“I came to speak to you about Gabriel.”
Her heart skipped a beat. How was she to do erase, erase, erase now?
Why didn’t that lousy book give advice on what to do when someone brought up the very thought she was trying to avoid?
She swallowed and smoothed a tress from her face. “Ah, yeah? What’s with him?”
Giordano narrowed his eyes. “What happened between you two?”
“Nothing. I don’t understand what you mean.” She took a step back. “Nothing at all. We’re good.”
“Good? You came back like six days after your departure. What happened?”
She shook her head. Did her brother speak to Gabriel? Who else would have told him that they didn’t keep to their original plans? “What did Gabriel tell you?”
“Don’t deflect my question with a question.” Giordano pursed his lips. “Gabe told me nothing. He said that you had to come back for the gallery because you had an emergency.”
Giada nodded. “Yes, yes, I did. Our entire storeroom was flooded due to a broken pipe. It was a mess. We’re still working on cleaning up after the repairs.”
“I see. I’m sorry. But you still didn’t tell me why Gabriel doesn’t want to see you. What did you do?”
Giada gasped. Gabriel didn’t want to see her? But why? Was he embarrassed about going back to Aurélie?
Giordano’s eyes pierced through her. Her pulse slammed in her neck. She was the one who had the true need to stay away from Gabriel, not the other way around. She didn’t feel like explaining, but she did need to answer, otherwise her brother would get even more suspicious.
“I didn’t do anything. Gabriel might be flustered about his choice. Not that I disapprove, of course. He’s free to be with whomever he wants. But he knows that you and I never liked her.”
Giordano shook his head as if her words didn’t make sense. “Her, who?”
“Aurélie.”
“Are you ga-ga or what?” Giordano twirled his index beside his temple. “Aurélie is marrying Gabe’s cousin. They celebrated the engagement last week.”
Giada froze. That couldn’t be. Giordano must be in the dark about what went down. “No, no. You’re mistaken. While I was in France, Gabe and Aurélie got back together. He forgave her for refusing his original marriage proposal and she ditched his cousin for him.”
He threw back his head and broke into a hearty laugh. “That’s the best joke I’ve heard in a while.” Her brother continued to chuckle for a few seconds before returning his gaze to Giada. “Sis, where did you get this absurd story from?”
“It’s the truth. I was there.” She squared her back.
Giordano lifted his shoulders then let them drop with a dramatic gesture. Then he held up a hand and began counting. “Okay, one, Gabe never proposed to Aurélie. It was the other way around. He didn’t want to marry her, so they broke up. Two, I know for a fact that the engagement took place, because Gabe sent me a picture.” He pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, then turned the screen to Giada.
It showed Mémère’s large garden. It was filled with people. In the middle of the picture, Aurélie and Jean-Pierre beamed into the camera, elegantly dressed and holding hands. The date on the picture was the eighth of August, this past Thursday.
How was this possible? She was sure that Gabriel and Aurélie were a couple by now.
Giordano threw her an I’ve-told-you-you’re-a-nutcase look and lifted his third finger. “Three, Gabriel is back working in the fire station as of this Monday.”
Giada stared at him, trying to integrate the meaning of his words. Nothing her brother said seemed to fit into her take on the events. She thought Gabriel would decide to stick around longer in France, and even accept working for Aurélie’s father, given that he didn’t want to be a firefighter anymore.
Instead, all of her presumptions were wrong.
Gabriel had returned home, he was working again, and…he didn’t get together with Aurélie at the Dark Angel.
Giada’s blood ran quicker through her veins.
Gabriel is free. Did that change everything?
Their kiss popped into her mind and she clapped her hand to her mouth. She traced the line of her bottom lip with her thumb. In the hotel room, he’d wanted to talk to her about it and she’d silenced him.
But what if he’d wanted to say that their moment had meant something to him?
The world began to spin and Giada closed her eyes.
Could it be? Had she shot herself in the leg? How could she find out?
