Page 10 of An Alaskan Twin Surprise (Home to Owl Creek 2)

e lifetime. Revealing his mother’s deception would be adding salt to the wound. After everything that had happened between them, Rachel wasn’t even certain Gabriel would believe her.

Chapter Four

Gabriel let out a sigh as he inspected the wall in front of him. It wouldn’t take much to knock it down, but he had to be certain there wasn’t anything structural standing in the way that might present a problem. Helene’s house had to be at least forty years old, he surmised. More times than not, old homes tended to have surprises when you started poking around. Pops had taught him well in the area of home construction, and he wasn’t going to jump feet first into anything without taking the proper precautions. He would also have to hang up plastic sheets to prevent dust and allergens from circulating through the home, as well as asking Rachel to put baby gates up nearby so the girls would never venture into his work area.

Turning the den into a larger space all made sense now. Helene wanted to transform the room into a playroom for her granddaughters. It wasn’t any of Gabriel’s business, but he wasn’t sure it was practical. Rachel wasn’t moving back permanently to Owl Creek with her girls. From what he’d gleaned from their conversation, she was simply here to take care of Helene during her illness.

Gabriel knew fear when he saw it, and he couldn’t help but sense Helene was afraid of medical procedures. He’d seen it before in small Alaskan towns where people lived their entire lives without ever going to the hospital for any type of emergency.

He wondered how much Rachel knew about Helene’s diagnosis. For as long as he could remember, the two women had been at odds. Rachel had always chafed against her mother’s rules, while Helene had withheld her approval from her only daughter. Losing Lance had been devastating for the entire family. He’d been the glue holding everyone together, and without his presence in their lives, the family dynamic had crumbled. Perhaps they would finally come together due to Helene’s health battle.

Even though he’d prepared himself for the sight of Rachel and the twins as he arrived at Helene’s house this morning, his insides were still all tied up in knots. It still felt surreal. He couldn’t fathom why Helene had never mentioned such a huge development in her daughter’s life. Perhaps she had been trying to be kind by not sharing the news.

It wasn’t easy to pretend as if he didn’t have a problem being in her vicinity. It felt like a scab that still hadn’t healed. Every time he heard laughter from down the hall it made him wonder about Rachel’s life in Colorado with the twins. Had she found happiness? She seemed to have a great rapport with her children. A woman like Rachel wouldn’t have had any trouble finding male companionship. She’d always been the most beautiful woman in town.

A flash of red in his peripheral vision caught his attention. When he looked up, Rachel was standing a few feet away from him. Even dressed in a simple long-sleeved crimson top and a pair of jeans, she looked stunning. She’d swept her long hair up into a ponytail, making her look way younger than her twenty-eight years. Although his mind told himself not to stare at her, Gabriel couldn’t help it.

Rachel shifted from one foot to the other. “Would you like some coffee or tea? We’re about to sit down in the kitchen for a snack. I made some snickerdoodles.”

Snickerdoodles! So that explained the delectable aroma emanating from the kitchen.

Rachel knew they had always been his favorite cookies. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d sat at the Marshall’s kitchen table and devoured freshly baked cookies and drank numerous glasses of chocolate milk. It seemed so long ago.

He didn’t really want to sit down across a table from Rachel, but he figured it was Helene who’d requested his company. Whenever he stopped by to check on her, they would share a cup of tea and discuss all the goings-on in Owl Creek. It never failed to amaze him how Helene managed to keep up so well with town gossip despite being housebound.

“Sure,” Gabriel said with a brusque nod. He didn’t want Rachel to think his acquiescence had anything to do with her. Spending time in her company wasn’t exactly on his to-do list. Things still felt incredibly tense between them, and it was hard to wrap his head around the fact that they’d once been inseparable and so deeply in love. Time, distance and Rachel’s betrayal had severed their connection.

It wasn’t the moment or the place, but he intended to confront Rachel about the past once the timing was right and they were alone without the possibility of being interrupted. Now that she was back, it provided the perfect opportunity for closure. Maybe then he’d be able to commit himself to another woman and settle down like he’d always wanted to. Gabriel had nurtured dreams of a wife and family for as long as he could remember. His personal life was still in shambles; his relationships never seemed to amount to anything more than a few dates. He’d gone out with a few women in Owl Creek, but he always seemed to lose interest before things developed. How could he even consider being in a committed relationship when his heart wasn’t whole?

