Page 129 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
Hey, can we talk? Lmk when you’re free.
And finally, from Gabe?—
Gabe
Wrapping up in the faculty office. I’ll pass by for you after your shift.
Each message added more weight to my chest. I couldn’t seem to get enough air no matter how hard my lungs worked. I’d been looking forward to the walk home so I could clear my mind and pull myself together, only to find out that Gabe had a different plan.
As much as I loved the thought of him waiting for me, I needed time for myself, and I’d already told him I’d meet him at home. It felt like he’d disregarded my words. That, on top of everything else, made me feel smothered, and Chloe’s voice echoed in my head, reminding me to stand up for myself.
I rushed to call Gabe in case he was already heading here. The last thing we needed was for someone to spot us together and add fuel to the flame. He of all people should have thought of that, with how carefully he guarded his reputation.
“Luna,” he answered after one ring. “Are you okay?”
The worry in his voice tamped down my annoyance. “I’m fine, what about you? Kriz told me there’s a photo of you from the club—did you get into any trouble?”
“I’m alright. Let’s talk about it later. Are you done with work? I’ll go there now.”
“No, don’t,” I protested. “You can’t come here. What if someone sees you?”
“Then they see me.”
His nonchalance sent anxiety swirling in my stomach. “What do you mean? You’re the one who always wanted to keep your distance in school.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll tell you everything when I see you.” There was the sound of a door closing, and he said, “I’m on my way.”
My hand tightened around my phone as if I could gain control of the situation by doing so. Logic told me to go along with Gabe since he’d already waited for me, but my instincts warned it was a bad idea. In the state I was in, I wouldn’t be fit for company, let alone a serious conversation.
“I want to walk home,” I blurted out before I could second-guess myself.
He paused and then answered, “Alright. If that’s what you want, then I’ll walk with you.”
“No, Gabe.” Frustration roughened my voice, making my words come out harsher. I sucked in a breath and tried to speak evenly. “Look, I appreciate you waiting for me, but I just . . . I need a breather, okay? I need to be alone for a bit.”
Silence thrummed across the line. “Okay,” he finally said, and I swore I could feel his confusion. “Of course. Do you still want to talk later, or?—”
“Yes, I do. I want to see you, Gabe,” I stressed because I didn’t want him to draw the wrong conclusions. “Can you wait for me at home?”
“Of course,” he answered right away. “I’ll wait as long as you want me to.”
His words wrapped around me like a warm hug, easing the knot in my chest. “Thank you. I promise I’ll be there in around thirty minutes.”
“Take your time. I’ll see you at your place.”
“See you.”
“Stay safe, Luna.”
Despite my earlier annoyance, my heart couldn’t help but melt because of this man and how he tried to take care of me. My feelings for him felt so much bigger than I thought possible that I wondered if I had the capacity to contain them without them taking over me entirely.
Whatever this was I had going with Gabe, I didn’t want to lose myself or my independence in the process. I just had to find the right way to explain my fears to him without sounding like I had one foot out the door.
chapter forty-one
gabe
Gabe
