Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,31
know how you drive here,” she muttered after a few minutes of weaving in and out from double-parked cars, buses, and endless construction. “I complain about the summer tourists, but driving here is like playing Russian roulette.”
He laughed. “I worked in Midtown for a while when I just started out. You learn quick.”
They hit a pothole, and the car bumped. “You’d think with the high city taxes, they’d fix the roads.”
“Agreed. But more money doesn’t necessarily mean better resources. Or better anything.”
“Isn’t it interesting how money doesn’t necessarily make you happy?” she asked, directing the heater to blow on her full blast. “Hearing about Adele’s father was really sad. I can’t imagine stealing time with my mom, like it was against the rules.”
His mind flashed back to his own childhood. His father’s consistent rip-downs and verbal abuse had almost torn him apart. He’d ached for the protectiveness of his mother, which rarely came. “Actually, I can. My father believed I was weakened by my mother, so he tried to keep us apart. But sometimes, when he wasn’t around, she’d hug me and tell me to be strong.”
Her soft gasp made him glance over. “Gabe, that’s terrible. I know you mentioned problems with your dad, but I had no idea it was that bad.”
He rarely talked about his past. It had nothing to do with the man he was today. He’d pushed forward and committed to a job and lifestyle he loved. He tried not to think about his father, but seeing her obvious pain for him soothed some of the rawness. “My dad liked to tell me what a loser I was. That I’d never be a real man. I know my mom felt bad, but she never did anything to try and stop him. After a while, I couldn’t accept her excuses. I mean, shouldn’t a mother protect her child?”
“Yes.” Her voice broke, then strengthened. “God, yes.”
He felt her gaze probing, but he kept his attention on the road. He didn’t want her pity, but sharing such a core part of his past with her felt right. Wasn’t this what he’d been longing for? To be able to get beneath the surface with Bella and show her who he truly was—even the rough parts?
“Children don’t realize what’s good or bad because they don’t know any differently. It was when I visited my friends’ houses and saw how their parents treated each other and their kids that I realized my home life was screwed up. As soon as I was able, I got out of that house. Left them both behind and chose to follow the type of life I wanted.”
“Like the Dr. Seuss quote,” she murmured.
He laughed. “Yes, exactly.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t realize how lucky I was. I grew up with sisters I was close to, and my parents taught us early about how to love. You had no siblings or other family?”
“No, I was an only. My father had two brothers, but one was in jail, and the other wandered off somewhere and never got in touch. Mom has a sister in California I saw once.”
“You must have been lonely.”
The words held a thread of understanding and an invitation to know more. She rarely asked him personal questions, so he gave her it all freely. “I was, but I found solace in beautiful things. While everyone was obsessed with Snapchat and Insta, I became a Pinterest junkie. First it was nature and animals. Then I became fascinated by high culture—beautiful people in glamorous clothes, traveling the world. I wanted that type of life, but I didn’t know how to get it. One day, I was in the park. The weather was warm—it was early spring—and I watched a bride and groom and their wedding party get out of a limo and begin taking pictures all over the grounds. It was like watching a fairy tale of happily ever after. The white dress, the way the groom looked at the bride. Their friends and family happy and smiling. They were drinking champagne and doing all these poses in front of the camera, and I remembered thinking how badly I wanted to be a part of it. To share in that one perfect day—to be part of a memory that was good and pure and beautiful.”
He gave a half laugh, embarrassed at his emotion. “Anyway, that’s how I became obsessed with weddings. I studied endless pictures online. I loved the perfection of it all, from the cake to