Page 94 of This Could be Love

“What happened wasn’t their fault,” he added softly.

But Chip’s?I didn’t say it. Gabe was also pushing my right heel toward my bottom, and I let out a groan.

“You’re really tense today. What’s up?”

Thank God on was lying on my stomach so he couldn’t see how red I’d turned.

“Dunno.”

“You shouldn’t have dropped our appointment yesterday.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I replied understandingly.

He repeated the movement with my left heel, which proved to be no less intense.

“We just missed each other the other night, by the way.” No idea why I was bringing that up. “You were just leaving as I was coming back from Vince’s.”

He stopped for a second but didn’t say anything. I gathered up all my courage. “Can I ask you something, Gabe?”

“Hmm.”

“Why aren’t you together? You and Kay?”

I heard him take a slow breath and then let it back out.

“It’s impossible not to see that there’s something there,” I went on timidly.

“That so?” he murmured, and I wasn’t sure what he was referring to.

“For me it is.”

“You can turn over.”

I wasn’t counting on him having anything else to say on the topic, which is why I was so surprised when he did. With an expression somewhere between brooding and regretful.

“Kay and I… It’s complicated.”

“Complicated doesn’t have to be bad,” I replied, thinking of me and Vince.

He looked at me pensively. “No, it doesn’t. But…you’ve got to be ready for that.”

Chapter 40

“So, to what do I owe the honor?” Kay asked as we sat together out on the terrace, eating the vegetable lasagna I had made. “It’s very good, by the way.”

“Thanks.” My smile was a little tense. “There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

She sighed. “If it’s got to do with Gabe…”

“No,” I interrupted. “Something else.”

“Okay,” she said, stretching and eyeing me curiously.

I tightened my shoulders and tried to remember the words I’d wanted to say.

“Over the last few weeks…or, well, ever since coming here, I’ve improved immensely.”

Kay nodded in agreement.