Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,61
I do.”
Emotion choked her throat. God, he was beautiful, inside and out. He’d given her a precious gift, helping her crack open the darkness inside and let in the light.
Her gaze met his, and her breath caught when she glimpsed the raw fire in his eyes, but then it was quickly gone, replaced by a resolve and distance that tore her apart. A battle raged inside her between head and heart. When she opened her mouth to speak his name, the doorbell rang.
He turned and walked down the short hallway. “It’s Carter. He’s with Lucy.”
She heard low chatter, and Carter came in with his small Yorkshire terrier in tow. A pink bow tied her fur back in a tiny ponytail, and she wore a sparkly pink collar. “Hey, Bella, how are you? I was just taking Lucy for a walk and figured we’d stop by.”
Gabe blinked. “Dude, you live across town. You couldn’t have walked that far.”
“Well, we walked a bit, then figured we’d go for a relaxing drive, then stopped here on total impulse.”
She narrowed her gaze in suspicion. “Who told you?”
He let out a breath. “Thank God. I can’t lie. Ron Livery from the police station called Avery and let her know you were in a car accident. She’s wrapping up an event, so she told me to come right over. Are you okay?”
She groaned and dropped her face in her hands. Lucy jumped on the couch and began licking her, thinking it was a great game. She fought her off, holding back giggles at the doggy kisses. “Isn’t there any damn privacy in this town? It was a minor accident, Carter. I’m fine. The car is fine. There’s no need for you to be here.”
He shrugged off his jacket. “Well, I’m staying because Avery is on her way. But I’ll text her now. Can I say you didn’t suspect I knew anything?”
Gabe shook his head. “Pathetic.”
Carter gave him the finger and began texting.
Within minutes, the door flung open, and Taylor marched in, her pink hair tousled from the wind, a scary frown resting on her face. “Bella! Holy shit, are you okay? Christina from Bagel Time said she saw an accident outside the window, and it was you, but I left my damn phone in the car and didn’t see it until now. What happened?”
This was unbelievable. Gabe caught her look across the room and shook his head. Ah, the pleasures of living in a small town where nothing remained secret. “T, I’m fine. I got rear-ended, but there’s no damage.”
“Did you get checked for whiplash? What about a concussion?”
Gabe took over. “She refused to go to the hospital—says she feels fine. There’s no bumps, and her neck’s not stiff. I think we just need to watch her carefully.”
Her usually stoic sister looked freaked out and stood before her like she wanted to hug her but refused to be overdramatic. “Okay. Let me text Pierce and tell him he doesn’t have to rush over. I thought he could get here faster.”
“You texted Pierce?” Bella shrieked.
“Well, Carter is here!” she snapped back. “I didn’t know what was going on. How did Carter know?”
“Ron called Avery,” Carter said. “Do you have any snacks? I missed lunch.”
Bella pointed to the cabinet. “Trail mix, chocolate-chip cookies, and plenty of fruit.”
“Why didn’t Ron call me?” Taylor asked. “Am I the least important sister or something?”
Carter shrugged. “I guess.”
Avery and Pierce raced through the door at the same time. “Bella, what happened? I freaked when I got that call—why didn’t you call me?” Avery demanded. She sat down on the couch next to her and pulled her in for a tight hug. “Are you hurt?”
Caught between humor and frustration, she chose humor. “I’m fine. For the fourth time, it was minor, there’s nothing wrong with me, and you all didn’t have to leave your jobs to come rushing over here.”
Pierce headed into the kitchen. “I hated my client consultation anyway, so I was glad when T told me to leave. Are those chocolate chip?”
“Yeah, Toll House,” Carter said, handing him the platter.
“Cool.”
“Why didn’t Ron call me first?” Taylor demanded, jabbing her finger at Avery. “I should be just as respected in this town as you.”
Avery rolled her eyes. “You dated Ron in high school for one weekend, broke up with him, and asked his friend out. He’s still resentful. He’ll never call you first.”
“You were cruel, Taylz,” Pierce said between mouthfuls of cookie. “A real bitch.”