Page 35 of Witch's Promise

"Right," Gabe said, not bothering to hide his skepticism. "You just happened to be in the same coffee shop, in a town you haven't lived in for years, and decided to follow me around like a cut-rate private eye."

Sean winced, clearly caught out. "Okay, so maybe it wasn't entirely accidental. But Gabe, I swear, I didn't come here to cause trouble. I just... I needed to see you."

Gabe sighed, suddenly feeling every one of his thirty-six years. He was too old for this shit, too tired to play games. "Whatdo you want, Sean? Really. Because if you're here to rehash old arguments or try to drag me back into your world, you can save your breath."

For a long moment, Sean was quiet. Gabe could almost see the wheels turning in his head, weighing options, calculating risks. It was an expression he'd seen a thousand times before, usually right before Sean did something incredibly stupid or brave. Often both.

Finally, Sean spoke, his voice low and earnest. "I came here to see how you are. And to apologize. For everything."

"By following me around like a nutcase?" Gabe shot back, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "Great apology technique, Sean. Really top-notch."

Sean opened his mouth to reply, but before he could get a word out, Gabe's phone rang. The shrill tone cut through the night air, making them both jump.

Gabe fished the phone from his pocket, glancing at the screen. His mother's name flashed up at him, along with a photo of her smiling face. Shit. She never called this late unless it was important.

"Sorry, I have to take this," Gabe muttered, turning away from Sean as he answered the call. "Mom? What's up?"

His mother’s voice came through the speaker, tense and hurried. "Gabe, honey, I need you to come home. We've got a situation."

Gabe felt his Shadowguard instincts kick in, his mind immediately racing through possible scenarios. "What kind of situation? Are you okay? Is Dad-"

"We're fine," His mother cut him off. "But there's been a development. With the Wisteria girl. I can't say more over the phone. Just get here as soon as you can, okay?"

Gabe's stomach dropped. Jessy. Whatever was going on, it couldn't be good.

"I'll be right there," Gabe promised, already mentally calculating the fastest route home. "Give me twenty minutes."

He ended the call and turned back to Sean, who was watching him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Everything okay?" Sean asked, his brow furrowed.

Gabe hesitated. A part of him wanted to tell Sean everything, to fall back into the easy partnership they'd once shared. But too much had changed, too much water under the bridge. He couldn't trust Sean with Shadowguard business. Not yet, maybe not ever.

"Family emergency," Gabe said instead, keeping his voice neutral. "I've got to go."

Sean nodded, disappointment flashing across his face before he masked it with a wry smile. "Duty calls, huh? Some things never change."

The words stung more than they should have. Because Sean was right, wasn't he? Gabe was still the same workaholic, still putting everyone else's needs before his own. Still running away from difficult conversations and uncomfortable truths.

But maybe it didn't have to be like that. Maybe this time, things could be different.

Before he could talk himself out of it, Gabe made a decision. "Look, if you really want to talk, to explain, come to my dad's birthday party. This weekend."

Sean's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Your family's having me? After everything that happened?"

Gabe shrugged, aiming for nonchalance and probably missing by a mile. "You'll never know unless you show up."

He fished a scrap of paper and a pen from his pocket, scribbling down his address and phone number. As he handed it to Sean, their fingers brushed, sending a jolt of electricity up Gabe's arm. He pulled back quickly, trying to ignore the way his heart raced at the simple contact.

"Saturday evening,” Gabe said, taking a step back. "Don't be late. And Sean? If you come, I want the truth. All of it. No more lies, no more half-explanations. Understood?"

Sean nodded, clutching the paper like it was a lifeline. "Crystal clear. I'll be there, Gabe. I promise."

Gabe wanted to believe him. God, how he wanted to. But Sean Drake had made a lot of promises over the years, and broken most of them. Only time would tell if this one would be any different.

"Goodnight, Sean," Gabe said, turning to leave. He'd only taken a few steps when Sean's voice stopped him.

"Gabe?"

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