A Sweet Magnolias Novel

“She’s not your responsibility,” he muttered to himself on more than one occasion when he found his thoughts straying to her panicked expression when she’d first found out her daughter was missing.

For the entire hour he’d been with her, though, she’d lost control only once when what-if calamities had crept into her head. He thought he’d done an okay job of diverting her attention before she could sink into real despair. Other than that moment, she’d shown admirable strength. After his own childhood, it had been eye-opening to see how a good mother handled things.

He was about to turn out the lights, lock up and head for Rosalina’s, when the door opened and Elliott Cruz walked in. Gabe stilled at the sight of him. He’d seen the protectiveness in the other man’s eyes earlier and couldn’t help wondering what had brought him here now. A warning to stay away, perhaps? Gabe was ready to reassure him on that point. He intended to steer clear of Adelia as much as possible for his own peace of mind.

“Elliott, right?” he asked, seizing the initiative and holding out his hand. “We didn’t really meet earlier.”

Adelia’s brother looked startled, but he shook his hand.

“What brings you by?” Gabe asked.

“I came to apologize,” Elliott told him.

The statement took Gabe by surprise. “Why?”

“Because you pitched in to help this afternoon and I came on too strong and all but attacked you when you came into the gym with my sister.”

Gabe shrugged. “You didn’t have all the facts.”

“No, I certainly didn’t,” Elliott said. “Adelia would be the first to tell you, jumping to conclusions is a bad habit of mine. In my family I was the only son with three sisters. They were all older, but I took on the role of protecting them when our father died. Sometimes I’ve been known to get carried away.”

“Seems to me they’re lucky to have someone looking out for them,” Gabe said.

“Tell them that,” Elliott replied, his expression rueful. “I don’t get half the gratitude you might expect, especially from Adelia. She’s the oldest and always thought she should be protecting me.”

“That whole dynamic is a mystery to me,” Gabe admitted. “I was an only child.”

“But you had cousins, right? I thought I heard you and Mitch are related. And there are other Franklins around town.”

“Mitch and I are cousins, but we weren’t that close growing up. I might as well tell you straight-out that I was the black sheep of the family and my mom was a pariah in the family and around town. You won’t hear a lot good said about either of us.”

Elliott frowned at that. “Black sheep?” he repeated, worry back in his expression.

“Reformed,” Gabe assured him. “I haven’t gotten into a brawl in years. Haven’t really needed to since my mom died and I stopped needing to stand up for her.”

Unhappy with himself for revealing far more about his past than he was in the habit of doing, he held Elliott’s gaze. “You’ve apologized. I’ve accepted. Anything else?”

Though Elliott looked faintly taken aback by his direct words, he didn’t look away. “Just one more thing,” he said. “I saw you at Rosalina’s the other night. I saw the way you were looking at Adelia. Saw it again earlier today, in fact.”

“Look, I don’t know what you think you saw—”

Elliott smiled. “I know what I saw,” he corrected. “I saw a man who’s hungry for a woman. It’s a look I recognize, so a word of warning. Don’t start something with my sister that you have no intention of finishing. She’s feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable these days. I don’t want her hurt again.”

“Not my intention, believe me,” Gabe said, respecting the directness, even if it made him uncomfortable to be having this conversation with a man he’d barely met. “I have plenty on my plate these days. I’m not looking for a fling and I’m certainly not in the market for anything more serious.”

“If that’s the case, then steer clear of Adelia,” Elliott said. “That’s the best way I know to avoid any misunderstandings.”

Even though it was advice he’d already been telling himself to heed, Gabe took exception to being warned off. “Look, I respect the fact that you’re only looking out for your sister, but she strikes me as a woman who’s smart enough to know her own mind. I doubt she’d appreciate you running interference for her.”

To his surprise, Elliott laughed at that. “No question about it,” he conceded. “She’d be furious, so maybe it would be best if we kept this conversation just between us.”

Gabe relaxed. Despite Elliott’s tendency to come on too strong, he had to respect his intentions. “I can do that. No reason at all for us to be crossing paths except casually. I can’t imagine the topic coming up.”

