Page 75 of Wish You Would

“Oh, my god.” My hand flew to my chest, eyes stinging. “That’s so sweet.”

“Yeah.” She smiled fondly. “They were the cutest couple I’d ever met.” Reclaiming her guitar, she began playing again. “Rumor has it,” she said as she strummed, “that if you’re real quiet in the ballroom, late, late at night, you can hear him singing Patsy Cline to his love.” Her eyes locked on mine as she sang.

Goosebumps skittered down my spine and spread over my arms as the melody moved through me. I shivered, watching as Gigi finished the song. With a final strum, she looked up, and my heart did a full gymnastics routine. Leaning in, I pressed a kiss to her lips, then sat back. “What about the morgue? Did you ever get to see it?”

“Oh, my god,” she laughed, eyes sparkling. “You are warped, you know that?”

“Not warped, just…curious.” I sat back on my heels and shrugged. “I like knowing things”

Still chuckling, she shook her head. “No, I’m sorry to disappoint you, my gorgeous little weirdo, but I never saw the morgue.”

“Oh.” I sighed, shoulders drooping in a dramatic show of disappointment. “That’s okay, I guess.”

Stretching out one leg, Gigi poked me in the belly with her toe. “Get out of here,” she said, her words tinged with amusement. “Story time is over. Go back to your books.”

With a long groan, I stood and shuffled back across the living room. “Fine,” I grumbled. “If I must.”

“You must,” she confirmed. “I refuse to be the reason you fail your classes and never become Dr. Samuels. I’m still banking on that free therapy.”

I plopped down on the couch and stuck my tongue out. She winked and went back to her guitar. With one last, longing look, I grabbed my laptop and got back to work.

Hours—actual hours, this time—later, I came up for air to find Gigi nowhere in sight. Frowning, I took off my glasses and closed my laptop, setting both aside. “Gigi?” I called as I stood and stretched.

“In here,” she called back, and I followed the sound of her voice to find her in the kitchen. She had her back to me as she stirred something on the stove. My stomach growled once I caught a whiff. I moved closer, peering over her shoulder. “How did I not smell this earlier?”

She smiled over at me. “You were really in the zone,” she said before touching her lips to my temple. “You get a lot done?”

I nodded and rested my chin on her shoulder, watching her stir a mix of veggies and chicken together. On another burner, a pot boiled. “I can’t feel my brain anymore.”

“Aw, baby.” She reached up with her free hand and scritched my head. I leaned in and sighed, closing my eyes. “Go sit. Dinner’s almost ready.”

“You don’t need any help?”

“Nope.” She bumped me with her hip, shooing me away. “I got it.”

Laughing, I took a seat at the island. Gigi gave the food one more stir, then moved to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of Riesling. Once she expertly uncorked it, she poured two glasses and sat one in front of me. I gave her a grateful smile and took a sip, sighing as the sweetness hit my tongue.

“Good, right?” She lifted her own glass to her lips. “People really sleep on Michigan wines, man.”

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know Michigan did wine until I moved here.” I took another drink and savored the flavors. “But this is really good.”

Gigi clinked her glass to mine then whirled back to the stove. About ten minutes later, she was seated across from me, plates of pasta and freshly filled wine glasses between us.

“Now,” she said as she picked up her fork. “Don’t expect too much. My culinary skills are very limited, and this is by no means a fancy meal.”

I smiled reassuringly as I grabbed my own fork. “Honestly, it could taste like cardboard and I’d still eat it. I’m starving.”

Chuckling, she swirled pasta around her fork. “I hope it at least tastes better than cardboard.” Her eyes followed my fork as I lifted it to my lips.

As I chewed, I widened my eyes dramatically. Then, I pretended to have a hard time swallowing, wincing before smiling bright. “Mmm,” I said, patting my tummy. “So good.”

Gigi glared, arms crossed, brows drawn together. “You’re an asshole.”

I threw my head back, laughter spilling from me. “Sorry.” I wiped my eyes. “I had to.”

She glowered harder, but I could see the cracks in her armor. The corner of her mouth twitched with a smile she strong-armed back into submission. “Did you?”

I shrugged and dug in for my second bite. “Kinda.”

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