Rocky Mountain Angel (7 page)

“Mom!”

“Well, that happens, you know. When you’re sharing a bed with someone you love.”

Allison covered her face with her hands. “I’m not having this conversation. It’s not happening.”

Maisey stroked her fingers lightly, laughter still clear in her voice. “I’ll shut up now. But I’m very happy for you.” She rose and snuck around the table, and Allison savoured every second of her mother’s hug. Just soaked in the acceptance and the warmth.

They separated, and Allison had one more second to enjoy the peace before a look of horror crossed her mom’s face.

“What? Why are you looking like that?”

“Oh, Allison. The Colemans? There’s no room here to have them all over for an engagement party. We’ll use the restaurant. I can shut it down on—”

No way.
She was cutting that one off at the pass. “Gabe and I talked about a party. Not now. Give us time, okay? We’ll do dinner with you, Elle and Paul, and I’ll visit with his family, but nothing big. Not until…”

Her mom slowed slightly. “Until you’re sure. Honey, do you love him?”

Allison wondered if breaking into a coughing fit in the middle of her confession would be suspicious, but she didn’t want to outright lie. She pulled out all the drama classes she remembered from high school and let the most fool-hearted sensation rise up. She was a romance heroine confessing her love for her suitor.

“He’s…Gabe.”

Even in her ears it sounded lovesick and dreamy. Now she had to concentrate on not bursting out giggling as her mother clasped her hands together with happiness.

“Then that’s all I need to know. Oh, I’m so happy for you.”

One more power hug later, Allison managed to escape with the promise that she and her fiancé would join the others for dinner Saturday evening.

“And I won’t say a word to Elle or Paul. You and Gabe can tell them the good news yourself.”

Oh joy.

“They’re going to be so surprised,” Maisey continued. Allison agreed, but managed to avoid snorting in response.

They worked together to clear the table, and fortunately, when her mother turned, it was for another reason altogether.

“If you’re here, are you still able to keep your job?”

Allison shook her head. “That’s the other thing I wanted to ask you. Is it possible for me to pick up hours at the restaurant? I don’t want you to fire anyone, but if there’s room for me…”

Her mom beamed. “We can always use your help. In fact, we were getting ready to make changes to the menu again—you know springtime is when your father liked to shake things up.”

She went on for a while about improvements they had in mind. It hit Allison that she was fortunate she’d be able to honour the promises she’d made to Gabe. Even though she hadn’t physically been working at the family restaurant, she’d always been involved in the supply and ordering end. One less thing to worry about.

There was no reason to rush away, so Allison pulled out paper and worked on ideas for menu changes with her mom. They opened up the laptop and poured over recipes. It was like in the old days, before she’d moved away, and it was so good.

Maisey looked tired, though, her skin slightly more yellow than usual in the bright sunshine coming through the window.

Allison put on the kettle and made tea. While there was still time, she was going to enjoy every second as much as possible.

Gabe waited as she pulled into the driveway. He’d called his ma and asked if she’d be home in the afternoon. News would spread quickly once the word got out, and he didn’t want her to be the last one to hear. Even if this was a ruse, she’d kick his butt for not sharing.

Allison’s face was red, tear streaks marking her cheeks as she came to a stop. She wiped a hand over her eyes and popped open the door. “I know I’m late. I’m a mess. Give me five minutes to wash my face.”

“Take ten. You’re not that late.” He twisted his shoulders to allow her to pass him as she bolted toward the back of the house.

Following her would probably make her feel worse, so instead he slipped into the kitchen and poured them both drinks. The water ran in the background, and the soft sound of her voice.

“What you need?” he asked, but there was no response. The murmuring continued, low and steady, and his curiosity dragged him to the door of his bedroom.

The closer he got, the easier it was to recognize her words. A steady stream of them escaped her lips as she stared into the mirror and gave herself a pep talk. Gabe took a deep breath and stepped back before she could spot him.

Damn determined to do this, no matter what it cost her. Her stubborn resolution impressed him. Made something inside him kind of proud that she’d picked him as a partner in her wild hair of an idea.

He sipped his juice and resisted peeking at his watch.

“Ready.”

Gabe checked her over quickly. Her eyes were still bright, her cheeks flushed but clean. She’d switched tops in the past two minutes and pulled on a white shirt that looked fancier than anything he’d seen her in before.

“You look good.”

She shrugged. “Wasn’t sure how dressed up to get, but I still want to look nice. I don’t want to make your mom uncomfortable, but I don’t want her to think that I’m not trying to impress her. But I don’t want her to think I’m trying to impress her and…”

Gabe let his amusement bubble out in his laughter.

“You know how to tangle yourself in more knots than anyone I’ve ever met. My ma likes you. You don’t need to impress her.”

“I like her too.”

This funny expression twisted her face and she peeked his direction. She was checking him out, clearly wanting to ask him something.

“What’s got you now?”

Allison shrugged. “You are a good man, Gabe. That’s all.”

Which was an answer, but not much of one. “Thanks.”

He held out his hand and she eyed him with suspicion.

“Get used to it. I’m a romantic son of a gun, or so I’ve been told. If we’re not holding hands or cuddling up, people will wonder.”

She stuck her fingers into his, still warm from the washing. He ignored everything else and tugged her after him.

When she would have walked to her car, he changed her direction, bringing her to the driver side of his truck.

“I can drive, Gabe.”

“I noticed. Get in.” He opened the door and stood motionless as she stared at him.

“You going to be this bossy the entire time?”

“What? I’m opening the door like a gentleman. Nothing bossy about that.”