Giordano’s strong grip on her arm made her eyes spring open. “Giada, are you okay? You look pale. Come, sit down.”
He pulled her to a chair in the corner of the room and pushed her onto it.
Giada was chewing on her lip unable to say a word. She had expected anything. Anything but this.
Giordano kneeled, leveling his glance with hers. “Did something happen between you two? I mean something…” He let his voice trail and wiggled his brows.
She couldn’t look into his eyes.
“Dang it, I knew it.” He clapped his hands. “I always thought you had a thing for him. But I just recently found out that he has fallen for you.” He grinned. “You two have my blessing.”
Giada’s eyes flicked to him. “What do you mean ‘he has fallen for me’? Did he tell you this?”
“You forget that we are guys.” Her brother wrinkled his nose. “We don’t need to spell out these things. I could see it in the way he looked when he asked how you were doing.” He narrowed his eyes. “But why do I have the feeling that this is news to you? Did you really think he was back with that arrogant French chick?”
Giada couldn’t speak. She dropped her head to her chest. Her voice left her, together with the rest of her. Her body was an empty shell in which Giordano’s words echoed painfully. If her brother was right, then she was the world’s biggest idiot. Believing that she didn’t count for Gabriel was better than the possibility that she did and she had misread the signs.
“Gia’, look at me. Would you look at me, please?” He hooked a finger underneath her chin and lifted it.
Giada didn’t know how, but salty drops bathed his hand. Was she crying? She drew a palm to her face. Yes, she was. Somehow the realization made her happy. If she could cry, then she could speak. And if she could speak, then she could somehow make this mess right.
She dared a peek into her twin’s eyes. “I’m in love with Gabriel, brother. I have been for a very long time now.”
Her brother caressed her face, grinning. “That’s a good thing. My two favorite people in the world love each other. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Giada sighed. “You don’t get it. I’m not sure if I’ve ruined everything.” She told her brother what happened in Aix, and how she made Gabriel believe she didn’t care for him as a man.
Giordano massaged his forehead. “And you say you told this to our sister and Bianca, and they didn’t tell you that you were a fool? Ah, man! Women can’t give proper advice.” He rubbed Giada’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I know what we need to do. I have a great idea how you can right what you have done.”
“As good as your idea about me pretending to be Gabe’s girlfriend?” Giada made a doubtful grimace.
Giordano feigned a hurt look. “Well, it did bring you two closer, didn’t it? Anyway, this idea is foolproof. Listen to me now…”
Chapter 20
Gabriel took off the heavy tool belt dragging on his hips and dropped it in his locker. He pulled off his steel-toed boots and placed them below the bench. He sighed and plopped down to the wooden surface.
The day had been long, but the strain in his muscles was a welcome feeling. On his fourth day back at the station, he felt like he had never been gone.
He peered up at the fluorescent lighting blinking above his head and smiled. Yes, this place might not be inviting to most, but to him it was home. He inhaled and the smoky flavor of the uniforms mixed with the me
tallic tang emanating from the oxygen canisters made his nostrils flinch.
It had been the best decision of his life to cut down on his unpaid leave. His boss was thrilled to have him, and his team had greeted him with equal enthusiasm.
He slipped out of his fire-retardant pants and fetched his jeans. After sliding them on, he changed his T-shirt and put on his sneakers. His stomach growled as he stood. He’d missed lunch because of the fire in that school building. Kids shouldn’t be allowed to clean up in a chemistry lab without an adult watching.
He grabbed his bag from the locker and headed to the common area. His eyes followed the painted marks on the cement floor, while his thoughts rambled wildly about.
These periods of transition, like driving home or to work, were the most risky. His mind took advantage of familiar surroundings and routine actions, and used them as an excuse to wander off.
And it always ended up visiting the same topic.
He paused and shifted the bag from his left to his right shoulder. No, that wasn’t entirely true. His brain did provide some variety. Sometimes it drifted to their kiss, sometimes to the way she laughed in the car, or sometimes to how she slept curled up beside him in the bed.
