Page 41 of The Fantasy League
Because this was the first time that either of us willingly came to see each other. Although, I wassimplygiving my thanks like any good person would do.
At least that’s what I kept telling myself.
“What’d I do to deserve this?” The corner of his lips twitched.
“You know what you did.” I nudged his side. “Thank you, by the way. That was really sweet of you.”
“Anytime, Red.”
“Carlo and now Larry. Are you cheating on me with other chefs, Abbott?”
“I’d never fucking cheat on you,” he said firmly, walking into the kitchen. Maybe it was just me but his tone almost sounded… defensive?
“Good, now bring me a fork so I can steal some of your pie,” I shouted back to him while plopping myself onto his couch.
“Get your own,” he grumbled jokingly.
Abel sat down next to me on the couch so close that our thighs brushed against each other. He handed me a fork and a small plate with a slice of key lime pie that looked like it was cut directly down the middle from the piece I’d given him.
I couldn’t hide the smile that pulled at my lips. I’d totally been joking, but he gave me the pie anyway, just in case I meant it. “You know, you’re a lot more thoughtful than I would have guessed.”
“Hmmm.”
“I guess I’d never realized that you were paying attention to me… and now every time I think I’ve finally got you figured out, you do something that surprises me.”
“Oh really? Tell me more.”
“Well, for starters, I never would have guessed that you’d watch rom-coms in your free time.” I tilted my head toward the television where a movie with a couple running breathlessly into each other’s arms before engulfing each other’s faces was playing on the flat-screen TV.
Abel’s head flew backward and his chest rumbled with the most captivating boom of laughter I’d ever heard. I was so caught off guard by it that I nearly fell out of my seat.
He laughed.
Abel laughed.
He had never laughed around me before. At least not like that.
These days he smirked or huffed out a breath of air at my horrible attempts to tell jokes.
But that laugh? It was intoxicating.
I smiled up at him and he returned the favor back down to me.
“I forgot to tell you. I’m leaving at the end of the month for Los Angeles. I’ll be gone for about three weeks.” His eyes flickered down to his plate.
My heart sank.
We’dfinallybecome friends and now he was leaving?
“What are you going to do out there?”
“I’m filming a few commercials and doing a campaign shoot for Nagem’s new athletic line, but I’ll probably catch up with a few friends while I’m out there too.” He shrugged.
“Oh, sounds fun.” Disappointment coated my voice. Abel and I were just starting to flow together and I was nervous to see how time apart would affect our dynamic.
A small part of me feared that he would come back and realize that he didn’t want to have me as a friend anymore.The thought alone made my stomach drop.
“Care to tell me what you’re overthinking about over there?”
