I got the lone can of tuna down from a cupboard. "Or he did, and he regrets it now."
I opened the can. TC sprang up and flew onto the counter, purring urgently as I dumped the tuna onto a plate.
"I don't know what happened," I said. "And I'm not sure I ever will. Too many unknowns, which seems to be the story of my life these days."
I pointed Gabriel in the direction of the files I'd brought home. While he fetched the pages he needed, I looked around the tiny kitchen.
"Can I make you a coffee? Tea? I've got a few Dr Peppers in the fridge. After tonight, they'd probably go down a lot better with a couple ounces of rum or whiskey, but I haven't gotten around to alcohol stocking. Sorry."
Gabriel waved off the apology. "Soda's fine. I don't usually drink."
"I suspected that," I said as I got out the pop. "No matter how bad a day we have, you've never said, 'God, I could use a drink right now.' I know I have. Silently. Many times."
"Then say so. I'm not a recovering alcoholic, Olivia. Nor do I have any issue with others imbibing. I do have a drink sometimes, socially, but otherwise . . . it's not for me."
Because of his mother. I was sure of that. Whatever mistakes she'd made, he was determined not to repeat them or share her weaknesses. Which is probably why I'd known never to say, "God, I could use a drink," in front of him.
"Rose has a liquor cabinet," he said, rising. "Put those back and we'll go over there, get you something."
I shook my head. "I was kidding. I don't need--"
"I saw her light on. We should speak to her anyway, about your vision."
I sighed. "I'm not running to her every time something strange happens to me."
"Why not? She enjoys the challenge. This isn't like running to a fortune-teller every time you have a decision to make. You are experiencing events with a clear preternatural origin. You can't simply ignore them."
He looked impatient, a little annoyed, as if I was refusing to visit the dentist for a sore tooth.
When he checked his watch, I said, "Go on home. I'll be fine."
"That wasn't what I meant."
"You were reminding me that I'm being unreasonably stubborn, while you're here, helping me, out of the goodness of your heart."
A flicker in his eyes. My darts rarely pierce Gabriel, but every now and then they manage.
"You got my messages to turn back," I said. "You didn't come out here to help me. You came because I'm not sure I made the right choice agreeing to work for you, and you wanted to seal my employment, through obligation if necessary."
"That's ridiculous." The words were said with the right degree of scorn and affront, but if you hang around Gabriel long enough, you learn to detect the tonal shifts that give lie to his words.
"I would like you to speak to Rose," he said. "It's not yet ten. Come along."
I considered letting him go out the door first then locking it behind him, but that was petty. Besides, he could pick the lock.
"At least call her first," I said. "She did have a date. Just because she's home doesn't mean she's alone."
He gave me a perplexed look.
"Call," I said.
He did.
--
Rose didn't have company. And she wasn't particularly happy about it.
"Waste of my night," she grumbled when I asked her how it went. "We're still on the appetizers, and he asks if I know how to bake banana bread. Can you believe that?"