Heart storms, p.10
Heart Storms, page 10
Jade grabbed his arm. “Wait. You have a daughter! My God, you never said.”
Gabe looked into the distance and continued walking. “She’s a private part of my life, but also a painful part, so I don’t broadcast the story. You’re the first person out here I’ve told.”
Jade took his hand. “I’m glad you told me. What an awful thing to go through. I completely understand and relate to your hatred of your ex because the devil cheated, too, but even more, even worse.”
“Worse? How was it worse?”
Gabe’s similar story and the beer, the walk, the ocean and the night conspired to make Jade feel safe in divulging the sordid details. Feeling like a cork needing to pop, she had to tell someone other than her mother the whole story or she might explode. Gabe was perfect because he listened and had no vested interest in her or the outcome. Completely relaxed, she spewed out everything Devlin had done.
Gabe got upset just listening about the years Devlin cheated and the lies, the drinking, gambling and drugs resulting in him losing all their money and assets. He couldn’t wrap his mind around anyone treating someone as loving and honest as Jade so badly.
They continued to walk, and Jade elaborated on how the devil had seduced a wealthy woman named Candace. Wealthy, pregnant Candace Gregson. This stranger got Jade’s ‘re-habbed,’ clean husband, and the baby Jade had wanted he wouldn’t give her. When Jade finished her story, Gabe said, “What do I say except you must’ve wanted to kill him.”
“I did, except I can’t literally kill anyone, even him. But I wished he’d have died instead of what he did. I could’ve gone on with my life better. I’d have grieved and gone on. But what he did was the end of my world. When I married him, for me it was the beginning of a new life. And when he ended it, it was the death of my life. In my thinking, it was fitting he should experience death on some level, too, instead of his bright, new beginning.”
“Someday he’ll get what’s coming to him. But what a scumbag. I’ve known some low-life, nasty people growing up in the projects. But this? This is a rich, white man’s lowest-of-the-low horror story.”
Jade half-smiled, only half-kidding. “There you go with the racist comments again.”
“Sorry. But if anybody deserves them, he does.”
A look of total devastation made her features fall, as if she didn’t have the strength to hold up under its burden. “Oh, he deserves much worse than derogatory words.”
Gabe was heartbroken for her. He took her hand and wanted to alleviate her pain, so he jokingly, but in a serious tone, asked, “Do you want me to kill him for you? I would, for you.”
Jade’s eyes grew wide with shock, her mouth dropped open, but nothing came out except a gasp. She laughed so hard for so long, something twisted and snapped inside her, and she began to cry. She cried and cried so hard she couldn’t stop, and Gabe held her. Her knees buckled as she dropped to them in the sand. He dropped to his knees with her and let her sob on his shoulder, rocking her, soothing her. He shed his own tears for their collective pain. They were so much alike in their damaged lives and broken hearts, a strong connection, a chord of fate, wrapped around them.
There were no words appropriate to say to Jade. Eventually, Gabe took her back to her cottage and put her to bed. He sat by her side while she pulled the covers over her head and cried herself to sleep. On the drive home, he listened to the angel on his good shoulder and it told him Jade was no woman to play around with to just have a good time. He already admired and respected her, but now something else came into play. He wondered if he was being swayed by plain common decency, or did he truly care for her? Or was it a combination of both?
With his heart opening, he recalled the Jade today versus when they first met. Instead of trying to get her into bed, he had put her to bed and comforted her. Instead of wanting to break her heart, he wanted to protect it. Instead of using her for whatever purpose suited him, he wanted to give of himself for whatever she needed. Gabe realized he could be the good man who Jade, his mother, and Lottie said they saw in him. His future might now be altered for the better from the old life of revenge, anger and hate.
