze hooded. “I see that weddings and marriage are all fun and games to you.”
He made a big show of sobering his expression. “And they are clearly serious business to you!” He shook his head. “Aren’t weddings supposed to be fun?”