The sermon was a variation of one he’d heard a thousand times but could never hear enough. The message revolved around good arising out of the trials experienced in life. It was his and Finley’s story. An eighteen-year-old kid propelled into being a parent when he was still a boy. Giving up a football scholarship and college to be a father. Shannon walking out of their lives when Finley was only two months old. The road certainly hadn’t been easy, but his life was so much richer for having Finley in it.
After making it through a Scripture reading by a woman with a lisp and sharing the hymnal with Michelle for several more off-key renderings, Gabe’s ears rang.
After the benediction, Nick turned to him. “While the kids are in Sunday school and youth group, a bunch of us go for breakfast at The Coffee Pot. Care to join us?”
Gabe understood the importance of the invitation. He knew that if he shied away, he might not be invited to join them again. Or if he was, another invitation might be a long time coming.
He glanced at Finley who was laughing with Addie. He didn’t need to ask if she’d changed her mind about staying for youth group. The smile on her face told him the answer.
“Sure. Thanks for asking.” Even though Gabe hadn’t had a lot of time to explore the town, Jackson wasn’t that big of a community. If he knew the approximate location of the destination, he should be able to find it easily. “Where’s the café located?”
“It’s downtown.” Lexi leaned around her husband and flashed Gabe a smile. “Not far, but parking can be a problem. Why don’t you leave your vehicle here and ride with Michelle?”
“Michelle?”
“Didn’t Nick tell you? She’s coming to breakfast, too.”
Michelle saw the startled look in Gabe’s eyes when he turned. And the Cheshire-cat smile on Lexi’s lips.
“What’s going on?” When the service ended, Mr. Calhoun, the older gentleman to Michelle’s left had started telling her a story and Michelle had missed Gabe and Nick’s conversation.
“Gabe is coming to breakfast with us this morning,” Lexi said in a pleased tone. “I told him he could ride with you, because parking can be an issue and you know where it is. You don’t mind, do you?”
The café was less than a mile away, easy to find with simple instructions. And parking? While Gabe might not be able to park in front of the restaurant, he’d for sure find a space within a block of the building. Lexi knew that as well as she did. The gleam in her eyes suddenly made sense. Her friend was playing matchmaker.
Yet Michelle could hardly accuse Lexi of that in front of everyone. And she didn’t want to make Gabe feel unwanted. It wasn’t that long ago that she’d been new in town.
“You’re welcome to ride with me.” Michelle kept her tone light. Just because she didn’t want to date the guy didn’t mean she couldn’t be sociable. “If you want to, that is.”
Gabe smiled and her heart fluttered.
During the drive to the café, Gabe asked a lot of questions about her, then listened as if he was really interested in her answers.
Michelle shared how she’d wanted to be a doctor for as long as she could remember, touched on the rigors of med school and residency. Even though she mentioned she’d once been briefly married, she didn’t share any specifics about that breakup and nothing about her recent dating challenges.
By the time they entered the café, she realized he knew a whole lot about her and she knew very little about him. Of course, she already knew the most important thing…he had a teenage daughter.
After he opened the door for her, Michelle paused in the doorway. “What made you decide to move to Jackson Hole?”
But she never got an answer. Several other couples came up just then, the men recognizing and greeting Gabe, joking about some basketball game. They introduced him to their wives. By the time they reached the table and sat down, the question was forgotten.
Michelle took a seat at one end of the table. Gabe sat down across from her. Ryan Harcourt, an attorney in town, pulled out the chair next to her, his new bride, Betsy, on the other side of him. Betsy was the best friend of Adrianna Lee, the nurse-midwife in Michelle’s office. Ryan and Betsy were eagerly anticipating the birth of their first child in the fall.
“How’s the house coming?” Michelle asked Ryan. The young couple were in the process of renovating a bungalow Betsy had inherited from her great-aunt.
“It’s starting to feel like home.” Ryan glanced at his wife and she nodded. “Of course anywhere with Betsy feels like home.”
“You always say the sweetest things.” Betsy cupped his face with her hand and kissed him gently on the lips.
Out of the corner of her eye, Michelle caught Gabe staring. Before he turned away she saw something that looked almost like envy in his eyes. Apparently whatever had happened between him and his daughter’s mother hadn’t left him bitter.
Michelle didn’t have time to dwell on the matter because the waitress appeared. The older woman with wiry gray hair and garish orange lipstick moved quickly, knowing most at the table had to be back to the church in an hour to pick up their children from Sunday school.
When it came time for Michelle to order, she didn’t hesitate. “I’ll have the farmer’s breakfast.”
By the time she finished giving the waitress the specifics Gabe’s mouth was hanging open.
“Can you really eat all that yourself?” he asked with something akin to awe in his voice.
“Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.” Michelle shrugged, telling herself she didn’t care what he thought. “I follow that old adage about eating like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a beggar for dinner.”
“Well, you certainly look healthy.”
The admiration in his tone made her glad she’d taken a little extra time getting ready this morning. Her cobalt-blue sleeveless dress with a beaded belt at the waist not only flattered her figure but the color also made her eyes look extra blue.
“I’ll consider that a compliment,” she said with a wry smile.
For a second she thought Gabe was going to say more, but then Nick asked him a question. He shifted his attention and she never got it back.
“Come with me to the restroom.” Lexi leaned over and whispered, then pushed back her chair and stood.
Michelle followed her around several tables to the small restroom at the back. “I’ll wait out here.”
“No.” Lexi grabbed her arm. “Come in with me.”
“It’s just a one-seater, Lex—”
“I’m just going to touch up my makeup.” Lexi opened the door and shoved her in first, then followed behind. “You can talk to me.”
Her friend was up to something. And Michelle had a feeling she knew just what it was. The first words out of Lexi’s mouth confirmed
