“But, Lo ... I can’t do this.” He rakes his hand through his hair. “Fuck. Being away from you these last few weeks almost fucking killed me. I thought about texting you at least eight-million times.”
“Then why didn’t you?” I turn and face him, praying the sadness in my eyes and the desperation in my voice don’t give me away.
“I don’t know. I guess I just thought it would be easier. I saw how pissed you were at me, and I know she’s not your favorite person, but she’s grown since we split up. I know you don’t approve of her—”
“Because she’s a hell beast and you deserve better.”
You deserve me.
He chuckles. “She’s not the same person she was. You two were friends once.”
“Yeah, before I found out she was the bride of Satan.”
“Are you okay? Clem said she was worried about you.”
“Clem is a shitty best friend.”
“Yeah, I hear that’s going around. Listen, we haven’t talked about what I said in Vegas.”
I shake my head. “It’s okay. We were drunk.”
“It’s not. I fucked up. I crossed a line I never should have crossed.”
Right. Because there couldn’t be anything worse than admitting you caught feels for your best friend. Even though I don’t believe either of us, my heart breaks a little as I say, “I don’t even really remember what was said. It’s okay, Gabe. Let’s just put that crazy trip behind us.”
“Come to Tahoe with us.”
“What?”
“Well, thanks to the magazine article, we got a last-minute spot at that Lake Tahoe Tattoo expo.”
“Oh my god, Gabe. That’s amazing, but I didn’t think it was out yet.”
“It’s not. They had a cancellation. Kathleen knows the organizers and put in a good word. That wouldn’t have happened without you.”
I make a pffting sound and wave him away. “Yes, it would. It sounds to me like it was all Kathleen.”
“She liked you.”
“Are you sure she didn’t just like you?”
“You have to come. Everyone is. And I already booked a sweet Airbnb in Lake Tahoe for the lot of us. Maybe then you and Annie can put this shit to bed.”
Yee gods. I couldn’t think of anything worse than going away with Annie and Gabe and having to watch her practically peeing on him to mark her territory. “A leopard just doesn’t change its spots, Gabe.”
“Please? Will you just try, for me?”
I shake my head, but the pleading in his gaze breaks down all my defenses.
“Maybe.”
“Yes!” He fist bumps the air. “I knew you’d come. Tommy said I had no shot.”
Tommy could have given me a freaking heads up.
“I’ll have to check with Arturo and see if I can get the time off but I’m not saying this is going to work out.”
“I’m just asking you both to try.” Gabe frowns and says, “Wait? Who’s Arturo?”