Chapter Twenty Two
DIANE
The next morning, I hit the ground running. I woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. I also had a healthy dose of adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Over the next week, I had my hands full.
I set up a profile on several websites for tourists and guides.
Drawing on my experience from the tutoring lessons, I set my pricing lower than average, hoping I could make it up from tips.
The main goal at the beginning was to gather reviews.
I couldn't use the ones I’d received before because the guides weren't listed with the tours they did, only the company name.
I was going to start my first tour in four days. I was so impatient that I'd almost selected the date as tomorrow, but that was silly. No way would I have time to gather a group so fast.
I was restless the whole day. It didn't help that I only had three tutoring sessions.
After I finished them later that afternoon, I glanced at my phone. Gabe had sent me a message.
Gabe: How's your day?
I smiled, texting back quickly.
Diane: I’ve finished tutoring, and now I’m restless.
Gabe: Why don’t you go for a walk to clear your head?
Diane: Great idea.
Gabe: When's your first tour?
Diane: On Saturday morning.
I even sent him the link. God, I was so excited.
Diane: Oh look, one person already signed up. I need seven. It’s my superstition and lucky number.
Gabe: You're going to kick ass, Diane. I have a great feeling about it. And I'm rarely wrong.
Diane: Hmmm… But you did think living together was a good idea.
Gabe: And clearly it was.
I laughed. I couldn't argue with his logic. And I liked that he checked in on me. Maybe he'd had a sixth sense about the fact that I was a complete basket case today.
I grabbed my tote bag and descended the steps, heading outside. I didn't have any grand plans, just wanted to explore the neighborhood. I hadn't had the opportunity until now, but I had so much free time on my hands, it was unnerving.
As I perused the streets, I got a notification that someone had booked another tutoring session in the evening. This day was getting better and better.
My feet brought me in front of Gabe's house at the end of the walk. It was stunning. There were five workers here today, not just three. Maybe that was why the house was going to be ready sooner. I didn't go in because the whole yard was a mess, and I didn't want to get in their way.
A few minutes later, I decided to head home to prep for the unexpected tutoring session. Gabe's car was in the driveway, which was odd. He usually wasn't home so early.
A bout of joy coursed through me. This was just what the man did to me. It didn't matter what state of mind I was in; when I knew he was near, my entire body relaxed.
"Gabe?" I asked the second I entered the house.
When I didn't get an answer, I went looking for him.
He wasn't in the gym. Maybe he was somewhere upstairs.
I made to go up the staircase when I heard noises from the entrance.
Frowning, I turned back, listening intently.
It was a screeching noise coming from the attic.
I headed upstairs, wondering why Gabe was at my place.
I walked up quickly, pushing the door open, and then my jaw dropped.
"Gabe," I whispered.
He turned around abruptly, asking, "What are you doing home already?"
"I’ve got another tutoring session. Oh my gosh! You bought my chair."
“Yes.”
I put a hand on my stomach. "But how? When?"
"When you showed it to me, your face lit up, and I thought, 'Why not?'"
It was huge, maybe a bit too big for this place, but honestly, I didn't care. He set it right under the window.
"Although," he said, "I think it would be better if it was in the living room or something. It's taking up a lot of space here."
"No, it's perfect. I can't believe you bought this for me. Thank you."
"Consider it a gift for starting a new venture."
"How did you even bring it up here by yourself?" I walked up to it, touching the fluffy backrest.
Gabe put an arm around my waist and kissed the side of my neck. "I wasn't alone. I roped Maddox and Cade into helping me. But they couldn’t stay, so I put it together on my own."
"Your brothers dropped everything just like that in the middle of the day?"
"Yes."
I turned around. "That's why you talked me into taking a walk."
"Obviously I needed an excuse so you wouldn’t be here. I should have planned this better, maybe asked the girls to take you somewhere."
My God, I loved this man. There was no denying it. I rose on my toes, kissing his neck as I undid the top button on his shirt.
He treated me like I was special, like I was his to please, and it all felt so right.
I lingered there with my lips, fighting to balance myself on my toes, and then pushed the tip of my tongue forward. He groaned, and I moved back on my heels, looking up at him and grinning.
He put his hands on my hips. "You're going to make me lose my head."
"And that's a problem?"
"You've got a tutoring session, remember?"
"No, I didn't remember. You bad, charming man. You made me forget myself."
He laughed. "You should decide. Am I bad or am I charming? The two don't go together."
"Hm," I said, stepping backward. "How are your brothers?"
"Good. Leo says he might actually have a lead on a property I'd asked him to look for," Gabe said.
“For a house?” Maybe he wanted a vacation home or something.
"No. I want to build a second distillery."
"Really? You didn't tell me that."
"I can talk your ear off about all my plans for the distillery, but I can think of a better way to spend our time."
"No, I want to know." I moved his hands from my hips to my waist. "Keep them here. We don't have that much time, remember?"
"No. I literally just forgot."
I giggled. "Good to know I affect you the same way."
"You have no idea," he growled. "You affect me in every way possible."
I licked my lips, sighing. How was he so swoonworthy today?
"So… you want to expand?"
"I want to take over the world. I'm just in the process of choosing locations, and I've got my eye on Stockbridge."
"That's an interesting choice."
"I have a lot of fond memories there. My brothers and I vacationed there as kids with Mom.” Warmth spread in my chest. “It was one of her favorite places, and mine. She always said it helped her disconnect because the hotel was surrounded by nature. Although she never did take a break from writing.”
"I didn't know she was a writer."
"She wrote for Whitley Publishing. Ran it, actually.”
"With five boys? Wow."
He nodded. “I know, but she did it so effortlessly.
So, ideally, I would also build a hotel next to the distillery.
It's something Mom always wanted to do. This is the first time I’m saying this out loud to anyone.
I mean, Leo knows about the hotel, but not about the why. I want to build on her legacy."
“That’s very inspirational.”
He frowned.
"What’s wrong?" I asked.
“I hope Dad doesn’t fuck up things again.”
“What do you mean?”
“Leo got wind that he wants to buy a property around Boston. Maddox says he wants to start a new business.”
“Oh. And that’s bad?”
“It’s out of the question. I won’t allow him to ruin the family name again.”
“So what do you plan to do?”
“Stop him. I don’t know how yet, but I will.” He caressed my jaw with his thumb. "I'm not used to talking about this with anyone outside my family. I'm enjoying it."
He tilted forward, brushing his lips against mine.
Will you look at that? His other hand had gone down to my hip again.
"Gabe," I whispered and stepped back.
"I can’t stop thinking about you," he said. "I think of you at work, at home, when I'm with you, when I'm not. Especially when I'm not with you. I'm not used to it."
His shoulders tensed for a brief second, and my breath caught. "But you like it?"
"So much."
He moved his hand even farther down, fondling my ass.
I grinned, taking a large step back this time.
"Right, I'm going to wait for you downstairs."
"We still have a few minutes."
"No." He shook his head. "It's safer if I go now."
I giggled. "I think you're right."