AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My name is Hope. What’s yours?”
“Ruby.”
“Hi, Ruby. It’s nice to meet you.” Looking pointedly at Gabe, she added, “Your dad never mentioned you before.”
Ruby rubbed her chin up and then down Gabe’s stubbled jaw, making Hope wish she could do the same, and gave a shy smile. “Yeah, Daddy says I’m special. Too special to share with everyone at the bar when he’s working.”
Hope looked at Gabe. “Is that so?”
He gave her a little shrug, which she returned with her bestyou have some explaining to dolook.
Shifting Ruby in his hold, he nodded to the door. “Let’s get you two ladies upstairs and into bed.”
Into bed? Her eyes flared wide at the thought of getting intohisbed.
He winced, obviously realizing what he’d said and how it had sounded. “I mean Ruby.” He tried again. “Let’s get Ruby to bed and see Miss Hope to her door. Okay?”
Amused, Hope nodded and walked behind them to the back door that opened to the stairs that led up to the apartment level.
Instead of turning right to her own place, she turned left with Gabe and followed him to his front door. Without seeming bothered by the weight of a little human in his arms, he reached into his pocket and took out keys, shoving one into the lock. Pushing the door open, he turned and looked at Hope.
“We need to talk,” he said, surprising her because she’d been sure he was going to tell her to go home and mind her own business.
She nodded but didn’t move. Sighing, he caught her hand in his and tugged her into his apartment.
“Give me a minute,” was all he said before he let go and disappeared down the hallway.
Standing alone by the door, she took in his apartment at a glance. The small entry way opened into a spacious living room that had a kitchen off to the side. A similar layout to hers and Ivy’s, which probably meant it also had two bedrooms on either side of the hallway where Gabe had gone.
She moved into the living room and took in the night view. It was a corner suite, like hers, but faced west, to the water. She walked to the window. At her own place, this corner was her dedicated painting space. Here, in Gabe’s space, he’d constructed a workout area, complete with a weight bench and rack. Looking at the setup, she surmised a single father who ran a thriving bar wouldn’t have much time to hit the gym, even if his best friend owned one. Glancing out the window into the darkness, she considered how far apart their two worlds were. The hard-working single father, and the construction heiress who had no clue who she was or what she wanted.
“In the daylight, there’s an awesome view of the river.” Gabe’s deep, rough voice came from behind her, interrupting her thoughts.
She shifted to face him. Under the soft glow from the streetlights coming through the windows, she noted the shadows under his eyes, his mussed hair, like he’d recently run both hands through it, and the stubble darkening his jaw. Somehow, he looked a lot less tough and impenetrable, and a lot more… human.
Her heart did a slow roll in her chest, and she tried her best to ignore it.
“So, you have a daughter?” she said, cutting to the chase.
Nodding, Gabe crossed the living room to switch on a lamp next to the couch.
“Ruby.” He jerked a head in the direction of the hallway. “She’s out cold again in her room.” He sank down into the couch, looking completely exhausted.
Hope sat down beside him. He looked at her but didn’t say anything.
Ok, so it was going to be twenty questions then.
“How old is she?”
“Six.”
“She’s very cute.”
He gave a single nod. Apparently, it was also going to be like pulling teeth.
“Why did you never mention her?”
“It never came up.” Hope raised her brows to that, so he lifted one shoulder and added, “Also, I guess I thought you knew. You know, from Ivy or someone.”
