Gabriel's Discovery by Felicia Mason

Author:Felicia Mason
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2004-09-17T04:00:00+00:00

To Gabriel’s astonishment, he found himself nervous about the meeting with Susan. Though he’d called it a meeting to discuss the shelter’s involvement in the Volunteer Fair, he couldn’t help thinking of it as a date.

Maybe if this went well he’d ask her out on a real date—one minus the girls. The twins were a delight, something that surprised him, since he spent little time with children other than his nieces and nephews on infrequent visits back home. But he’d like some one-on-one time with Susan. Time that didn’t involve work or family.

She’d had her secretary call his to say she’d have to meet him at the restaurant because she had another appointment right after.

As he pulled into the parking lot at the Stagecoach Café, Gabriel couldn’t help wondering if Susan’s later appointment was a real one or a phantom engagement set up so she wouldn’t have to spend too much time with him. It was a tactic his sister used to use with dates she didn’t like. She always had an out set up in advance—a telephone call, a hair appointment or a church meeting. Anything that would give her a legitimate excuse out of a bad date if she didn’t like the guy or the situation.

He pressed the remote and locked the doors of the town car and strode toward the entrance of the restaurant. Every time he came here, the big red building made him smile. It so very much looked like a relic of the Old West. Yet, extensive renovations inside and out ensured the café was truly a twenty-first-century establishment with a nineteenth-century ambience.

Gabriel entered the eatery and passed by the small wooden bar area. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror backing the bar and felt overdressed in his dark suit and tie.

“Pastor Gabriel!” Fiona Montgomery, the owner of the Stagecoach Café, greeted him. “What a delight to see you.”

Fiona was responsible for the makeover at the café and usually spent her time either in the office or mingling with the guests. Today her red hair was pulled into a ponytail secured with a red handkerchief that matched the red-checked cloths on each table. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes sparkled with what could best be described as a touch of mischief.

“Hello there. You’re playing hostess today?”

“Just for a moment. Your lady friend is already here,” she said, slipping her arm through his and guiding him through tables. “I thought you’d like a bit of privacy, so I’ve put you over here.”

“Fiona, that wasn’t necessary. We’re just having a meeting.”

“Meeting? Is that what they call it these days?” she said with a mischievous grin.

Gabriel wanted to groan, but he held on to the self-assured bearing that had served him well in the military.

“I missed service yesterday, but I heard all about it.”

For just a moment Gabriel regretted choosing the Stagecoach Café. Fiona baked the best apple pie in town, but she was also a world-class gossip. He wondered what she’d heard and just what she’d passed along.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.