Where She Belongs Page 2

  Gabe nodded, feeling a bit like a bobble head now. "I expected as much."

  "This might give us the opportunity we both need." A wily grin parted Bryce's face.

  "For what?" Gabe narrowed his gaze.

  "To snag Shanna."

  "Snag? Shanna?"

  "Yes. I want her away from that jackass, and you've been in love with her for the last ten years or so."

  Ten years? She was a teenager ten years ago. That would make him a creepy lecher. "I am not in love with Shanna. Nor was I ten years ago." Five, maybe. That was another story. He was long over that.

  Bryce looked at him. "Rita and I have known you've loved her since she was too young for you. Remember when she was a teenager and followed you like a puppy? Poor girl. We thought that was over when you married Lisa and Shanna left for college."

  "Yeah, we know how well my marriage turned out.” Mere weeks after Shanna left, it started going to shit.

  "Right, and I thought she'd come back and learn to run the company and nature would take its course with you and her."

  What the hell? Gabe was twelve years older than Shanna. His nature had no business taking it's course with her. He cleared his throat. "She's going to marry Trenton."

  "That's why we have to use this opportunity. We have to show her she needs to come run this company at the very least, if you can't see the truth in front of your eyes. I am not having that pansy-ass, pompous son-of-a-bitch raise my grandchildren, Gabriel."

  "I agree that he's wrong for her. But I doubt I'm the right person for her either. The age difference and all. Are you sure she wants to run the company?"

  "She doesn't know what she wants." Bryce started to sit and one of the monitors, the heart one, started to beep. He laid back down and folded his hands over his chest. "I'm getting worked up over this and she's not even here yet. Look, I need time off, the office needs another body. I hope to convince her to stay for a month."

  "That's your big plan?"

  "Not all of it. The other part involved you, but I'll have to hope that you figure that part out on your own. What I need, is for you to help her out in the office. Teach her the basics, show her the ropes of running the company."

  "If you convince her to stick around, I can show her the office and teach her the basics. I saw some of her college work; she's got a brilliant mind."

  Bryce coughed as he stared at the ceiling. "Yeah, and she's wasting it as that jackass' secretary. Even if he calls her an assistant." The older man waved his hand. "I can't even think about it."

  "I know. I know. I tried to advise her against taking that job when he offered it. I tried to get her to explore her options, branch out, go on her own. But my words fell on deaf ears. That smarmy bastard."

  "Okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one. Well, Rita knows it as well. Bless her."

  "Yes, bless her, indeed," Rita said from the doorway. "So? You make any headway?"

  "Not really. He's not into seeing the truth tonight."

  "Not yet." Rita patted her husband's hand and smiled at Gabe. "Well, although we consider him our son, he's still his own man. However, I think we'll have more luck with convincing Shanna to stay."

  "That part Gabe did agree to help with."

  "Good, she'd be a nice breath of fresh air in the company. I believe if we could let her see how brilliant she is, she'd come around and see reason. Getting her away from that boy will help as well. Maybe she'll see more clearly."

  "For the record, I know you two are going to try to manipulate her. I refuse to be part of that tonight. So I will wait in the hallway and say hello to my best friend, then go home to bed."

  "Goodnight, Gabriel. We do consider you our son," Rita said.

  Gabe waved the comment off, but it made him feel happier than he'd imagined. At thirty-five, he thought he'd be above that sort of comment bringing him joy. But there it was, unbidden.

  Like his confusion regarding the woman he awaited arrival. He'd been in love with her once. Totally in love, and he could have had her, too. But she'd only been eighteen and he'd been in the middle of a divorce, which turned out to be messy and heartbreaking for him.

  Turning Shanna down that night was the second most difficult action he’d taken. The hardest was saying goodbye to his dad. But not even divorce was on the same level as Shanna Whittikar and rejection.

  Before he could get any deeper into thoughts on his relationship with Shanna, she appeared in the brightly lit hallway. He walked down the hall and met her, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. "Hello Shanna."