For the first time in his life, Gabriel had hope because of Jade—she’d had every reason to hate, attack and get revenge on Devlin yet she hadn’t. This reflected to him how he’d been acting—when thinking about getting back at the witch, he’d become the angry, vindictive man who wanted to use women. But with such bad behavior, he wasn’t hurting anyone but himself. He observed how Jade had seen and admitted her faults, her prejudice, judgements and preconceived ideas, and had apologized. She confided in him about her ex and Rick. She helped him in his work, trusting and believing in his talent and worth. He’d never had a real friend and guessed this is what real friends did. But he had no clue how a friend should treat him. Jade was possibly the first. Is this where it starts, true caring with an honest friend? Maybe this is where love starts, too. But the next morning he’d see a different Jade, one he’d never seen before.
Chapter 13
With telling the entire story of the devil, Jade’s soul-deep pain resurrected. Her only emotion now was revenge. The next morning, Jade saw her new attitude reflected in her face in the mirror. Her eyes were cold, her expression set and hard. She couldn’t smile and wondered if she ever would.
When she arrived at work late in the morning, she found Rick and Gabe talking in the kitchen, drinking coffee. When she walked in the door, they stopped chatting and stared at her.
Rick spoke first. “Jade, I’m so glad to see you. We worried because you’re always early.”
Jade glared at them. “Rough night.” She looked at Gabe. “Wasn’t it?”
Gabe appeared statue-still and expressionless. “Ah, if you say so.”
Rick’s anger showed in his eyes like he threw spears at Gabe. “Well? What did you do?”
Gabe shrugged. “I’m not sure what she means,” he said even though he knew but didn’t want to betray Jade’s trust. He saw in her cold, hard face and fiery eyes she was at a boiling point and about to blow. Gabe walked to the sink to rinse his cup, leaving the next move up to Rick, whom he guessed would blindly go to her trying to fix her. ‘Better for me to sit back and do nothing because this will not be pretty.’
Rick ran to Jade’s side. “What’s wrong? God, you look awful. What happened?”
She glared at him. “Gee, thanks for the compliment. What’s wrong with me, you ask? Everything is wrong. Steer clear of me and let me go to work.”
Rick stepped away from her and mumbled, “Okay.”
Her anger bubbled. “Okay? The only word you can say, as usual. Okay? Like when I told you I cared for you and asked you to take the next step? You said, ‘Okay.’ But did you ever take a step except for a few friendly gestures? No.”
Jade looked to Gabe. He listened and prepped breakfast. Smart man. In Gabe she forgot the man who comforted her and brought her home last night. Instead, she saw the man who coerced her into spilling her guts and made her feel this awful and vindictive, bringing this blackness to her soul. Overnight, she’d turned into a different person. I wonder if Gabe’s sixth sense feels that, too, she mused as she walked to the front desk. While looking over the day’s reservations, Rick’s and Gabe’s stares and unspoken questions followed and she yelled, “Leave me alone, please.”
Rick turned to Gabe with blades in his eyes. “What the hell happened? I saw you two drinking beer in the bar and later walking the beach. What did you do to her?”
Gabe dropped his work and faced Rick with a seriousness he’d never shown him before. “I did something you never could.”
“Reeeally?” Rick said, his tone like poison, intending to hurt. “What exactly do you think you can do for her that I can’t?”
“I show how much I care for her and our friendship. I spend time with her; I listen, I talk, and I will know her in a way you never will.”
Knowing the first part of Gabe’s statement was true, Rick had neglected his friendship with Jade, he seethed with rage at himself and at how much Gabe knew of his relationship with Jade. His hands balled into fists and he yelled, “And what the hell way are you talking about?”
“Every way there is to know a woman.” Gabe immediately regretted those words. He forgot he was talking to his boss. It was a stupid mistake, but it was out there now, and he knew those words would come back at him tenfold from Rick, who looked livid, red-faced, mouth and fists clenched.
Rick was not a violent man, but he wanted to beat Gabe to a pulp. Guests entered the lobby, so he walked away, barking over his shoulder at Gabe. “We’re not done with this conversation.” In a mean voice like spewing venom, he said, “Get to work. Guests will order breakfast soon.”
