“Of course,” Jane promised. “I won’t go anywhere alone with her.”
“Good,” Charlie said. “And if she tries to get you to sign anything else…”
“I’ll make sure you or Gabe read it first,” Jane finished with a slight smile.
“Yes,” Charlie said approvingly.
They stepped out into the hallway, and Jane locked the ballroom door behind them. As they walked back toward the main part of the inn, Jane felt lighter despite the rain and the lingering questions. She had taken action. She had asked for help. And now Charlie was on the case.
Whatever Pamela was plotting, they would figure it out.
And when they did, Jane had a feeling the truth was going to be a lot more complicated, and a lot more dangerous, than a simple hereditary disease scare. Everywhere Pamela went, chaos was left in her wake.
13
GABE
Gabe stood at the window of his third-floor room, looking out at the rain-soaked morning. The beach was gray and empty, the waves churning under the overcast sky. No morning painting session today. No quiet hour with Jane as the sun rose over the Atlantic.
He found himself disappointed by that more than he should be.
Those early morning sessions had become something he looked forward to. The peaceful solitude was broken only by their quiet conversations, the way Jane’s face lit up when she talked about art, and the comfortable silence that had developed between them as they worked side by side.
Gabe checked his phone. A text from Isabella confirmed that she had the day off and was taking Trinity and Maddy to the movies, then to Christmas shopping in St. Augustine. Christopher was going with them, which made Gabe smile.His best friend was completely smitten with Isabella. It was about time that a hardened bachelor fell head over heels in love.
Before he could ponder more, a knock came on his suite door. He stepped out and opened it to find Trinity.
“Hey, Dad,” Trinity bounded into the room. “I came to say bye as I’m heading out with Maddy, Isabella, and Uncle Christoper.”
“I heard,” Gabe said with a smile at the excitement shining in his daughter’s eyes. “Do you need some money?”
“No, Gran has me covered,” Trinity assured him, before hugging him. “Besides, you can’t pay for your own Christmas present.”
“Ah,” Gabe said with a smile and nod. “I’m going to miss you today.”
She stopped and looked up at him. “I can stay.”
“No, sweetheart. Go and enjoy your day,” Gabe told her.
“I’ll see you in the ballroom later this afternoon,” Trinity promised.
Gabe’s chest ached as he watched her bound out the door. He had missed so much of her life. So many moments like this, lost to deployments and missions and his own inability to face coming home.
But he was here now. And even with his broken leg and uncertain future, even with the PEB review looming and the possibility that his career was over, Gabecould not bring himself to regret being here. Not when he got to see Trinity’s smile every day. Not when he got to spend time with Jane.
The thought of Jane made him glance at the clock. Almost nine. She was probably in the ballroom working on decorations by now. The thought of spending the day working alongside her, just the two of them in the quiet ballroom while rain drummed against the windows, sent warmth through his chest.
Gabe dressed quickly, grabbed his crutches, and made his way downstairs, taking the stairs slowly and carefully. His leg was healing well, but the cast was still cumbersome, and the last thing he needed was to fall and make things worse.
When he reached the ballroom, he found the door unlocked. He pushed it open and smiled at what he saw.
Jane was already there, sitting at one of the long tables they had set up for decoration work. She was painting seashells, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, wearing comfortable jeans and a soft blue sweater that brought out the color of her eyes. Coffee and a plate of cookies sat on the table beside her, steam still rising from the mug.
She looked up as he entered, and the smile that spread across her face made the awkward journey down three flights of stairs completely worth it.
“Need some help?” Gabe asked, hobbling over to her and carefully lowering himself into a chair. He propped his crutches against the table and elevated his injured leg on another chair, getting comfortable.
“I could, yes,” Jane said, her smile widening. “I was wondering when you’d arrive.” She pointed to the coffee pot and cookies. “I got some snacks.”
