Page 18 of Revived

“Sorry, I didn’t think anyone was behind those two,” I apologized.

“I figured.”

“Man Mel, you have everyone spinning their heels, don’t you?” Ford asked me.

“What?”

The little, underaged shit winked at me. “I can’t wait to come visit my brother in his new house. It’s going to be the best.” Josh popped Ford in the back of the head and pushed him into Chevy’s room.

“Sorry about him. I do hope you know what you’re getting yourself into though,” he mentioned. It sounded an awful lot like a warning before he turned to enter the room too. “Fucking rock star life,” I thought I heard Josh mumble.

I’d made it two steps before Gabe was back out of the room and trailing after me. “Mel, can we talk?”

“I need to,” the clipboard was still in my hands. “Shit! Sorry, I got distracted by everyone,” I explained as I moved to go hang the chart outside of Chevy’s door since the doctor wasn’t out there to take it from me directly.

“It’s okay. Can we talk now?”

I glanced at the clock on the wall. “Can it wait an hour? I was about to go on my lunch break, and since I skipped breakfast, I don’t think I can wait much longer. I have hanger issues,” I joked.

Gabe laughed, but continued walking with me. “That’s fine. How about I treat you to lunch while we talk?”

“That’s not necessary,” I began to protest but Gabe gave me a look that suggested it really hadn’t been a question. “Fine, but fair warning, I’m stuffing my face – not talking – and you’re definitely buying now since this just became a business lunch.”

Gabe laughed again and this time it was genuine, making his predominantly green eyes sparkle while the actual laugh lines appeared at the corners. “Fair enough, Mel. Lead the way to your food paradise. I’ll pay and do most of the talking.”

~*~

We ended up at a little Mexican restaurant across the highway from the care facility where Chevy had been transported after we left New York. Gabe watched as I practically inhaled my food. When I was about eighty percent of the way finished, I finished chewing, wiped my mouth, and turned my attention to the man that didn’t seem to have any issues with demanding more of my time. “It’s really weird that you’ve just been staring at me while I eat, Gabe.”

He chuckled again but had the sense to seem embarrassed too. “You weren’t kidding when you said you were here to eat, not talk. Sorry, I got distracted by watching you, because in my world, women barely touch their food in public.”

I glanced at my plate again. “That would be a waste of damn good food,” I told him.

“Usually is,” he confirmed. Before I could ask what he really brought me here to talk about, Gabe’s beautiful hazel eyes met mine once more. It was the first time I noticed they were an odd mix of green, gray, and gold. “You told Chevy that you were looking for a place to live,” he finally stated.

“I did. That’s what a person usually has to do when they move. I’ll probably just grab a cheap, long-term stay hotel room once Chevy gets discharged until I can find a place. Don’t worry, I’ll work out transportation to your house and everything until then.”

“No.” Gabe’s eyes were assessing as he spoke the single-word demand.

“No?” I questioned.

“No!” He reaffirmed.

“What exactly is that supposed to mean, Gabe?”

“We had a deal. You stay with Chevy until he’s fully healed. I didn’t drag you out of New York to leave you high and dry without a place to live in Georgia. Besides, there are security issues now.”

“Security issues?”

“You’ve been isolated at the hospital here, but surely you had to have seen or heard things?” He questioned as the man pulled his ball cap lower over his eyes. It was only then that our surroundings came into focus for me. People were staring. Actually, they weren’t just staring, cell phones were being held up and pictures were being taken. “Times up. I hope you got enough to eat?” He questioned while tossing money onto the table and holding a hand out for me to take. “Head down, walk fast, don’t speak, and don’t let go,” Gabe coached, quietly, in my ear just before we started speed-walking out of the restaurant.

Our hands stayed clasped as we moved through the space. At first, people seemed too stunned to move, but just as we reached the door the questions started flying. People – strangers – were asking if we were dating, fucking, and when our baby was due. Suddenly, my lunchtime munch-fest I’d just enjoyed made me feel sick. They thought I was eating for two.

“Follow me,” a uniformed police officer told us as we were leaving. “You heading across the street?” He asked in a low tone, so as not to be overheard. Gabe nodded and we followed the officer out to his patrol car where he proceeded to put us into the back. Once the door shut behind us, I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding.

“What was that?” I asked while trying to convince my queasy stomach not to erupt.

“That was part of the security issues I tried to warn you about. Mel, I hate that we waltzed into your life and flipped it upside down completely, but there’s no going back and changing things now. When we get back to the rooms, I’ll fill you in on everything and we’ll make some decisions, okay?”

---