However, I never got the chance. Gabe didn't arrive home at his usual time that night, and I texted Celia, asking her how things were at the bar.
Celia: It's madness. One of our bartenders quit, but Gabe's here, thank God.
I bit my lip. Maybe this would give things a chance to cool off a bit.
Who am I kidding? Gabe probably isn't even thinking about me.
Turned out I was wrong. I got a text message from him a bit later in the evening.
Gabe: Probably Celia told you, but I'm going to be trapped at the bar this whole week.
Diane: Do you need any help? I can jump in.
Crap, so much for things cooling down. I was already looking for any opportunity to be close to him.
Gabe: No. It was great of you to do it that one time, but I've got this covered.
Diane: I'm going to cook myself a delicious dinner. You can have leftovers if you want.
Gabe: I won't say no to that. Thanks.
Oh yeah, that just gave me a good reason to make a kick-ass dinner. It seemed like a waste of time to cook for one, so I always made more portions, but I couldn't eat the same thing four days in a row.
I was grinning from ear to ear as I thought about what to make. Why am I so giddy, for goodness' sake?
Looking at it objectively, we’d made it through an entire conversation without any awkwardness. I suspected it might have gone a bit differently if he was standing before me in all his glory. But still, a victory was a victory.
***
For dinner, I'd made a huge portion of chili con carne that would last us for two meals. When I woke up the following morning, I was happy to see Gabe had eaten a portion.
I ate breakfast hurriedly, tiptoeing around the house, suspecting he was asleep. But when I stepped out, his car wasn't there.
Holy shit, he's gone to the office already?
That wasn't right. He couldn't work until late into the evening and be at the office again six hours later.
I didn't know what possessed me to do it, but I took out my phone and messaged him.
Diane: You're at work already?
He answered a few minutes later.
Gabe: No rest for the wicked.
Diane: Hmm, I disagree. Even the wicked need some sort of pampering now and then.
Gabe: You volunteering to do that?
I sucked in a breath. Ah, I’d declared victory too soon last night.
Diane: I can certainly cook dinner. I’m not in the mood for chili again.
To my astonishment, Gabe replied again right away. How did he have time for that?
Gabe: Diane, I’m grateful that you cooked last night, but it's really not necessary. I can eat at the bar.
Diane: I know for a fact you can't. Celia said it's almost impossible once the place is full. She sometimes forgets to even drink water, and her lips are dry at the end of the night.