Once Upon a Friendship

Lips shut, he nodded again. Glad to have her advice. To know that she was going to be there. That he could trust her...

“We have to talk about it, Gabi.” He looked her straight in the eye. Because if they didn’t, that kiss was going to grow a wall between them.

This time it was her gaze that disconnected. Turned to the side. Slightly off center. So he couldn’t find her. “No. We don’t.”

“Yes, we do.”

She stood. Arms crossed, she left him alone in the office and returned to the dining table where her things waited for her. By the time he caught up to her she had her purse over her shoulder. “I’m not talking about this, Liam.”

He hadn’t even said what this was. But they both knew. That kiss had already grown so big it had smothered them out of the room.

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t think it was the right thing to say. But it stilled her departing movements.

He took that as a good sign.

“I had no right to do what I did. I can’t even honestly tell you why I did. I’ve been sitting here trying to figure it out and I just don’t know.”

Picking up a folder, she held it against her with both arms. “Then let’s just put it down to the stress of the day and forget it ever happened.”

He wished. “Are you honestly going to tell me that you’re going to forget?”

She turned her back on him. And then, with a sigh, swung around again. “I can tell you I’m going to try.”

Something about the look on her face, now that he was close to her, struck him. Several things occurred to him at once.

If Gabi had no feelings for him other than friendship, she’d be laughing this off. Like the time a bozo friend of his had tried to convince her to make out with him just to show him how it was done. She’d told the guy if he touched her she’d knee him where it counted and then sue him—and proceeded to beat the guy at a game of pool. Later, when they’d all been out together at a party, the guy had apologized to her and they’d all laughed about it.

Another flash that landed was her reaction to the reporter that morning. She’d defended him as though she’d had ownership in him. As though the guy’s erroneous assumptions affected her personally.

As everything started to add up, he started to sweat.

Was it possible that Gabi was falling in love with him, too?

“You know me, Gabi,” he blurted. “I last six months with a woman. A year, tops. And afterward, things are never the same.”

“Tell me about it.” She was walking toward the door. Keeping her expression to herself.

“You and Marie...you’re my real family. I’d rather die than lose that.”

She stopped but didn’t turn around.

“I just want you to know...what happened tonight... I won’t do it again.”

Her bent head felt like a nail in his coffin.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

GABI WANTED TO curl up and die. Or to sleep for a very long time. But she knew Liam. When he charged forward, he wasn’t going to stop until he’d reached his goal.

She also remembered that he was usually right when he got that way.

She turned to face him.

“I don’t want my relationship with you to change,” she said with total honestly. “I don’t know how to be more clear on that.”

He came closer. Held out a hand to her and then let it drop.

“We’re good together,” he said. “The three of us. You and Marie and me.”