Page 18 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
The flippant remark was so unexpected that I laughed despite myself. “Fine. Just this time.”
“Lucky me.”
His tone was even, but it held a note of sarcasm. Ignoring it, I slipped into the passenger seat.“Don’t blame me if I stink up your car.”
Wisely, he didn’t say a word. He held the door open, waiting until I had settled in to close it. I watched as he rounded the front of the car, his motions brisk and efficient. He got into the driver’s seat, buckled up, and gave me a look that reminded me to do the same. As I did, he fiddled with some buttons on the dash.
Cool air blasted my legs, and I glanced at him in surprise. “Thanks.”
“I promised you air-conditioning,” was all he said as he released the brake and started driving.
The silence stretched on for so long that I thought he’d blocked out my presence. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I turned to face his profile and blurted out the first thing I could think of. “How’s work?”
His mouth tightened. “We don’t have to talk.”
“You wanted me to ride with you, so you’ll get the full experience,” I said. “It’s ten minutes. Less than that now, actually. The perfect amount of time for small talk. So, how’s work?”
He looked at me for a split-second and focused back on the road. “Work is work. You could try it sometime.”
My jaw hung open at the sudden attack. “Ate insisted I focus on school.”
“You seem to have enough time to shop.”
I shrugged myself out of the memory. Four months had passed, and still my stomach churned at his words and what they implied. Something I’d overheard Papa say about me years ago.
Walang kwenta.Useless.
Gabe didn’t even know me, not really, yet he’d hit my sore spot right on target. Even if he tried to be nice on occasion, I couldn’t let my guard down and risk getting hurt again.
I’d rather my arms ached from hauling a ton of groceries than have to suffer through another agonizing ride home.
chapter seven
gabe
Gabe
Are you home?
Luna.
I checked myphone for the fifth time in as many minutes. It was nearly an hour since I left the supermarket. Even if Luna had shopped until closing time, she should be home by now. The bus ride wouldn’t have taken thirty minutes, and I bet she’d been on her phone during the trip.
Which meant she was ignoring my texts. It was either that or something had happened between our encounter at the dairy aisle and now.
Various news headlines flashed in my mind, each worse than the last.
To hell with it. I dialed her number and waited for her to pick up.
At the fourth ring, I grabbed my car keys and started for the door.
“Hello?”
I stopped. “You’re alive.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“You didn’t reply to my text.”
