“Hello.”
He whistles. “You in over your head, brother?” he asks.
“Probably,” I admit.
“What happened to playing the field? My little brother is getting all domesticated on me.”
“It only takes one to make you change your ways.” I don’t tell him that my one, the beautiful woman sitting next to me, has had me off my usual path for longer than I care to admit, even to myself. Sure, I might have been the man she thinks I am. I was young and had no attachments. But people change. I changed. All because of her. I just have to prove it to her.
“Fuck, do I wish I were there to see it happen,” he says with a laugh.
“We’ll be here when you get home.”
“You sound sure of yourself.”
“Optimistic.” I chuckle.
“I need to go. Tell Mom and Dad hello and that I love them. Let them know all is good here. I don’t know when I’ll get to call again. Service is shit, and internet is scarce. I’ll do what I can to keep in touch.”
I swallow around the lump in my throat. “I’ll tell them. You just worry about getting home.”
“We’re working on it,” he assures me. “Love you, brother.”
“Love you too,” I croak. The words are barely out of my mouth when the line goes dead. I keep the phone pressed to my ear a little longer, just in case. When nothing happens, I place it on the counter next to me.
“You okay?” Gabby asks softly.
“Yeah,” I say, clearing my throat. “It’s just hard not knowing where he is and when he’s coming home. I fucking hate it.”
“I can’t imagine.”
I nod because I’m too choked up to do anything else. Grabbing my bottle of water, I down half of it before picking up my fork and finishing my dinner. I don’t even taste it, but I choke it down anyway. Gabby finishes hers as well, and I take our plates to the sink, rinse them off, and start the dishwasher.
“You want to watch some TV?” she asks.
I know she’s trying to distract me. No way would she be willing to spend time with me otherwise. She’s made her stance known. “Sure,” I agree. One, I’ll never pass up time with her, and two, I’m hoping it shakes this dread I feel after talking to Colt. I’m proud of my brother, but I worry about him. I’m usually able to push it down, but every time he calls or sends an email, the worry works its way to the surface. He’s a lifer as far as the military goes. He’s told us that many times. He’s never been one to want to settle down in one place. He likes experiencing new areas, and apparently the danger of it all.
“What do you want to watch?” Gabby asks when I walk into the living room. She’s sitting on the couch with her feet curled under her.
There are several places I can sit, but I choose the spot next to her. “Anything with noise,” I confess. I need the distraction.
She roams through the channels until she finds an old episode of Gilmore Girls. “This okay?” she asks.
“Sure.” My mom used to watch this show all the time.
“Really?”
“It’s noise. Besides, I like this one. I think this is the episode where Rory gets her diploma.”
“What?” Her mouth drops open. “You watch this?”
“Yeah, my mom loved this show.”
“Okay then.” She nods slowly and turns back to the TV. She settles into the couch and leans toward me just a little. I do the same, closing some of the distance between us. My head is a jumbled mess after talking to Colt. The worry is front and center in my mind. Then there’s Gabby and the fact that she’s here and I want her to be. But more than as just a guest. I’ve finally admitted that to myself, and I don’t know how to show her after all our years of banter and cutting on one another. I can’t shut it all off as I stare blankly at the screen.
“Chase,” she says softly, placing her hand over mine. I turn to face her. “He’s going to be okay.”
I nod, lacing her fingers with mine. She surprises me when she doesn’t pull away. No, instead, she rests her head on my shoulder while we watch re-runs of Gilmore Girls. It’s not at all how I thought this night would turn out, but I’ll take it.Chapter FiveGabby 5* * *I make my way into the gym just before eight on Monday morning. The weekend went surprisingly well, considering I was suddenly living with a man who looks at me like I’m his last meal. Even with the crazy sexual tension floating around the house like helium balloons, it wasn’t that uncomfortable, which is just confusing. It should be highly awkward, right? I mean, roommates aren’t supposed to devour each other with their eyes when they think the other one isn’t looking.