LITMIR.BIZ

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met him.”

      “And that’s precisely why I didn’t like him. What kind of man doesn’t want to meet his girlfriend’s family? He never even showed his face when we were helping Grandmother after the hurricane.”

      “And what a blessing that probably was. Give him a hammer and he’d probably do more harm than good.”

      “Not what you need in a man,” Samantha declared. “Now Wade Johnson? He’s the kind of man to have around in a crisis.”

      Gabi stiffened at the out-of-the-blue mention of the man who’d been underfoot nonstop while they were making repairs to the family restaurant, Castle’s by the Sea, after the hurricane. “Why would you bring him up?”

      “Because he was around after the storm, just like Boone. And I saw the way Wade looked at you, as if he’d never seen anyone so perfect in his entire life.”

      “You’re crazy.”

      “Let me remind you that I said the same thing to our sister about Boone, and look at the two of them now. In a few months Emily and Boone will be married, assuming he can convince her to finally set a date. I’m good at this stuff, Gabi. I recognize heat between men and women, even when they’re both in denial.”

      “Well, you’re wrong this time. Besides, don’t you think the timing is just a little off for me to be thinking about a relationship? I’m going to be having another man’s baby in a few months.”

      Samantha sucked in a deep breath at the reminder. “Are you at least happy about that?” she asked hesitantly. “A baby, Gabi! That is so incredible.”

      Gabi rested a hand on her belly, felt the faint stirring there. The first time she’d felt that tiny life inside her, she’d fallen in love. Being pregnant might be inconvenient. It might not have been the result of a love match. It might have cost her a job, but she already loved this baby more than anything. She’d do whatever it took to protect it and make sure it had everything it deserved...including two parents who would treasure this priceless gift when the time came.

      “I’m thinking about adoption,” she admitted to Samantha, deciding to test the idea she’d mentioned to no one else.

      Her words were greeted by stunned silence.

      “Samantha? You still there?”

      “You’d give up the baby?”

      Gabi closed her eyes. “I think it’s the only way to make sure it has a good life. And, to be honest, I don’t want to be tied to Paul through this child. I don’t want to take a cent of support money from him. I don’t want anyone so selfish in this child’s life.”

      “Oh, sweetie, forget Paul for the moment,” Samantha protested. “You can give this baby a good life. You can surround him or her with a whole family who’ll fall in love the instant he or she is born.”

      “Babies shouldn’t start life with an out-of-work single mother,” Gabi said wearily.

      “It’s not as if you’re going to be destitute. And you’ll find another job when the time comes,” Samantha insisted. “Plus, we’ll all help. Me, Emily, Grandmother, even Dad will be on board. His first grandchild? You know he’s going to be thrilled about this.”

      “Is he really?” Gabi asked skeptically, sounding more like Emily than herself. Emily was the one who never gave their father credit for having deep feelings for any of them. Besides, Sam Castle had hardly noticed his own children unless they were in trouble. It seemed unlikely he’d be over the moon about a grandchild. The image of him sitting in a rocker cuddling a baby was so incongruous, it was laughable.

      “Well, you don’t have to decide right this second,” Samantha said, backing off to give her breathing room. “We’ll talk about it when I see you.”

      “When you see me?” Gabi asked suspiciously. “Since when are you planning a trip back down here?”

      “I’m driving home tomorrow,” Samantha said, as if the trip had been scheduled for days, rather than minutes. “Meet me in Sand Castle Bay. You don’t have anything to keep you in Raleigh right now, so no arguments. You’ve already said you’re not looking for work just yet, so you might as well enjoy this unexpected time off. You need sunshine and sea breezes to put this in perspective. You know you do. You’ll see things much more clearly then.”

      “I’m not sure I’m ready to lay this on Grandmother just yet.”

      “Be there or Emily and I will come and drag you over there bodily, if we have to,” Samantha insisted, refusing to cut her any slack.

      “Emily’s there now?” Gabi asked, surprised. “I thought she was working night and day at this new job in Los Angeles.”

      “She also has a wedding to plan. And she’s still after Grandmother to do a little modernizing of the decor at Castle’s. She and Boone flew in a couple of days ago. She claims she wants our opinion on the wedding plans. That’s why I called in the first place, to let you know we’ve been called into action.”

      Gabi laughed. “Since when does Emily listen to anything you or I have to say when it comes to her life?”

      “She says there are incredible weddings on those soaps I’ve been on, and I should know a thing or two. And we’re both her sisters, and we’re to be in the wedding party. I’d suggest if you don’t want to wind up wearing a very unflattering shade of whatever color’s in fashion in Hollywood these days, you need to be there to speak up. Listen to me. I’m the oldest. I know best.”

      Gabi laughed. “Since when? I’ve always been the sensible one. Everyone knows that.”

      “If that were true, how’d you land in this mess?” Samantha taunted. “See you tomorrow, sweetie. And don’t worry. This is going to work out. I promise.”

      Gabi hung up and sighed. Sand Castle Bay was the very last place she wanted to go right now, but Samantha was right about one thing. It was exactly where she belonged.

      * * *

      Wade was sitting in the middle of his sister’s living room floor with two kids under the age of three climbing all over him. Well, one was climbing. The other was cradled against his chest, drooling.

      “Unca Wade?” Chelsea whispered, crawling into his lap and snuggling close.

      “What’s up, kiddo?” he said, shifting baby Jason to give her more room.

      “Me wants a kitty for my birthday,” the almost three-year-old announced.

      He smiled, fully aware he was being manipulated. Once either of his nieces turned their big blue eyes on him, he pretty much gave them whatever they wanted. A kitty, though? Louise would have a fit. His sister had vowed there would be no pets in her household until every last one of her children were out of diapers’and preferably out of college, if he knew Lou.

      “What does your mom say?” he asked the toddler, who’d rested her head against his chest with a deep sigh.

      “No,” she admitted sorrowfully.

      “Then I’m afraid that’s the way it has to be. Maybe when you’re older and can take care of a kitty all by yourself.”

      “But I’m going to be three,” she reminded him.

      “I think you need to be a little older than that,” Wade said. “Having a kitten is a lot of responsibility.”

      He glanced up to see his sister towering over him, hands on hips.

      “Good answer,” she said, then frowned at her daughter. “And you. Did we not talk about you going to your dad or your uncle to try to get something I’ve already said you can’t have?”

      Chelsea gave her a winning smile that could normally charm anyone whose path she crossed. “But I want a kitty really, really bad.”

      “And

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