Gabriel shook his head and snorted. He had to stop obsessing about Giada, and for that, he needed to keep busy.
Could he ask his boss to enlist him on multiple night shifts in a row? Nah, Dave wouldn’t do that. He still observed Gabriel with a worried glance from the corner of his eye when he thought Gabriel wasn’t looking. It would take time for Dave to believe Gabriel was over his trauma.
Gabriel continued toward the kitchen. The smell of sweat and greasy food slammed him in the face as he entered.
Stuart and Phil, who’d also ended their shifts, were eating something dubious at the large table.
Phil glanced up as Gabriel entered. “Gabe, wanna bite from Stuart’s magic burger?” He held up something that looked like it’d been chewed and vomited twice. “It’s so good,” his colleague added, munching with an open mouth.
Despite his growling stomach, Gabriel shook his head. “No thanks, I’m going home. I didn’t even shower yet. I’ll order some take-out pizza, I think.”
Stuart shrugged. “It’s your loss, mate. I put extra jalapeños in it. It burns you alive.” He laughed as if he’d told the joke of the year.
“Next time, Stuart.” Gabriel winked.
He went to the fridge and took out a bottle of cold water. He poured himself a glass and gulped it down avidly. Just as he was about to put the bottle inside, his phone beeped.
He shut the fridge and took the phone from his bag. He’d been waiting for Giordano’s call. His buddy promised that he would pass by his house before traveling back to Wisconsin.
As he peered at the screen, his heart stuttered.
Giada?
Was Giada actually calling him? They hadn’t spoken since they said good-bye at the airport. Of course, Gabriel knew from Giordano that she was busy with the restoration of her gallery. But for some reason, she hadn’t contacted him yet. He was relieved that she hadn’t, because with Giordano out of town, he didn’t want to meet Giada alone.
“Aren’t you gonna get that, mate?” Stuart grumbled with a full mouth.
Gabriel’s eyes darted to his colleagues, then back at his phone. “No. I can call back later.”
The ringing stopped and Gabriel’s stomach dropped to his knees. He didn’t want to answer in front of the guys. They’d surely notice his awkward voice and tease the hell out of him tomorrow.
Let’s hope Giada doesn’t get offended. He’d better hurry and call her back to see what she wanted.
He put back the bottle in the fridge and nodded to Stuart and Greg. “See you tomorrow, guys.”
They didn’t even look up from their plates as they murmured their greetings.
Gabriel bolted toward the exit, clenching his phone in his hand like it was his life thread.
What could Giada want? Was she in trouble?
He peered at his watch. It was half past ten. Pretty late for a friendly chat, even for them.
When he was a considerable distance from the fire station, he stopped. He lowered his bag to the ground and tapped on his phone. His fingers trembled as he chose her number.
Giada answered on the second ring. “Hi, Gabe. It’s nice of you to call me back.”
Her voice sounded husky and somehow veiled. Or was it the bad reception in this area of town?
He pressed the phone tighter to his ear. “Of course. Sorry I couldn’t answer before. I was still at work.”
“Yeah, I know. I was waiting for your shift to end.”
She knew? Who told her he was back at the station?
Above all, why was she waiting for his shift to end? His stomach brewed with nervous anticipation. “Ah, really? And why is that?”
There was a silence on the other end, only broken now and then by her choppy breaths. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally spoke. “I need to speak to you. I figured you might miss having regular meals while you’re working. I’m making dinner. Do you want to come over?”
Gabriel’s heart began to race. Giada wanted him to come over. Why? What could she possibly want to speak about?
He cleared his voice. “Huh, you know me quite well, don’t you? I did skip lunch today. We had an emergency at a school.”
Giada sucked in a breath. “I hope you’re not hurt.”
“No, I’m not. All is good. So anyway, what did you cook?”
Giada giggled. “Well, I didn’t say I cooked. I said I’m making dinner, as in I ordered pizza from Alfredo’s. But I do have a few cupcakes in the oven.”
