‘Hooray for your mum.’ Roxie really hoped she’d withheld conjugal rights and everything.
‘She insisted Dad and I get together. I told him what I was going to do with my life and if he wanted to be a part of it, he had to accept it.’
Take-no-prisoners Gabe—the man was tough—but then it seemed he’d had to be to get free. That was something she could understand. And admire. ‘And he did?’
‘Eventually.’
Wow. Roxie knew how conflict within families could change people. That lack of support must have affected him—and his ability to trust.
‘What about your sister? Did your dad have some grand plan for her too?’
‘Well, here’s the ironic thing—she loves farming. But she’s a girl.’
‘Don’t tell me girls can’t be farmers?’ Roxie caught on quick.
‘Never. No such thing as a lady farmer,’ he joked.
Roxie felt as bad for his sister as she had for Gabe. It was only circumstance that had held Roxie back from doing all she’d wanted to—her grandparents’ health, but they’d been supportive and caring in every other way possible. They’d always believed in her, in fact she’d downplayed her disappointment at having to stop dance lessons so as not to distress them. ‘That’s just crazy.’
‘Isn’t it?’ He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. A couple of drops still remained just below his lip. Roxie wanted to kiss them away.
‘So there was the guy wanting an heir to take over the place and he had one chomping at the bit and he couldn’t even see it,’ Gabe continued. ‘I told her to get out of there and do her thing and I’d back her up.’
Roxie felt a bit sorry for his mum now. Must have been hard having both her kids feeling as if they had toescape.
‘My sister, the natural-born farmer, did an agriculture degree. Won top honors of her year. You should have seen Dad at her graduation. So now they’re working together on the farms and everybody’s happy and the big bust-up is all in the past and done with.’
Was it? Roxie heard that slight edge in his voice and knew she was right—wounds like that left scars. ‘But it was worth it?’
‘No one was telling me what to do with my own life. I won’t be hemmed in,’ he said firmly. ‘And I guess it’s why I like working with the team, helping those guys achieve their ambition. Everybody should be free to chase their own dreams.’ He shot her a suddenly embarrassed look. ‘That’s really cheesy, isn’t it?’
‘No, it’s not,’ she said honestly. ‘Your sister must have liked having you in her corner.’
He laughed—full of self-mockery. ‘I was totally selfish. I just wanted to stay at med school and live it up in town. It was in my interest to see them sort it out. And now they can finally cope with my job because I get them VIP tickets to all the big games.’
‘But I’m guessing they could afford to buy their own tickets if they really wanted to, right?’
His expression completely sobered. ‘Yeah, there’s a lot of money. And I’m back in the will—am a shareholder in the estate. The Hollingsworth clan has finally landed in the twenty-first century. That’s the reason women say yes to me—they know the value of my surname.’
Roxie froze for a split second and then roared with laughter.
‘Gabe,’ she gasped when she could, wiping a tear from her eye and breathing deep to ease the stitch in her tummy. ‘That’snotwhy they say yes.’ She smiled up at him as her amusement threatened an uncontrollable return.
But he wasn’t smiling back. He was just watching her, a slight knot between his brows, as if some thought up in his brain was uncomfortable. His gaze dropped, zoomed in on her mouth. She knew exactly what he was thinking now. Only instead of acting on that urge, he turned away. The frown crease deepening on his forehead. Disappointed, she watched him walk towards the house. What, were they not going to tick an item off her list tonight? Well, that was disappointing—she’d been hanging out for it all day at work. Had she offended him somehow? How did she bring back the play in him?
‘Want to know one of my favorite things?’ she called, suddenly hit by inspiration.
He wheeled on the spot.
‘Wait there, I’ve got to get it.’ She raced up to her flat, fearing he’d go into the Treehouse and leave her all hot and bothered and alone.
But instead he followed her up the stairs. ‘Let me guess, champagne?’
‘No, this.’ She turned and brandished the bottle.
Maple syrup.
Gabe looked at the label and whipped his head up to read her face.
