My Secret Wife by Cathy Gillen Thacker

Author:Cathy Gillen Thacker
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2002-11-18T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“That really bothered you, didn’t it?” Maggie said, as she and Gabe walked out to the motel parking lot. Directly behind Gabe’s sports car was a big tour bus, blocking their exit from the lot. Groups of slow-moving sightseers were disembarking from the bus, bags and parcels in hand. It was barely time for dinner, and yet they all looked absolutely exhausted.

“What?” Gabe looked across the street, where mobile souvenir and snow-cone stands had been set up, and were now doing brisk business.

Maggie cast a brief, longing look at the icy treats being distributed, before turning back to Gabe. “The fact that Penny didn’t tell her husband what was going on.”

“Yes, it did.” Gabe took her elbow and ushered her across the street, where they stood in line and ordered two large snow cones. Cherry for her, grape for him.

“Any particular reason why?” Maggie continued her quest to understand him as the two of them strolled a little farther down the street, until they reached a cluster of shops, with a central outdoor atrium.

“Probably because I identify with Lane.” Gabe said shortly, as he led her over to a park bench beneath a shade tree.

Maggie tilted her head to the side and drew another, deeper breath. “Because—?”

Gabe frowned as he sat down beside her. Lips compressed grimly, he said, “Because I was in a similar situation once. Involved with a woman who decided not to tell me the truth about what was really going on with her.”

Maggie could see his hurt behind the matter-of-fact words. “It sounds serious.”

“It was.” Silence fell between them as they both sipped on their snow cones.

“I’d really like to hear about it,” Maggie encouraged finally.

Gabe blew out an uneasy breath, looking less willing than ever to confide in her. But to his credit he turned his eyes to her and continued anyway, in a low, gruff tone, “It happened when I was eighteen. I was still reeling from my parents’ divorce and all the turmoil in the family, and I got a lot more involved with my high-school girlfriend than I should have.”

Maggie could tell by the anguished look on his face the worst was yet to come. “Involved in what way?” she asked warily.

“Sexually—we were sleeping together and we were way too young.”

Maggie blinked, amazed. That didn’t sound like the Gabe she knew. He was Mr. Responsibility, always putting others’ needs above his own. She could tell by the guilt in his eyes that he wasn’t proud of what he had done. “Did she cheat on you—the way Penny nearly cheated on Lane?” Maggie asked curiously, still struggling to make the connection.

Gabe shook his head, at peace about that much. After a moment, he continued in a voice that was low, sad, introspective. “Just the opposite. Lynnette was really devoted to me, and I was to her. But we were still pretty young and we both knew it. Anyway, when we were about to head off to college—I was going to Duke in

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