  "Hi Gabe. I'm glad you're still here. Thanks for waiting for me."

  "Of course. How was the trip and flight?"

  "Exhausting, it's late here, but the middle of the night for me. So, since they are bending the rules and letting me in this late, I had better get in and get out."

  "I'll walk you to the door."

  "You don't have to.” She took a breath. “If there's somewhere you need to be..."

  Nowhere he'd rather be than in her presence. "It's okay." He put his hand on her back and they walked down the hallway painted a calming blue. He should stop touching her. "I'm glad you came." Without Trenton. Gabe hadn't seen her in nearly two years without her so-called boyfriend/boss at her side. "How is he? I mean really?"

  "Good. Really. He's been walking some, not much. And he's eaten, his color is good. He looks like Bryce, except tired. Y'know?"

  She nodded and leaned into him a little. He moved so his body was touching hers, wanting to be her support. They stopped outside the room and she turned to him, her tears shining in her eyes. "Do they know what caused it?" Her voice was broken and it took a moment to put the pieces together.

  "He's not in the best shape. He's overweight and doesn't have a great diet. He's got a stressful job and he doesn't exercise enough." Gabe shrugged. "They don't really know, but he'll have to take it easy for a while."

  "And all the responsibility will fall on you."

  Gabe didn't reply to her statement.

  He brushed her blond hair behind her ear and pressed his lips to her cheek, taking a moment to linger in her warmth. "Goodnight Shanna." He turned and started walking away. No more touching after tonight.

  "Gabe.” Her voice trembled.

  "Yeah?" He swiveled on his heel. She looked like a little girl again. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her everything would be okay. He knew if he went to her she would cry in his arms. And he might never let her go after that.

  "Thank you again."

  "Anything for you." He beat a hasty retreat before her tears burst over.

  * * *

  Shanna watched Gabe disappear around the corner. She touched the spot on her face where his lips had touched and with her other hand, she pulled the door open to her father's room.

  He did look tired laying on the bed, which, given the time, he had every right to feel. But he also looked a bit frail to her. Maybe that was her expectations being shattered. Her dad had always been a larger-than-life character to her, a superhero who would always save the day. Now that he'd fallen ill, he'd shown himself human. She had to change everything she knew, start viewing her dad as an adult would, not as a little girl would.

  "Is something wrong with your cheek?" her mom asked.

  Shanna dropped her hand, realizing she was still caressing the skin Gabe's lips had touched. "No. It felt like there was something.. Never mind. I'm here, I'm here. I missed you guys. Trenton sends his love."

  She noticed, as she did every time, the slight drop in their faces when she mentioned her boyfriend's name. No one liked him. They didn't see the side of him that she did, because he kept his true self private. He said it was hard to be himself growing up in the von Brooke family. There was always someone to impress, to posture for. It had taken him months to trust her enough to be himself.

  Her mom crossed the room and wrapped Shanna in a hug. "Hello, my sweet girl. I missed you so much."

  Shanna squeezed her mom in return. "I didn
't realize until I saw the sign. And every moment I'm here, I'll be missing Toronto. Funny life."

  They parted and Shanna went to the bed. Her dad started to rise. "Lay down, silly goose. I can bend. Gabe told me you needed to rest."

  "I do."

  After she hugged him, he held her hands. "You look good, healthier." Her parents had been to Toronto for a week at Christmas.

  "The stress of year end is over. I can relax again." She patted his forearm.

  "Good. What did Gabe say?"

  "Only that he was glad I was here and that they didn't really know what caused your attack."

  Bryce smirked. Rita patted his shoulder and fussed with the blanket. "Alright now, stop fussing," he told his wife of twenty-eight years.

  "I can't help it."

  "I know. Okay, so Gabe didn't―"

  Her mother cut him off, "I think we should keep that question for tomorrow, when Shanna has had some rest and food."

  Shanna was dying to know. "Come on, Ma."

