Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,110
the side, scrolling through his phone, and glanced over. Justin from Louie’s Pizza and Ron from the police department were eating lunch. When he caught their eye, they gave him a thumbs-up, pointing to their copy of Exit Zero.
He was going to lose his shit.
He finally got his lunch and hit his other two meetings, where more people commented on the “great” article and congratulated him with sly winks and grins. He was just deciding to sue the magazine for mental anguish when he ran into Devon.
Yep. Things could get worse.
“Hey, stranger. I read the article. I’m really happy for you,” she said. “Are you still coming tomorrow at three for the Bailey wedding?”
“Yeah. Unless I decide to move and retire to an island where there’s no beach bachelor,” he said a bit grumpily.
Surprise skittered across her face. “Oh, you didn’t like that article? I’m sorry—I thought you were excited about it. It seemed kind of sweet. Not very feminist, I must admit, but even I could forgive the intention.”
He scoffed. “Devon, you know I hate that crap. Why would being declared the local beach stud make me anything but embarrassed? I don’t even want to talk about it. You should throw it away.”
She dug out the magazine from her beach bag, frowning. “Okay, now I’m really confused. You and Bella aren’t together anymore?”
“What does Bella have to do with it?”
She stared at him like he was stupid. “Because she’s the whole focus of the article. Are we talking about the same one?”
She shoved it into his hands, and he glanced down at the glossy pages. The title hit him first, like a sucker punch to the jaw.
TAKEN! Hands Off My Man, Local Business Owner Claims. The Beach Bachelor Belongs to Me!
There was a big red X over his picture from last year, and next to it was an image of Bella, her gorgeous face staring back at him, smiling like she had a big secret.
His hands shook as he skimmed the article.
It held all the details of their growing relationship. How they had been fighting their attraction at work because they were worried it would ruin their professional relationship. How they had become close friends and finally couldn’t fight their feelings for one another. Her frustration about how women seemed to gossip and claimed to have slept with him. How he was the perfect man, work partner, and male mentor for Zoe. And how she loved him and didn’t want any woman on the Cape or beyond to think he was up for grabs, because he was hers.
He looked up at Devon.
Her mouth went into a little O. “You didn’t know?” she asked.
He shook his head, the ground beneath him suddenly shaky. “I have to go. Mind if I keep this?”
She grinned. “Nope. Go get her, Romeo.”
He took off at a dead run.
Bella walked into the office and wondered how bad the fallout was going to be.
He hadn’t contacted her. The story had hit the stands that morning, and she hadn’t received even a text or a question about whether she was stark raving mad. The wait was slowly killing her nerves, so she decided to do some paperwork in a quiet room rather than be out in town. Already, she’d been approached by endless people, congratulating her as if she’d done something amazing rather than declare her love for a man who deserved everything.
She willed her phone to ring. Then decided silence was golden, especially if he’d changed his mind about his feelings for her. Maybe she’d hurt and denied him too many times for him to forgive. She needed to be ready for that.
She’d just opened her laptop when she heard the door fling open and footsteps pound on the floor. When she looked up, Gabe stood in front of her.
Sweat rolled down his forehead. His face was bright red. His shirt clung to him, outlining his lean muscles. He was panting, as if trying to gulp in air, and she jumped from the chair, worried he was about to collapse in front of her. “Are you okay? Do you need water?”
“Holy crap, it’s like ninety degrees out there,” he gasped, leaning over briefly. “I’m out of shape.”
“What are you doing?”
“Needed to see you. Ran all the way from Beach Avenue.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? That’s like fifty blocks—oh my God, sit down.” She raced over, grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator and pressing it into his hands. “Drink.”