Page 54 of Loving Wild
Putting the food down amongst all the other dishes and containers on the bench, I turn to see Gabe leaning in to kiss Jess before his eyes hit mine and he smiles.
“You okay?” Zac asks.
“Yeah, I think so,” I laugh nervously as I reply.
“How’s he?” He gestures with a head tilt in Gabe’s direction.
“I’m not sure. I think he’s worried about my reaction to meeting the bitch.”
“Does he need to be?”
I turn to meet Zac’s brown eyes. “No,” I say with a shake of my head. “I’d never do anything to embarrass Gabe, or to upset your dad.”
Zac nods. “She’s gonna hate your guts, just saying,” he says with a wink.
“Great, can’t wait to meet her.” I give him my best fake smile.
Ava and Sophie appear, minus their backpacks, which I assume they’ve dropped off at whatever room they’ll be sleeping in. Gabe had dropped our bag off at the bottom of the stairs as we came in, I’ll remind him to move it once he’s finished saying hello to everyone. As well as his brothers, their families, and his sister, at least a dozen other people are standing around chatting, and kids seem to be running everywhere out in the garden.
“Where’s Pops?” Ava asks.
“Garden,” Zac replies.
Gabe, who’s talking to a couple who look to be in their sixties, stops to say something to Ava as she and Sophie pass him. Ava nods and keeps going, but Gabe’s eyes come to me. I watch as they slide to where his brother’s hand rests on my shoulder. He says something to the couple and moves towards us.
“You wanna drink?” he asks Zac’s hand, the one that’s still on my shoulder.
“You talking to me?” I question.
“Off,” he orders, lifting his chin in Zac’s direction. Zac holds his hands up in a surrender pose.
“Chill, dude, just keeping her company so she wasn’t standing here on her own.”
“She’s not,” Gabe replies.
“Don’t be a dick,” I tell him. “And yes please, I’d love a drink. Looks like I’m gonna need one, or twelve.” I give him an eye roll as I speak, he ignores it.
“Whadya want? I’ll get them,” Zac offers.
“I’ll have a sparkling, please. Gabe will have a bucket of joy and good manners.” Zac laughs as he walks away.
“Love it,” he calls out. “Gabe’s finally met the one, and she has bigger balls than he does. This is gonna be so interesting to watch play out.”
I turn and grin at Gabe, who’s almost sneering at his brother’s back. “What was that all about?” I ask.
“Just don’t like people touching you,” he says quietly.
“Gabe, he’s your brother.”
“I’m aware,” his eyes meet mine as he bites out.
“What the fuck? Did you have a personality transplant as you came through the door?”
Closing his eyes, he lets out a long breath through his nose and shakes his head.
“Sorry. Fuck, I’m sorry. Jess just asked me if I knew Lena and Dean had been invited.”
I stare at him blankly for a few seconds as my brain catches up with who he’s talking about.