He looked down at his hands. They were covered with sawdust. “Let me just go wash up and then I’ll join you,” he said.

Rachel nodded, then turned on her heel and headed toward the kitchen. Judging by her rapid retreat, he sensed she wasn’t in any hurry to spend alone time with him either. It was fine by him, he thought, as a rush of anger speared through him. He wasn’t the one who’d been in the wrong. It hadn’t been his decision to end the relationship. Other than a cursory note she’d left in her wake saying she was sorry, Rachel had never taken the time to apologize to him. And the antique sapphire and diamond ring he’d lovingly placed on her ring finger had been left behind, serving as a cruel reminder of his crushed hopes and dreams. After all they had meant to each other, it still burned a hole through him that she hadn’t thought him worthy of a face-to-face meeting.

By the time he’d washed up and made his way to the kitchen, Helene and the twins were seated at the table while Rachel was buzzing around putting bibs on the girls and placing Cheerios and sippy cups in front of them. Her movements were gentle. Maternal. Each gesture filled with love and care.

Faith and Lizzy were beautiful little girls. His heart clenched as his gaze swept over them. With their round cheeks and big brown eyes, they were the very image of Rachel. She had brought two mini versions of herself into the world. He didn’t even want to think about their father, although he was curious about whether he was still in Rachel’s and the twins’ lives. Helene had emphatically stated Rachel’s status as a single mother. Gabriel knew he was reading between the lines, but it didn’t seem as if Rachel had any support. Had things fallen apart between Rachel and the father of her twins?

It has nothing to do with you, he reminded himself angrily. Rachel hadn’t been his concern for a very long time. He’d fervently believed she would be his forever, but instead of marrying him, Rachel had turned into a runaway bride. The shame and embarrassment of being dumped days before saying their I dos still made him feel like a world-class chump. All of his life he’d been viewed as a good guy in his hometown, but Rachel had walked all over him. Nice guys finish last was the phrase that always came to mind.

“What kind of tea would you like?” Rachel asked, pointing to the assortment in the middle of the table. Gabriel reached out and picked up a bag of chamomile. Thanks to his mother’s tea shop, he knew a lot about different flavors. Chamomile was his favorite. A heaping plate of snickerdoodles was sitting in the center of the table. He eagerly helped himself to two cookies.

Rachel leaned over and poured hot water into his cup. He could smell a sweet fragrance hovering over her like a halo. Peaches and vanilla. Her signature scent. Just the aroma of it brought back a wealth of memories, ones he couldn’t allow himself to savor.

Helene reached over and patted his hand. “I want to thank you again for doing all of this work for me. You’re a good man.” Her eyes darted toward Rachel.

Rachel cleared her throat. “It’s very thoughtful of you, Gabriel.”

He winked at Helene. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

She giggled like a schoolgirl. “You’re making me blush.”

Gabriel noticed a tiny smile tugging at the corner of Rachel’s lips. She had always appreciated the easygoing relationship he’d shared with Helene. When they were engaged, he’d looked forward to becoming a part of the Marshall family, never imagining how badly things would veer off course in the long run.

He looked over at the twins. So far, he’d tried his best not to let his eyes linger on them too long. His emotions were a bit all over the place with regard to Rachel’s offspring. It was difficult for him to even process his feelings. Somehow the idea of Rachel having kids with another man had never even occurred to him. He watched as the girls began feeding each other cereal which drew laughter from Helene. A feeling of longing swept over him. For some time now he’d wanted a family of his own. It hit him every time he saw Hank with his baby girl, Addie. Now that Hank was set to marry Sage, Gabriel couldn’t help but think his friend had everything he would ever need to make his life complete. He envied him.

“Look at that! They sure do love each other,” Helene said, beaming as she looked at the baby girls. It was nice, Gabriel realized, to see Helene enjoying her grandchildren. It seemed to soften her hard edges. She’d never been the most effusive woman with her feelings. Rachel had never truly believed her mother loved her, largely due to Helene’s sharp tongue and endless criticisms. He couldn’t help but notice that Rachel was loving in each and every interaction with the twins. It didn’t really surprise him, since he’d always known she would be a great mother.

“I’ve always heard that twins share an unbreakable bond. It looks as if these two are no exception,” he said, marveling at their connection. They were so cute in their matching outfits and pigtails. God had doubly blessed Rachel.

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