He smiled. “Wild blueberries are the best.”
Felicity didn’t detect a hint of awkwardness in Gabe’s tone. He got up and poured himself coffee, which he took black—still, she thought. He always had, from his first cup at thirteen. He returned to the table with it. She noticed his Padres shirt stretched nicely across his back. He was even more muscular and fit than when she’d last seen him. Well. Good for him. She wanted him to be healthy and in good shape, didn’t she? They’d gone their separate ways, but it wasn’t as if they’d been engaged or anything. He’d been a friend. Nothing more.
Nothing less, either.
She whisked the eggs, added the chives and dumped the mixture into the pan. She toasted the English muffin, buttered the two halves and put them on the plate just as the eggs were cooked.
“Looks great,” he said when she set the plate in front of him. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
He picked up his fork, but his eyes were on her. “Not being curt?”
“Nope. Sincere.”
“The happy hostess, huh?”
“Least I can do.” She went to the counter and poured herself a mug of coffee, then took it and sat across from him. “I saw you had a brownie before bed.”
“I did. It was perfect. Thanks.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. You can have the entire batch if you want—except for the one I plan to steal for lunch. I do all right with brownies, but Maggie’s are the best. She’ll make the brownies for your party.”
“Sounds good.” He dug into his eggs. “Do you like the idea of adding a party?”
“Sure,” she said. “It’s a fine idea.”
He winked at her. “Now that was curt.”
“Are you baiting me, Gabe Flanagan?”
“Not me. Totally innocent.”
“Innocent isn’t a word I associate with you.” Felicity mimicked his wink at her. “Bet that’s not a surprise.”
He laughed. “Damn, I’ve missed you, Felicity. Thanks for breakfast. I’ll take care of the dishes, get cleaned up and head out. Don’t let me interfere with your plans. Anything you need from me for the boot camp party?”
“Not at the moment. I’ll let you know. Helps that the weather forecast is perfect.”
“Are you nervous?”
His question took her by surprise. “A little, I guess. I’ve been planning more events in town. So far, so good, but Dylan McCaffrey and Noah Kendrick are in a league of their own.”
“You don’t want to screw up.”
“I never want to screw up.” She set her mug on the table and considered whether she should continue. Why stop now? “But I have screwed up, and I survived. I got past it. I learned from the experience, my mistakes. I don’t dwell on them. I moved on. If you expected to find me stuck in the past—”
“I didn’t.” Gabe reached for the pepper grinder. “You’re welcome, by the way.” He ground black pepper onto his eggs, skipping any salt. “You’d still be miserable, clawing your way to nowhere in the world of spreadsheets if I hadn’t intervened.”
He spoke without any hint of hurt, defensiveness, frustration or grievance. Just stating the facts. Felicity leaned back, accidentally brushing her foot against his under the table. At least she was wearing sandals, but, still, that split second of intimate contact didn’t help with her focus. “Still honest to a fault with me, aren’t you?”
“With everyone but less guarded with you.”
“Not guarded at all. No filters as far as I can see.” She gulped her coffee and jumped to her feet. “I should get busy. Find me if you need me for anything.”
“Will do.”
She headed into the living room with her coffee, stood at the glass doors and let out a long, cathartic breath as she gazed out at the trees in the morning sun. Gabriel Flanagan had her discombobulated. It was a word his mother had often used, and it fit how Felicity felt. She smiled sadly, thinking of Lee Flanagan. She’d sometimes envisioned building a house here, but it’d never happened. She’d died, but she and Mickey Flanagan never would have pulled off building a house. But they’d raised sons who had.
Felicity set her mug on the coffee table, but she launched herself back to the kitchen doorway. “When did you decide you wanted to stay here?”
Gabe looked up from his eggs. “Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I think you’re up to something,” she said.
“Such as?”
“I don’t know yet. Were you upset when you found out I’d bought this place?”
“Why would I be upset?”
“That’s not an answer, but I’ll tell you why. Because you think I bought it because of you. As a way to show you—I don’t know. To shove your nose in my newfound solvency.”
“To spite me, you mean. That would be a bad reason to buy a house.”
“Yes, it would be, and it’s not what I did. I bought this place because I love the house and love the location, and Mark gave me a good deal.” She paused, calmed herself. “I’m not trying to be combative. You have some great memories here. I understand if you were taken aback I’d bought it. I’m sure Mark isn’t aware of the details of our...history.”
“Probably not. You’re the owner of this property, Felicity. That’s all that matters now.”
“That’s an evasive response—at best a polite way to tell me to mind my own business.” She wished she’d stayed in the living room. She digested Gabe’s words, his posture as he sat there eating his breakfast. She considered the timing of his presence in Knights Bridge. And she got it. “Lightbulb moment. You agreed to speak at the boot camp and came up with the idea of hosting the party after you learned I’d bought the house.”
“The two aren’t necessarily connected. I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions.”
“I’m dropping this,” she said. “It’s obviously not going to get me anywhere I want to go.”
“I’m not here to cause you trouble, Felicity.”
“Good.”
She returned to the living room, collected her files and laptop and went out to the