Elliott looked relieved. He hesitated, then said, “I missed dinner at home to come by here. Since you’ve obviously been working late, I’m guessing you haven’t eaten, either. Feel like grabbing a pizza at Rosalina’s?”

Since he’d been planning to head over there anyway, Gabe saw no reason to refuse the overture. He figured the cross-examination and warnings were out of the way. It might be nice to have some guy talk instead of eating all alone. Eating with Elliott would sure as heck keep his thoughts from straying to Adelia, and that had to be a good thing.

“Sure,” he said.

He finished locking up, then followed Elliott to the Italian restaurant. To ensure that the conversation stayed on less disquieting topics, he asked about Fit for Anything and Elliott’s role there.

“I’m just one of the partners,” Adelia’s brother explained, describing the agreement he’d made with several of the men in town to run the place in exchange for a share. “I’m a personal trainer there and at The Corner Spa, too.”

“Sounds like a demanding schedule,” Gabe said.

Elliott nodded. “You have no idea, especially with two stepchildren and a new baby at home. Fortunately, I’m blessed with an understanding wife who has her own career. Karen’s just been promoted to sous-chef at Sullivan’s. Between her cooking and my mother’s, believe me, I need to work out even harder than most of my clients do.”

Gabe laughed. “If I keep existing on pizza, I’ll need to add a few extra workouts into my routine, too. I tell myself I’d eat healthier if I were in my own place, but the Serenity Inn will have to do for now.”

“That’s where you’re living?” Elliott asked, sounding shocked.

“I know its reputation as a place the locals go for trysts,” Gabe said. He’d known all about that when he’d been a kid, thanks to his mom, who’d been a frequent visitor. “But it’s clean and not too expensive.”

“Are you planning to look for your own place?”

“Sooner or later,” Gabe hedged. It all depended on how long it took for him to get antsy. The instant he sensed he might be starting to put down roots, it would be time to go. That was the pattern he’d established in a half-dozen other towns across the state. His motives for coming back to Serenity might be different, but there was no reason for that particular pattern to change.

“Well, if you decide you want to look at some houses or apartments, I know a couple of good Realtors. Mary Vaughn Lewis or her daughter can probably hook you up.”

“Mary Vaughn’s still around?” Gabe asked, not sure why he was so surprised. She’d been just a little ahead of him in school. It had always seemed to him that she was ambitious enough to take off at the first opportunity. She’d had her own family demons to battle back then, though she’d handled them better than he had.

“Wait a second,” he said. “Did you say Lewis? As in Sonny Lewis, the mayor’s son? That’s who she married?”

Elliott nodded. “They divorced, but they’re back together now and have a new baby, a boy.”

Gabe shook his head. The longer he stuck around, it seemed the more surprises awaited him. It was a little worrisome that he found that intriguing.

CHAPTER FOUR

Even though she desperately wanted a morning caffeine fix, Adelia found herself avoiding Sweet Things for the next few mornings, determined to steer clear of Gabe. Involving him in her drama with Selena was one thing. She’d had little choice about that. But the attraction that was starting to simmer, for her, anyway, was a little too disconcerting for a woman who’d declared herself to be single-mindedly independent for now. She wasn’t ready to cede that stance. She might never be.

Her determination lasted quite nicely through the weekend. After a busy Saturday at the boutique, she devoted herself to spending time with the children on Sunday, finally caving in to Tomas’s pleas to go to the usual family dinner at her mother’s.

Just as she’d anticipated, it was awkward and tense from the moment they arrived. Her sisters scowled at her and looked relieved when she finally abandoned the kitchen in favor of going outside to watch the kids. Her brothers-in-law regarded her as if she were deliberately trying to shake up their orderly worlds. Only the determined cheerfulness of her mother, Elliott and Karen made the afternoon tolerable. None of the others would have dared to voice their opinions aloud in front of her mother especially. The risk of alienating the family matriarch was too great.

The children, thankfully, were unaware of most of the undercurrents as they ran boisterously through the house and played in the yard with their cousins. Watching them, she was almost able to believe life would eventually return to normal, or whatever the new normal might be.

