Page 64 of If You Stayed

“Ah, yeah. You remind me to pull out an umbrella every now and again,” he said.

“Keeping humans dry for the last seven years,” Rosiereplied.

“I appreciate it. It makes for better hair days.” Gabriel glanced down at his watch and then nodded. “I should probably get going, though. Thanks again for the drink, Kierra. I’ll see you soon. And Rosie, it was a pleasure meeting you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Rosie sang as I rolled my eyes. Gabriel walked away, and Rosie peered at him until he was out of sight. Then she turned to me and swatted my arm. “Shit! Shit! Shit! Kierra, you didn’t tell me Gabriel got hot. Like supercharged hot!”

“He’s pretty good-looking, yes.”

“No. Don’t downplay this. It’s like Henry Cavill and Kofi Siriboe had a love child and Gabriel Sinclair was born. He’s like a fine wine: better with age and much more intoxicating. My panties literally almost somersaulted off my body and straight to his mouth from just a hello.”

“Rosie.”

“I almost loosened my jaw and asked him to stuff me like a Thanksgiving turkey with his beef sausage.”

“Rosie.”

“I almost begged him to call me a good girl before he spat in my mouth.”

“Rosie!”

“If I wasn’t engaged and your best friend, I would’ve humped his leg.”

I blankly stared at her. “Are you done now?”

She nodded. “Yes, I guess I’m done.”

“Good. And I’m very happy you didn’t hump his leg.”

“I want you to know I thought about humping his leg multiple times within those few minutes.”

“Well, we can stop talking about humping his leg now.”

“Oh.” She nodded. “Okay. But…oh my gosh. He’s beautiful.”

Yes, he was.

It wasn’t only his looks that made him so attractive, though. It was his kindness, his heart. I wasn’t sure how it was possible, but Gabriel was even kinder than he had been when we knew each other all those years ago.

Rosie’s vibrant personality simmered a little as she placed a hand against my shoulder. “How are you handling all of this? Being around him?”

“Fine,” I lied.

“Liar,” she replied, patting me on the back. “You are officially screwed, my friend.”

“He doesn’t know about Elijah,” I whispered, rubbing my hand up and down my arm.

She arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean, he doesn’t know about Elijah?”

“Amma never told him that he had a brother after the accident…and when I saw her, she made me promise I’d never bring it up.”

“Um, that’s insane. What the hell? Gabriel deserves to know that. You have to tell him.”

“I want to, but…I can’t.”

“Yes you can, Kierra. Why do you think you can’t—”

“I killed him,” I choked out, shaking my head as theemotions hit me. “I’m the reason Elijah’s gone. I’m the reason Frank left Amma. I’m the reason Gabriel doesn’t remember… She asked me to do this one thing, and it’s the least I can do after ruining her life.”

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