8
“I am going completely stir-crazy,” Gabi told Samantha on Friday night. “Do you realize I have not been anywhere or done anything without Dani since she was born? Other than that day you gave me a break to get some work done at the office, that is.”
Samantha regarded her sister with amusement. “I’m pretty sure that was your choice,” she reminded her. “Wade’s offered to stay home with your daughter. Grandmother’s offered. So have I, for that matter. You’ve turned us all down, with some very inventive excuses, I might add.”
Gabi regarded her with annoyance. “Are you making fun of me because I’m behaving like every other new mom in the universe by being overly protective of my baby?”
“Something like that, especially since Wade and Grandmother both have more experience with babies than you do.”
“Okay, so I wasn’t ready then,” Gabi conceded.
“But you are now?”
“I am so ready,” Gabi said fervently. “I want to eat an entire meal, uninterrupted. I want to get a manicure and maybe even a pedicure. I need to get my hair done. I need to shop.”
Samantha chuckled. “Okay, it’s not sounding as if you’re looking for a date night with Wade. I was going to suggest I keep Dani tonight so the two of you could have an evening to yourselves.”
“Wade has already claimed Dani for the night. He’s taking her over to his sister’s so the kids can dote on her. Now the question is, will you go on a girls’ night out with me and keep me from calling him every ten minutes to check on the baby? Despite what you think, I do recognize that I need to chill out.”
“I can do that,” Samantha said readily. “What about Emily? Is she coming along?”
“She’s having another of her powwows with Grandmother and Boone over wedding details. What they could possibly have left to plan is beyond me, but checking things off her list, then double-checking them, seems to make her happy. Who am I to question that?”
“Says the master list-maker,” Samantha teased. “I’m betting you already have a timetable for tonight written down in your day planner.”
“It’s on my smartphone, but yes,” Gabi admitted without a hint of apology. “Those organizational skills of mine are being put to good use these days.” She gave Samantha a sly look. “I can spare some time to work on a new PR campaign for you, though.”
Samantha stilled. “Is that what tonight is about? Is this your sneaky way of trying to fix up my career again?”
“No, tonight is about manis and pedis and pampering,” Gabi insisted. “The rest is just mental doodling, something to think about while we’re getting pretty.”
“If you say so,” Samantha said, but her enthusiasm for the evening ahead had dwindled just a little. “What makes you think my career needs another boost? I haven’t said a word about work.”
“Precisely,” Gabi said. “And since you’re usually brimming over with excitement when things are going well, I find that silence pretty deafening. So do Grandmother and Emily.”
“But you’re the designated interrogator?”
“No interrogation,” she promised. “Just an offer to pitch in if you want my help.”
“Let’s just stick to the makeovers, dinner and girl talk, okay? Talking about my career will just depress me. I have a lot of things to figure out.”
“Talking it through might help,” Gabi said.
“Actually I did talk a few things through with Ethan.”
Gabi didn’t even attempt to hide her surprise. “When did you and Ethan have this little heart-to-heart? Last night when he showed up at Boone’s and dragged you off?”
“Then, and again this morning,” Samantha revealed.
Gabi’s eyes widened. “Hold on. Did you go home with Ethan last night? I could have sworn you slept in your own bed at Grandmother’s.” Her mouth dropped open. “Or did Ethan stay at the house?”
“Wipe that mental image right out of your head,” Samantha scolded. “I’m not likely to bring a man I hardly know into my bed under Cora Jane’s roof. She’d tan my hide and load up her shotgun to ensure a wedding.”
Gabi laughed. “Yeah, I think that’s why Wade refuses to stay over, too. And we’re already committed to walking down the aisle once Emily’s big shindig is behind us. So, when did you and Ethan continue your conversation?”
“We went for a run together this morning,” Samantha said casually as if it were an everyday occurrence. “The coastline is especially pretty just after sunrise. In fact, everything has this lovely golden glow. I’m thinking I’d like to check out Sea Glass Island if we go running again. All those beautiful bits of colored glass that wash ashore must look amazing in that light.”
“And how does Ethan look at daybreak? Amazing?” Gabi teased.
“Oh yeah!” Samantha replied with a heartfelt sigh before she could stop herself. “The man is a god!”
“So much for any attempt to claim that you’re past that old high school crush,” Gabi said. Her expression turned worried. “Samantha, be careful.”
The genuine concern in her sister’s voice was troubling. “What do you mean? I know what I’m up against. Ethan doesn’t do relationships.”
“But you do,” Gabi reminded her. “Just not for the long term. Add in the distance, and I see a rocky road ahead. Ethan had his heart ripped out once. I’d hate to see it happen again.”
Samantha didn’t even try to hide her surprise. Why hadn’t it occurred to anyone to worry about Ethan before they started throwing them together at every opportunity?
“So you’re worried about him, not me?” she said, trying to clarify.
“I’m worried for both of you.”
“Well, you can stop worrying. We both understand the situation. I’m here for another ten days or so. We’re not going to do anything crazy in such a short time. We’re having fun. That’s it.”
“Bedroom fun?”
“That hasn’t come up,” Samantha admitted, then thought of the undeniable attraction always simmering just below the surface whenever they crossed paths. “At least not yet.”
“Sweetie, some men might enjoy casual sex without giving it a second thought. I don’t think Ethan
