Page 64 of Fierce-Gabe

“It is,” he said. They got away from where people would be. “So, here is the thing. I know what you two are up to.”

“Everyone says they know,” Diane said.

“You’re trying to set Elise and me up,” he said. He held their stare and watched them look at each other. “Just tell me.”

Carolyn seemed to cave first. “It’s crossed our mind. Many have told us not to bother. That you two don’t get along, but I don’t see that.”

“We do get along,” he admitted. “Or we are now.”

“Really?” Diane asked. “What’s going on?”

“Let’s just say that we’ve got the start of something.”

Carolyn’s eyes lit up and her hands started to rub together. “Your parents can’t know or Richard?”

Which meant exactly what he thought. “So our parents are in on this?”

Diane swatted her arm. “You’re worse than my husband when it comes to the loose lips.”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I put it together. Elise hasn’t.”

“And you don’t want us to say anything to her?” Diane asked.

“No. I want you to not even bring up one word about matching her up. We all know Elise has told Richard to tell the four of you to take her name off the list.”

“And you want us to do that?” Carolyn asked.

“Yes. Let me work on this myself. She’s tough.”

“We’ve heard,” Diane said. “Can you give us some information? How long has this been going on?”

“The details don’t matter,” he said. No way he was letting them know anything. Not that he and Elise had a history or what was going on now.

“We’ll let it go,” Diane said.

“No reason for you to take credit for this,” he said. “I just don’t need something to hinder us.”

“How about helping you?” Carolyn asked. “We are good at that. The men not so much, but we’ve got a gentler approach.”

He laughed. “If you say so. What I need you to do is take her off your list. Don’t even bring it up. Don’t make any sly comments about seeing me and talking to me to get a reaction out of her. Don’t put our names in the same sentence at all. She’ll catch on.”

“And then she’ll rebel,” Diane said. “Got it. So...are you asking us to keep this a secret?”

“No,” he said. “I know that would be too much for you all. I’ll let my parents know now. Give me twenty minutes if you can. It might be too much, but the least you can do is let them hear it from me.”

The women looked at each other. “What about Richard?”

“If you can find a way to let him know, go ahead. But don’t do it if Elise is within hearing distance.”

“Got it,” Carolyn said.

He watched both women all but dance out the door giggling like two teenagers and shook his head.

He went out to his truck and pulled his phone out.

His father answered right away. “Hey, Gabe. Having a problem at the building?”

“No problem,” he said. “Nothing more than two meddling women with cookies.”

---