By three, though, Adelia had had more than enough. She excused herself to go home and work on the list of repairs needed at her new house. Surrounded by welcome silence, she’d made good progress on her list by the time Elliott and Karen dropped the children off on their way home.

“I’m sorry about today. It won’t always be like that,” her brother reassured her, regarding her with worry. “Everyone will eventually get past this.”

“And stop judging me?” she asked wryly. Her annoyance kicked up a notch. “What right do they have? They know what Ernesto was doing. In fact, I suspect our sisters knew all along and never said a word.”

Elliott frowned at that. “You can’t really believe that. Why would they do such a thing? What about family loyalty?”

Adelia voiced her theory. “I’m very much afraid because they’ve been brainwashed to believe that sort of behavior is expected, just the price a woman has to pay for a certain lifestyle.”

When her brother’s expression immediately darkened, Adelia realized she’d revealed too much about her possibly unfounded suspicions. “Wipe that look right off your face,” she ordered. “And don’t go roaring over to their houses tossing around accusations. I don’t know anything. I just have a feeling in my gut.”

“Your gut feelings are usually right on the money,” he said.

“Really? I never had a single one about Ernesto, not until the end when he grew careless.”

“Only because you didn’t want to believe he’d ever treat you that way,” Elliott said. “Love sometimes makes people blind. Do you think that’s the case with—”

Adelia cut him off and tried to stare him down. “Promise me you’re not going to get in the middle of this, not between me and them nor in their marriages,” she commanded. “I mean it, Elliott. Our sisters are living their lives as they see fit. I just wish they’d show me the same courtesy.”

He sighed deeply. “I hope you’re wrong,” he said.

“I hope so, too.”

But she didn’t think she was. Of all people, she knew only too well what it was like to live with delusions just to keep the peace and hold on to a familiar lifestyle.

* * *

Adelia was well aware of Mitch’s habit of starting his day in his wife’s bakery. She also knew she couldn’t avoid the place forever, even if steering clear was the best way to give Gabe a wide berth. From the moment the bakery had opened, she’d gotten into the habit of pausing to share a cup of coffee with Mitch and Lynn before heading next door to the boutique. They’d probably make way too much of it if she stayed away too long, especially after Gabe and Mitch had pitched in to help with the search for Selena. The last thing she wanted was for any of them to think she was ungrateful.

But even as she’d reminded herself of that, she let another week pass before she mustered up the courage to return to her old routine. She had work to discuss with Mitch, she reminded herself. That alone was the perfect excuse, if she needed one, to stop by the bakery.

She’d stayed up late the night before fine-tuning the list of projects needed to fix up the house. She needed to get cost estimates and then prioritize those that were essential and those that could wait. The list was a whole lot longer than she’d anticipated. It seemed that history and architectural character came with a host of problems.

Thankfully, when Raylene had promoted her to manager of the boutique she’d given her a nice raise to go along with it. That extra money would allow her to do at least some of these improvements without dipping into her nest egg from the divorce. Adelia was still a little shocked by her promotion. Sure, she’d gotten a business degree in college, but for years the only “jobs” she’d held outside her home had been on the numerous school committees she’d chaired. Raylene had taken a chance on her, and she claimed she’d more than proved herself. Adelia seemed to have an innate sense of fashion and an ability to help customers make choices that flattered them. Sales had skyrocketed in the months after she was first hired.

“To be honest, I’m a little nervous about how I’ll handle the whole parenthood thing,” Raylene had claimed after the first trimester of her pregnancy when she’d offered Adelia the promotion.

“But you’ve been raising Carter’s sisters with him, practically since their parents died in the car crash,” Adelia had protested. “You’ve been great with them and they adore you.”

“They’re teenagers,” Raylene had replied, as if that had made her role easier. “I have no idea what to expect with a baby. You’re practically running this place for me already, so you deserve the title and the raise that goes with it. You’ll still get your commission, too, since you’re the best saleswoman I’ve ever seen. All those lookers who used to leave without buying now can’t get out the door without being loaded down with bags.”

Adelia had hardly been in a position to turn her down, even though the responsibility had been a little terrifying. Now she was more than grateful for yet another chance to prove to Raylene, but even more importantly to herself, just how capable she was.