  "Tomorrow you can visit and ask all the questions you both want. Right now, I need to take this girl home and feed her and tuck her into bed."

  Shanna sighed. She knew her mom was right. She was dead on her feet.

  Rita headed for the door. "I need to talk to the nurse and give you a moment with your dad alone."

  "Thanks, Ma. I'll be out in a few minutes."

  She left the room and Shanna touched her dad's hand again. "I'm glad you're okay. I worried the whole trip."

  "If it brought you out here, I guess it might be worth it."

  "You could have asked me to visit; make a long weekend."

  "Never enough time, sweetheart." He smiled at her and she thought he looked wane.

  "I know. I love and hate Toronto for that."

  "They have lots of big companies in Calgary. Or here."

  "There is only one medium-sized company here that would take me. I know you don't like him, but I'm sticking with Trenton. He's going to ask me to marry him."

  "He's not good enough for you."

  "No one would ever be good enough in your eyes, Dad."

  "That's not true. I think you and Gabe would be perfect together."

  Gabe? Her eyes widened. Gabe? She'd tried that once, five years ago. He'd turned her down flat. At the time, she'd been inexperienced and "in love" with him since she was a girl. In a lonely and vulnerable moment, while he visited her in Toronto, she had kissed him. He kissed her back and when she tried to make it go further, he refused.

  She left his room, her tail between her legs and her heart broken. She couldn't recall his exact words any longer, but it was something like, "You're too young and not ready for what this would mean."

  She put it out of her mind, as she needed Gabe to remain her best friend and confidant. But there were times when she thought about that moment and the pain seared her heart.

  "Gabe and I would be nothing but a disaster as a couple. He's my best friend. I talk to him about everything. But I am not interested in him romantically."

  "Alright, dear. I'll talk to you tomorrow. You had better go before Mom thinks you are working me up."

  "I hate leaving you here."

  "I know. I don't want to stay, but until we know I'm out of the woods for sure, it's best. Go on now, and get some food and sleep. I'm glad you came for me."

  She hugged him again. "Thank you, Daddy. I'm glad I'm here as well. And I love you more than anything."

  Shanna let go of him and hurried out of the room, afraid she'd never leave if she looked back at him laying on the bed. Shanna met her mom outside the depressing hospital room as she returned. Shanna grabbed the older woman around the waist. "Come on. Want to get some guilt-free junk food? Because you know when Dad gets home, you'll have to stop eating all the good stuff. For his health."

  Rita sighed. "I don't like your tone, but you are right. Let's get some burgers and fries."

  "And milkshakes. I haven't had a really good milkshake in ages."

  Outside the hospital, Shanna listened to the quiet. No more hushed whispers and beeping machines. There wasn't any constant traffic either.

  She was home and she could breath again.

  Chapter 2

  Gabe hesitated outside Bryce's room. After a short inner debate, he pushed open the door.

  He could see the back of Shanna's head, as she waved it around. "A month? I can't leave my job for a month on a whim. What about my life? A week,maybe."

  He was about to back out of the room when she whirled, ready to storm out of the room, he assumed. Instead, she stopped short and stared at him. "I suppose you have something to do with this?" She jabbed her finger in the air toward him.

  He held up his hands. "I told them not to do it, for what it's worth."

  "Oh, well." She dropped her hands and turned around. "Sorry for freaking there. You really caught me off guard. I thought this would be minor, that you'd be home today, I'd stick around ‘til after the weekend, and then return. Trenton is expecting me. We have work to do. I have a job."

  "I know it's asking a lot of you. But a bit of time for me is all I'm asking. I could rest easier knowing you were in there taking care of things. They said I really need to relax or I am at risk for another attack."

  "Then do what you should be doing and hire someone else. Gabe can take over your responsibilities. He is more than competent."

  “There will still be a gap while we fill Gabriel's position."

  She sighed and looked at Gabe. As if he would help her cause. But neither would he say anything for Bryce. He just shook his head.

  "Come on, you're ganging up on me."

