Page 29 of My December Darling

“All right, fine. Yes, I’m interested in Catalina, and I already talked to Aiden about it, so it shouldn’t be an issue, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

She curses under her breath.

“What?” I ask as my stomach drops.

“You should’ve spoken to me too.”

“Why?”

Her gaze drops. “Because I just had a whole conversation with her about why she should stay away from you.”

“Why would you do that?” Horror bleeds into my voice.

“Because I didn’t think you seriously liked her!”

“Well, thanks for checking in with me before giving her another reason to stay away.”

Gaby winces. “Sorry. Aiden hadn’t talked to me about your conversation yet, and I panicked after the gingerbread house thing. I feel like I’m just starting to get my sister back, and I’mworried that she would go back to avoiding me if you two…you know…”

“Got together?”

“Yes,” she says with a groan.

“I’m not the kind of person that casually hooks up with people.”

She avoids eye contact. “Yes, but Cata isn’t like you.”

I take a deep breath. “Noted.” I’m not about to hold Catalina’s history against her, so it doesn’t matter.

“But she isn’t completely against relationships.” Aiden offers, as if I needed a reminder of the last person she seriously dated.

Gaby pinches the bridge of her nose. “This is a mess.”

“I’d say.” I collapse onto the couch.

Gaby starts pacing the length of our living room. “If I had known you actually were interested in my sister?—”

“You didn’t exactly give me a chance to talk to you about it first.”

“I’m sorry.” She drops onto the sectional piece parallel to me.

“What am I supposed to do now?”

It takes Gaby a minute to speak up again. “I think I have an idea.”

I beckon her to continue.

“My sister requires a certain kind of handling.”

“Is she a package or a person?”

Gaby glares.

“Okay, okay. I’m listening.”

She rubs her chin. “If you come off too strong, you’ll scare her away for good.”

“A little too late for that,” Aiden whispers under his breath for all of us to hear.

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