“That’s what happens when you have a lot on your mind.”
“Not as much as you.” She cradled the hot mug in her hands. “How do you stay so positive?”
“You mean about Chapman?”
Natalie nodded. “You’ve turned your life upside down to get away from him, but you never seem angry or depressed.”
The stair creaked as Gabe sat beside her. “I’m just as worried as you are. The only difference between us is that I’ve learned how to hide what I’m feeling. And in case you’re wondering if that’s a good or bad thing—it’s definitely bad.”
“Does hiding your feelings help you focus on what you need to do?”
Gabe nodded.
“Does it make you think more clearly and react faster to a new situation?”
“Usually.”
“That has to be better than how I’m coping. My brain decided to go on strike this afternoon. It didn’t matter what I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Chapman was outside, waiting for us. After a couple of hours of staring at my canvas, I gave up and spent the next hour in Caleb’s gym.”
“Did it help?”
“You’ll find out tomorrow when we have our next self-defense class. I think I’m getting stronger.” She lifted her arm and flexed her biceps. “It’s hard to see under all these clothes, but my arms are pure muscle.”
Gabe smiled. “I’m impressed.”
“You should be. Each day I practice the moves you showed me. Maybe I could join the Polson PD.”
Gabe shook his head. “I wouldn’t recommend joining any police force. It’s too stressful.”
She sipped her drink. Being a detective must be one of the toughest jobs in the world. “Are you proud of what you did when you were a detective?”
“I arrested a lot of people, but it was like a leaky faucet. As soon as one person was off the streets, someone else took their place. There were days when I wondered if the stress and long hours were worth it.”
“Why didn’t you resign?”
“I wanted to make a difference. Walking away would have meant I was turning my back on the people who needed help.”
“Someone else would have been there for them.”
“Maybe.” Gabe stared into his mug. “When I was in high school, one of the boys in my class was always late. He’d fall asleep and pick fights with anyone who got too close. For some reason, we became friends. One day he never arrived at school. By the third day, I was worried about him. I found out where he lived and went around to make sure he was okay. He wasn’t.” Gabe’s hand trembled as he sipped his drink. “Tony didn’t want to see me, but I stayed there until he came out. His father had beaten him so badly that he could hardly walk.”
Tears welled in Natalie’s eyes. “What did you do?”
“I called dad. He picked us up and took Tony to the hospital. After they’d patched him up, he came home with us and never left.”
“Your mom and dad adopted him?”
“Fostered. Tony’s dad wouldn’t let us adopt him.”
“Where’s Tony now?”
The hint of a smile softened the hard planes of Gabe’s face. “Living in Brooklyn with his wife and son. He became a teacher.”
Fresh tears filled Natalie’s eyes. Tony’s life would have been completely different if Gabe and his parents hadn’t helped him.
She pulled out a tissue and blew her nose. “You made a big difference in his life.”
“He made a bigger difference in mine. I wanted to make sure other people didn’t have to live through what Tony did.”