  "It'd be easier to agree," he said. So much for remaining impartial. "Sorry, I meant to stay out of this, but I'd love to have you in the office. I helped you with your work in school. I know how brilliant you are. And you could start at the top here. No working your way up."

  "That's really fair to the middle managers– Toby, Fitch– the ones who have been working hard. They are way more qualified than I am."

  "Shan, you've been in that office since you could walk. You know better than anyone how to run the place," Bryce said.

  "I don't know anything about running an office."

  "Oh, please. You've been running Trenton's office for more than a year. I'll teach you what you don't know," Gabe added.

  She stomped her foot lightly. "This isn't fair."

  "I know, life rarely is. Can you try it for a week? Trenton can live without you for that long. You said you were staying almost a week anyway."

  She sighed. "Fine, I'll go call him."

  She left the room and Bryce grinned. "See, I told you we could do it."

  "Don't make me culpable in this. I swore I wasn't going to get into your little game."

  "Yes. But it's not a game, if we can make her realize what talent she has. What she could do here."

  "She did have a point about the other managers."

  "Posh, everyone knew she'd take over someday. I always told you that was my plan."

  "Yeah, until she stayed in Toronto after graduation."

  "Well, look at it this way, if she doesn’t agree, we will discuss our other options. Especially if this forces me to retire. That's not a for sure yet. I don't intend to stay away forever."

  "If this goes badly, we are all to blame."

  "Rita left it to me, crafty woman."

  "She usually is."

  "Anything at the office I need to know about?"

  "We've got it all under control. We can manage without you from time to time."

  "No, you can't. You're all afraid to admit it."

  Gabe rolled his eyes.

  "Don't forget the custom pieces on the HomeZones' order."

  "It's covered."

  "And shipment from TimberMills is going to be a day late. You'll have to budget time so we don't get behind on the Lakewoods order."

  "I know. We went over all this yesterday."

  Bryce harrumphed. "Fine. Maybe we
should tell Shanna to forget everything. I guess you don't need anyone."

  "You said you need to relax and rest so you wouldn't have another attack."

  "Working is my rest."

  "No, it's not, and if you don't rest, I will make Rita take you on vacation."

  "You wouldn't dare suggest it."

  "Watch that I don't."

  The two women bustled into the room, laughing. They stopped when they saw the looks on the men's faces. "Are you two at it again?"

  "At it? Again?" Shanna asked.

  "Gabe likes to try to tell me how things should be run."

  "Bryce likes to do things the way they've always been done."

  “While I’m in the office we'll make some progressive changes, won't we Gabe?" Shanna said.

  "You're staying?" Bryce said.

  "Yes, for two weeks. And only part time. I have to continue my work for Trenton long distance. He has a temp secretary, but he needs me for the assistanty stuff, like proofing and research."

  The more likely case was Shanna did most of the guy's job. He merely glanced at his mentor who grinned from ear to ear.

  Gabe admitted he was smiling as well. He crossed to where she stood next to her mom still and put his arm around her shoulder. "It won't be that bad. Think of it as a vacation."

  "Yeah, 'cause I always work on my vacations."

  "Me, too. Something we have in common." He kissed her cheek and she leaned against him. The plan to keep her at arm’s length had failed already.

  "Alright, alright. I'm staying, you three must very pleased with yourselves."

  "I am," Bryce said.

  She glared at him.

  Gabe squeezed her again. Se felt really nice in his arms, but thinner than she had a year ago when she saw him.

  "You had better take me to the office and show me around. I need to get myself reacquainted with the old place."

  "Old place? You should see the upgrades we've put in since you've been gone," Bryce said.

  She looked at Gabe with raised eyebrows. "This I can't wait to see."

  "He got a new office chair last year," Gabe replied dryly.

  Shanna laughed. She leaned on him for support while she giggled. He joined in as did Rita and Bryce. When it subsided, he felt lighter. It felt right, being with them. They were his family, now that his mom remarried and moved to the city. He kissed her temple, then released her.