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“I’m not going anywhere, Vincent. This time you can’t scare me. I’ve made mistakes but they were honest ones. You, however, are a liar and a troublemaker. You had far more to do with A.J.’s disappearance than I did.”
Vincent threw his muscled arms out to the side. “See? She blames me for her mistakes. She can’t keep up with one little kid and it’s all my fault.”
“Admit it, Vincent, here and now in front of all these people. You want me to leave town so you can inherit my grandfather’s fortune. That’s what this is all about. You and Marsha and Billy Dean and Cousin Les have conspired and you’re the ring leader just the way you’ve always been.”
“You’re paranoid. Crazy.”
“All I want to know is why you had to drag Gabe into your web of evil? I pray to God I haven’t been the one to bring trouble down on his head, but you’re the one who took A.J. and you’re the one causing problems at the mine. You and your hateful family. And I won’t rest until I prove it.”
Vincent laughed, a mocking, hateful sound. “What makes you think Gabe will believe an airhead who can’t even keep up with her house keys? Give it up, Brooke, and crawl back to wherever you’ve been hiding.”
“You go too far, Vincent. It’s time for this bitterness to stop. It’s time for you to stop.”
“Oh?” He strutted like the peacock he was. “Who’s going to stop me? You?”
“Me.”
Brooke spun toward the beloved voice. With emotions running high, she hadn’t even heard the bell jingle, but Gabe stood in the doorway.
And he was furious.
“I heard everything, Vincent.” Gabe kept his tone low and controlled, though the protector in him wanted to throttle Brooke’s cousin. He lowered A.J. to the floor and boosted him toward the woman who loved him. “Go to Brooke, A.J.”
“Boss, hey.” Vincent touched his chest, ingratiating. “Great to see you.”
“I bet.”
“I don’t know what you thought you heard, but this bimbo who nearly got your boy killed has gone off the deep end this morning. She’s crazy, accusing me when she’s the guilty party.”
Gabe snapped. He grabbed Vincent by the collar. “That bimbo happens to be the woman I love, the woman who tried to warn me against you, but I didn’t listen. I’m listening now.”
Vincent sputtered, his face mottled with rage. “She’s trying to get me fired.”
“You know what? It worked. You’re fired.”
Vincent slapped at Gabe’s hands and knocked them away. Enraged he glared at Brooke. “This isn’t over.”
Then his former employee stomped out of the café.
The room pulsed silent, a sharp contrast to the roar in Gabe’s head. He gazed around at a dozen faces staring wide-eyed at the scene played out in public. Gerald had come out of the kitchen, frying pan aloft.
Gabe shook his head. “Sorry folks. This is not the way I usually do business.”
“Not your fault. Vincent needed taking down a notch.” Gerald lowered the frying pan. “He had no business treating Brooke like that. Man shouldn’t disrespect a woman.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Gabe’s gaze found the one he’d been defending. The corners of her mouth softened, though she stayed where she was. Cheeks blanched white from the confrontation, she clasped A.J. to her shoulder. A.J. clung like a monkey.
The realization of how much he’d hurt her tore through Gabe. He’d put that haunted look in her beautiful blue eyes. Could she forgive him? Would she?
“Brooke.” He held out a hand. “I’m sorry.”
Her face crumbled.
Gabe took two steps, opened his arms and pulled her and A.J. close. Her trembling body made him mad all over again. “You okay?”
She sighed. “I am now.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Can we talk?”
Her voice was a whisper. “Maybe somewhere else?”
“I don’t care who hears. I want the world to know how I feel.”
She pulled back and looked into his face. “How do you feel?”
Every confused emotion melted away. He knew what he wanted, what he needed. “I was a first-rate jerk the other day. I owe you an apology.”
