Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“I COULDHIREYOU.”

Gabe returned the gas pump to its holder and offered Cam a disbelieving stare over the rims of his sunglasses.

“A pity job,” he said on a laugh, although there was no humor in the sound. “Gray Atwell said almost the same thing. As much as I appreciate the offer, I’m going to have to pass.”

“Who says I’m making it out of pity?” Cam shook his head. “Maybe I’d do whatever it took to get you to stay in Magnolia.” He took a step closer. “Somehow I doubt Gray and I are the only ones.”

Gabe swallowed hard and tried not to let any of the emotions swirling through him show on his face. It was the day after Christmas, and he’d sent Cam a message saying he was leaving town. It would have been easier to sneak away with no one the wiser, but that felt like a cowardly move.

Angi had accused him of being a coward last night, and the label still stung. He knew she’d thank him eventually. He was doing them both a favor by leaving when he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to give her the life she deserved. Not when it was so hard for him to truly open his heart.

“It’s better this way,” he told the other man. Cam had asked to see him on his way out, so Gabe had agreed to meet at the gas station near the water tower on the edge of town. The morning was cold and quiet, most residents probably still tucked into bed or kids playing with the toys they’d received for the holiday.

The erector set he’d bought for Andrew sat under the tree in his grandmother’s house. He’d gotten it over a week ago, hoping the classic building toy would spark the boy’s imagination the way it had Gabe’s back in the day. But that had been before. Before his mom came back. Before Gabe woke up and realized he was living and loving on borrowed time. Before he’d known he couldn’t possibly stay.

“What does Angi have to say about that?” Cam asked softly.

“She agrees with me.” At least she must after he’d been such a jerk last night. “I’m sure Emma told you our whole relationship thing was a pretend arrangement to keep her mom and my grandma from playing matchmaker all through the holidays.”

“Bull.” Cam spit out the word like it tasted rotten on his tongue.

“It’s true.” Gabe took his receipt when it printed. “We were going to break up after the new year anyway.”

Cam inclined his head as he studied Gabe. “Did you get dropped on your head as a baby?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Gabe crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you ask for a face-to-face goodbye so you could hurl insults at me on my way out?”

“I want to talk some sense into you. You have a good life here, Gabe. Why walk away? You know as well as I do how hard happiness is to come by.” He held up a hand when Gabe would have spoken. “And don’t expect me to believe for a second that you weren’t happy with Angi. I don’t care how the relationship started, the two of you are the real deal.”

“We aren’t anything at this point,” Gabe said, keeping his voice steady. “She’s better off that way. Does happiness count when I was living a life that didn’t belong to me? I came here for my grandmother, and took care of her house and her business. Neither of which I can claim at this point. I have nothing to offer Angi, even if I wanted to.”

“That’s not true,” Cam argued. “Stay. Just stay and try to make it work.”

Gabe wanted to agree. He wanted to turn his truck around as much as he wanted his next breath. But that was the problem. Where was he supposed to go? He had no home. No job. He’d made a place for himself in Magnolia, but his mom’s arrival wiped it all away. She’d always treated him like he was worthless, and there was no way he was going to stick around and let her go after him again.

He didn’t have it in him.

Maybe that made him a coward after all.

“Keep an eye on Ang and Andrew,” he told Cam. “That kid has a heart of gold, and I hate to think about some jerk-wad boy with his own daddy issues bullying it out of him.”

“He needs you,” Cam answered.

Gabe gave a sharp shake of his head. “I wish I could be the kind of man that kid needs, but I’ve even managed to screw that up at almost every turn. They’ll both be better off without me.”

Before Cam could argue, Gabe reached out a hand. “You’re a good guy, Cam. Just please keep an eye on the boy.”

“I will,” Cam said quietly as they shook. “If you ever need anything...”

“Appreciate it.” Gabe forced a smile. “I’ll figure something out. I always do.”

And with those words, he climbed into the truck and pulled away. He kept his eyes on the road ahead of him, despite not having a single idea of what direction he was headed. It didn’t matter. He was leaving everything important behind him, but to glance in the rearview mirror would only cause more pain.

He rolled down the window and tossed his cell phone into the trees that lined the two-lane highway. He focused on what was coming and tried his best to begin to rebuild the walls around his heart.

ANGISATINthe darkened living room on New Year’s Eve. It was five minutes to midnight, and Andrew was fast asleep, curled into a ball on the sofa with Princess snuggling next to him. Her mother had gone to bed an hour earlier, claiming that she honored the new year best with a good night’s sleep.

They’d been invited to a party at the Wildflower Inn by Emma and Mariella, but it was too difficult for Angi to be there knowing their partnership was at a distinct end along with so many other things that had become essential to her.

Emma was hosting a New Year’s Day brunch for the inn’s guests and a few close friends, but Sarah Beth wouldn’t be helping to prepare for it. After the near disaster of the wedding, Angi had contacted a smaller operation on the south side of Raleigh. The kitchen that she loved now belonged to someone else.

