Page 86 of Just My Fake Husband

Skye and her friends start discussing when they’ve been in love or had crushes. Instead of commenting on her bright purple painted nails or the pink lipstick she’s suddenly started wearing, I settle in at the table and listen. Without my permission, my laughter bubbles up.

Gabriels texts saying he and the dog are in the courtyard now. I tell Skye, and I can’t help reminding her to finish her water bottle as we get up to leave. She rolls her eyes, says, “Okay, mother,” in a mocking voice, and suddenly I’m the subject of her friends’ laughter as I leave the room.

It’s okay. I don’t need to be popular with the friends.

“I heard you were missing the dog today,” I say to Skye as we go out the door to the courtyard in the middle of the circular building.

“Yeah,” she mumbles.

“Want to talk about it?”

“Nah.” Skye grins, grabs me in a light headlock, and laughs. “Doyouwant to talk about it?”

“Not if you don’t,” I say before pushing her away.

And then she’s running towards Gabriel and Lunch Lady Liz, clapping her hands and shouting, “Yeah, boi!”

When I catch up, Gabriel bridges the gap between us and the blue of his eyes sears me. He squeezes me to him. We look on while the dog gives Skye kisses and they roll in the grass.

It’s okay.

Skye is okay.

“Hey, guess what? I like you,” Gabriel whispers in my ear. He draws away and his gaze dips to my lips.

“It might be more than like, though.” My voice is tight and there’s not enough air coming out of my lungs.

His eyes expand before he wraps his other arm around me, too.

I’m only a couple of inches shorter than him, but I still ease up on my tiptoes and take hold of his face. I press myself close. But not so close my gaze can’t dart over him, savoring him. “Because it’s more than like for me.”

Chapter 30

Gabriel

I want to kiss her. Over and over again. But right now, we’re spending time with Skye. There will be time for that later. As soon as we make it back to the cottage, though, I want to talk about this. I want to show her how I feel.

It’s not long before Skye tells us she has to go back inside. “Blueberry muffins,” she says.

“Are they serving you blueberry muffins tonight?” River asks, sticking out her bottom lip and nodding, like she’s impressed.

Skye stands and wipes away the blades of grass sticking to her. “My favorite,”

“That’s exciting,” River says, giving her a hug. We share a look likeNever thought I’d see the day when Skye eats blueberries willingly.

On the drive home, I resist the urge to ask River what she meant by her words earlier. Whatever she means, I want to hear her loud and clear. I want to take this moment in, to revel in it. She is honeyed nectar to me right now.

Since I’m driving, I can’t do anything about that, so I start talking about other things. “Skye looked like she was feeling better.”

“Thankfully, she did,” River says, tossing me a look.

“I want you to know that if there’s ever a reason Skye can’t stay at Caring Souls, she can come live with us.”

River turns in her seat to better face me. “But the cottage won’t fit—”

“We can’t stay there long-term anyway. We’ll find something else.”

There’s a long pause. “You’d really be willing to do that? To have her live with us?”

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