It was ironic, really, she thought on her walk into downtown bright and early on Saturday morning. She was a mature woman with an increasingly responsible job. She had a head full of ideas to prove that Raylene’s faith in her hadn’t been misplaced. She was a good mother, at least according to most assessments. If those things were true, how ridiculous was it that she was scared of a man she’d just met simply because she found him attractive?

Mitch was attractive, for heaven’s sake, and he didn’t scare her. Neither did any of the other men she knew in Serenity.

Because they were all safely married, she concluded with a sigh. Gabe, it appeared, was not.

Outside Sweet Things, she sucked in a deep breath and wiped her sweaty palms on a tissue. Today was as good a day as any to get back into her preferred routine. That it was a Saturday, a day she was less likely to encounter Gabe, was not the reason for her sudden bravery, she assured herself.

As she entered the bakery, she reminded herself that she was here to have a business discussion with a man she’d known for years. Mitch wasn’t the terrifying Franklin, after all. That was Gabe, and he frightened her only because of how easily he disconcerted her.

After the pep talk she’d been giving herself, she was actually stunned and a little disappointed to find Mitch all alone at his usual table, sipping a cup of coffee and studying a blueprint. He glanced up and smiled.

“There you are. Lynn and I have been wondering where you’ve been. You’ve been MIA for a while now.”

“Just getting settled in the new house,” she claimed. “I’m glad you’re here, though.” She reached in her purse and withdrew several yellow sheets torn from a legal pad. “I have a list of renovation projects I wanted to discuss with you, that is, if you’re not too swamped with your Main Street redevelopment these days.”

“I’m never too swamped to tackle a job for a friend,” he said. “Have a seat. I’ll get you some coffee. Lynn’s in the back cussing away at some pie dough or something. The woman may make the best pastry in two states on a bad day, but she’s a perfectionist.”

“Ah, but that’s why she has such an incredible reputation,” Adelia said, joining him at the table, which had been covered with a blue-checked cloth. He’d pushed aside a Mason jar filled with fresh daisies that added a cheerful, homey touch. “This place has been a success since the day she opened. Thank goodness, Raylene and all those Sweet Magnolias ganged up on her and convinced her this was something she could do.”

Mitch laughed as he poured her a cup of coffee. “They’re a sneaky bunch, all right.”

Adelia regarded him with amusement. “You did your own share of fast-talking, the way I understand it. Isn’t that how you wound up buying up all these vacant storefronts with Raylene? Wasn’t this downtown revitalization actually part of your plot to lure Lynn into opening a bakery and becoming a tenant?” She laughed at his guilty expression. “Just as I thought.”

“It was a sound business decision,” Mitch declared, setting the coffee in front of her. “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

Just then the door opened and Gabe walked in. He was halfway through apologizing to Mitch for his tardiness when he noticed Adelia. A smile broke across his face, one that revealed dimples. They only added to his allure as a bit of a scoundrel.

“Hey, darlin’. Where have you been hiding?” he asked her.

Adelia blushed, flustered not only by his teasing, but because he’d taken note of her absence. “I’ve been right next door,” she told him. “Every day, same as usual.”

Mitch apparently noticed her reaction because he stepped in. “Adelia just bought one of those old houses in Swan Point,” he told Gabe.

“I saw it,” Gabe reminded him. “When we were looking for her daughter.”

“Of course,” Mitch said. “I doubt you had much of a chance to take a look around that day. She’s brought me a list of a few things she wants to have done.”

Gabe caught sight of the pages of notes and sketches and chuckled. “From the looks of that list, you sure you wouldn’t be better off tearing it down and starting over? It might be cheaper.”

“But then it wouldn’t have any character,” she protested defensively. “I love the house. It just has a few age-related flaws, the same as most people.” She studied him with narrowed eyes. “Or are you one of those who thinks anything past a certain age should be tossed away?”

Gabe held up both hands. “Hey, that was a comment based on financial considerations, not age.”

His glance skimmed over her, deliberately lingering until she flushed. “Some things improve with age,” he commented appreciatively.

