Page 121 of Fierce-Gabe

He forgot she had been with him years ago.

No, he didn’t forget. Maybe that was part of the appeal. Something he couldn’t get out of his mind.

He was her first, but there were more in between.

“Can I admit that I thought of you over the years? Not just when I saw you but before then. I hated to see you and be reminded that maybe we could have had something if I hadn’t been impulsive.”

“Don’t do that either,” he said. “I’d prefer to think of it not being the right time for us before.”

“That is a much better way to think of it,” she said. “See, better than me because you can see those things and I can’t always.”

“You can,” he said. “It was just easier to not give me a chance.”

“I think you’re right. But I’m not going to think about those things anymore. You’re hotter than me and a nicer person, but I’m not that bad. I’ve got some good qualities.”

He laughed. “Yeah, you do,” he said. “Are you staying tonight? You know it’s going to be hard for me to let you go after you said you love me.”

“I want to stay the night,” she said. “And I’ve got weekend and work clothes here. Being prepared has its place. Now can we eat? Good thing tacos taste the same hot or cold to me.”

She moved back and got the food ready for them to eat.

“How is work going?” he asked.

“Busy. Not as busy as you. I expected you to be working later.”

“I might have had a panic moment when you texted you talked to your mom.”

“Aww,” she said. “That is sweet. I don’t want you to think it’s a form of PTSD. Royce gave me such good advice and I need to live by that now. My mother can’t be the person to bring me down anymore.”

“No,” he said. “And if you feel it, you know you can call me.”

“I will,” she said.

They ate dinner, he cleaned up and she said she was going to take a long bubble bath since she knew he had work to do.

Yeah, he couldn’t have found a better partner than he had.

The minute he heard the bathroom door shut and the water on, he went to his office and pulled his phone out.

His father answered on the second ring. “Hey, Gabe, what’s up?”

“I know Richard must have called you a few weeks ago when Elise asked if you two were plotting to get us together. Why didn’t you tell me?”

There was silence on the other line. “How did you find out?”

“Elise just told me.”

“Are you guys okay?”

“Yes,” he said. “Why?”

“I just didn’t know why this would come up,” his father said.

He explained a little of what was going on and wouldn’t feel guilty about it either. He was close to his parents as Elise was to her father.

“Oh,” his father said. “That is all Richard said to me. Is there more?”

“No,” he said. “But a little warning would help.”

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