Going Down Easy (Boys of the Big Easy #1)(59)

“This is way better,” Stella finally decided. She still held Cooper’s dog, but not in the death grip she’d had on the poor thing before.

Cooper nodded. “No way lightning can get us in here.”

“No way,” Gabe agreed.

Stella rolled over onto her side to face him. “How long can I stay in here?”

Gabe looked over at her. “As long as you want.”

“What if I fall asleep?”

He gave her a smile. “Well, just don’t snore. That will keep Coop and me awake.”

She giggled. “I don’t snore.”

“Then we’ll be just fine,” he told her, resisting the urge to cup her cheek. She was sweet and looked so much like her mother that his heart ached. The only thing missing here was Addison.

What would she think of a bed tent? Of letting the kids sleep in here during the storm? Was he encouraging the fear or helping it?

“Oka—” Stella said, the word breaking off as a yawn stretched her mouth. She settled her head onto the pillow. In less than a minute, she was asleep. And he knew that he’d made the right decision.

“I’m glad she’s not scared anymore,” Cooper whispered to him.

Gabe put his hand on his son’s back and rubbed. “Me, too, buddy. You were a really good friend to her.”

“She’s nice,” Cooper replied. “She said next time we go on a swamp boat, she’ll help me pet an alligator.”

Gabe swallowed. “You’d do that with her?” he asked.

Cooper yawned. “I guess so. A little one.”

Yeah, the spirited adventurer was going to be very good for Cooper. And Gabe’s practical boy who collected flashlights had come through for her.

He drifted off to sleep wondering if convincing Addison to marry him was better done with beignets or pralines and if he should get her naked before or after she said yes.



Addison knocked on the door to Gabe’s house the next morning just after sunrise. She’d canceled her breakfast meeting, not because she was worried that Gabe was in over his head, and not even because she was worried about Stella, exactly. She knew that Gabe had handled it, or he would have called her back. No, she was on his front step bright and early because she missed them all, and the storm and Stella’s phobia were the perfect excuses to give the clients.

“Good morning,” Caroline greeted as she opened the door.

“Good morning.” Addison smiled. “I’m a little early.”

Caroline laughed and opened the door wide. “You are. No one else is even awake yet.”

“No? I guess they were tired after being up in the middle of the night.” Addison stepped into the foyer with a grimace.

“Oh, it wasn’t so bad,” Caroline said. “They all settled down afterward and went right to sleep.”

“You woke up with it, too?” Addison said, feeling bad, though it wasn’t Stella’s fault that storms were the one thing that could make her anxious.

“Yes, I checked in. But Gabe had everything under control, and I went back to bed and slept like a rock,” Caroline assured her.

“Well, I’m glad about that. I wish I knew where this storm fear came from, but I really don’t.”

“Phobias are like that,” Caroline said. “And we all have them.”

It was true. Though Addison’s go-to phobia was fear of commitment, and Gabe was beginning to chip away at that one, too. Or rather, blast right through it.

“I might sneak up and check in on Stella,” Addison said. “I feel bad I wasn’t here.”

“Of course, dear,” Caroline said. “They’re all in Gabe’s room. Second door on the right.”

Gabe’s room. Addison hadn’t been in Gabe’s room yet. And they were all in there? Addison crept up the stairs, her heart stuttering a little at the thought of going into Gabe’s bedroom while he still slept. The door was cracked, and she pushed it open gently. And stopped. Gabe’s bed was covered with a blanket fort. She hadn’t been expecting that.

She moved into the room quietly. With the tent, she couldn’t tell if everyone was still sleeping, but she did hear the soft snoring that she’d gotten used to sleeping next to Gabe on their weekends together. She smiled and realized that she could absolutely listen to that every night forever.

Addison approached the bed and lifted the edge of the blanket closest to her. Gabe lay on his back. He was wearing a T-shirt with his boxers. He had one leg out from under the blanket, one arm over his head, and the other around Cooper, who was draped over him like he was a big pillow. And on the other side of Cooper was Stella. She was on her stomach, her face turned toward Gabe and Cooper, her dark curls in a wild disarray around her face and spilling over the pillowcase. She looked completely serene and deep asleep.

This sight . . . Addison took a deep breath. Yeah, she could definitely do this forever.

She thought briefly about waking them, but she felt a sense of comfort and happiness wash over her. And it hit her that she was tired. She hadn’t slept a lot last night, and then she’d hit the road right away.

So she kicked off her shoes and rounded the bed, sliding in beside Stella. And when her daughter sighed and curled into her, Addison realized that she was exactly where she was supposed to be.