Page 31 of Maybe in Another Life

“Yeah,” I tell him. “I could use a good meal. Although the pudding isn’t so bad.”

“Did they say how long you’ll be in here?” he asks. “I want to know when I can take you out on the town again.”

I laugh politely. It’s this sort of stuff. This sort of flirty, charming stuff. That’s the stuff that gets me.

“It’s gonna be a while,” I say. “You might want to find another girl to paint the town red with.”

“No,” he says, smiling. “I think I’d rather wait for you.”

No, you wouldn’t.

I keep hoping Gabby will come back in with the flowers, but she’s nowhere to be seen.

“Well,” I say, “don’t.” My tone is polite but not particularly warm. Given the fact that it wasn’t a very nice thing to say in the first place, I think I’ve shown my hand.

“OK,” he says. “I should probably get going. You probably need your rest, and I should get to work...”

“Yeah,” I say. “Sure.”

He heads toward the door and turns around. “You know I would do anything for you, right? If you need anything at all...?”

I nod. “Thanks.”

He nods and looks down at the floor and then back up at me. He looks as if he’s going to say something, but he doesn’t. He just taps his hand on the door frame one time and then walks through it.

Gabby comes right back in. “Sorry,” she says. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I got back with the flowers a while ago, and I could hear you guys were having a conversation. I didn’t want to...”

“It’s cool,” I say as she puts the flowers down on the counter by the door. I wonder where she found the vase. It’s nice. The flowers are beautiful. Most men would have brought carnations.

She looks at me. “You’re upset about the Katherine thing.”

“So you did eavesdrop.”

“I never said that I didn’t. I just said I didn’t mean to.”

I laugh. “I’m notupsetabout the Katherine thing,” I say, defending myself. “It just confirmed for me that trying something with him again... it’s maybe not the best idea.”

She grabs my hand for a moment. “OK,” she says.

I pick up the remote and turn on the TV. Gabby grabs her purse.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah, I have to get back to the office for a meeting. But your family’s almost here. They texted me a few minutes ago saying they were parking. You’ll have some time with them, and then I’ll leave work, get a change of clothes for tomorrow, and be back here for our nightly slumber party.”

“You don’t need to stay here tonight,” I say.

She frowns at me, as if I’m telling a lie.

“I’m serious,” I say, laughing. “My parents can stay. Sarah can stay. No one has to stay. I’m serious. Go home. Spend time with Mark. I’m OK.”

My mom pokes her head in. “Hi, sweetheart!” she says. “Hi, Gabrielle!” she adds when she sees her.

“Hi, Maureen,” Gabby says, giving her a hug. “I was just taking off.” She calls to me from the door. “I’ll call you later. We’ll discuss it.”

I laugh. “OK.”

My mom comes in farther. My dad joins her.

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