“Seems to me the two of you make a good team,” Cora Jane told him slyly.
Wade laughed. “You can stop nudging, Cora Jane. I’m on board.”
He returned to the office to find Meg and Sally sitting with Gabi.
“Here’s the man of the hour,” Sally said. “Wade, what you and Gabi have accomplished here is nothing short of miraculous. I was interviewed by two different TV news crews. I doubt I said anything scintillating enough to get on the air, but it was fun. I felt like a celebrity.”
“You can thank Gabi for that. She must have called every contact she ever had in the North Carolina media and beyond.”
Gabi grinned, beckoning for the plate of food. “Most of them,” she agreed. “But I held out a few for the next time I need some big favors.”
She popped a small chicken salad biscuit in her mouth and closed her eyes. “This is heavenly. I think I could eat a dozen of them.”
“Well, according to Cora Jane, you’re out of luck. She says the food’s almost gone, so I imagine the crowd will start dispersing soon.”
“Just in time,” Meg said, regarding Gabi worriedly. “You look beat. I hope you’re taking tomorrow off to get some rest.”
“How can I? It’s our official opening day. I’ll be needed here in case there are any glitches.”
“Well, you can at least sleep late,” Sally said. “Wade, see to it. Make sure she doesn’t set foot in here before eleven. I can make sure the place opens on time and hold down the fort till she arrives.”
“And I’ll come over and pitch in, too,” Meg offered. “I have Lily on at the shop tomorrow, and I even persuaded my daughter to help her out, so that’s covered.”
“That’s so sweet,” Gabi said. “But really, I should be here by nine at least to make sure we’re set for the opening at ten.”
“Eleven and not a minute earlier,” Sally repeated.
Wade grinned at Gabi. “See, you’re not the boss of everything,” he told her. “There are people here who have your back. Stay home and rest and I’ll bring fresh doughnuts when I come to get you.”
Gabi’s eyes lit up. “Chocolate-iced with sprinkles?”
“An entire dozen of them,” he promised.
“Then I suppose if I’m here by eleven, that’ll be soon enough,” she said docilely.
“Who knew she could be bought with doughnuts?” Meg said, clearly amused.
Wade chuckled. “How do you think I got her to notice me in the first place? It wasn’t my good looks or sexy banter. Nope. It was those doughnuts that worked like a charm.”
Gabi patted his hand. “Don’t be smug. I’m capable of buying those doughnuts for myself, you know.”
She started to get up, struggled a bit, then held out her hand. Wade pulled her to her feet. “Ready to go home?”
“Not just yet. I need to make the rounds and say good-night, make sure there are no last-minute requests for interviews.”
“Fifteen minutes,” he told her firmly. “Then we’re out the door.”
“Ooh,” Sally mocked. “I do so love a man who takes charge.”
“More like a man who thinks he’s in charge,” Gabi retorted, but she did leave the room with Wade. That gave him at least a faint hope that she’d wrap things up in the allotted fifteen minutes.
And then they could be alone so he could tell her how absolutely incredible and amazing he thought she was to have pulled off tonight’s coup.
* * *
Gabi rubbed her back. It had been aching all day. She attributed that to going up and down the steps at the gallery all day long.
The opening night success had continued for the past two weeks of full operation. So far, the freshness of the idea and the excitement it had been generating around the community and the state hadn’t worn off. She’d discovered that showcasing a variety of works that might bring joy, beauty or serenity into someone’s life was astonishingly fulfilling. Wade had been right that there were many ways to find satisfaction.
Wade had been right about many things. She hadn’t quite decided if that trait was annoying or endearing. At the moment, with him hovering over her with a worried frown, she was finding it annoying.
“You’re in labor,” he repeated for the tenth time in an hour.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not due for another two weeks.”
“Perhaps the baby hasn’t seen the schedule you posted on the fridge,” Wade retorted. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, muttered a few words, then handed the phone to her.
“Hi, Lou,” Gabi said to his sister, giving him a wry look.
“If Wade says you’re in labor, you need to go to the hospital,” Louise told her firmly. “Ignore him at your own peril. I did with my first and almost had Bryce in the backseat of the car. My brother has some sort of uncanny ability to predict these things. With Chelsea, I didn’t even have a twinge. Wade took one look at my face and drove me to the hospital.”
“Please,” Gabi protested, unconvinced.
“I’m telling you, he’s in touch with some kind of feminine higher power or something. Trust his instincts.”
“Okay, thanks,” Gabi said, still scowling as she hung up the phone. “You want to go to the hospital, we’ll go, but do not call my grandmother or Emily yet. This baby might not be here for days.”
He grinned. “Yes, dear.”
Several hours later, a squalling, rosy-cheeked baby girl was placed in Gabi’s arms. Tears filled her eyes as she stared into that sweet face, but it was the awed expression in Wade’s eyes that stole her breath.
“Whatever made me think I could do it?” she murmured.
Wade studied her as if not quite sure he dared to believe her. “Do what?”
“Let her go,” she whispered. “I know I’d already made the decision to keep her, but looking into her sweet little face, I can’t even conceive