Gabriel walked to the kitchen and took over his domain where he was boss. Rick’s words pierced into him like bullets. They hurt in deep places where raw wounds still lived. It was the first time Rick talked to him in a derogatory way, like the master to his slave. Over a woman, no less. His mother had always warned him regarding love relationships at work, “Don’t crap where you eat.” Gabe now fully comprehended the meaning of those words. Yet none of the words and actions of the morning deterred his feelings for Jade. When things quieted down later, right before noon, he had to find her and make sure she was okay.
***
Jade wasn’t okay. She moved through the morning being professional and polite, but not an inch more. Later, brushing off Rick when he checked on her, she told him brusquely she didn’t need to be checked on. Jade suspected her coolness toward him would keep him and his questions away for the day at least, and probably a lot longer, but she didn’t feel bad about it.
Three hours later, as Jade exited the ladies’ room, Gabe caught up with her.
“What’s going on? Are you feeling any better?” he asked with genuine concern.
Jade perceived his look to be one of pity and she resented it. “I don’t think I’ll ever feel better. And I have you to thank for it.” From the look on Gabe’s face, she might as well have smacked him. She rushed off, not wanting to give him a chance to respond. She no sooner entered her small office next to the front reception area and closed the door when she heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall. They stopped at her door and someone pounded on it.
“Who is it and what do you want?”
Gabe swung open the door and slammed it shut behind him. “So you had a bad night. Don’t we all sometimes? But what’s with the mean-as-a-bulldog attitude toward me? I’m the one who helped you last night, remember?”
Jade slung papers around her desk, and with a cool tone, said, “Keep referring to me as a dog and I’ll never speak to you again.”
“I’m sorry. Bad choice of words. But you’re like Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde from last night. What’s got into you?”
“You sure like putting labels on people, don’t you? And if you call me ‘Miss white lady’ again like you did when we first met, I’ll knock you into next season.”
Gabe walked to her side of the desk and stood face-to-face with her. “You don’t have talk trash; it’s beneath you. What you’re really doing is avoiding questions about your miserable, cold attitude this morning when all I did was try to help and comfort you last night.”
“You’re the reason I got so upset to begin with—you got me spewing out all the dirty details of my ex, ripping my guts and heart out again.”
He took her arm. “Hold on there. The reason you got so upset was because of Devlin and what he did, not because of me talking with you. You volunteered to talk about him. I didn’t even ask. You listened to my horror story and relayed your own. Don’t blame me for your lousy-ass feelings and attitude. You’re being selfish, and frankly, chicken-shit. You got issues? You hurt? Deal with them. Don’t blame everybody else and treat people around you like dirt—men, especially. I don’t see eye-to-eye with the boss with how he keeps you close then pushes you away, but even I felt bad with how you treated him earlier.”
Jade yanked her arm from Gabe and slumped down to sit in her chair. Watery pools welled and felt like hot salt water, burning her eyes.
“Oh, no,” he said, “not again. Geez, woman. Didn’t you shed every tear you had in you last night? Why again, why now?”
“Because of you. Why do you have to be so damn smart?”
Gabe wiped his hand over his forehead and sighed. “Phew, thank God you’re coming to your senses.” He looked to the ceiling and put his hands together as if praying. “Thank you, Jesus, for calming this poor woman down.”
She blew her nose. “Seriously? You’re bringing Jesus into this?”
“Hell, yeah. You don’t think I’d have the guts to confront you by myself, do you? I need another pair of strong hands to deal with you, Ms. Jade.”
She full-out bellowed. “So that’s your secret, huh? And here I thought it was all you—big, brave, macho Mr. Montoro, the lover and healer of women.”
Gabe smiled and handed her another tissue. “I don’t think I’ve ever been all those things to a woman, but I seem to do an okay job with you, huh?”
“Yeah.” She looked at his image, made clearer through her tears. “You did. I should thank you for hearing me out, driving me home, getting me settled and watching me cry my heart out.” She wiped the last of her tears away. “You’re a brave man. Few men could deal with me.”
