by Jody Holford
The happiness he’d seen didn’t come back into her gaze, but she smiled and sat on the couch. Worried he’d hurt her, which he never wanted to do, he sat close so their thighs were touching. He’d meant it to be natural, but she definitely noticed. Her eyes widened and she glanced down, then picked up an egg roll and took a huge bite. He tried to pretend the feel of her leg against his was nothing unusual. Just another night, hanging out with Gabby, eating good food. In the romantic Christmas lighting, about to decorate a tree, something that meant a lot to her.
After sharing a mind-altering kiss.
While pretending they were a couple.
Right. Perfectly normal.
He just hoped that after all this was over, everything would go back to the way it was before. Before he’d crossed a line he now wondered if he could ever uncross.
Chapter Six
Setting her paintbrush down, Gabby’s heart beat heavily as she stared at the tornado of colors rioting off the canvas, swirling into each other. Losing herself in her work made her feel like she’d fallen into another world, emerging like Alice at the bottom of the rabbit hole. And maybe she had. Pretending to move into Owen’s house—creating in his space—gave her the same jolt she thought Alice might have felt when she tumbled into Wonderland.
Gabby blinked and stretched, shaking out her arms. Feeling like she was indeed in her own version of a fairy tale, she eyed her work. She was happy with what she’d produced in the last hour and a bit. It had promise, and she felt certain it would end better than the charade with Owen. Her stomach growled loudly and she glanced at the clock. Owen will be back soon enough. He’d gone to get groceries and stock up on a few things.
After decorating the tree last night, they’d watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation together. As “practice,” Owen had put his arm around her shoulders and she’d nestled into him. Good thing she’d already seen the movie because she was too aware of their every breath and the feeling of being curled up against him on the couch. She’d left immediately after the movie and had spent most of the night staring at her ceiling thinking about how good it felt to cuddle into Owen. Being tucked into his side with the lights dim and the tree aglow had felt natural and romantic. She’d lost sleep telling herself not to forget it wasn’t real.
Now, she rolled her shoulders to relieve the stiffness that had settled there. She needed a break and to stretch her legs. Leaving her brush on her work station, she eyed the boxes stacked neatly by the door, out of the way. She’d take them down to storage. If it was her place—or she wasn’t feeling like she needed to do something—she’d have left them. She cleaned up her brushes first and wiped down the sink after washing them. This morning, she’d been extra careful not to leave crumbs or dishes on the counter. It wasn’t like he would say anything, but it felt weird being in someone else’s home. His home. Surrounded by his things and very aware of her own belongings mingling in with his. Already the space was more cluttered than usual and Gabby couldn’t help thinking if they really lived together, she’d drive him crazy. They might be pretending, and even though she was doing Owen a favor, she knew having things clutter his space—like the boxes—would make him crazy.
He’d just take them down when he got home, and since he was grabbing food, it only seemed fair to get them out of the way. She grabbed the dolly that typically stayed in the storage room and piled her boxes on it. As she waited for the elevator and made her way to the basement, she thought about her particular place in Owen’s life.
When they’d met, she’d been with Roger and he’d been with Vanessa. They’d been strangers and she never would have predicted the amount of space he’d end up taking over in her heart. They’d arrived within minutes of each other, she alone and Owen with Boston Barbie, to put deposits on units. Jake had informed them there were two units available. One was slightly more expensive but had more to offer.
Obviously, both of them wanted the larger unit with its bonus features. Gabby had all but salivated when she’d seen the tall windows, the gleaming wood floors, granite kitchen counters, and the wide-open space. She remembered Vanessa pushing Owen to fight for it when he’d seemed willing to bow out. Gabby’s heart had sunk when she’d lost the coin toss, but she’d certainly faced worse losses in her life and was able to take it in stride. It was certainly easier to take than Vanessa’s tacky victory whoop and the smacking kiss she’d given Owen, as if she’d just won a prize. Owen had flushed red and looked oddly embarrassed by his girlfriend’s display.
