Page 86 of A Table for Two
“Yeah, bro. I got you. Gabe, go call Serenity and let me know if I need to dust off my tux.”
Gabriel snorted. “Thanks, Glenn, but I think you’re getting way ahead of yourself.”
“We’ll see. Later, y’all.”
Gabriel pulled out his phone and prayed she would answer this time.
“We’ll be in the other room,” Brent said, walking toward the connecting door.
Darius clapped Gabriel on the shoulder as he passed. “Good luck.”
Gabriel waited until they’d left the room to call. The phone rang several times, and his heart sank. He prepared to leave a message, then heard her voice.
“Hello.”
“Serenity, baby. Are you okay?” He breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hi, Gabriel. I’m fine. I thought you were with your friends.”
“I am, but we need to talk.” She seemed distant. “Are you sure everything is all right?”
“Yes, and you’re right. We do need to talk. I know what I said last night about us continuing to see each other when you leave, but I don’t think it’s a good idea now. We both knew that it would end, and I think now is a good time.”
“Serenity, I know what we agreed to in the beginning, but you have to know I care about you.” He held back on saying he loved her because he felt the first time he said it should be in person.
“I know,” Serenity said. “But—”
“I don’t want it to end. I want more with you.”
“Gabriel, I don’t think it’s going to work. It’ll be too hard.”
He heard her voice crack, and his heart clenched. “Baby, is this about what happened at the restaurant last night?”
“Yes…no. I mean partly. I just can’t put myself through this again, wondering when the other shoe is going to drop and you get cold feet and ghost me again.”
Ghost her?Then it dawned on him. In his first message, he said he might be going to Atlanta, but he didn’t explain why. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, realizing she’d been hurt by her ex far more than she’d shared and thought Gabriel was doing the same. “Serenity, I know you’re afraid. But I—”
“I have to go. Goodbye, Gabriel.” She said it so softly, he had to strain his ears to hear her.
“Serenity, wait.Serenity.” Gabriel glanced down at the display. She’d hung up. He slammed his hand down on the table.“Dammit!”
Darius and Brent rushed into the room and asked what happened.
“She ended it. I know she’s afraid, but she hung up before I could convince her I’m not like her weak-ass ex.”
“Then there’s only one thing to do.” Darius withdrew the car keys and held them up. “You need to tell her in person.”
“But you already booked these rooms for two nights.”
He shrugged. “Brent and I can always come back tomorrow, but this is more important. So let’s go.”
Gabriel stood there, momentarily stunned. But he shouldn’t have been surprised because they’d had each other’s backs for almost two decades and would do whatever was necessary to help one another. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
“Make me the best man at your wedding and we’ll call it even.”
Brent laughed. “Hold up. Why do you get to be the best man? I rented the car.”
Gabriel shook his head. “Can we go now? Neither of you will be a best man if I can’t convince Serenity to give us a chance.”
