Page 89 of Not Another Love Song

Tabitha laughed, a beautifully full sound. “You and me both. They decided not to kill me off at the last second.”

Gwen asked her questions for five more minutes before realizing she was still holding her hand in her own.

All in all, a successful night.

In the car on the way home as Gwen lolled drunkenly against the window, Alex turned to her and asked, “Did you do your research or something? You were talking to Dom about his pet lizard at one point. And you asked Carlos if he ever managed to find his birth mother.”

She whispered, “I’m a fan,” giggled, and closed her eyes.

“You’re going to piss off Jacob if you try to help with dinner, I’m just saying.”

“He doesn’t want help?” Alex asked, placing the oregano into the grocery basket on his elbow. “Is he a kitchen control freak?”

“Kind of, but it’s more about a lack of space. Two people can’t really fit in the kitchen. He doesn’t even let his boyfriend in there.” Gwen had been pleasantly surprised to hear that Declan and Jacob had made it to their six-month anniversary already (Jacob didn’t count those few months off over the summer). They were having a triple date in Washington Heights tonight—her and Alex, Jacob and Declan, and Mei and Jeremy. Jacob was cooking Locrio de Salami, his favorite one-pot recipe.

Alex smiled at her like he didn’t believe her excuses, but when she led them up the five flights of stairs to her and Jacob’s apartment, he sobered.

He greeted Jacob, met Declan, and set the bags down on the only counter. Gwen turned to give him the tour, which consisted of two steps this way and a quick poke into the bathroom, when she saw him distracted by something on the wall.

She turned, and her heart stopped when she found the shirtless Thorne and Roses poster, rehung in the hallway.

“Jacob,” she hissed.

He cackled from the kitchen. “It was Declan’s idea!”

“It was not,” Declan yelled back from the bedroom.

Gwen ripped at it, tearing it down from its thumbtacks. “Sorry. It’s not what it looks like.” She didn’t meet Alex’s eyes before running after Jacob, who was fleeing into her room, to tackle him on her bed.

“Alex!” Jacob cried out under her tickling fingers. “Alex, she played that wedding gig just to meet you!” Gwen pushed her hand against his mouth, but he still screamed, “She found out your friend was getting married, started taking violin lessons, and killed my usual duet partner. Her body is in the Hudson!”

“Jacob!” She was beet red, gasping with laughter.

“Her name’s not even Gwen!”

She looked over her shoulder and found Alex leaning against the bedroom door with a grin on his face.

“It’s not…” She climbed off Jacob and approached Alex apologetically. “I may have had that poster…prior to you joining the Pops, but I took it down after your first day, I swear.”

“She didn’t get rid of it, though,” Declan called from down the hall.

“Declan, enough!”

Alex smiled down at her, brushed his fingers over her cheek, and said, “Do you have a box of my hair somewhere too?”

She clenched her jaw and stomped to the kitchen to make sure all the dishes were clean.

Mei swept in like a tornado with Jeremy puffing behind her, asking if they had considered moving somewhere with an elevator.

“Jeremy, shut up. You climb six floors for me,” Mei said, finding the wine bottles faster than anyone ever had.

“Yes, but I get sex after that,” Jeremy grumbled.

“Hey, Gwen,” Mei called. “Jeremy needs sex to offset the exercise he just did. Xander, you’re okay with that, right?”

“Whatever makes Gwen happy,” Alex said playfully from Jacob’s room. He and Declan were staying out of Jacob’s way in the kitchen. Gwen smiled and took the Trader Joe’s bag from a red-faced Jeremy.

Jacob called them in to get their drinks and appetizers and said in his best Martha Stewart voice, “We have Gouda, Camembert, a sharp cheddar.” He wrapped a pink apron around himself that read, I Cook as Good as I Look. He moved toward Alex, leaning in the doorway, and said, “Wineglasses there, darling.” He placed a hand on Alex’s arm. “Or are you more of a beer drinker?”

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