Because they’d both been with other people, they shared only casual greetings for the first several months. They chatted at the mailbox and he’d made her laugh a few times in the elevator. But when Roger had broken up with her loudly in the lobby of the building like he was giving the performance of his life, Owen had shown up later that night with a large pizza.
She’d kept her head down while Roger made a fool of her and hadn’t been aware which of her neighbors were treated to the spectacle. Humiliation had formed a barrier around her and she couldn’t see outside it, but she heard every word. So did anyone within fifty feet as Roger listed Gabby’s faults. He’d claimed her tendency to run late proved she never put him first, she didn’t support him enough as an artist and was selfishly consumed with her own work, she was needy and holding him back from success. She’d known, even at the time, he was reeling over rejection from a gallery who’d been considering his work. But his words had dug into Gabby’s confidence. She couldn’t be something she wasn’t and she clearly wasn’t what Roger wanted. Even now, embarrassment swamped her, though these days she was more upset she’d let him treat her like that. If she hadn’t been so floored, so utterly stunned at being publically dumped by a man she thought loved her, perhaps she’d have done more than stand there.
Gabby steadied the dolly, one hand on the boxes, and leaned to push open the storage door. She squealed when it was pulled open before she even touched it. She jarred backward but caught herself.
“Oh, hey Gabby,” Jake said, holding the door.
Her lungs stopped seizing. “You scared the heck out of me!”
“Sorry. You got that?”
She nodded, her heart still thumping madly. Everyone in the building was assigned an area of shelving in the massive storage room. It was well organized and neat, considering there were eighteen units. Each section was numbered by apartment and separated by planks. It reminded Gabby of a giant version of mail slots. The space was long enough for her Christmas tree box to slide in on its side and tall enough to stack a couple of copy-paper boxes. More than enough for her. She loaded her boxes onto her shelf. She could feel Jake’s eyes on her and tried to ignore the irritation that naturally came with being anywhere near him.
“Did you find your stuff?” Gabby pushed the hair out of her eyes and set the dolly in the corner of the room.
Still holding the door, Jake’s mouth tightened. When he shook his head, strands of hair swept over his forehead. “No. You know, everyone seems real nice, but maybe we need some security cameras down here. We’re putting a lot of trust in people we don’t really know.”
Gabby agreed, though she wasn’t about to tell him it was him she didn’t fully trust. The cameras weren’t a bad idea. Maybe then the owner could see what a slacker he’s hired.
“Maybe bring it up at the next tenants’ meeting. It’s got to be about time for one of those,” Gabby suggested.
He looked back at the door as it shut, his expression dark. “Yeah, maybe. That’s not a bad idea. Maybe I should call one of those. Put some pressure on everyone in person.”
Gabby rolled her eyes. Not exactly what she meant. “What was in it, again?”
His eyes shifted away from her face. “Just some stuff I was storing for a friend. I promised I’d take care of it and now it’s gone. But I’ll find it. You know what, maybe we need a sign-in or something. Then I’d know who was in here.” His hands moved when he talked, like they were animating his words.
> “You said it wasn’t big?”
Jake’s eyebrows scrunched together until they were almost touching. “No. Why?”
Gabby shrugged. “Just wondered why you didn’t keep it in your place. I always put stuff down here that I’m not going to need for a long time.”
“Yeah, well, I thought it was safe. How was I supposed to know someone would steal from me?”
Gabby shrugged. Not much she could say. She found it hard to believe anyone would steal from Jake or any of the other tenants. The people she’d met were nice, and a few of them, like Owen, had become her friends.
Jake was silent as they rode the elevator back to the lobby, which suited Gabby fine. Wishing she’d brought her phone, she wondered what time it was. When the silver doors slid open, Jake cut in front of her and headed toward his office. Gabby took a side hallway that led to a wall of mailboxes.
Not that she received much other than bills and junk mail, but she liked to check every few days or so. Leaning closer, she saw the grey metal door of her box looked bent in the corner. What the? She fingered the corner of the metal, careful not to cut herself. Checking a few of the others, she noted hers wasn’t the only one. It was almost like someone had pried something into the corners, like a letter opener or a flat screwdriver.
