And Gabriel had no intentions of laughing it off, either. Because Hamish had just spoken the truth.
“Do the smart thing and don’t let her get away this time,” Hamish added. “If you need any help writing a makeup letter, just let me know.”
Gabriel glared at him. Well, a short glare, anyway. That was still too sensitive a subject to make jokes about, but he thought it was one of those stories that could be entertaining down the road.
“I’ve decided I want to live out what’s left of my life right here in Last Ride. I’m going to ask a Realtor to find me a house in town,” Hamish announced. “Maybe someplace close to Webster Street,” he added in a mumble.
Since that was where Carmen was planning on living, Gabriel looked up at his great-aunt to see how she felt about that. She shrugged. For such a simple gesture, it conveyed a lot. Carmen wasn’t going to stand in the way of Hamish’s return. She wasn’t exactly going to welcome him back with open arms, either. Maybe never would. But Gabriel knew that wouldn’t stomp on Carmen’s happiness. It might not stomp on the newly found happiness Hamish had found, either.
“Good evening,” Hamish said, heading to his car. “I’ll be seeing y’all around. Oh, and you’re welcome for my return taking some of the gossip heat off the two of you,” he added.
It would indeed do that, but Gabriel figured enduring some gossip was a small price to pay for being with Rosalie.
“Are you okay?” he asked Carmen when Hamish’s driver pulled away from the house.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, and she managed a smile. “I’m guessing you two can say the same.”
Rosalie and he weren’t exactly wearing a we-just-had-sex sign, but it was possible they were putting off some kind of vibe. He kissed Carmen good-night, waited for her to go back inside, and then Gabriel slipped his arm around Rosalie to lead her back to his truck.
“What was that you said to Hamish?Sometimes people get lucky?” Gabriel asked.
She lifted her shoulder. “Sometimes. I’m not sure he will when it comes to reconciling with Carmen.”
Yeah, that was a long shot, but life was short and sometimes filled with the best of surprises. Like now, when he stopped at the truck door and brushed a kiss on Rosalie’s mouth, he got not only a shot of the heat she was capable of giving. He also felt the love.
Lucky, indeed.
Because it occurred to him that every time he’d kissed her, the love had been there. Right from the start. And it just kept on coming.
“You don’t have to stay in Last Ride for me,” she muttered.
He smiled, knowing it wouldn’t have taken her long to make that suggestion. After all, she’d heard him say he’d never planned on taking that job in Dallas.
“Now, that’s where you’re partly wrong,” he said. “I want to stay for you, Rosalie. I want to be here with you for a long, long time. It’s taken me a while, fifteen years or so, to figure this out, but I’m in love with you.”
Now she was the one smiling. “Good. About time you saw the light. I’m still in love with you, too.”
There it was, all tied up with a pretty bow. His past, his present and sure as heck his future. When Gabriel pulled herinto his arms and kissed her, he made sure Rosalie was the one feeling the love.