Page 36 of An Alaskan Twin Surprise (Home to Owl Creek 2)

Gabriel shook his head. “You two never quit, do you? If you’re hinting about Rachel then the answer is yes. We’ve been spending time in each other’s company. And I don’t want to hear any negativity about it either. I’m a grown man, and I make my own decisions.” He reached for the menu and opened it with a flourish.

He could see Connor and Hank exchanging a glance.

Gabriel let out a sigh. “Just say it and be done with it. I want to enjoy my meal in peace.”

Connor cleared his throat. “We just wanted to say we’re sorry.”

Gabriel looked back and forth between the two men. “Excuse me?”

A look of chagrin appeared on Hank’s face. “We had no right to come down on you so hard about Rachel. We were just looking out for you, but the truth is, she’s a good person who made a really bad decision. If you’re finding a way to forgive her for it, then who are we to pass judgment?”

“Yep. That pretty much sums it up. We’re the Three Amigos for life. Part of our friendship pact means supporting each other,” Connor said. “No matter what.”

“Wow,” Gabriel said, blown away by the support of his friends. He hadn’t been prepared to hear anything like this. He’d been expecting both of them to be vehemently opposed to any involvement he might have with his ex-fiancée.

“You didn’t ask any questions when I forgave Sage for hiding things from everyone about her true identity,” Hank explained. “You simply accepted that I loved her. We want to give you that same benefit of the doubt.”

“If Rachel is the one for you, then we’ll be in your corner cheering the two of you on.” Connor reached over and clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ve got your back.”

“Guys, that means the world to me, because even though we still have a lot to work through, I think we might have a shot at finding our way back to each other,” he admitted, becoming nervous as he said the words out loud. Up till this point he hadn’t shared his newfound feelings for Rachel with anyone other than her. He’d spent the longest time denying it to himself. Putting it out there made him feel slightly vulnerable and scared of history repeating itself.

“Did you two discuss what went wrong last time? Her reasons for leaving?” Hank asked.

Gabriel briefly explained Rachel’s fears related to his flying and how the plane crash he’d been in had deeply affected her, as well as the trauma related to her father’s death.

Hank let out a low whistle. “That’s really complicated. Fear is a hard thing to get a grip on.”

Connor frowned at him. “So, how has it changed now? You’re still a bush pilot, at least part-time. Doesn’t it bother her?”

“I flew her to Anchorage for Helene’s surgery and she was real jittery,” Gabriel acknowledged. “She hasn’t moved past the trauma related to her father’s death so it might be another barrier standing between us.”

“Hey! Don’t sound so glum,” Connor ordered. “Hank and Sage went through a lot of obstacles to be together. They’re living proof that you can make it work.”

“That’s right! Now we just have to find someone for this guy here,” Hank said, jutting his chin in Connor’s direction.

Connor made a face and held up his hands. “Nope. I like being single. No one to tell me what to do or how to do it. No offense,” he said, looking at Hank.

“None taken,” Hank said gruffly. “Remind me to tell you I told you so when you meet your other half.”

They all chuckled at the idea of Connor settling down. Even when they were kids he’d boasted about never getting married. Although he’d dated numerous women in Owl Creek, they all knew it had never been serious. Connor might very well be a lifelong bachelor. And it would suit him just fine.

By the time they placed their orders, Connor had them in stitches cracking jokes. It provided a temporary diversion from his lingering doubts about Rachel.

Gabriel’s emotions were all over the place. He hated feeling so unsettled. Although it felt gratifying to have Hank and Connor’s support, he still had so many reservations about the woman he’d once adored like no other. Every time he began to wrap his head around the idea of reuniting with Rachel, a warning bell began to ding in his head. It served as a reminder that he needed to tread carefully with his heart, even though he knew he’d already fallen back in love with Rachel.

Chapter Twelve

In the days following the delivery of Tabitha’s baby, Rachel felt a deep sense of accomplishment. Delivering Casey had given her a feeling of purpose. There was nothing more satisfying than helping to bring a new life into the world. Her mother was recuperating nicely and seemed to be upbeat even though she was facing weeks of chemotherapy treatments. Sharing another kiss with Gabriel had given her hope that she hadn’t been imagining the deepening connection between them. She couldn’t help but wonder if she was falling in love with Gabriel all over again.

There had b

een a huge shift in the energy crackling around them. It was reminiscent of the night they’d first kissed. To her it seemed as if some of the barriers built up between them had been torn down. They’d both acknowledged what was simmering in the air between them. And it made her wish that there was a way to get past their issues. For so long she had been immersed in guilt and shame. Now she was cautiously optimistic about her future in Owl Creek. Because of Gabriel.

But it was hard to let her guard down completely. Life always had a way of disappointing her. Why did it always seem as if things got in the way between her and Gabriel? Nothing was ever simple between them. Frankly, she wondered if it ever would be. In the past she’d been terrified by the notion of losing him in a plane crash. Flying with Gabriel to Anchorage hadn’t erased those fears, although it had brought back fond memories of her father’s devotion to aviation. It had caused her to reflect on the joy he’d always experienced being a pilot. She knew Gabriel felt the exact same pride in his profession. Why couldn’t she rid herself of this notion that Gabriel was in danger?

Lately, most of his clients had been local ones or tourists who wanted to fly over Kachemak Bay or to Denali National Park. Those flights didn’t seem to have the inherent risks involved in the bush-pilot flights although there were always perils associated with flying. She still prayed about Gabriel’s safety each and every day, asking the Lord to keep him free from harm. No matter how hard she tried to quell her anxiety, Rachel continued to have fears of something happening to him on one of his flights. For once, praying about her worries hadn’t helped at all.

She was falling back in love with Gabriel, yet she wasn’t certain if they had a future together or if he had the same growing feelings for her as well.

---