When had she last checked her mail? The damage had to be recent; she couldn’t have missed this. Which meant someone had tried to get to her mail, but why? The mailman had a key for the building, but in the years she’d been here, there had never been a problem. Frowning, she opened her box with no difficulty—the damage didn’t affect it—and grabbed her handful of bills and junk flyers. They needed a recycling bin in the tiny room to get rid of the useless flyers. Still, she read the one that offered fifty percent off carpet cleaning as she walked back toward the lobby. She crumpled it when she remembered she wouldn’t need to worry about carpets in her new place. Heading for Jake’s office to tell him about the mailboxes, she heard commotion and several people talking over one another.
“Listen, he isn’t home so I can’t let you guys in. Wait, there’s his girlfriend. Gabby. C’mere,” Jake called. Cold air tunneled through the open door. Three women and a man stood just outside the doors, bundled in winter coats, each pulling a suitcase. Her stomach felt like a bouncy castle.
Owen wasn’t back yet and his family was early. He hadn’t expected them until tomorrow at the earliest. He said tomorrow.
“Gabby. Get in here, doll,” Jake said, waving her over.
She glared at him quickly before hurrying over. Gabby shivered even as Jake let the door close behind them. Of course I’m cold. She was still wearing yoga pants, a tank top, and fuzzy slipper socks. Her hair was a mess and she most likely had paint somewhere on her face. Definitely on her arms. And now she was meeting the family of the only person who really mattered to her. Like this. Whether she liked it or not.
She recognized his parents and sister from photographs in his apartment. The other woman shared the same nose and eyes as his mother. Patty. His aunt Patty.
“Um, hi. You’re Owen’s family. I’m Gabriella. Owen’s…g-girlfriend.” Her cheeks heated at the stammer in her voice. Act natural.
“Oh, I’m so happy to meet his Gabby. I’m Beth, his mom. That’s his dad, Leo, our daughter, Ophelia—we call her Lia—and that’s my sister, Patty.” Beth’s face was red from the wind, but warm and welcoming as she spoke animatedly. Without warning, she gripped Gabby’s shoulders and pulled her into a freezing hug. Gabby’s mind was still stuck on being called his. Twice in two days that had happened. Her heart circuits might overload.
“For goodness sakes, Beth, let the girl go. She might not even be a hugger,” Owen’s dad said, a wide smile on his face. Tall like Owen, he looked like a filled-out version of his son. Owen had his mother’s dark hair and his father’s eyes. Beth let her go and beamed at her, gloved hands clasped to the front of her chest.
“I am,” Gabby said. They stared at her blankly. “A hugger. I like to hug.” She wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. She sounded like the snowman from that Disney movie. She silently begged herself to do better. What is wrong with you? You’ve met people before! You like people. You’re good with people.
“Well then, let me have one,” Leo said, his voice booming in the open lobby. He wrapped his arms around her and said, “Nice to meet you, Gabby. Where’s that boy of mine?”
“He’s uh—at the store. Getting food. Groceries. To eat. We can…go upstairs,” Gabby said. Maybe by the time he got back, her ability to speak in full sentences would return. She shook Ophelia’s hand. Hair the same color as Owen’s was tucked back in a ponytail. She didn’t lean in for a hug but smiled. “We’re harmless, I promise,” Ophelia said, grinning
Gabby’s chest loosened just in time to get a third hug, this time from Aunt Patty. The ride up in the elevator was crowded and noisy. They talked over one another, finished each other’s sentences, and fawned over Gabby. Isn’t she pretty? Isn’t she cute? Owen has chosen well. About time he’s come to his senses. Gabby wondered if the back of her neck could get any warmer. Owen had obviously told them about her before, just not as his girlfriend.
She let them into the apartment and listened to their compliments on the space, already loving the vibrant, lively way they talked over and around and with each other. Though their admiration for the apartment gave her a twinge of guilt for accepting the trade. It really was a great place. But as Owen had said, he didn’t love it like she did and he’d probably still spend most of his time there. Until he found a real girlfriend. She couldn’t stop reminding herself of that important fact. Because if she forgot, it would hurt even worse when they went back to normal.
