She hugged him again. No asking for permission this time, but it was a quick hug, too brief for him to complain if he'd wanted, which he certainly did not. Brief and fierce, and then she stood there, looking...
Not looking the way she had five minutes ago. Not glowing and bouncing. Not at all.
"I...I have to tell you something," she said.
His heart slammed against his ribs, and he had to struggle for breath. Which was ridiculous. Overreacting. But he couldn't help it. He saw that look on her face, and he knew, whatever she had to say, it was bad and it involved him, and he would not be happy about it. That's what her expression said. All the possibilities ricocheted through his head, all the things that could give her that look.
I'm sorry, Gabriel, but...
Ricky doesn't want me hanging out with you so much.
I can't work for you
anymore.
I'm pregnant.
Admittedly, they all seemed unlikely, particularly the last, but he had considered them, at one time or another. It was like preparing to defend a client in court--what was the worst the opposing side would say and how would he counter it? These were the three possibilities he'd agonized over the most. The last was not in itself an issue, but rather he feared it would push Olivia and Ricky together in a way that closed any opportunity for him.
"Gabriel?"
"Go on," he said.
She crossed her arms and rubbed them. "I'm sorry. It's...it's something I probably should have told you before. I just..." She looked up, not quite meeting his gaze. "With the Gwynn thing, I was afraid you'd react badly."
"Which I did."
"This isn't the same. It's not how you'll react. It's...it's how you'll feel."
"It's about me, then."
She nodded.
"Just me?"
Another nod.
He tried not to exhale in relief, and looked across the kitchen. "Would you like a coffee? I believe there are ingredients for a mocha in the refrigerator--Veronica said she'd pick them up at the shop. There are cookies, too. From Rose."
Olivia stared at him, and he replayed his words, searching for some way they could be misconstrued.
"It may be late for coffee," he said. "But I believe Veronica also bought decaffeinated."
"I...have something important to tell you, Gabriel."
"Yes, and I thought we'd take coffee and go outside to discuss it."
"It's really important."
He could see that. However, as it only concerned him, he couldn't imagine it was nearly as monumental as she seemed to think. But he supposed, if she was upset, she might not want coffee.
"All right," he said. "What is it?"
"It's about..."
She took a deep breath. He waved her into the next room. "Let's sit."
She nodded and followed him to the living room. They sat and...nothing. She perched on the edge of the sofa, hands in her lap.