Adelia wished she could grab her coffee and run, but she knew that would be far too revealing. She concluded the really courageous thing to do would be to stay put. She took a sip of coffee, instead, to steady her nerves.

“Let me see,” Gabe said, taking her list from his cousin. He got to page two and frowned. “Didn’t you have the roof inspected?”

“Of course I did,” she said impatiently.

“And you knew it was leaking?”

“Yes, and I got a very nice credit for that, thank you very much. Now, though, I need to get it repaired. I’ve run out of pots and pans to put under the leaks.” She turned to Mitch. “That probably should be at the top of the list.”

“No doubt about it,” Mitch agreed, then unexpectedly stood up. “Gabe, you can handle this, right? I want to check on those reinforcing beams going in down the block.”

Adelia stared at him. “But I thought you’d be doing this,” she said, then winced. “Sorry, Gabe. No offense.”

He grinned, clearly aware of exactly why she looked so rattled. “None taken.”

Mitch gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You’re in good hands. Gabe has plenty of experience, some of it in historic renovations, as a matter of fact. He knows what he’s doing, probably even better than I do. If you have any questions after he gives you an estimate, we’ll talk about them. How’s that?”

“Fine,” she said, though she couldn’t seem to hide her reluctance.

After Mitch had gone, she glanced warily toward Gabe. He was leaning back in his seat, the chair on two legs. His own denim-clad legs were stretched out in front of him. While the posture was relaxed, she sensed a coiled tension just beneath the surface.

“If you’re not okay with this, just say the word,” he said quietly.

“Of course I’m okay with it,” she said irritably. “Mitch says you’re more than qualified and I trust his judgment.”

A wicked gleam sparked in his eyes. “Then it’s me personally you’re not so sure about. I promise you I’m harmless.”

Adelia didn’t believe that for a single second, not with her heart pounding like a jackhammer. But maybe that was her problem, not his. It wasn’t as if he’d made a blatant pass at her. And despite her impression that he was single, maybe she’d been wrong about that. Maybe he was happily married. Married would be good.

“Are you married, Gabe?”

As if he’d followed her train of thought, he laughed. “Nope. Free as a bird. You?”

“Divorced,” she admitted. “Recently divorced.”

“As in not interested in taking another chance on love anytime soon,” he concluded. “Duly warned.”

Though his tone was solemn, the wicked spark in his eyes was anything but reassuring. He was going to be trouble, she concluded with a sigh. No question about it.

* * *

“How’d things go with Adelia this morning?” Mitch asked Gabe at the end of the day.

“I make her nervous,” Gabe admitted.

Mitch frowned at that. “How so?”

“She’s a beautiful woman. I can’t seem to stop myself from a little harmless flirting. I get the impression she’s not used to that.”

“She’s just getting out of a bad marriage,” Mitch told him.

“So I’ve heard. The guy was a cheater. I imagine that left her with some issues.”

“The cheating was certainly bad enough,” Mitch confirmed. “But he paraded his mistresses openly around town. The last one lived right in his neighborhood. Even his daughter knew about her. I think that’s what nobody in town will ever be able to excuse, the way he disrespected Adelia so openly in front of one of his kids.”

Gabe frowned at that. “You’ve got to be kidding me. What kind of lowlife does something like that?”

“Ernesto apparently thought his marriage vows only extended to providing well for his family, not to fidelity. The way I hear it, he thought he was entitled to play around, that it was part of the deal in exchange for the nice house and lots of spending money.”

“That explains why she’s now living in a house with a leaking roof,” Gabe guessed.

“More than likely. She’s a smart woman. She’s just discovering that she can make it on her own. Independence is real important to her right now.” His expression turned thoughtful. “She reminds me of Lynn in that way. I wanted to rush in about a million times to make things easier for her while she was divorcing Ed Morrow, but she needed to figure things out for herself, to prove that she was strong enough to do right by her kids. Much as it killed me to sit idly by while she struggled, letting her get back on her feet on her own was the right thing to do. She didn’t need a knight in shining armor. She needed a partner, someone who’d treat her like a woman with a lot to offer.”

“I suppose you think that’s the strategy for winning Adelia, too,” Gabe said.