Instead of preparing her own recipes, she’d open Il Rigatone tomorrow, serving the special Alfredo lasagna her father had always prepared to usher in a new year. There was a group of loyal regulars who came to celebrate the start of a fresh calendar each year. Angi knew them by name and had no doubt they’d pinch her cheeks and tell stories of the girl she’d once been as they laughed and gossiped in the same way they had for decades.

Maybe there would be new people this year. Visitors who’d come to Magnolia for a holiday getaway or locals who appreciated some of the changes she’d made in the menu and wanted to try something new.

Her mother wouldn’t like it, but Angi would keep pushing to expand and curate the menu to her culinary preferences. If she was going to be the one to carry on the family tradition, at least she would fight to put her spin on it.

Princess lifted her head as Bianca walked into the room, her slippers a soft shuffle across the hardwood floor. The dog sighed, then settled again. Angi’s heart tugged at how dedicated the animal had become to Andrew.

Perhaps she should have added a dog to their small family sooner, but she wasn’t going to wallow in regret about something so small. Princess was the perfect pet, so she had to believe that the timing of adopting her had happened just as it was meant to be.

If only it were that simple to release her regrets about other parts of her life.

“He’s going to miss the ball dropping.” Bianca gestured to the muted television, which showed split-screen images of happy revelers on both coasts.

“I’m recording it,” Angi answered with a shrug. “He can watch it tomorrow, and I’m sure it will be just as exciting.”

Her mother lowered herself into the chair across from Angi’s. “If only it were that simple to go back in time. The changes I’d make...”

Angi frowned. She’d never heard her mother express regret for the way she’d lived her life. Bianca was steady and steadfast like the ticking of the grandfather clock in the formal living room.

“What would you do differently, Mom?” she asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

“I would have told your father I loved him more often. I would have found a way to take time off and travel the way we’d planned to.” She sighed. “Always planning for the future but never making those big dreams come true. Your father worked too hard, Angela. Maybe if he’d had more rest...”

“Dad loved working,” Angi said. “The restaurant meant so much to him. The two of you built it together, and that meant the most.”

“Yes, we had a good life. I shouldn’t wish for things from the past. A new year is for looking forward.”

Angi sat upright when her mom pressed an open palm to her heart. “Mom, are you okay? Is that why you’re awake? Let me help you back to bed, and you can sleep in tomorrow. I’ll handle—”

Bianca waved her to sit down when Angi started to rise. “I’m fine, sweet cannoli.” She shook her head. “I suppose I shouldn’t call you that any longer. I know the nickname caused you too much distress with those nasty kids you insisted on calling your friends.”

“It’s okay,” Angi assured her. “I don’t mind.”

Her mother arched a brow.

“You’re right, I hate it,” Angi said, and then wrinkled her nose when her mother chuckled.

Andrew stirred and both women were quiet for a moment.

When her mother spoke again, her voice seemed to come from miles away instead of a few feet across the room.

“Just like you hate running Il Rigatone.”

Angi’s heart pinched, and she tried to decipher her mom’s tone, squinting to read her expression. Bianca had sat back, her face in shadows, giving away nothing.

“I don’t hate it,” Angi said carefully. It would have been so easy to lie or gloss over the truth the way she’d done for so many years. But a glance at the television told her there were only thirty seconds left in the current year. And she’d made a vow to be different.

Maybe Gabe hadn’t believed her, but this was her chance to prove it to herself.

“The restaurant was your dream, Mom. Yours and dad’s. I know how much you both sacrificed, and I appreciate the life you gave us because of it.” She glanced at her sleeping son. “I understand that you wanted something dependable and solid. We had a good childhood. It was a wonderful way to grow up.”

“Even if you always smelled like tomato sauce,” Bianca added. The way the aroma of the restaurant clung to her had been the bane of Angi’s existence as a teenager. She’d doused herself in scented body lotion and way too much perfume in order to mask it.

“There are worse things to smell like,” she admitted. “Mom, I know you need me to take over the restaurant so you can focus on staying healthy. That’s most important for both of us. I don’t want to lose you like we did Dad.” Her voice broke, and she dragged in a steadying breath.

“I’m not going anywhere,” her mother promised, then shook her head. “Actually, that’s not true. I might be going to Florida.”

Angi blinked. “Okay,” she said slowly. “Do you want me to look at tickets?”

Bianca shook her head. “A couple of friends from the exercise class at the senior center are planning a trip. Marcie and Jim have a house on the beach in Naples.”

“That sounds nice. How long will you be gone? When are you leaving?” Angi’s head spun. She couldn’t remember the last time her mother had gone on a vacation that wasn’t to visit family.

“They left just before Christmas to open the house for the season. I might need a few weeks to get ready with—”

“I can help you pack.”

“Angela...” Bianca sat forward, her eyes glistening with tears. “I’m going to sell the restaurant.”

