“Good deal. Let me show you to the guest room. The bathroom you used is right across the hall so feel free to make it your own. I have an en suite, so I rarely ever use that one.”
“That must be why it’s so immaculate.” She laughed, then seemed to think better of it. “Um, not to say that the rest of what I’ve seen of your home is untidy. It’s actually really clean. But the bathroom didn’t look as if anyone ever used it. Which, hello, it’s kind of one of those places you can’t avoid—” She stopped so abruptly, he wondered if something was wrong. Then he noticed the color in her cheeks a split second before she murmured sheepishly, “Sorry, you know how I am. I tend to overexplain when I’m nervous—or sleepy. And I’m probably a bit of both, so you’re really getting hit with it.”
You know how I am. Her casual remark implied that he wasn’t the only one feeling the intimacy between them. He wondered if she was struggling with it as much as he was. He thought maybe she was. But what do we do if none of this is real? He needed to get away from her for a while until he had time to process and deal with it. He knew his sudden movement was abrupt when Sara and Trouble both jumped slightly. He almost apologized, but didn’t want to make a big deal out of the already stressful situation. Instead, he glanced back and asked, “Ready?” He saw her nod and fall into step behind him, with Trouble bringing up the rear. She’d left her suitcase outside the bathroom door, so he picked it up and moved it to the room she would be using. He flipped on the light and nearly stopped breathing when she brushed against him as she entered her temporary digs. “The remote for the television is on the bedside table. And there are some extra pillows and blankets in the top of the closet.” She ran her hand over the quilt on the bed admiringly, and he shrugged. “My family came for a visit right after I moved here, and my mom bought that. Anyway, I’m a couple of doors down, so let me know if you need anything.” He stood there for another moment as they stared at each other. If not for what happened in North Carolina, he would have at least hugged her, but now, he wasn’t in the same frame of mind. He was probably overthinking things, but he was too unsure of where he stood with her to jump right back in. “Sleep well,” he said instead, and walked away. Trouble would have normally been right on his heels, but he stayed behind. Gabe might be hesitant, but his dog had no such qualms. It was survival pure and simple. If one of them had to be brokenhearted when she left, he was determined that it wouldn’t be him again. Sorry, pal.
Chapter Nineteen
The glare of sunlight reflecting off the snow woke Sara from a sound sleep. She stretched under her warm cocoon, then squealed when something licked her face. She’d assume she imagined it if not for the moisture she felt when she wiped her cheek. She turned a few inches to see Trouble’s brown eyes staring at her from a few inches away. She wasn’t sure how she’d missed him when she opened her eyes the first time. “Well, good morning to you as well,” she mumbled.
He’d obviously had enough of her neglect, because he moved closer and rubbed his head against her shoulder in a blatant bid for attention. “Have you been here all night?” She could have sworn he nodded, but he was likely responding to her scratching him behind the ear. “You’re such a good doggy. Kaylee would love you. I’ll take a picture today and send it to her.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a pang of sadness. That’s probably a terrible idea. They’re all pissed at me.
Chris and Nicole should have returned home from vacation by now. She was surprised she hadn’t received an angry phone call yet. Or had she? She’d plugged her phone in to charge before passing out the night before, and now she reached out her hand to retrieve it. A quick glance at the screen showed a couple of messages from Chloe, but that was all. Nothing from Gabe. How foolish. Had she expected him to leave her a wake-up text as he had every morning in Iraq? Oddly enough, that was probably one of the things she missed the most after his visit. She’d come to expect those, and it had been beyond painful when they stopped. A large part of her hoped that by coming here, things would instantly go back to normal between them. But it was apparent that just because she was here, it didn’t mean he was ready to forgive and forget. After all, Chloe had cautioned her about that very thing.
She knew her cousin was at work, so she sent her a quick message letting her know she’d arrived safely and that everything was okay, although a bit tense between them. Then she pushed the cover aside for a trip to the bathroom. After that, she made her way to the kitchen. She wanted to explore his house, but coffee was the first order of business. True to his word, there was a piece of paper on the table with a number written on it. That was it. He hadn’t wished her a good day. Again, those omissions were very telling about how he felt about her now. He was still the same man, but they were basically back to the beginning. He was reserved and standoffish, and she was nervous and wary. Not the best combination, given the fact she was staying with him. Should I leave? Instinctively she knew that was the absolute worst thing she could do. Regardless of how uncomfortable it might be, if she bolted, it was over. She at least had a chance here. And if she wasn’t willing to endure some awkwardness, then what did that say about her feelings for him?
Gabe had left the coffeepot on, and she opened a couple of cabinets before finding the cups. A search yielded some half-and-half in the refrigerator and the sugar in a canister inside a cabinet. She moved to the window as she took the first sip. It looked like a winter wonderland outside. She could still see the driveway so she didn’t think any new snow had fallen. If they had this much of it at home, the state would have to shut down. But from what she could see yesterday, it didn’t really slow people here down. They couldn’t very well close all the schools and businesses for six months of the year, so it made sense that they would be diligent about keeping the roads clear.
Trouble was leaning against her side, patiently awaiting her next move. “How about we go explore, boy? I promise not to look through your master’s dresser drawers if you don’t rat me out.” She had to laugh at the expression on his furry face. It was uncanny how much his reactions went along with the things she said to him. Finding him at that rest area had been a stroke of luck for Gabe.
They started the tour in the living room. The windows made up one wall, with a rock fireplace in the middle and a staircase going up to what appeared to be a loft area. The walls looked to be made of pine that had been stained a light color. The house wasn’t huge, but the tall ceilings gave it an open and airy feel. Next, she retraced her earlier steps, only this time she walked past the guest room and glanced in the next room. A desk sat against the wall, with a laptop in the center of it. There were some pictures on the wall and she moved over to study them. They were all awards and commendations that Gabe had received in the military. God, he looks hot in that uniform. If the sheer number of certificates were any indication, he was very successful at what he did. He was a runner, so the treadmill in front of the window wasn’t unexpected.