75. Chapter 75
Chapter seventy-five
Abbie
“ A bbie!”
I’ve just stepped on the elevator when Cat appears in the doorway and joins me. “Thank goodness. I was afraid I missed you.” She settles her hand on her belly. “I’m not as fast as I used to be right now.”
“I like you, Cat,” I say, as the elevator doors close. “I sincerely like you. I’d love to get to know you, but I’m not changing my mind about what just happened in that conference room.”
She turns me to face her. “You came to Gabe for help.”
“I was going to Reid for help. To hire him. Gabe and I crossed paths unexpectedly.”
“Because it was meant to be.”
“Because he got unlucky. Wrong time, wrong place.”
“Abbie—”
The elevator stops and a cluster of people shove their way inside, forcing us into a corner together. Cat casts me a dismayed look, clearly wanting to continue the conversation, but not about to do so with an audience. Kudos to her for good judgment. This isn’t something any of us want spread around. We stand there, two sardines in a can of a dozen while she, no doubt, thinks about how to change my mind, and I think about how to let her down easy. She’s Gabe’s sister. She loves him. One of the things I like about her. It’s also one of the reasons she should understand where I’m coming from.
The elevator dings at the lobby level and Cat and I allow the crowd to exit before we do the same. “Let’s go next door and get coffee,” she suggests, clearly having decided on a strategy that involves me committing to a sit-down conversation. Smart.
“I need to talk to my mother.”
“Call her, after you talk to me. Abbie. Please. Sit down and talk to me.”
“Cat—”
“If you won’t sit, I’ll go with you. Where are we going?”
I sigh. “You aren’t going to let me off the hook, are you?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Where’s the coffee shop?”
“Next door. We need to watch for the press, though. We just left our security behind. Let’s take the side door.”
She motions me to the right and we start walking. A few minutes later, we’re at a table with drinks in hand, both of us splurging on a sugar cookie as well. “I need this,” I say, taking a bite with loads of icing.
“I don’t,” Cat says. “I’m reigning in the eating, but I’ve been pretty good. A little treat shouldn’t hurt too much. I’m just trying to keep the dieting hell after birth to as short as possible.”
“Gabe’s looking forward to being an uncle,” I say, reminded now of his comments.
She sits up straighter, leaning in closer. “He talked to you about the baby and being an uncle? What did he say?”
“He hasn’t said it to you?”
“No.” She sighs. “Me and my brothers were at odds for a long while. I thought—I thought they had a lot of my father in them. I know better now.”
The father that Gabe and Reid seem to think is capable of horrible things, and yet, Cat thought her brothers to be the same. “What changed?”
“They read the letter our mother left me. They found out what our father did to her. They found out who he really was. I think they knew. I think they just didn’t want to see it, or rather, him.”
“And the letter opened their eyes?”
“Oh yes. Our father cheated on her. He treated her horribly. I think they both struggle with guilt over not seeing that or how miserable she was. I think they’ll both end up being wonderful fathers and husbands, Abbie. They won’t be like him. Gabe isn’t like him. He’s the reason Reid opened his eyes. Gabe—Gabe was easy to turn around. That letter undid him and put him back together. It made him a new man.”
Obviously, she doesn’t know that Gabe doesn’t want children. I consider what she’s shared about this letter, about his father cheating on his mother, and I feel as if there’s a connection there I’m missing. Maybe Gabe’s decision to have a vasectomy was about his father, about a fear he’s like him, his children would be like him, but it feels like there’s more. Whatever the case, Cat is hungry for Gabe’s involvement with the baby and I feed that hunger.
“I can’t speak of the past, Cat,” I say, “but I can speak of now. Gabe’s excited about your baby. He’s happy to be in your life.”
“He’s happy to have you in his life, too, Abbie. You need to let us help you. You’re family now.” She leans closer again. “He’s in love with you. You’re in love with him. Why are we in this coffee shop instead of with him?”
“I’m trying to do what’s right.”
“If anything happens to you, it will destroy him. He doesn’t let himself get close to people, Abbie. He did with you. Let Reese do what Reese does. I’m proud of how damn good he is. Let him do it.”
“Don’t you see? It’s because I care about Gabe that I can’t let him get hurt. That’s why I need him to focus on himself and his family. I need him to come out of this on top.”
“You leaving. That’s the kind of hurt he won’t recover from. I know my brother. If something happens to you, he will not be okay ever again. I know that’s a lot to put on you, but I can’t just let you walk away. Not for the wrong reasons. Get your purse and I’ll get mine. Let’s go back.”
“I need to think.”
“No. I reject that statement. You don’t have time to think. Come back and talk to Reese before he has to go to court. If you think Gabe will focus on Reese when you’re gone, you’re wrong. Your heart is in the right place, but you’re still wrong. Coming back with me is the right move.”
Suddenly, I know she’s right. Gabe is stubborn. He won’t protect himself. I have to be there to make sure he does. “Let’s go back.” I stand up and she pops to her feet.
“Good decision,” she says, and we waste no time heading for the door.
We make it half a block before we’re accosted by the press. We link arms and start walking through the mess and we’re almost back to the building when we’re pulled apart. We’re more than pulled apart. Someone has my arm and is yanking me down an alleyway.
“Abbie!” At the sound of Gabe’s voice, I search desperately for him, not sure how he’s here, or where he’s at, but I need to find him. Everything will be okay if I find Gabe but all I can see is the back of a man’s head while the force of his body pulls me forward.
“Gabe!” I shout, and with blessed relief, I twist around to find him running toward me. I want nothing more than to run to him, but I can’t. I’m yanked around a corner and Gabe’s gone, out of sight.