Page 40 of Tangled in His Embrace

“Lead the way.”

The two disappeared down the hall and Gabby and Grace made their way into the kitchen. Gabby grabbed the plate of food her mother had left on the counter and brought it over to the table.

Grace allowed her a couple of bites before diving in. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” Gabby shoveled another forkful of food into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed before continuing. “Jax and I are going to give it another try.”

Her sister’s eyes went wide. “As in...”

“As in, we’re going to try being a couple again.”

“Wow.” Grace took a moment to gather her thoughts. “I mean, wow. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes.” Gabby paused. “No. I don’t know.”

Grace snorted.

“I know. And that’s the problem.” Gabby kept her voice low. “I thought I’d gotten over him, put my feelings for him behind me. But then he came back and...”

“And you slept with him.”

“Yeah.” Gabby slumped in her chair and pushed her food around with her fork. “But it’s not just the sex. I... I still love him. And as mad as I was—I am—at him for leaving, that doesn’t change the fact that even now, in the back of my mind, I’m thinking about when I’ll see him again.”

Her sister was silent for a minute or two and Gabby took the time to finish her food. She rinsed her plate in the sink and loaded it into the dishwasher before returning to the table.

“You don’t want Mom to know,” Grace said. It was a statement, not a question, although Gabby heard the other unasked questions behind it.

“No. Not until I figure this out. I told him we could try, but that doesn’t mean I’m not terrified he will break my heart all over again.”

Grace placed her hand on top of Gabby’s. “Did he say why he left?”

“He thought he was dying.”

“What?” The shock of her response came out louder than Grace had intended. “Sorry. I just... what?”

“He found out he had a mass on his spine or pressing against his spine or something. He kept getting these headaches and apparently that was why.”

“So why didn’t he tell you what was going on?”

Gabby tried not to let the anger she still felt take over. “He says he did it to protect me and Taylor. That he didn’t want to put us through watching him die, or even having to go through months or years of physical therapy.”

“Bullshit.”

That made Gabby laugh. It wasn’t often her sister cursed. “Alexander is rubbing off on you.”

A blush crept up her sister’s neck. “Maybe. But that doesn’t make it less true.”

“I know. Which is why I’m still ticked.”

Movement in the living room let them know they were about to get interrupted. “If you need to talk, you know where I am.”

“Thanks.” Gabby stood and gave her sister a hug. “I’m glad you moved back to St. Louis. And I’m glad you found Alexander.”

A few moments later, both Alexander and their mother ambled into the room. Gabby and Grace stepped apart. Their mother gave them a quick once-over again and went to the refrigerator. “Who wants some pistachio fluff?”

***

It was almost six by the time Gabby left her mom’s house. Kathy Brooks had called about a half hour ago to let her know they were home. She and Nate were going to feed Taylor dinner and then drive her home.

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