Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,112
I’ll get the cake out.”
“Love you, too!”
He wondered if this much happiness was legal, then decided he didn’t care. The house was filled with giggling, shrieking little girls, Daisy and Andrew, and the rest of the family. He couldn’t come up with a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon, which had been carefully blocked on the calendar so none of them had any events to attend.
He grabbed a refill of seltzer and watched Pierce in action. He’d seamlessly integrated himself into the group of girls, and no one seemed to notice him as he caught candid shots of their interactions and scenes at the party. He moved with a subtle grace, chasing light and shadow, working his way across the room.
Suddenly, he straightened and stilled, his head lifted in the air as if scenting prey. Gabe swiveled his gaze around and saw Taylor.
She was sitting under the window, which streamed in rays of bright sunshine. Her nose stud winked, and her sleek pink hair shimmered, giving off a punch of energy she exuded just by walking into a room. She was laughing at something Avery said, head thrown back, her face open and joyous in a glimpse of emotion usually masked under her trademark sarcastic wit and cynicism.
Curious, he watched Pierce stare at her, then slowly pick up the camera and begin catching the moment. He ducked to his knees and moved his body in a graceful dance, as if chasing something only he could see. The bulb flashed. When he uncurled from the floor, a fierce look flickered over Pierce’s features as he gazed at Taylor.
Gabe walked over and stood beside him. “Wanna take a break? This isn’t a work gig, you know. Have a beer.”
Pierce shot him a grin. “Just wanted to grab the opportunity while it’s here. I’m making a going-away scrapbook for Taylor as a surprise.”
“She’ll love it. It’s gonna be hard on all of us not having her around, huh?”
His friend avoided his gaze and fiddled with the camera. “Yep. But it’s what she’s always wanted. She never planned to stay in Cape May like I did. This was just a side road for her.”
“Sometimes side roads take you to the most interesting places.”
Pierce shot him a look. “What are you now, a philosopher? You fall in love, get the girl, and suddenly you wax poetic?”
Gabe laughed. “Maybe.”
Bella’s voice rang through the air. “Cake time! Come gather at the table!”
Gabe clapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s eat cake.”
He walked with his friend to the table, and as they celebrated Zoe’s rise to first grade, Gabe treasured every moment around the people he loved. Bella put a few candles on the cake for Zoe to blow out. “Don’t forget to make a graduation wish,” she said.
Somehow, he’d gotten a happy beginning. The difficult past with his father and the long road to claim Bella’s heart seemed critical to get him to appreciate this exact moment. To be with the woman he loved, part of a family, and finally at peace with his doubts. Everyone deserved love and was worthy of it—he knew that now.
As Zoe closed her eyes to make a wish and blow out the candles, he found himself hoping Pierce would get his, too.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A big thank-you to all the usual suspects!
To the amazing team at Montlake for the endless support—Maria Gomez, you are the best, and fingers crossed I’ll be able to visit again for one of our famous long lunches! To Kristi Yanta, who always takes my writing to the next level—I’m so glad you’re on my team. To my agent, Kevan Lyon, who helps propel me forward with both shrewdness and kindness. To Nina Grinstead at Social Butterfly—I appreciate everything you do to get my books into readers’ hands. To my assistant, Mandy Lawler, for keeping it all humming well in the background as I write—I’d be lost without you.
To my husband, who cooks dinner faithfully every night so I can whine and write and make my deadline. To my boys, Jake and Joshua, who actually offer advice when I whine and eventually tell me, “Mom—just go write!”
And as always, to my readers. I hope you’re enjoying your time with the Sunshine sisters in Cape May—thank you so much for reading!
ANOTHER SUNSHINE SISTERS STORY BY JENNIFER PROBST
Look for the next installment in the Sunshine Sisters series, Forever in Cape May, coming in April 2021.
Editor’s Note: This is an early excerpt and may not reflect the finished book.