Angi was up and out of the chair in an instant. She crossed to her mom and knelt before her, taking Bianca’s trembling hands in hers. “Mom, no. You don’t have to do that. I’ll make it work. I’m sorry if—”

“Cara, hush.” Bianca shook her head gently. “I’m the one who owes you an apology, Angela. For making you believe that you were tasked with making my dream yours. Of not seeing that you had your own life to live and allowing you to choose your path.”

“I don’t need a path, Mom,” Angi insisted, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb Andrew. With the emotional tide rising inside her, it was difficult. “I want to honor you. To do what’s right for Dad’s memory.”

Bianca squeezed Angi’s fingers. “What’s right is for our daughter to be happy. I didn’t realize you weren’t, and I’m most sorry for that.”

“I can be,” Angi said. “I will be again. I don’t need something outside myself to make me happy. Not disappointing you makes me happy.”

“You’ve never been a disappointment.” Bianca leaned forward and brushed a gentle kiss across Angi’s forehead. “To be honest, I thought this business about the inn was just a rebellion, and I understood that. I didn’t like it, but I understood the need for it. At your age, I had three young kids, a husband who worked seven days a week, and the need to work almost as much myself. It wasn’t a happy time for your father and me.”

“I never knew.”

Bianca smiled. “You were barely out of diapers. It wasn’t your place to know. But it was a dark time for me, and there were moments I thought about walking away.”

“From Dad?” Angi sat back on her heels. She couldn’t even fathom her devoted parents not being together. “From all of us?” Her mother had been a constant presence in her life, no matter the ups and downs they’d had over the years.

“I don’t know at this point.” Bianca shrugged, looking unsure and unlike herself. “I was desperate, and desperation causes us to do strange things.” She patted Angi’s cheeks. “Things like lying about work and partnerships.” She paused and then added, “About relationships.”

Angi felt color rise to her cheeks. “I have plenty to apologize for,” she said with a grimace.

“I hate that you felt like dishonesty was the best choice.”

“I didn’t want to upset you, Mom. Your heart—”

“Is strong and sure. I’m going to be here a long while. Long enough to see you succeed with your friends at the inn. Watching you in that kitchen was a revelation. Your father’s legacy isn’t Il Rigatone. It’s you, Angela. I saw the same joy in creating and serving food to people in your eyes that I remember in his. That’s what I want for you, and if you’ve found that at the Wildflower Inn, then you have to make it work.”

“I walked away,” Angi said, swiping a hand across her cheek when a tear escaped. “I found someone to take my place.”

“Call Emma tomorrow,” her mother said with a knowing wink. “I think she’ll be expecting to hear from you.”

Angi’s breath caught in her throat. “But you love the restaurant.”

“I do,” Bianca agreed. “And I love the life I had with your father. Things change, though. We’ve had interest from buyers on and off over the years, but now that the town is thriving again, I’ve had solid offers. I want the space to be run by someone who loves it the way your father did. It’s time for both of us to move on, Angela.”

“What about Dom and the rest of the staff?” Angi frowned as the wheels started turning in a different direction. “If Emma stays busy with the events or I expand my catering business, I might be able to hire a couple of the waitresses.”

“If things work out with the offers I have on the table,” Bianca said, “you’ll have a good-sized nest egg to start. Since Dylan Scott owns the building, he’s helping me with negotiations. I much prefer having him as a partner than going up against him.”

“You’re serious about this.” Angi still felt dumbfounded.

“I am.” Her mother looked toward the television. “I wouldn’t worry too much about Dominic if I were you. I’m trying to convince him to take that Florida vacation with me.”

Angi’s jaw dropped open. “Mom. You and Dom?”

“We’re friends,” her mother said, although her cheeks bloomed with color. “At least for now.”

“He’s a lucky guy,” Angi said softly.

“So was Gabe Carlyle,” her mother answered.

“There’s no point in pretending that was anything more than a ploy to avoid you setting me up with every single man in Magnolia.”

“It was more.”

Angi opened her mouth to argue, but what was the point? Her mother knew her better than that, and it was now officially the new year. Her year of being brave.

“For me,” she admitted. “But not him.”

“He cares about you.”

Angi straightened and brushed a hand over the front of her sweatshirt. Thinking about Gabe was difficult. Too difficult for the emotions already tumbling around her chest. She would most likely lose it completely, and that’s not who she was going to be this year.

“I loved him,” she told her mother. “Whether or not he cared for me doesn’t matter now. He wasn’t willing to take a chance on us. That’s on him.”

“Stupid boy,” Bianca muttered.

“Yeah,” Angi agreed. “But I’ll be okay.”

“You’re amazing,” her mother said with the conviction of devoted mothers everywhere. Angi wished Gabe’s mom had possessed one whit of maternal instinct. Maybe then he wouldn’t have felt that closing himself off was the only option.

“It’s going to be a wonderful new year, Mama.” No matter what, it truly would be a time of new beginnings.