Page 36 of It's Always Been You
I clear my throat and twist my hands together to keep from fidgeting.
“You don’t,” Gabe says softly. “I don’t want you to have to get used to anything that makes you uncomfortable. We didn’t have to come to dinner. I would have been fine sitting on my living room couch. Or yours. Or in the damn car. I would be happy anywhere as long as you’re next to me.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, digesting his words and forcing myself to stay calm, even as my stomach bottoms out and my heart speeds up.
“It’s okay, really. It might just take a minute to get used to famous Gabe, whose face has been on every magazine cover and the front page of every newspaper in the world. When I knew you, you were a Lego-building, robotics-loving, Marvel movie-watching nerd.
Gabe laughs, even as his eyes sober at, I’m sure, thewhen I knew youpart of what I just said. It’s startling that I can still read him so well.
“Well, you’re in luck because I’m still all of those things. I got lucky with the phone thing, but I’m the same person I used to be. And even though it’s been years since I became sort of famous, and I’m kind of used to the attention, it’s still fucking weird.”
“You seem remarkably well-adjusted considering all the attention.”
Gabe shrugs and gives me a sheepish grin. “I have two younger sisters who give me shit all the time. It keeps me honest. And also, I’ve had a lot of therapy. It’s practically a requirement in Northern California, and it helped me learn how to be there for my sisters the way I needed to be. I was so broken after my parents died. I guess I don’t have to tell you that.”
“You don’t, but I want to know.”
It’s completely true, I realize. I want to know everything about that time in his life. What happened after I left, and how he put one foot in front of the other and became this man. One who is so similar to the boy I left, but with so many more layers to him. I’m curious about all the pieces of his life between then and now, even if I’m not quite ready to tell him all of mine.
It’s the right thing to say because his smile is dazzling and has my heart thudding in my chest.
“Then I want to tell you. I want to tell you everything.”
Before he can start to tell me all the things, our waiter appears.
“Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Jenkins, we’re thrilled to have you here tonight.”
My gaze lands on Gabe just as he looks at me and rolls his eyes as if to sayugh, not again. I smile at him, and he grins back at me, his dimple flashing. The secret little exchange has warmth filling my chest, and it goes a long way toward counteracting the weirdness of a stranger knowing my name. It kind of feels like Gabe is my partner-in-crime, just the way he always used to be.
“Our specials tonight are excellent, but before I start, can I just say that I’m a huge fan. I’ve owned all the Redwood phones, and I just can’t even believe I get to meet you.”
You have to be fucking kidding me. I once sat next to George Clooney at a sushi restaurant in downtown L.A. and just gave him a polite nod. Surely this guy can manage to do his job without this cringy display of celebrity hero worship for a guy who invented a telephone.
“Thanks for saying that,” Gabe says. “But you know what? I don’t think we’ll be needing to hear the specials. I’m sorry about this, but my fiancée and I have to go.”
Gabe stands and holds his hand out to me. On the exact same page, I take it and stand too. Gabe digs into his pocket and leaves some bills on the table, then leads me towards the frontof the restaurant, calling “Have a good night” over his shoulder. I snicker as we walk, feeling a little like we’re running away from the scene of a crime, and I love it. I’ve always been a chaos demon. I can still feel every eye in the place on us, but this time, I don’t care.
As soon as we push outside under the awning protecting us from the rain that’s still coming down in sheets, we both burst out laughing. We laugh until tears leak out of our eyes, and suddenly, we’re twenty again, and it’s us against the world.
“I am so sorry, Rory,” Gabe wheezes out, his hands on his knees while he tries to stop laughing. “That was awful.”
“Did you see the look in his eye?” I start cackling all over again. “I thought he was about to take his phone out and ask you to sign it.”
“Wouldn’t have been the first time,” Gabe mutters.
“Stop it. That did not happen to you.”
He smirks at me. “At least five times.”
“For the love of god, it’s a phone. What’s the big deal?”
“I have no idea. People are so weird.”
“They are,” I agree. “It’s too bad though, because I’m starving.”
Gabe swings an arm around my shoulder. “I promised to feed you, and I always keep my promises. Do you still like chocolate chip pancakes for dinner?”
I give in to the draw I feel whenever he’s near me and lean into him. “Love them.”