“What do you do, Gabby?” Beth pulled off her bulky gray jacket, her scarf, mittens, and her hat. She tossed them on Owen’s couch. Ophelia and Leo followed suit. Only Aunt Patty hung things, but even then, she hung them on the kitchen chairs. Gabby couldn’t help but stare, her lips twitching with the urge to smile. Clearly, Owen was the only one in his family with a need for clean. Suitcases made a labyrinth in the entry way with boots strewn about, leaving water marks on the floor. Owen was going to go into spasms.
She grabbed some hangers from the hall closet as she spoke. “I’m a receptionist at the New England Institute for Art four days a week. And an artist. Though only one of those has a steady paycheck,” she said.
Leo laughed. “Our Lia knows what that’s like, don’t you, honey?”
There was no judgment on her dad’s part and no embarrassment on Ophelia’s. “Amen. I’m just happy when one of the commercials I’ve done starts getting replayed. Royalties can be a life saver,” she said.
Gabby didn’t know what to do once she’d hung their clothes. She tugged their suitcases against the wall while his parents settled in on the couch and Patty and Ophelia warmed themselves by the fire, which they’d located the switch for immediately. From the corner of her eye, Gabby saw Ophelia give her aunt’s hand a squeeze.
“Just leave that stuff, dear,” Beth said.
Right. Owen would love that. He wouldn’t even be able to open the door if she didn’t move the boots.
“It’s okay. I’ll just tuck things out of the way,” Gabby replied with an “I’m-so-breezy” arm wave.
Did Owen want his parents’ stuff in his room? Her stomach lurched. She froze just as she stepped in a small puddle growing bigger from a chunk of ice. Where would she sleep? They hadn’t discussed it. She hadn’t even thought of it. How had she not thought about that? They were supposed to have the whole night to talk and hang out and deal with the reality of pretending in front of an audience tomorrow.
“I think we’ve overwhelmed her,” Aunt Patty said, opening cupboards and searching through them.
Gabby waved her hands and spoke quickly. Her throat was dry as the words scratched their way to the surface. “No. No, not at all.” Just because she didn’t have a family and even when she did, they’d been far more reser
ved than this lot, didn’t mean she was unable to make them feel comfortable. At home. “Can I help you find something, Patty?”
“I need to warm my bones. I’m sure Owen has some tea,” she answered.
That she could do. “Of course. Let me get that for you, please.” Patty gave a ghost of a smile and Gabby wondered how long she’d been married and what led to the divorce. None of her business, of course, but she couldn’t help but be curious. She wondered if Christmas was harder than other times, like it was for Gabby. Holidays had a way of reminding people they were alone.
“Oh, wow. Did you paint this, Gabby?” Ophelia was standing in front of Gabby’s unfinished painting. “Mom, look at this.”
Gabby wasn’t used to showing her work in a partially finished state. Other than Owen, no one saw it before it was completed. And him only because he came and went as he pleased. She’d planned to cover the canvas or at least move it before they’d arrived. Tomorrow. She ducked her head but reminded herself she was asked to participate in a very prestigious showing. There would be strangers constantly looking at and judging her work, so this was a good trial run.
“I did. It’s the first in a group of five for a show I’m participating in at the Klein Gallery. That’s a local gallery here in Boston.”
“It’s beautiful. I love the color and the lines,” Ophelia said.
Leo sank farther into the couch and put his feet up on the reclaimed-wood coffee table that Owen loved. Beth wandered over to the painting, saying nothing at first. Gabby felt frozen, glued to the spot in Owen’s kitchen.
“Lia’s right. It’s just lovely. Is that a heart in the center of a storm?” Beth looked over at Gabby, a quiet, assessing smile in her eyes. Perceptive. Owen’s mom tucked a strand of her short hair behind her ear and Gabby couldn’t help but notice her resemblance to Owen.
Patty pulled mugs out from the cupboard and opened the fridge, rooting around. It was like watching a tennis match. Gabby’s eyes swung from one family member to the next. Leo clicked on the TV.