a man,” Samantha declared. “Now Wade Johnson? He’s the kind of man to have around in a crisis.”
Gabi stiffened at the out-of-the-blue mention of the man who’d been underfoot nonstop while they were making repairs to the family restaurant, Castle’s by the Sea, after the hurricane. “Why would you bring him up?”
“Because he was around after the storm, just like Boone. And I saw the way Wade looked at you, as if he’d never seen anyone so perfect in his entire life.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Let me remind you that I said the same thing to our sister about Boone, and look at the two of them now. In a few months Emily and Boone will be married, assuming he can convince her to finally set a date. I’m good at this stuff, Gabi. I recognize heat between men and women, even when they’re both in denial.”
“Well, you’re wrong this time. Besides, don’t you think the timing is just a little off for me to be thinking about a relationship? I’m going to be having another man’s baby in a few months.”
Samantha sucked in a deep breath at the reminder. “Are you at least happy about that?” she asked hesitantly. “A baby, Gabi! That is so incredible.”
Gabi rested a hand on her belly, felt the faint stirring there. The first time she’d felt that tiny life inside her, she’d fallen in love. Being pregnant might be inconvenient. It might not have been the result of a love match. It might have cost her a job, but she already loved this baby more than anything. She’d do whatever it took to protect it and make sure it had everything it deserved...including two parents who would treasure this priceless gift when the time came.
“I’m thinking about adoption,” she admitted to Samantha, deciding to test the idea she’d mentioned to no one else.
Her words were greeted by stunned silence.
“Samantha? You still there?”
“You’d give up the baby?”
Gabi closed her eyes. “I think it’s the only way to make sure it has a good life. And, to be honest, I don’t want to be tied to Paul through this child. I don’t want to take a cent of support money from him. I don’t want anyone so selfish in this child’s life.”
“Oh, sweetie, forget Paul for the moment,” Samantha protested. “You can give this baby a good life. You can surround him or her with a whole family who’ll fall in love the instant he or she is born.”
“Babies shouldn’t start life with an out-of-work single mother,” Gabi said wearily.
“It’s not as if you’re going to be destitute. And you’ll find another job when the time comes,” Samantha insisted. “Plus, we’ll all help. Me, Emily, Grandmother, even Dad will be on board. His first grandchild? You know he’s going to be thrilled about this.”
“Is he really?” Gabi asked skeptically, sounding more like Emily than herself. Emily was the one who never gave their father credit for having deep feelings for any of them. Besides, Sam Castle had hardly noticed his own children unless they were in trouble. It seemed unlikely he’d be over the moon about a grandchild. The image of him sitting in a rocker cuddling a baby was so incongruous, it was laughable.
“Well, you don’t have to decide right this second,” Samantha said, backing off to give her breathing room. “We’ll talk about it when I see you.”
“When you see me?” Gabi asked suspiciously. “Since when are you planning a trip back down here?”
“I’m driving home tomorrow,” Samantha said, as if the trip had been scheduled for days, rather than minutes. “Meet me in Sand Castle Bay. You don’t have anything to keep you in Raleigh right now, so no arguments. You’ve already said you’re not looking for work just yet, so you might as well enjoy this unexpected time off. You need sunshine and sea breezes to put this in perspective. You know you do. You’ll see things much more clearly then.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to lay this on Grandmother just yet.”
“Be there or Emily and I will come and drag you over there bodily, if we have to,” Samantha insisted, refusing to cut her any slack.
“Emily’s there now?” Gabi asked, surprised. “I thought she was working night and day at this new job in Los Angeles.”
“She also has a wedding to plan. And she’s still after Grandmother to do a little modernizing of the decor at Castle’s. She and Boone flew in a couple of days ago. She claims she wants our opinion