“Yeah, I can help you download it, Ma. I’ll come over tomorrow and look at it. Right now, I’m trying to beat Rapunzel at Go Minions.”
“Go Minions?” Nate’s mom laughed on the other end of the phone.
“I’ve been informed by Rapunzel that since there are Minions on the cards, it can’t be called Go Fish.” Nate smiled as Lily nodded her head in agreement.
“Makes sense to me,” his mom responded. “Give Rapunzel a kiss for me.”
“You got it. Bye, Ma.”
“Bye, honey.”
The phone disconnected, and he tossed it on the couch behind him. “Okay, it’s your turn, right?”
Lily nodded enthusiastically and somehow kept that long golden wig on top of her head. She looked over all the cards she had on the floor, the ottoman between them blocking Nate’s view. Her little hands couldn’t hold them all. “Do you have any sevens?” She looked at him with a hopeful gleam in her eye.
“Go Fish.”
“Daddy!” Lily giggled. “You’re supposed to say Go Minions!”
“Oops. Go Minions!”
His heart melted as he watched his little girl try to pick the perfect card. He could tell by the excitement in her eyes she’d picked a card she was happy with.
“Are we going to see Grammy and Pop tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Oh, that reminds me. I promised Grammy I’d do something.”
“What?”
“Come here.” He waved her over, and when she was in range, he yelled, “Kisses!” Nate wrapped an arm around her waist and planted kisses on her rosy cheeks while Lily shrieked and squirmed with laughter. The tickle attack proved too much for the Rapunzel wig, and it fell to the floor. Nate sat her up, picked up the wig, and plopped it back on her head—backwards.
“Daddy!” Lily squealed and yanked the wig off her head revealing her ear-to-ear bright smile. The tooth fairy had paid a visit to their house the week before. He’d been terrified that it was too early, but the dentist’s office assured him it was fine. Nate stared at the gummy spot where her baby tooth used to be. How had time gone by so fast? It felt like just yesterday he was a scared, single twenty-nine-year old bringing home a tiny bundle he had no idea how to care for.
But they’d been all right. He’d definitely had his fair share of learning experiences. Some of them terrifying, and some of them laughable.
Now she was approaching her fifth birthday, picking out her own outfits, and most definitely keeping him on his toes. He couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Friday night.
“Daddy, can we go see Max tomorrow?”
Yeah, his little girl was clever too.
“I don’t suppose you’d like to get some chocolate chip pancakes while we’re there?”
“Please?” she begged, and it didn’t take long for him to crumble like a house of Minion cards.
“Okay, fine. Chocolate chip pancakes it is.”
Lily jumped up in excitement and threw her little arms around his neck. Before he even had a chance to return the hug, she was off in the direction of the bathroom.
“Maybe Gabe will be there again,” she said as she skipped away.
Nate stared at the hallway, mouth gaping, and then hung his head and laughed. “Definitely clever.”
Nate pulled his truck up to The Cove Cottage. From the black BMW sitting on the road, Nate knew Gabe was there. Luck had been on his side the day before when he’d taken Lily to Max’s. Not a single rich, pretty boy in sight.
Now, if only he could make this fast and avoid running into the man. Gabe was living here for fuck’s sake. And really, who lives at a B&B anyway? Roger and Emily Boyd were nice people. Probably too nice to tell Gabe he’d overstayed his welcome.
“Not my problem.” Nate reached over and grabbed his toolbox off the passenger seat.
Normally, he didn’t work Sundays, but Emily had called in a panic. Something about a broken ceiling fan, guests arriving tomorrow, and not wanting Roger to climb the stepladder with a bad hip.
Nate rang the doorbell on the old Victorian, and within minutes, the door opened and he was pulled into a hug. “Oh thank you so much for coming,” Emily said in a rush.
“No trouble at all, Emily.”
The Boyds were probably around the same age as Nate’s parents. He knew from just seeing Emily around town that she was a ball of energy. She made it a point to say hello to everyone she came in contact with. Word of mouth of their hospitality and kind nature helped them to keep the B&B booked up for most of the year. Of course, Nate assumed Emily’s background as a New York City chef didn’t hurt either. The couple had come to Haven’s Cove twenty years ago for some R and R, and apparently, never looked back.
Nate followed the woman toward the stairs. “It’s the last room on the right. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. The Robinsons are checking in early tomorrow morning.”
“It’s really no problem. I’m happy to help,” Nate replied as he started up the stairs.
“Breakfast is at eight-thirty. Come have something to eat before you leave,” Emily yelled up the stairs behind him. Luckily, she refrained from using his name and calling attention to the fact that he was in the same house as Gabe.
He stopped on the top landing, looked down at her, and in a softer voice than she had used, said, “My parents are watching Lily, so I’ll most likely leave when I’m done. Thanks, though.”
“All right. Well, if you change your mind we’ll be in the kitchen,” she said before walking down the hall.
Nate turned around, and for a fraction of a second, wondered which room was Gabe’s. Doesn’t matter. Get in and get out.