Gabriel laughed. “It sounds delicious. And I’m starving. I can be there in half an hour. Are you sure you can resist for that long? It’s already late. You must be famished.”
“Don’t worry, I can. I had a late lunch. I’ll be waiting.”
The line went dead.
Gabriel bent and stuck his phone into his bag’s side pocket. His head was pounding like he’d overdosed on caffeine.
He was going to see Giada. Tonight.
He massaged the back of his neck, trying to ease the tension. She sounded sweet and kind, like always. Was her invite only a simple act of friendship? Perhaps Giordano guilted her into organizing something, knowing that Gabriel’s first week at work might be tough on him?
Yes, this sounded like the most plausible explanation. But then why did she say she wanted to speak to him? About what?
He inhaled and clenched his jaw. He’d find out soon enough.
He reached for his bag and hurried to his car. Would he have time to go home and shower? Probably not. If he did, he wasn’t going to make good on his promise of half an hour. He sniffed his arm. Well, he didn’t smell squeaky clean, but it wasn’t disgusting either. The smoke and rubber scent was still bearable. Besides, if he didn’t shower he wouldn’t feel the temptation to approach Giada.
At least in theory.
Maybe he should’ve said he had plans for the evening. It wasn’t wise to drive to Giada’s house in the middle of the night. What if he pulled another stupid stunt and tried to kiss her again despite his intense manly odor?
No, no, and no.
She’d been very clear with him before and nothing had changed. Her invitation wasn’t an opening; it was probably charity. He shouldn’t have accepted it, but he had. So now there was nothing else to do but suck it up, go over, and eat that frigging pizza and cupcakes…and behave like he was still best pals with her.
Simple, right?
Chapter 21
Giada studied herself in the mirror. She’d needed hours to choose this particular dress from her closet. She had tried on way too many, but none seemed to fit the occasion. She wanted something pretty but not overstated.
Something that inspired, “I-feel-more-for-you-than-friendship,” at the first glance.
She smoothed down the delicate fabric of the skirt and twirled
around. Okay, it wasn’t bad. She actually looked good in it. She lifted her hands and pinched her cheeks on both sides. Her skin turned a brighter pink immediately.
She sighed, shaking her head. What was she doing? This whole idea of Giordano’s was crazy. Preparing a dinner for Gabriel as if they were still friends? And then what? When she served the dessert, come out with a, “Hey, you know I’m actually in love with you. I might have lied about it in Provence but I thought you were hooking up with your ex. Do you maybe have feelings for me, too? Care for another cupcake?”
It sounded pathetic. She couldn’t be sure he’d even respond. She licked her lips and watched as the woman in the mirror did the same. She listened to her chest throb, as if a pack of young wolves were chasing her.
She was afraid. Afraid of being rejected.
She had to admit it to herself. It made no sense trying to lie about it. She wanted Gabriel to react to her confession by sweeping her off the floor, closing his arms around her, and kissing her.
But all this might not happen. She had to accept the possibility of rejection if she wanted to be able to reveal her feelings.
It was an all-in game. Without the protection of a poker face.
Otherwise, she would hold something back. And this time, she couldn’t do that. At least she could be sure that Gabriel wouldn’t laugh at her.
No, he’d never do that. He might refuse her emotions but he wouldn’t ridicule her for them.
A loud crack jarred her out of her thoughts.
What was that?
She snapped her head toward the sound. There was another noise, this time accompanied by tiny sizzles. A rancid, burnt odor hit Giada’s nose.
Her heart jumped to her throat. Oh heavens, the cupcakes!
She whirled around and dashed to the kitchen. Her corridor was filled with a thick smoke that smelled like melted plastic. Her stomach hard as stone, she made her way forward. Despite covering her nose and mouth with her left hand, she burst into a coughing fit as she entered the kitchen.
Where was this stench coming from?
The oven where the cupcakes were supposed to be baking was dark. What the heck?
Saving The Brother's Best Friend (Gems 0f Love Book 4) Page 13