Gabi felt some of the tension leave her. Maybe she wasn’t such a failure after all.
‘So, I’d say you’re pretty good at making friendships. In fact, great at it.’ Gabi felt a swell of happiness. She’d never really had friends before. Just Isabella. Becoming part of the gang at Honeybridge, that had made her feel good.
Etienne wandered in, barefoot, coffee in hand, and opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Isabella, who suddenly drew a sharp intake of breath and grabbed Gabi’s foot, hard, to get her attention.
‘The question might actually be, what kind of relationship,exactly, is Walker saying you’re not good at?’
The two women stared at each other. Etienne stood between them, listening.
‘Why is he so keen for you to let someone in?’ Isabella whispered. ‘Sounds to me like Walker wants more than whatever friends with benefits situation you’ve had going on.’
Gabi’s stomach lurched, and she dropped her eyes to look at the foot that Isabella held in her hand. She remembered the casually intimate way that Walker had pulled it into his lap earlier. How good it had felt to rest it there, on his thigh, cupped in his hands. She’d wanted to stay there all day. Maybe it wasn’t just him wanting more.
‘Do you think?’ Gabi asked tentatively, unsure what she wanted the answer to be. Isabella’s blue eyes held hers, but it was Etienne that spoke.
‘I’d put money on it,’ he said, with a nod.
‘You don’t gamble,’ Gabi challenged but Etienne disregarded that with a shrug.
‘I think this is what Alex would call a sure thing.’
Gabi’s heart pounded in her chest even as she started to deny it. Walker might want her body, but he didn’t really want her– the whole package, as she was– did he? Wasn’t it just that he had such a hero complex on he wanted to save her in some way?
‘I don’t think so somehow.’ She shook her head decisively at Etienne, and picked up the nail varnish again to finish Isabella’s feet. ‘Walker McBride hates me.’
Chapter Fifty
Walker
Walker had been keeping busy for a whole week. He knew he was just trying to distract himself. Since that afternoon at the gym, he’d discovered he was unable to work out without thinking of Gabi. And erections in jogging pants were not a good look on the bench press.
But he also couldn’t pick up his phone without wondering if he should text her to apologise. He couldn’t drive through town without attempting to spot her on her way to physio or swinging along on her crutches to Tutto Mio. It was getting ridiculous. He couldn’t go anywhere in his own town without thinking about her. The sooner she left for that new job, the better. But that thought gave him no comfort either. Then he’d never even stand a chance of bumping into her.
So, in the spirit of throwing himself into things that didn’t involve Gabi Tucci, he’d agreed to marshal the River Rats regatta that weekend. It might stop him worrying that he’d really hurt her feelings. Had he said too much? He remembered the sadness she’d tried to hide when talking about her family. Who was he to push her?
He’d already safety checked the boats and the life jackets. He’d walked the course early in the morning to make sure there were no blockages in the river, but it was flowing free and fast. Everything was in full bloom, the trees were at their fullest, the sun was out. Walker stopped for a moment, surprising himself by thinking it looked quite romantic. ‘What the fuck?’ he asked himself out loud, before shaking his head and marching back to the club house.
Walker scanned the crowd, not honestly sure if he was looking for Gabi or checking she wasn’t there. But it didn’t really matter which it was, because she was nowhere to be seen. Rosie and Wren were there with Riley, who was as springy as a spaniel, chasing after Jayden on the riverbank. Next, he spotted Amber carrying coffees to the other women from the kiosk. He headed over and arrived at the same time as Etienne and Isabella sidled into the group, rosy-cheeked and smiling.
‘We came by yours to give you a lift,’ Amber said to them.
‘Oh, did you?’ Etienne said vaguely, avoiding her eye.
‘We fancied a walk. . .’ Isabella said, entwining her hand with Etienne’s.
‘Awalk, was it, that you fancied?’ Amber said, picking a couple of leaves out of Isabella’s hair and waving them in her face.
‘Mmmm-hmmm,’ replied Isabella with a wink. ‘And what a walk it was.’
‘Where’s Fox?’ Alex asked. ‘He said he was bringing the boys.’
‘And Gabi?’ Isabella turned to Amber. ‘She told me she’d be here.’
On that note, it was time to make his exit. ‘Just going to check the boats,’ Walker said and he turned away.
He spotted Fox’s car pulling into the car park alongside the boat shed as he approached. Fox unfolded himself from the driver’s seat and circled the car, opening the back doors for the boys and watching them clamber from their booster seats, before sprinting towards their mates. Walker put up a hand to Fox, but he was busy opening the front passenger door and helping out. . . Gabi.
Walker stopped, shielded his eyes against the sun, and watched in disbelief as Gabi took Fox’s hand and he helped her up to her feet. Walker noticed reluctantly that she looked incredible. Her tan had come out over the last week or so, and it only made those doe eyes shine brighter– the same eyes that were gazing into Fox’s face. She laughed and balanced a hand against his chest as he tucked one crutch under each arm. She beamed at him the whole time before leaning in to kiss Fox’s cheek. Fox clicked the car door shut and followed her towards the gang.