Allison rolled her eyes before she followed his order and crawled up, shuffling past the steering wheel to the passenger seat.

He did up his seat belt without saying anything, but he didn’t put the truck into gear. Just sat there. Waited.

She was a smart thing. He was sure he didn’t need to give her any more directions.

“Gabe, you planning on heading over there soon? Your mom must be waiting for us.”

“She’ll be busy around the house, don’t you worry.”

Allison leaned on the side door, opened her mouth to say something else. Her gaze dropped to the empty space between them. The groan that escaped her was damn amusing.

She unclipped and slid to the center seat, her thigh nice and warm where it rested alongside his. “Like I said, bossy.”

Gabe slipped the truck into gear and backed out of his parking spot. “Just making sure we don’t do anything stupid to spill the beans. It’s not as if sitting beside me is going to give you cooties or something.”

She leaned back and sighed. “Nope. And you’re right. The only time couples sit on the opposite side of the cab is when they’ve had a fight.”

He laughed. “We used to tease the guys about how much action they were going to get based on how close their girls sat after a night out on the town. My cousin Steve got the worst ragging after he bought a truck with bucket seats in the front. He could never win after that.”

“You Coleman crew can be nasty.”

“Not even counting the stick-shift jokes.” The burst of laughter from her made Gabe smile. That’s what he wanted to hear. Get her mind off what she was doing for a while, because even though they were pulling a fast one, it didn’t mean they had to live like some kind of robots for the next however many months.

Allison was going to need some laughter in her life.

The short trip to his parents’ house they talked about the other Coleman cousins—who was doing what and who was still in the area. She’d known the entire clan, so it wasn’t difficult to get her caught up.

“You don’t have to see the lot of them until July first. Coleman Canada Day picnic. We’ll hit Traders Pub to meet the cousins before then, though.”

Allison nodded, but her attention was focused on the house as they pulled up front. “It looks pretty much the same as I remember.”

He stopped her when she would have slid over and crawled out the passenger door, instead pulling her after him. “When have you been here?”

“Outside? A few times when there was some sporting event and we came over to give Michael a ride…”

They both froze. Just for a second before Gabe pushed the memories aside and tugged her from the cab. “Right. Paul and Michael played basketball together. Or one of those sports, right?”

She was on the ground, right up close to him, but his body was so tight that she could have been anyone. Didn’t matter that she still smelt like apple blossoms, or that they were damn near hugging.

Michael’s grinning face flashed before his eyes, his younger brother’s cocky and devil-may-care expression imprinted on Gabe’s very soul.

A pair of soft hands cupped his cheeks as Allison tilted his head down and their eyes met. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you.”

A million things reminded him of his missing brother, if he’d let the pain come. A million things, and his father. “It’s okay. We’re just fine.”

He pulled himself together, pulled on the façade and wrapped his pain up tight where it couldn’t sneak out. “Nothing to be sorry for. I don’t want you watching what you say around me. I’m not some china doll you have to worry about breaking.”

He started them toward the house, concentrating hard on not letting it show how much he hurt. It was Allison who slipped her fingers into his, squeezing tight.

God, if she apologized again he was going to be walking into his mama’s house while bawling like a damn baby.

“When does Rafe get home?” she asked instead, and a bit of his tension drained away.

“Usually around four if he takes the bus. Should just be my ma right now.”

She nodded. They paused on the top of the steps, the wobbly fourth board pissing him off. He’d offered to repair it, but he’d been stupid enough to make the suggestion in front of Ben. Now he was forced to wait for the man to get around to fixing the problem so that his ma wouldn’t take the brunt of his father’s complaining.

Allison looked a little flustered. “Do we knock?”

He laughed. “She’d have my ears if we get all formal on her.”

Gabe opened the door and leaned his head in. “Ma, we’re here.”

They stepped into the entranceway. The long line of hooks on the wall was so familiar, the worn linoleum underfoot. Inside was his mother’s domain, as much as it could be, and everything sparkled. Scrubbed and cleaned within an inch of its life. Dana Coleman didn’t tolerate her bit of the world to be messy.

He was hanging up Allison’s coat when his ma came into view.

She wiped her hands on a towel, gaze skimming over him to land on Allison. She pulled to a stop, her polite visitor’s smile leaping into place. “Allison Parker. You have grown up now, haven’t you?”

“Mrs. Coleman.” Allison held out a hand and his ma shook it firmly, her gaze darting over Allison’s shoulder to meet his own. She raised both eyebrows high, as if asking what the heck was going on.

Gabe’s unease shifted into something far different. “You need help with anything, Ma?”

She shook her head and led them into the house. “No, I’ve got a pot of tea on, and some fresh-baked cookies. Everything is in the back, though. Just let me grab it and bring it out here.”

“Don’t make more work for yourself. I don’t mind sitting in the kitchen.” Allison followed hard on Dana’s heels.

“She’s right, the kitchen is nice. Smells like heaven.”

His ma paused in the doorway, obviously fighting her compulsion to seat guests in the living room. She frowned at him, and he smiled, ready to reassure her.

Allison’s gasp distracted them both, as did her long
awww
as she pressed past Dana and headed straight for the box tucked up against the wall.

“Looks like we’re sitting in the kitchen, Ma.”

“Looks like it.” Dana smiled but her questioning gaze continued to bounce between him and Allison.

The woman had apparently forgotten to feel shy around his mother. All her attention was focused on the swirling mass of furry kittens tucked inside the cardboard shelter. “They’re adorable. Can I touch them?”