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She flashed him a hard look and interrupted him. “I keep telling you, I thought we were in this together, Gabe. We were making decisions, and then suddenly, you changed the rules and I’m cut out. How do you think I should feel?”
He blew out a breath and tried to see it from her point of view. Gabe guessed he would have been pretty pissed if the tables were turned. But bottom line, this was his life. Not Pam’s.
“I know you wanted to help,” he said, striving for patience. He loved Pam, But damned if he understood her. “I do trust you. But this is my company. I’ve got to do what I think is best for it.”
“I know, Gabe. Really. And I love you. I’m just...” she shrugged again. She shifted her gaze to Jeff.
Gabe watched as the man used an airbrush pencil to dazzle the white chocolate with rainbow colors in swirled patterns. As those colors began to set up, Jeff switched cartridges to paint a stylized red heart on top of the dark honey-infused caramels coated in a thick layer of milk chocolate.
“They all look great,” Gabe said.
Jeff paused to glance up at him and smile. “Thanks, boss. The dark chocolate raspberry and chipotle chili are going to be coated in an extra layer of dark, then streaked with the milk in a heart pattern.” He glanced around at his creations. “Then I think we’ll be ready.”
Ready to face down Ethan and demand he take a chance on the future. Hell, Gabe was betting everything on this as a win. Ethan’s head would explode when he found out Gabe had taken the family recipe from the safe. So these chocolates had better damn well convince Ethan that Gabe was right, or working with his older brother from now on was going to be a living nightmare.
“When will you take these to Ethan?” Pam asked.
“Tomorrow,” Gabe said firmly, nodding to himself. “You ready for it, Jeff?”
“So ready,” the chef said, concentrating on the last of the chocolates he was creating. “I’ve got the boxes here. When they’re finished setting up, I’ll box them for tomorrow.”
“In the morning. Be at my office at ten. With the chocolates. We’ll face Ethan down together.” He turned to Pam. “Are you going to be there?”
“Sure.” She lifted her chin and met his gaze. “I told you before, Gabe. I’m with you.”
Gabe dropped one arm around her shoulders. She was tense and stiff for a couple seconds, then she moved into him and leaned her head against his shoulder. He smiled to himself. Whatever was going on, they’d get past it. Once this was settled, he’d sit down with Pam and not let up until he found the answers he wanted. But for now, he had to focus on the plan he’d put everything into. He knew this was a step toward the future for Heart and damned if he wouldn’t find a way to convince Ethan.
Gabe believed that. He had to. Because if he failed, he wouldn’t lose only this chance at making a mark on the company. He might lose his brother.
* * *
Ethan was already in a crappy mood when Gabriel walked into his office the next morning. He hadn’t slept all night because he hadn’t had Sadie with him. For the first time since moving in with him, she’d slept in the guest room. Annoying to realize how much he’d come to count on having her there beside him.
She’d been right across the hall and yet she might as well have been hundreds of miles away. He knew what it would take to get her to come to him. And he couldn’t give it to her.
Wouldn’t, he corrected silently. She wanted a relationship. Something permanent. A family. A commitment.
Hell, he’d changed enough lately, hadn’t he? He’d taken her into his house, into his bedroom. He’d been with her now longer than he had been with anyone else other than his ex. Ethan already knew he hadn’t been a good husband. Why would he even think about trying that again? He liked Sadie. Liked being with her, so why would he risk making her miserable by marrying her? No. She might think he was being a selfish bastard by pulling away, but the truth was, he assured himself, he was doing this for her own good.
Let her find another man. His insides twisted at the thought. One who would hold her at night, make her belly swell with a child. He gritted his teeth and fisted both hands helplessly. Some other man would be the one to get her smiles, her kisses, her—