He entered the last room on the right and got to work. A little over an hour later, the fan was replaced. He washed his hands in the attached bath, chuckling at the rumble in his stomach from the delicious aroma filling the house. It would be a damn shame to miss Emily’s cooking, but his luck of not running into Gabe would only last so long.
After cleaning up the room and packing up his things, Nate headed downstairs. Damn, he wished he could take Emily up on her offer. The woman’s cooking had to be amazing if the smells from the other room were anything to go by. He stepped toward the front door, abruptly stopping at the familiar voice coming from the kitchen.
“Emily, what did I tell you? Put that potholder down.” Gabe’s voice was clear and commanding, giving Nate pause.
“I was just going to take the bacon you have warming out of the oven.” Emily laughed.
“Uh-uh,” Gabe replied. “Sunday is my day to cook, and your day to rest. We’ve been over this.”
“Oh, fine, but you know you don’t have to.”
Nate neared the kitchen, keeping himself out of view.
“And you and Roger didn’t have to let me hang around for months, but here we are.”
Huh. All right, so maybe Nate had been a bit presumptuous earlier. Apparently, he was the only one Gabe insisted on driving crazy.
From Nate’s position in the hall, he couldn’t see the majority of the kitchen, but the table was in view. Nate watched in fascination as Gabe approached the table and filled all three mugs with coffee for Roger, Emily, and Emily’s father, Henry.
“Emily, I bought you more of that creamer you like. You were running low,” Gabe said, then walked back out of view.
“Gabe, you spoil us. What are we going to do when you leave?”
Leave? Gabe was leaving?
“Don’t you worry about that, honey. Even when I find my own place in town, Sundays are my day, got it?”
Nate felt something terrifyingly close to relief that Gabe wasn’t leaving. Why the hell did that hit a nerve?
“You know you’ll always be welcome here,” Roger said.
Okay, I’m way off base, apparently.
“Who else will watch The Golden Girls with me?” Emily asked, shooting Roger a dirty look.
“Don’t look at me,” he replied.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” Gabe said from out of view. “Not everyone understands the fabulousness that is Blanche Devereaux.”
“Sad, but true,” Emily agreed.
“Henry,” Gabe said to Emily’s father. “I got you those apple fritters you like when I went to pick up your paper. Owen said hello, by the way. He sent some croissants and a few muffins.”
It was like he was part of the damn family. How the hell did that happen?
When Gabe reappeared, he had a white plate in hand. “Here you go. One kale, shallot, and goat cheese omelet,” Gabe said, handing the plate to Emily. “Roger, your ham and cheese is almost done. And Henry, don’t think I forgot about you. Your cheese only omelet is up next.”
“Thank you, young man,” Henry said.
Gabe again walked out of view then came back with a plate full of bacon. He leaned over the table and placed it in the center. What the fuck, Nate. Do not look at the guy’s ass! Okay, so he had a nice ass. The problem was, Gabe knew he had a nice ass and used it to his advantage.
“Gabe, why don’t you sit, and I’ll make your omelet,” Emily offered after Gabe handed Roger and Henry their plates.
“Actually, I think I’m going to have one of those croissants. They smell delicious.”
“I thought you didn’t eat carbs?” Emily said, teasing him.
“Oh, it’s all about pronunciation.” Gabe sat down at the table with his back to Nate.
“How so?”
“Well, you see, sweetie, as long as you pronounce croissant with a French accent,”—the way he just did—“it loses calories in the exchange rate.” The table all laughed, and Nate held in a laugh of his own. The guy was crazy, but Nate had to admit, not knowing what Gabe was going to say next might be the most intriguing thing about him.
At least, it had been before this morning. He was making them breakfast, for fuck’s sake. Gabe D’Angelo, spoiled rich boy and designer snob was…making them breakfast? No, not just making; he was waiting on them and knew their preferences. He got Henry his paper. On top of all that, it sounded like something he did every Sunday.
“I wonder if Nate’s done, yet,” Emily said, yanking Nate back to the four people in the other room.
“Nate Black?” Gabe asked.
Don’t say it. Don’t say it…
“Yes, he was upstairs fixing a ceiling fan,” Emily said.
Fuck.
“Hmm…I wonder if he’d like something to eat,” Gabe said, but the way he said it made a chill run down Nate’s spine.
“I offered but—”
“Let me guess, he had other plans,” Gabe finished for her and shook his head. Nate didn’t want to hear the disappointment in Gabe’s voice, but damned if it wasn’t there. For a fraction of a second, Nate felt guilty for how hard he’d been on Gabe. That was until the damn guy opened his mouth again. “Life would be so much easier if people didn’t deny themselves something that’s bound to happen anyway.”
“What do you mean?” Emily asked.
“The man has to eat, doesn’t he? I would’ve been more than happy to make sure he got his protein for the day.” Gabe laughed, but the double entendre was enough to have Nate heading toward the door once more.
The man just didn’t know when to quit.