Page 43 of Reeling in Love

“Who doesn’t?” Gabs says, picking up his phone. “I’ll message Mom that we’ll be home before dinner. What about Carla and your mom? You’ll tell them before we go?”

“Nah. I’ll tell them when I meet them.”

“Your mom will be okay with it?”

I shrug. “We’ll see. Also, Carla wanted me to discuss some marketing stuff with her boyfriend, Kevin. So I guess I’ll have to fit that in during this weekend as well. Have you met him?”

Gabs nods.

“What do you think of him?”

“Not much. As in, I think Carla can do much better. But hey, who am I to judge anyone on their relationship choices?”

I nod because that’s exactly what I think too, both for Carla and Kevin and for myself. I mean, I’m not exactly an expert in relationships. I stuck with Rick, for God’s sake, for so much time simply because it gave me the freedom to be with my friends including Gabs, who most of my previous dates were jealous of, and because his apartment was close to MooreGames’ office. Who does that?

Anyway, I call Lily and Eva and we plan to meet at Kelly’s in an hour. So, I get started on getting dressed and packing because we have to leave soon. The dance is about to begin, and I’m not sure I know the moves.

Chapter 18

Nora: #Love-dar

Gabs and I are the first to reach Kelly’s. I’m glad it is so, because it gives us some time to prepare ourselves for the act to follow. We walk over to our favorite booth and sit opposite each other.

“Um, shouldn’t we sit on the same side?” Gabs asks. “I mean, that’s how I usually sit with most of my dates, especially if there are other friends joining us.”

I nod. “Good observation,” I remark, standing up and moving to his side. “You think it’d be easier if we told them the truth?”

“I’ve thought about it, but for the ruse to work, we need to act the same everywhere, or else it’ll be only a matter of time before the truth reaches Mom or someone from my new office. But I understand if you don’t wanna lie to them. We can still call this thing off. It isn’t too late.”

Lie? Unfortunately, that’s what I’m worried about. That for me, it’s not a lie, but I have to pretend it is, at least till the phase lasts. But pretend in front of my best friend, not the rest of the world. And that’s troubling.

And what if it’s not a phase? What if I’m really attracted to him? What then? Will I be okay after this charade is over? When he finds someone else? Will we be able to go back to being friends?

Jesus! I’ve brought this upon myself. I need to trim my feelings in the bud. This will not work. I wish I could talk it over with him. Maybe I should. But will just the act of discussing not change the way things are?

He holds my hands and squeezes them. Does he know what I’m thinking? Does he feel the same? His eyes are focused in front of us. Lily and Eva are walking toward us.

“Hey,” Lily almost yells. “I didn’t know Gabs was going to be here as well. I thought it was a girl’s day out. No offense Gabs.”

“None taken,” Gabriel replies with a smile. His smile is so cute. “We have to drive over to my parents’ place together so it made little sense for me to drive her here, then drive back, and then return to pick her up. I hope you don’t mind my presence. I can move over to another table.”

“Of course not. More the merrier. How’s your new office? How are the people there?” Eva asks as both of them take their seat opposite us.

Gosh. Are they never going to notice that Gabs is holding my hand? Not that I mind.

“It’s good. I still miss you all, but given everything, it’s nice. I have some ideas that I need to present to the Board in some time.”

“Good. Though I don’t like your moving on from us so quickly,” Eva says with a pout, feigning hurt. “You could’ve pretended to miss us more and said you didn’t like your new office at all, that the people were bad and you were aching to come back.”

Gabs laughs. I love to see him laugh. He looks like an angel, a very hot and handsome angel.

“Ahem!”

I come out of my reverie. It’s Kelly, standing beside me with her notebook, ready to take our orders.

“The usual for us,” I say.

She’s staring at me, then Gabs, then at our hands, which are still intertwined.

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