‘If they really cared about you, they would.’ But he said, “True. Especially not ‘El Jefe,’ ‘El boss-man.’”
“Oh, you’re bad,” she said stifling a laugh.
“But is it true?”
“Maybe.” Jade looked away, thinking. “But in fairness, he didn’t have the opportunity to help me like you had.”
“I suppose. I don’t see him on his knees in the sand, holding up a hysterical woman.”
With a huge grin on her face, Jade said, “Gabe! Stop! You’re not being fair.”
“I have an idea—take ‘El Jefe’ out for an emotional test drive. See how he handles.”
“You’re incorrigible,” she said, chuckling, straightening out her skirt and picking up her laptop. “You’re a bona fide nut-job, Gabriel. You make me laugh, though, and I love people who can make me laugh.”
“Yeah, not much humor in you these days. Glad to help, but put a lid on the ‘love’ thing okay? Unless you want to send boss-man over the edge.”
Jade sputtered, her look incredulous. “Really? You’re talking to me about using the word ‘love?’
Gabe’s smile was sly, his eyes full of mischief. “Yes, ma’am.”
Jade said, “But you do understand how I meant it. Right? As in ‘love for people in general?’”
Still grinning, he said, “Yeah, I do. Just don’t scare me again.”
Her expression turned severe. “Scare you, huh? Interesting response.” She waited two beats. “Don’t worry, I won’t mention the word ‘love’ to you again.” Standing up, she shook off the vibes of the conversation and faced him. “But thanks for making me feel better.”
“You’ve done the same for me. And you didn’t even need Jesus to help you. You’re the strong one, the healer, the lover. Don’t forget it.” He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, but let his lips linger there so she’d feel his emotions, his desire, and hoping she’d want more.
Being so physically close, he was even more handsome and in a hot, sexy way. Jade was so attracted to him, her body tingled. The forehead kiss was tender and full of heat; she felt comforted and desired but ignored the ‘lover’ comment. She didn’t tilt her head up because she knew he’d kiss her lips and she might not stop herself. But Jade wanted nothing more intimate than a kiss on the forehead, especially after resurrecting the devil memories last night. There were too many conflicting and convoluted emotions in her, about Rick, about Gabe, and most likely Gabe was confused, too.
“Time to get back to work,” she said, still feeling the warmth of his body and the tingling sensation moving through her. They walked out of her office together, arms brushing against each other’s, smiling, chummy and chatting. Before they parted, him to the kitchen and her to the front desk, she thought she better put the brakes on both their emotions and create some distance between them. “Hey, you turned my mood around so well, I think I’ll do what you suggested—I’ll take Rick out for an emotional spin and see how handles.” She flashed a big grin and watched Gabe walk down the hall with her words trailing behind him.
He turned to face her, wincing. “You do that,” he said, his smile gone. Gabe continued down the hall feeling stabbed in the back.
***
From where he stood in the reception area, Rick had seen Jade and Gabriel come out of her office happy and laughing together, snuggling against each other and his blood boiled. How the hell does he do it? How does he get to her, change her mood and get so cozy? A strong breeze whirled around him. He looked to the patio doors, but they were shut tight. He wondered how a breeze was possible then felt it again, this time wrapping around him raising the hairs on the back of his neck. It mingled with his thoughts as he searched for an answer, then one came into his head: Gabe can do it because he’s not afraid.
In the space of a second Rick determined not to be bested by Gabe, not to lose Jade because of cowardice. He waved and called to Jade to come over to talk. When she got close enough, he pulled her around the corner into the supply room where no one would see them.
Surprised, Jade said, “What’s going on? What are you doing, Rick?”
He took her into his arms. “I lied. I don’t want to talk. I want to do this before it’s too late.” He wrapped her in a firm, loving hug and didn’t ask, but rather, told her he was going to kiss her because he wanted nothing more.
