Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,101
cut his losses?
Her stomach lurched. Gabe had told her he didn’t like being a number in a big-city firm. Maybe this position was too good to pass up. Could she really blame him for taking on a job that would give him more money and prestige?
Yes. Because he’d kept reassuring her he was happy in Cape May and at Sunshine Bridal.
Bella picked up her phone to call him, then slowly placed it back down. She wouldn’t say a word. She’d wait and see when he felt it was time to tell her and hear what he had to say. She’d be calm and listen to all the good reasons he needed to leave them all behind.
She stared out the window and chided herself for being so shocked. In a way, this was all her fault. All her fears and doubts had come true, and now Zoe and her family would be devastated. After all this time, hadn’t she learned her lesson?
Everyone always leaves.
Chapter Twenty-One
When Bella reached the Lobster House the next evening, the outside bar was jammed.
The restaurant was an icon in Cape May, and during high season, people packed the open decks that held dozens of wooden picnic tables overlooking the water, feasting on buckets of oysters, shrimp, and lobster. Two outside bars added to the party atmosphere, and when ordering food for takeout, groups would linger over a specialty cocktail while waiting.
The weather cooperated with happy sunshine and a playful breeze. She stopped to chat with a few people before ordering a tequila sunrise—the drink special of the day—and took a deep breath of the salty ocean air. She’d been tempted to cancel, sick about seeing Gabe, but she refused to cower and hide. He owed her the truth—face-to-face. For now, she’d try to celebrate spring and reconnect with the people she cared about.
She waved Taylor over, who was the easiest to spot with her pink hair and diamond nose ring catching the light.
“Hey, glad you made it. Do you know if Avery and Carter are coming?”
“Avery’s got a rehearsal dinner, so she’s doing a stopover with Carter. Where’s Pierce?”
“He’s coming with Gabe.” Taylor regarded her with narrowed suspicion. “Speaking of which—why are you not here with him? I haven’t noticed his car parked by the curb this week. Something up?”
She looked away, not wanting to say anything. “Sorting stuff out, I guess.”
Usually, her youngest sister backed way off. Her respect for privacy was legendary, so Bella was surprised when a frown creased her brow. “That doesn’t sound good. I heard gossip in town, but I know it’s not true.”
“About work?” she asked, wondering if she wasn’t the only one who knew about his big offer in New York.
“No. About Devon.”
Irritation hit. She was getting sick of the Devon thing still going on. “Yeah, I know. Let’s not talk about it, okay?”
Taylor opened her mouth to say something, but Daisy interrupted just in time. “Hey, gorgeous babes! Happy almost summer!” She laughed and clinked her glass to theirs, her copper hair turning to fire under the light. “How’s it going?”
Taylor smiled. “Good. Heard you have a hot date.”
Daisy rolled her eyes. “Lord, I just told Bella, but I guess my dry spell around here is legendary. Even my dad congratulated me and took Meg for the night. Nothing like getting a thumbs-up from your own father to get frisky.”
They laughed. “Where is he?” Bella asked.
“Should be here soon. How’s wedding season? Any fun disasters to entertain me with yet?”
“Would you believe it’s been pretty easy lately?” Taylor said. “I haven’t had a PITA in a while. Which means I’ll be due soon for a doozy.”
“Speak for yourself,” Bella said. “I had an appointment with Winifred today.”
Taylor winced. “The whiner and codependent?”
“Yep. Her partner, Sophia, is such a sweetheart, but she took herself completely out of the planning. How am I going to deal with six more months of this?”
“Get help?” Daisy suggested. “I’m sure your sister or Gabe can take the brunt.”
Taylor snorted. “As if. Bella’s the best to handle the difficult couples, anyway. She’s able to translate a calm focus everyone can relate to. It’s a gift.”
She stared at Taylor in surprise. “I thought that was Avery.”
“Avery is a driving force of energy and the backbone of Sunshine. But you? I think you’ve always been the heart.”
She shared a glance with Daisy, whose mouth dropped slightly open at the compliment. “That was really nice,” Daisy said. “And I agree.”