Sea Glass Island (Ocean Breeze) - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,122

I negotiated a buyout. A win-win for everyone, according to Amanda. Who knew she was a better spin master than I ever dreamed of being?” Gabi said, unable to keep a bitter note out of her voice.

“Okay, let’s forget the job for the moment. It doesn’t matter,” Samantha said. “The baby’s Paul’s.”

Gabi was grateful that there’d been no question mark at the end of her sister’s statement. “Of course.”

“How’d he take it?”

“As if I’d committed a felony. Needless to say, he’s no longer in the picture.”

“The rat,” Samantha said with feeling. “I never did like him.”

Despite the tense atmosphere, Gabi smiled. “You never even met him.”

“And that’s precisely why I didn’t like him. What kind of man doesn’t want to meet his girlfriend’s family? He never even showed his face when we were helping Grandmother after the hurricane.”

“And what a blessing that probably was. Give him a hammer and he’d probably do more harm than good.”

“Not what you need in a man,” Samantha declared. “Now Wade Johnson? He’s the kind of man to have around in a crisis.”

Gabi stiffened at the out-of-the-blue mention of the man who’d been underfoot nonstop while they were making repairs to the family restaurant, Castle’s by the Sea, after the hurricane. “Why would you bring him up?”

“Because he was around after the storm, just like Boone. And I saw the way Wade looked at you, as if he’d never seen anyone so perfect in his entire life.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Let me remind you that I said the same thing to our sister about Boone, and look at the two of them now. In a few months Emily and Boone will be married, assuming he can convince her to finally set a date. I’m good at this stuff, Gabi. I recognize heat between men and women, even when they’re both in denial.”

“Well, you’re wrong this time. Besides, don’t you think the timing is just a little off for me to be thinking about a relationship? I’m going to be having another man’s baby in a few months.”

Samantha sucked in a deep breath at the reminder. “Are you at least happy about that?” she asked hesitantly. “A baby, Gabi! That is so incredible.”

Gabi rested a hand on her belly, felt the faint stirring there. The first time she’d felt that tiny life inside her, she’d fallen in love. Being pregnant might be inconvenient. It might not have been the result of a love match. It might have cost her a job, but she already loved this baby more than anything. She’d do whatever it took to protect it and make sure it had everything it deserved...including two parents who would treasure this priceless gift when the time came.

“I’m thinking about adoption,” she admitted to Samantha, deciding to test the idea she’d mentioned to no one else.

Her words were greeted by stunned silence.

“Samantha? You still there?”

“You’d give up the baby?”

Gabi closed her eyes. “I think it’s the only way to make sure it has a good life. And, to be honest, I don’t want to be tied to Paul through this child. I don’t want to take a cent of support money from him. I don’t want anyone so selfish in this child’s life.”

“Oh, sweetie, forget Paul for the moment,” Samantha protested. “You can give this baby a good life. You can surround him or her with a whole family who’ll fall in love the instant he or she is born.”

“Babies shouldn’t start life with an out-of-work single mother,” Gabi said wearily.

“It’s not as if you’re going to be destitute. And you’ll find another job when the time comes,” Samantha insisted. “Plus, we’ll all help. Me, Emily, Grandmother, even Dad will be on board. His first grandchild? You know he’s going to be thrilled about this.”

“Is he really?” Gabi asked skeptically, sounding more like Emily than herself. Emily was the one who never gave their father credit for having deep feelings for any of them. Besides, Sam Castle had hardly noticed his own children unless they were in trouble. It seemed unlikely he’d be over the moon about a grandchild. The image of him sitting in a rocker cuddling a baby was so incongruous, it was laughable.

“Well, you don’t have to decide right this second,” Samantha said, backing off to give her breathing room. “We’ll talk about it when I see you.”

“When you see me?” Gabi asked suspiciously. “Since when are you planning a trip back down here?”

“I’m driving home tomorrow,” Samantha said, as if the trip had been scheduled