Page 48 of The Talk Around Town

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It took everyounce of willpower in Gabe to stand still and let her walk past him, when what he really wanted to do was take hold of her andkiss her senseless.

But that wouldn’t be smart. He didn’t want a relationship. Didn’t want to be placed under someone else’s influence again. He didn’t wantthiseither. This… awkwardness between them. He didn’t like it. He likedher, wanted her friendship back.

The few short weeks they’d spent getting to know one another shone like a beacon in his otherwise bleak world. Since the night he’d kissed her and lost that friendship, he’d missed her smile. Missed her laugh.

Missed the quirky woman who’d named a calf Ralph.

Gabe looked up to see over a dozen people he’d known all his life staring at him. Waiting.

His mother lifted one eyebrow and cocked her head to the side. “You miss her so much, what are you waiting for? An engraved invitation?”

He opened his mouth to deny her words but thought better of it. Why bother? Hedidmiss her and he didn’t care who knew it. Her friendship meant a lot to him, more than he could’ve imagined.

Besides, he wanted to return her shoes. He’d picked them up after she’d kicked them off in the park, bolting out of sight like the devil himself was on her heels. They now sat on the passenger seat of his ute, waiting for the woman they belonged to.

He wanted to find out what the hell Millie had said to make her look at him like he’d run over her dog.

He spun in the doorway of his mother’s bakery and hurried up the mall, around to the carpark. He’d seen Emma’s truck while on his way to her home and had decided to stop and try to find her downtown instead. He hadn’t expected there to be so many people in the shops at this time of the afternoon, all watching with curious eyes.

From his toes up, relief washed through Gabe when he saw Emma’s ute parked near her porch steps.

Pulling up next to her, he cut his engine and climbed out. Leaning over, he hooked the high-heeled sling-backs over his finger and took a deep breath, striding toward the front door.

Looking at the jamb beside the door when he knocked, he noticed the paint was no longer peeling. The peeling bits had been scraped off and sanded and it was all ready to paint. Perhaps she’d let him help as a way to say he was sorry. She obviously didn’t need his help, but itwould let him spend time with her.

The door opened, and Emma’s startled face appeared. Her eyes had a suspicious redness to them, and he called himself every name he could think of. He’d somehow managed to upset her yet again.

“Hi.”

Good one, Gabe. Next you’ll ask something stupid, like how are you.

Emma tried to smile, but gave up. “What do you want?”

Well. That’s a good start.

He held up her shoes. “I have your shoes. From the other night,” he expanded unnecessarily.

“Oh.” Her face shadowed and shut all expression down.

Didn’t she want them back?

At a loss for what to do, Gabe held the heels higher. “Where would you like them?”

She pointed to the other end of the porch, at the rotten old bench barely standing. “Over there is fine. See you later.” She went to shut the door.

Gabe’s foot shot out. The door slammed his work boot between it and the jamb, the resounding thud tearing a gasp from Emma’s mouth.

Emma threw the door open, alarmed eyes wide. “Your foot! I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”

Gabe couldn’t help the grin that surfaced. She was worried about his foot. Maybe she did care enough to restart their friendship.

He held up the foot in question and twisted his ankle to show her he was fine. “Steel capped. Comes in handy.”

Residual fear turned to anger in the space of a heartbeat. Her lips pressed hard together, and she crossed her arms over her chest. He noticed with a start that she must have been in the middle of changing clothes when he’d knocked. Her shirt was different, a T-shirt now instead of the loose blouse she’d had on in the shop.

That wasn’t what caught his attention though. Beneath the tight material of her T-shirt, her breasts rested above her crossed arms.

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