Page 47 of The Talk Around Town

Gabe sighed. This was going nowhere fast. “I’m sorry, Millie. I’m sorry Ryan treated you badly. I’m sorry you feel trapped here in the Crossing. You could always leave, you know, if you’re not happy here.” He held up a hand to stop her interrupting. “And I’m sorry I can’t be what you want me to be. I’ll never be in a position to offer what you’re looking for. You have to give up on this. We’ve been friends since I can remember, but if you can’t get it through your head that we will never happen as a couple, I can’t guarantee we will stay friends. I’m getting damned sick of feeling like I have to fend you off.”

He hunkered down on his haunches and looked up at her. “Please. I like you. A lot. But as friends—nothing else. It will never be anything other than what it is now. This is it. It’s time you accepted it and moved on.”

Millie flattened her lips and looked down at her hands, her eyes glinting in the bright office lights.

“Not me? No, never me. What am I missing? I bet you didn’t say that to Miss Perfect the other night when you ran after her like a lovesick dog. You’re just as pathetic as the rest of them. You’ll see there’s nothing special about her. You and Darby and all the rest of your family, fawning over her like you do. I’m sure you wouldn’t say no toher.”

“Yes, I would. It’s not about that. Why do you insist on being so nasty to her? Why couldn’t you just be nice like everyone else?”

Millie snapped her head up to glare at him, the unshed tears making her eyes shine. “Why? I don’t need a why. I don’t like her. I just don’t care.” Millie stood up and waved at the door. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” She spun and stalked down the corridor.

Gabe stood and took a couple of steps after her. “Millie!”

She stopped and half turned. “What?”

“Please tell me what you said that upset her so much. For me, if nothing else.”

Her head tilted the slightest toward him. “I already told you. I didn’t say a thing to her.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Emma pulled herbottom lip into her mouth and chewed.

What on earth will I choose?

“All this stuff looks far too yummy, Mary. Just give me another minute, would you?”

Mary moved off to serve another customer. The bakery was packed. For a small town, it surprised Emma that they would be so busy on a Thursday afternoon. She’d finished painting her bathroom this morning. Ralph was now complete with a pretty blue nose, courtesy of his checking out the roller tray. The kitchen cupboards looked brand new with their shiny coat of lacquer. She’d had one heck of a busy couple of weeks.

Anything to keep from thinking.

Darby had come around to help her with the painting but didn’t ask questions after she’d refuted that Gabe had stayed that night. The questioning gaze she’d felt resting on her disappeared the moment Emma glanced at Darby, a friendly smile taking its place.

Darby’s face popped up in front of her, behind the glass of the display case. “Have you decided yet, Em?”

Emma pointed to a few different items, unable to decide on one. Darby’s running commentary on where the various choices’ deposit of fatty calories would end up had her laughing out loud.

The amusing discourse stopped abruptly, silence fanning out over the busy little bakery’s crowd.

Emma looked up and saw Darby’s sympathetic look toward the door of the bakery. Her eyes flicked to Emma in apology. Emma turned, wondering what had dampened the mood. Her eyes clashed with the stormy grey of Gabe’s. Breaking the contact, she pulled her gaze from his and turned back to the three women standing quietly behind the register.

“Darby’s right. I think I’ll pass on the saggy arse. Sorry,” Emmamurmured. She turned and moved through the people standing between her and the door. Between her and Gabe.

He stood in the doorway, his large, toned frame taking up most of the exit. Emma kept her eyes glued to the safe level of chest height so she wouldn’t see curious looks from the other customers, wouldn’t see Gabe’s accusing stare.

Emma had almost reached Gabe, panicking a little when he didn’t move and still stood in the way of her escape. Just as she reached him, he stepped to the side, allowing her enough room to pass.

The moment stretched and stilled. She turned her head the slightest amount. Her nose caught wind of his scent, blown in upon the faint, crisp breeze from outside as the automatic door opened. She drew it down deep within, all in that insane moment between one heartbeat and the next.

Somehow Emma’s body kept moving, stepping out into the late-winter sunshine. The bright, cheery light suddenly appeared offensive to her. Heart pounding, she scrubbed her palms against her knee-length skirt, certain the day had grown hotter in the ten minutes she’d been in the bakery. She hurried around the corner to the carpark behind the line of shops. Opening the door of her ute, Emma hunted beneath the driver’s seat for her keys. It was a terrible habit, one she’d been chided for many times in the past, but now she was glad she didn’t have to fumble in a bag to look for them.

Seat belt buckled, Emma clenched her hand a few times to stop its shaking and inserted the key into the ignition. Her heart-shaped locket swung with the motion of turning the key, the engine of the car roaring to life.

Slamming the gearstick into reverse, she hit the accelerator and pulled out into the street.

He’s not following me.

Emma wasn’t sure if the tears that now threatened were because she’d wanted him to.

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