“It’s fine.” She touched his face and smiled. “Let us take care of everything, with her input of course.”
“She might not let you,” Gabriel pointed out.
His dad chuckled. “When has that stopped your mother?”
Gabriel stood. “I’ll let you know how it goes first, before you start planning.”
“Of course,” his mother said smoothly. “Then we can get started.”
Smiling, Gabriel shook his head. “Thank you.”
“It’s what family does,” his dad said softly.
Summer kept quiet as long as she could before she finally blurted, “What did you and Gabriel talk about at lunch today?”
Jemma Leigh took a sip of her coffee, her eyes sparkling. “A little of this and a lot of that.”
Summer sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, and trying her best to pin Jemma Leigh with a dirty look, but she couldn’t keep it for long.
She and Jemma Leigh had made it a habit to meet each other at Muffin Top’s at least twice a week. At the rate they were eating muffins, Summer might have to buy an entirely new wardrobe in a larger size. To compensate, she took long walks, ate light lunches, and had her standard bowl of cereal for supper—unless Gabriel took her out on a date.
“You can stare at me until there’s a hole in my head, but I’m not saying anything.”
“At least tell me if it was a good thing or a bad thing.”
Jemma Leigh grinned. “That all depends on you, sugar.”
“I got your sugar,” Summer muttered as Jemma Leigh waved at a group of women. Every single one of them waved back. Was there anyone is this town she didn’t know? Then again, Jemma Leigh’s mother was the former mayor of Holland Springs, so it was probably her job to know who people were.
“I’ll be coming by tomorrow evening to get you ready. I’m thinking pearls and—”
“You don’t have to fuss over me like you do,” Summer said, thinking of all the time Jemma Leigh had spent away from her family to help her. All the times she and Jemma Leigh would talk and laugh… Okay, so Jemma Leigh did most of the talking and laughing, but, for once, Summer felt like she was part of a group, even if their group was only a duo.
“It’s fun, and you’re such a good listener, though I wish you would talk more, but like sister like sister, I guess,” Jemma Leigh sighed.
“You and Rose are really good friends?” Was she a substitute for Rose? Summer didn’t want to be a substitute for anyone. It was bad enough she had convinced Gabriel to marry her, when he should marry for love and to someone who deserved a man like him.
“Well, I wouldn’t call us really good friends. The only person Rose opens up to is Alexander, but since he’s her husband, I can’t be put out by that. You probably won’t believe me, but when I was growing up, I used to envy you Holland sisters.”
Summer’s mouth dropped open, even as she kept a firm grip on her coffee cup. She absolutely couldn’t believe that. “Envy us?”
Jemma Leigh waved a hand in the air. “Three sisters, always hanging out with each other, always leaning on each other… I’m an only child, and I was in awe. The three of you were like your own little clique, and gorgeous to boot. I wanted to be a part of that.” She gave Summer a shy smile. “Sorry it took me so long to try to be your friend.”
Would the people of Holland Springs ever quit surprising her? Besides, Summer had grown fond of Jemma Leigh. She acted like an older sister, looking after her like she did, and always waiting with her for Gabriel to pick her up. It was like she actually cared about Summer’s feelings.
Summer tentatively reach out her hand and covered Jemma Leigh’s. The woman’s eyes rounded a little, and Summer could have sworn that tears glistened in them. From now on, she would be a true friend to Jemma Leigh, instead of merely putting up with her, or at least telling herself that she was putting up with her.
“Better late than never, right?” Summer said with a smile.
Jemma Leigh smiled right back at her. “Darn right.”
Chapter Eighteen
The next evening, Gabriel brought her to his house, like he had promised, but he didn’t take her inside. Instead, he led her to the back, to where his view of the Pamlico Sound was best.
Water lapped at the edges of the small beach, fireflies danced in the yard, and the heady scent of gardenias swirled around her. Stars were starting to twinkle in the sky.
“Do you remember this place?”
She turned this way and that, taking in the large backyard, the massive live oaks, and the Low Country-styled house.
“It looks a little familiar, but no.” She gave him an apologetic grin. “Sorry.”
He turned her to the right, pointing at the forest. “We built our teepee over there.”
Summer gasped. “You bought the Simmons’ place?” She and Gabriel had spent so much time here as children, year after year, until he’d given Summer her first kiss. Then, things had started to change between them.
“I had to.”
Summer slipped her hand in his. “You had to?”
“Yes,” he answered simply, and it was then she remembered.
This had been the house of her dreams. Before Gabriel had moved to Holland Springs, a family had lived in that house, a mom, dad, and three kids—all boys. Curious, she would watch them, laughing at their antics and smiling wistfully at the parents who loved them.
Eventually, they moved away and the house became rundown, but she hadn’t stopped coming here. At least, not until the first time she ran away from Holland Springs, with a pocket full of cash and a stolen car, payment from Patrick Johnson’s father when he’d caught his son with her.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t structurally sound, so I had to spend a lot of time and money having it shored up and redesigned, but it was worth it,” he said, unaware of her less-than-happy thoughts. “I wasn’t even able to move in, until a month ago.”
“Still living out of boxes?” she asked, trying to push them away, but not quick enough to escape Gabriel’s notice.
“Why are you so sad right now?”
“Memories.”
He exhaled, and then pulled something out of his pocket. “I hoped by bringing you here would make you happy, and be something we could tell our kids about in the future.” He opened his hand. A ring with a single diamond lay in the center of his palm. She didn’t know enough about jewelry, except to think that it was pretty and she didn’t deserve it.
“Jemma Leigh gave us her blessing,” he added.
Her heart stuttered. “It’s just a marriage of convenience,” she said without thinking.
“It’s more than that, and you know it.” He slipped the ring on her finger. “Marry me, Summer Holland and make me the ha—”
She kissed him before he could say happy, because she couldn’t bear to hear the word. There was no way she’d ever make him happy, at least not permanently. But she could offer him moments of happiness, moments of pleasure that would make him not regret helping her.
He stood there, not kissing her back.
For a moment, she was worried that she’d done the wrong things, but then his arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. His mouth fastened to hers, tongue slipping inside to touch hers.
She ran her hands down his back, slipping them under the hem of his polo shirt and gliding up the hard planes.
He groaned in pleasure. She’d heard the sound often enough to recognize it. Lightly, she let her nails rake the skin, and he murmured her name. He tore his mouth away from hers, kissing up the side of her neck.
“I want to take you inside so badly,” he whispered.
She let her head fall to one side to give him better access. “No one’s stopping you.”