Despite the distance between them this week, it was nice to know he'd been thinking about her as well as his mother. She loved the glimpse this sweet, caring act gave her into the man she'd fallen for.
"Does that mean I get a turn too?" Grace asked with a grin.
"Sure, right after you push me. I'm theold manafter all." He pretended to rub his aching back, which made them all chuckle. "Okay ladies, who's riding first?"
Marisol, defiant expression still firmly in place, glared at her son then scowled at Paige and Grace.
Paige was about to volunteer to take the first ride to help smooth things over, when Grace said, "Mom, if you overdo it today, you won't feel good enough to go to church tomorrow. The Allred sisters were worried about you when you weren't there last Sunday."
"Fine. I can't believe you're all ganging up on me." Marisol shook her head before dropping into the chair. "Grace, you push, so Gabe and Paige can walk together."
"No problem." Grace winked at Gabe as she stepped behind the wheelchair. "I'm sure the lovebirds would like to hold hands anyway."
Heat filled Paige's face, but she wasn't about to argue. In fact, shehad to bite her tongue to keep from thanking Grace less than a minute later when Gabe laced his fingers through hers.
They fell into step behind Grace and Marisol, strolling slowly, but passed them when the ladies stopped to take pictures of the lavender-colored rhododendrons. Before long, they were twenty yards ahead of the others, but Paige didn't mind.
It almost felt like she and Gabe were on a real date. She was determined to enjoy it for all it was worth, knowing she might still end up with a broken heart.
"I meant it when I said I want you to take a turn in the wheelchair," Gabe said.
"If this place is as big as you say, you won't hear any complaints from me."
Surprise registered on his face. "You've never been here before?"
"No, most of our family outings were spent at my uncle's ranch or at the lake where my mom's family has a cabin."
Gabe asked questions about both the ranch and the lake, and they got caught up in conversation as they walked. He continued to hold her hand, and thanks to the beautiful flowers and greenery surrounding them, Paige felt like she was in paradise.
She didn't realize how self-centered Phillip was until she compared him to Gabe. Phillip hadn’t bothered to learn anything about her family. He only met her parents once, because they made the trip to Seattle and insisted on taking them to dinner. Phillip spent the whole time talking about himself, telling what she now realized was lies.
So why did he come back, insisting they belonged together?
And why am I thinking about Phillip while I'm holding Gabe's hand?
She hoped to never see Phillip again, but his reappearance in her life had continued to bug her the past few weeks.
It wasn't about me. It was all about him.
Despite what Phillip said about dumping Avery, Paige was certain it had been the other way around. Any smart woman in Avery's position, would have shown Phillip the door. But he couldn't bear to lose.The narcissist in him needed to win. He didn't want Paige. He only wanted to conquer.
She looked up at the wispy clouds in the blue, summer sky and sent up a prayer of gratitude.
Thanks for the love reset.
It had been four long, hard months since her accident, but she was grateful God had remodeled her life. She'd dodged a bullet when it came to Phillip. And she'd met a man who was compassionate and thoughtful. Gentle and kind. He was attractive, inside and out.
It still bothered her that he insisted on lying to his mother but being with Gabe felt right. She thought often about what Riley said about God bringing her home and Gabe to Providence. Maybe their paths were always meant to intersect for more than professional reasons.
Here in eastern Washington with Gabe was where she belonged. She'd never felt these powerful, all-consuming emotions with Phillip. What she thought was love four months ago had been nothing but a cheap facade that rusted when the truth came out.
She looked up at Gabe and grinned. Their future was uncertain, but her feelings for him couldn't possibly be stronger. Well, maybe they could after they’d been married a few years.
That thought flooded her with warmth and made her heart dance in her chest.
Gabe caught her staring at him. "What?"
Paige continued to grin as she shrugged. She couldn't help it. She smiled when she was happy, and this was the happiest she'd been in years.
