Page 85 of Coming Home to Wishington Bay
‘That’s just the last of the bruising. It doesn’t hurt.’
‘Good.’ I sighed, settling back into the squishy comfort of the sofa alongside him. We sat in silence for a while, feeling comfortable with no need to fill it. A short while later, Bryan came wandering in from the patio where he’d been catching the last of the day’s rays. Padding up to the sofa, he hauled himself up and made a little nest for himself in the tiny gap between mine and Gabe’s thighs. Within minutes, he was snoozing, the softest of snores emanating from his little body. I smiled as Gabe rested his hand on Bryan’s head and gently rubbed his thumb back and forth over the silky fur.
‘Remember that night a while ago when I’d had a crappy day and you cooked for me? I mean, the first time?’
‘Yes.’
‘We’d lost a little girl. Amelia.’
‘Gabe, I’m so sorry.’ I wrapped my hands around his arm and gave a gentle squeeze, not really knowing what else to say or do. He laid his own hand over mine, almost covering them, the touch warm, the feeling natural.
‘She had leukaemia and had just turned eight.’
I remained silent.
‘It’s always shitty when you lose someone. Even when you know it’s coming; but some hit harder than others. My little sister was eight when she died of the same thing.’
‘Oh, Gabe.’ My voice was a whisper as I rested my head on his shoulder, my heart breaking for this man and his family, as well as a family I knew nothing about who had lost their own little girl. His hand closed a little tighter around mine.
‘I knew we couldn’t save her. We’d done everything we could but none of that makes any difference when it comes to it. It was the same for Kayla. They did everything too but …’ I raised my eyes to meet his sad gaze. ‘It didn’t work.’ His voice was raw, the pain of this family’s loss echoing his own and the frustration that he hadn’t been able to save the little girl. Perhaps a frustration that he hadn’t been able to save either of them.
I sat up, and lifted Bryan onto my lap, receiving a little groan of discontent for disturbing him. Then I twisted on the sofa and leant in, wrapping my arms around Gabe’s broad chest.
‘I know this probably doesn’t help and can’t fix anything but I don’t know what else to do.’
In response, Gabe wrapped his own arms around me. ‘It helps much more than you know,’ he replied, softly, resting his chin on the top of my head. ‘Thank you.’
I tightened my squeeze momentarily in reply and we sat there, wound together, listening to the waves washing the beach as the room darkened around us.
* * *
‘Morning.’
‘Morning.’ I smiled, looking up from where I was kneeling on the deck. I was pleased to see the pain in Gabe’s eyes, showing so clearly last night, had now faded as had some more of the bruising.
‘Up early?’ Gabe asked, peering around me.
‘Yes, couldn’t sleep.’ No need to tell him it was because I’d spent far too much time thinking about how nice it had felt, sat there with Gabe, how natural. How I’d been glad to comfort him and feel appreciated in return. And how every moment I spent with my pretend boyfriend was so much more enjoyable than any I’d spent with men I’d dated for real.
‘Any reason?’
I shook my head, keeping my face turned away in case he read anything into it. ‘One of those things, I think.’
‘Are those the bits we bought last weekend?’
I sat back, letting him see now that I’d finished them. Having woken early, I’d given the last coat of paint to the bookshelf and it was drying in the shade.
‘Yes. That one’s still drying but with this warmth, I don’t think it will be long.’
‘Holly, these are amazing!’ Gabe was peering at the pieces, opening the drawers on the dresser, drawers that now slid easily instead of in stiff jerks after I remembered a little trick my dad had used years ago on Gigi’s vanity unit. ‘I can’t even believe these are the same things!’
‘I promise they are,’ I replied, laughing.
‘And you’ve done them so quick. I thought it would be a few weeks yet.’
‘I was excited to get started really. Plus, I’m procrastinating over clearing out upstairs so they were a good distraction.’
Gabe rested back against the railing. ‘I wish you’d let someone help you with that.’
