“Sounds exactly like how you’d planned things to go,” he told her.

She frowned as if she didn’t remember that they’d shared their dreams for the future back when they’d been summer friends. Gabe hadn’t forgotten. He seemed to remember every detail of his time with Angi like her essence had been tattooed on his heart. Stupid heart.

“My pregnancy changed everything.” She shrugged. “At first the chef, Monica, was willing to let me stay on. But I think she got pressure from my ex-boyfriend, her boss. She had a strict policy about dating coworkers, so we’d kept things hidden from everyone. It was a betrayal, and she fired me.”

“Andrew’s father had you fired?”

“Yeah. He made it clear that if I ‘handled things’ he’d reconsider. I handled the pregnancy by moving back to Magnolia.”

“You made the right choice.”

She didn’t exactly smile in response, but there was a softening around the corners of her eyes that told him she appreciated his words. “It was an easy one to make, although the fact that my son is struggling breaks my heart. Maybe if I’d found a way to stay in New York, we would have had more choices for schools or finding a place where he could belong.”

“He belongs here. This is his home.”

“You aren’t going to believe this,” she said with a laugh and an eye roll, “but I’m glad he found you.”

“You’re right. I don’t believe it.”

“It’s true.” She placed a hand on his arm, and his skin burned from the contact. “We might be sworn enemies, but you’ve been through a lot. You can understand and help him.” She leaned in. “You will help him, right?”

“Are we sworn enemies?” He shifted closer, so much so that he could feel her breath on his jaw.

“You hate me,” she reminded him, her voice just the slightest bit shaky.

“I should,” he agreed. “But when we’re together, I keep forgetting why.”

He hadn’t forgotten, but when she was close the reasons didn’t seem to matter. So much so that he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. Something he’d wanted to do on so many summer nights back when they were young. She tasted exactly like he’d imagined—sweet and spice and like she could wreck him with one word or callous action.

Oh, yeah. This way led straight for a fall, and he wanted to pitch himself over the cliff without a second thought.

Luckily, Angi had more sense. She broke the kiss and stepped away from him, her gaze wary.

“That was unexpected.”

Gabe gave a slow nod, not trusting himself to form a coherent sentence.

“And a mistake.”

“Yep,” he managed as if his heart wasn’t about to pound out of his chest.

“I should get back.” She edged toward the door, reaching for it as she pulled her jacket more tightly around herself. As if a few layers of fabric could protect her from the desire pulsing between them.