Treasured by Thursday (Weekday Brides Series Book 7) by Catherine Bybee

water, her hand still shaking. “Yeah.” Gabi laid the back of her hand to her forehead. “I didn’t expect that.”
    “The wine cellar?”
    “No. My reaction to it.”
    He hadn’t expected it, either. “I guess we can mark this house off our list.”
    She offered a quick shake of her head. “No. The house is lovely. Perfect, really.”
    “You nearly passed out a minute ago by walking into a basement.”
    She attempted a smile and Hunter felt her squeeze his hand. It was then he noticed that he held hers. Gabi must have realized it, too, and pulled away.
    “It’s one room in a big house. I don’t have to go into it.”
    He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and asked, “Why the strong reaction, Gabi?”
    Her gaze met his, her forced smile faded. “It’s not important.”
    Which translated meant none of your business .
    Hunter took the water from her hand, set it aside. He had a year and a half to discover her secrets. Something told him it wouldn’t take that long.
    Gabi swayed when she stood, reached out to steady herself on his arm, then promptly let go. “Thank you,” she said. “For not prying.”
    “I want to,” he told her.
    “I know.”
    Ms. Fortier walked into the room, concern on her face. “Shall we move on?”
    Gabi looked around the room, her eyes fell on him. “What are they asking for this house?”
    There was shock in Ms. Fortier’s voice when she spoke. “Eighteen point four.”
    Gabi’s head snapped toward the other woman. “Million?”
    “Yes.”
    “Didn’t I say less than ten?”
    “It doesn’t matter.” Hunter stepped between them. “Write up an offer.”
    “Hunter!” Gabi called behind him.
    “The house is perfect, you said yourself. I’ll bolt the cellar door. What do you think about the furnishings?” He shifted the conversation as if the purchase of the home was a foregone conclusion.
    Gabi closed the space between them and tugged on his arm to get his attention. “You’re being impulsive.”
    “I’m being practical. Buying furniture takes time.”
    “I’m not talking about the furniture. I’m talking about the house. Eighteen point four million dollars is—”
    “ My standard of living,” he said, his gaze firm. “Just like we agreed upon.”
    Gabi glanced between Ms. Fortier and Hunter. “Fine.”
    “Wonderful,” Ms. Fortier said.
    Gabi leaned close. “I was trying to save you some money.”
    “If I wanted to save money, I wouldn’t have gotten married.”
    “I want to pick out my own furniture!”
    Hunter met her eyes . . . added a slow smile. “Fine.”

Chapter Ten

    “It’s not possible to come and go without an audience,” Gabi voiced her complaint to Gwen over tea. “Escrow won’t close for two weeks, if everything goes as Hunter planned.” Gabi held the curtain back and found a media camera swinging her way. Many of the news vans had grown bored and moved on, but a few of the entertainment television and magazine reporters settled in for the long haul.
    Gwen lifted her regal chin and sipped. “You can always move in with him now.”
    She let the curtain drop, cutting out the images of reporters and cameras. “No. I want mutual ground. Moving in with him would give him the upper hand.”
    “How do you see that?”
    Gabi shrugged. “I just do. Moving into a home neither of us has occupied feels safer.” At least in her head.
    Gwen’s easy smile waned. “You don’t feel safe with him?”
    “I don’t know him. It’s that simple.”
    She carefully set her tea aside. “Yet you married him. You have to know that none of us believe you did so willingly.”
    “None of us?” Gabi knew the intervention was coming. She’d received daily calls from every Alliance team member and a few previous brides who were close personal friends of Sam and Blake.
    “We can start with your brother and Meg.”
    “I’m aware of how Val feels. He’s being the protective brother.”
    “It’s more than that. Michael called Karen and