Page 28 of One Short Summer

My hand flies to my chest, turning around to look at Gabe, who’s standing behind the couch, peering over my shoulder. “Crap. You startled me. I think I’ll get you a little bell to wear so I can hear you whenever you enter a room.”

He chuckles and walks around the couch to sit down next to me, pointing his finger toward the laptop propped up on my lap. “You’re watching dance videos?”

I don’t know what to say so I just nod.

Even though I know I’m not doing anything wrong, it somehow feels like he caught me with my hand in the cookie jar, so to speak. Or maybe I just feel guilty because I made a pact with myself to not do anything dance-related anymore, including watching videos.

On the other hand, I already broke that rule this morning when I watched the little kids dance at the studio.

My thoughts spin in circles, so instead, I focus on Gabe and the laptop he brought with him. “What areyoudoing?”

He grunts, putting his feet on the coffee table. “My writing time wasn’t very successful, so I was hoping a change of scenery might help. Even though I’m not sure how productive I’ll be today. It feels like pulling teeth, and I stare more at the screen than doing anything else. So, chances of coming up with anything coherent are rather slim anyway.”

Shaking my head at him, Itsk. “Stop talking like that. You know, self-fulfilling prophecy and all that stuff.”

Huffing out a big breath, he lets his head fall on the back of the couch. “Yeah, I guess.”

Something about this moment makes me laugh, the scene almost comical. “Man, we’re quite the team, aren’t we? Now that I think about it, I’m actually not sure who’s worse. Me with my dancing or you with your writing.”

“You might be onto something there. It’s hard when you don’t feel motivated at all.”

Leaning back into the cushions, I tilt my head in his direction, mimicking his position. “Tell me about it.”

“I guess I should at least try and get some more done though, huh?” His gaze stays locked with mine.

My throat suddenly feels tight and I swallow loudly. “Do you mind if I stay here with you when you write?”

Surprise flickers across his face, but before he can respond, I continue talking.

“I’m just so tired of being cooped up by myself the whole time. It gets lonely.” The last words come out in a whisper, and I wonder what’s more pathetic in that moment. Asking to stay with him or admitting I’ve been lonely. It’s not like me to openly lay out my feelings like that.

The corners of his mouth lift up into a gentle smile while his eyes seem to shine with a hint of sadness I try to ignore. We both know I’m not the best at talking about this kind of stuff. “You know I usually can’t write when other people are around, but why not? Can’t get any worse than it already is, right?”

“Gabe!” I let out an exasperated chuckle, my previous emotions safely locked away again for the moment.

He laughs at the warning in my voice and holds up his hands. “I know, I know. No more negative talk.”

“Good boy.” I wink at him and get another smile in return.

After staring at his laptop for a moment, he turns my way again. “You know what? On second thought, why don’t I call it a day and we can watch a movie together instead? That sounds so much better.”

My eyes are trained on his. He’s only a few feet away, so I keep switching between his left and right eye, unable to focus on only one of them.

We’ve watched a ton of movies together, so the question isn’t unusual.

What is though, is his gaze.

Something about it is different.

It keeps flickering over my face, almost like he’s trying to gauge my reaction by monitoring all of my facial signs. When his gaze lands on my mouth and stays there, my lips open of their own accord as my next breath hitches in my throat.

That little movement jolts him out of his trance and he clears his throat, quickly sitting up. “So, what do you think? You and me and a movie? We can order some pizza for dinner?”

Nodding like a loon, I try not to read anything into this little moment we just shared. “I’d love that.”

Chapter Ten

Gabe

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