“Awesome,” Tommy says. “Alright, I’m gonna get this truck back to Santa before he has fucking kittens.”
“I’ll come,” Mace says. “You can drop me off on the way. I can’t drink this shitty light beer that Annie keeps in her fridge.”
“Will you grab some lunch on the way?”
“Oh, good idea.” Gabe says. “I can text Bình and have him rustle up some Vietnamese rolls for us.”
I give him a cheesy grin. “You read my mind.”
“Doesn’t he always,” Mace grumbles. “I’ll be your errand boy and pick up all the Vietnamese rolls you want, sweetheart. So long as you think about my proposal?”
Gabe’s brows shoot skyward. “What proposal?”
“Er ... it’s nothing,” I say.
Mace frowns and gives me a quizzical look. “I asked Lo to move in with me.”
“Come on, fucker,” Tommy shouts from the door. “Santa’s gonna bust my balls if I don’t get the truck back to him before two.”
“Alright, alright. I’m coming, cockhead.” He kisses my cheek and pulls away and says, “We’re not done discussing this.”
I laugh and then gulp as I meet Gabe’s intense expression. Is he pissed at me?Surely not? That would be hypocritical since I just helped him move into his baby mama’s apartment, right?
I frown and stare at Gabe as Mace and Tommy leave the apartment. “So, how is it that Annie doesn’t know what kind of beer you drink after all this time?”
“Er ... no. I know a deflection tactic when I see it. What’s this about you moving in with Mace?”
I make a face and wave him away. Gabe grabs the beer from the fridge and hands me one. He cracks his open and takes a long pull, screwing his nose up as he sets it down on the counter. I hand him my can and his lips quirk up in a smile. “When are you gonna get rid of those nails so you can function properly.”
“Hey. I function just fine.”
“Yeah, remember the time I almost lost a nipple to one of your claws?”
I laugh and take the open can he offers. “Well, maybe you should put a shirt on every now and then.”
“Never.” He flashes a rogue grin.
I plant my ass on the kitchen counter, secretly loving the fact that Annie will prepare her meals here without being any the wiser.
A beat passes in silence, and I know I’m not off the hook yet.
“I didn’t think the two of you were that serious.”
I start gulping back my beer.
Gabe moves closer, and takes it from my hand. “Lo ...”
I shrug. “We weren’t, or I didn’t think we were. This came as just as much of a shock to me, I assure you.”
“So you’re just fucking around with him?”
“No!”
Gabe cups my cheeks and turns my face up to his. “Then what—”
“I’m trying, okay?” I search his gaze, afraid admitting the truth means losing him forever. “You have Annie, and a baby on the way and I-I’m trying to make this work with him ... with someone else.” I take a shaky breath and exhale in a rush, “Because I can’t have you.”
Gabe winces as if the words cause him physical harm. I grip his hand, holding on tight as my tears spill over my lashes.