He knew that the process involved research, plus pages and pages of lists, plus conversations with people she relied on, such as Cora Jane. He imagined she’d go to Sally, perhaps Meg, maybe even her sisters. Eventually, though, she would come back to him with more questions, if not a final decision. Waiting for that moment, though, was getting to him. He’d wanted to pick up the phone and call her at least a dozen times, but he’d held back.
Hanging back, being patient—it was what he’d always done. In the end, he’d wound up with Kayla because of it. And though that had ended in terrible loss, for a time he’d had exactly the life he’d envisioned with her. He didn’t doubt that the same strategy would work with Gabi.
But the stakes were bigger this time, his feelings even deeper. What if he waited too long, sat on the sidelines and, in the end, had to watch her walk away? With that fear at the back of his mind, it was getting harder and harder to be patient, even though he knew she was not a woman to be rushed.
When his cell phone rang and he finally saw her name in the caller ID, he dragged in a deep breath before answering.
“Hey,” he said, proud of the casual tone he’d managed.
“Hey, yourself. Want to meet me at Castle’s this afternoon? I’d like to talk some more about this idea of yours.”
“I’ll be there,” he said at once. “What time?”
“Whenever you’re free.”
“I’m on my way now,” he said at once, then laughed. “Not that I’m anxious or anything.” It was downright pitiful how badly he wanted this, wanted her.
“You do realize we’re going to talk about the artists’ studio, not anything else,” she cautioned.
“Yes, ma’am. I haven’t asked any other questions yet,” he reminded her. “One thing at a time, Gabi. One thing at a time.”
And getting her to say yes to staying here on the coast was the first step to getting everything he wanted.
* * *
As Wade walked into Castle’s by the Sea, Cora Jane stopped him.
“Thank you,” she said, her expression solemn. “You’ve put the light back in my girl’s eyes.”
“She told you about the project I have in mind?”
“Every last detail, and believe you me, there are pages of them,” she said, laughing. “Gabriella doesn’t leave much to chance once she gets invested in something. She’s a whirlwind, sweeping up information and sorting through it till it makes sense to her.”
“What do you think of the idea?” he asked, curious to know her reaction. Cora Jane had her finger on the pulse of this community, probably more so than he did.
“I’d love it on its own merits,” she said candidly, “but if it will keep Gabriella and my great-grandbaby close to me, then I’m a thousand percent behind it. Now get on over there before she wonders what sort of meddling I’m doing. I’ll bring your pie in a minute. It’s Mississippi mud pie today. Haven’t tried that one in a while, but Jerry had a hankering for it, so I decided to indulge him.”
“When do you intend to make an honest man of that old Cajun?” Wade teased. “Put the poor man out of his misery and marry him.”
“We’re doing just fine the way things are,” Cora Jane said.
Wade couldn’t seem to stop himself from asking, “Is that what Jerry thinks?”
“Well, no,” she admitted. “But Jeremiah can’t get his way about everything. It sets a bad precedent.”
As anxious as Wade was to speak to Gabi, he hesitated. “If you don’t mind me meddling...” he began.
She smiled at that. “Turnabout’s fair, I suppose,” she said with unmistakable reluctance.
“The man sat quietly on the sidelines for a lot of years out of respect for your marriage to Caleb. Maybe it’s time to give a little thought to what he needs and not just what suits you.” He held up his hands when Cora Jane opened her mouth, clearly intending to protest. “I’m just telling you how I see it. You’re perfectly free to ignore me.”
“I suppose that’s more latitude than I give you,” Cora Jane grumbled. “I’ll think about it.”
“All I’m suggesting,” Wade said.
He crossed the restaurant and found Gabi watching him curiously.
“What were you and Grandmother talking about? Were you forming a strategy about me?”
He laughed. “Nope. I was just putting in a good word for Jerry. Cora Jane seems inclined to stick with the status quo. I think her cook wants a lot more.”
“We all think that, but she’s stubborn as an old mule about changing things,” Gabi said, her frustration plain. “I think it’s less about loyalty to our grandfather than it is about wanting to experience a little independence after all those years of marriage. I suppose I can’t really blame her for that.”
“An interesting perspective,” Wade admitted. “I hadn’t really thought about that. I guess I was just identifying with Jerry hiding his feelings for so long, hoping for a relationship that might never happen.”
A frown crossed Gabi’s face. “Identifying with him? Are you talking about waiting for me?”
“You...and Kayla,” he admitted. “I’ve done a lot of waiting in my life.” He held her gaze. “I’m thinking I need to start being more proactive.”
“Wade—”
He cut her off before she could utter whatever protest was about to form on her lips. “Just fair warning, sweetheart, not some kind of ultimatum you need to get all worked up about.”
She stared at him for a long time. “You scare the daylights out of me sometimes.”
“How so?”
“You’re still reading my mind,” she grumbled.
“The way I hear it, most women would be thrilled by that.”
“Well, I find it annoying.”
“Only because you’re used to keeping your emotions under tight wraps.”
A storm cloud rolled across her face. “I
