“Anything,” I say quickly, because he sounds uncertain and I want to assuage him.
His teeth capture his lower lip. “Promise me you’ll still love me when we get back in this car.”
I’m taken aback. I don’t know why he thinks not loving him is a possibility. “If you think your parents can scare me away from you, let me be the first to tell you I’m made of tough stuff.” I offerhim a pinky. “I promise to still love you when we get back in this car.”
Corinne Woodruff opens the door as Gabriel is reaching for the handle. She has a pretty smile, sparkling eyes, and a smear of sauce across the front of her apron.
“Oh!” She looks down at herself. “Forgot I had this on.” She unties the apron and drapes it over a forearm. “Pretend you didn’t see that,” she says to me.
Gabriel’s dad strides in from a hallway, and Gabriel makes formal introductions. Technically, I’ve met his dad, but I don’t know if the day at the fire station could really be called ‘meeting’ his dad. We did little more than exchange a few words.
“You and Gabriel have been joined at the hip since you met. Good thing I sent him after you, huh?” Doug asks, elbowing Gabriel in the ribs.
“I would’ve gone after her,” Gabriel says, a trace of annoyance in his tone.
Doug misses his son’s irritation and keeps going. “Probably not. Gabriel is on the shy side.”
Gabriel is not shy, but I hold back my opinion. I wind an arm around his waist, feeling protective. “Gabriel has a lot of sides. And I love them all.”
Corinne beams at me. “Already loving the good and the bad.” She chucks my chin affectionately. “What a keeper.”
I look to Gabriel for his reaction, but his expression remains unchanged. Are these low-key criticisms a normal thing? I feel like Lara the day my dad brought her home, trying to understand family dynamics.
I offer my help in the kitchen, and Corinne declines. “We’re all set,” she says, walking ahead of us to the dining room.
We’re in the middle of small talk when Corinne asks me about school. I explain my degree to her and how close I am to being finished.
“There are a lot of therapists out there,” she says, pointing her fork at me while she speaks. “And not all of them are scrupulous. Have you seen that new show on TV?”
I twist the napkin in my lap. “It’s unfortunately true, though I’d argue there are unscrupulous people in every field.”
“What are the job prospects like?” she asks.
It feels like an interview, but that’s ok. I get it.
This past week I landed a job with a therapist, so I’m relieved to have an answer. I open my mouth, but Gabriel responds first.
“Avery has already lined up a job.” His voice is snare-drum tight. “She has to complete three thousand supervised clinical hours, and then she’ll be able to get her license and begin practicing.”
Corinne’s eyebrows lift. “Are clinical hours unpaid?”
“Yes,” I admit. It’s a sore spot for me. I’ve been saving money for a while, knowing this was ahead of me. I don’t have enough though.
“And you live with your dad?” Corinne’s voice is pleasant, but there’s judgment in the obvious implication.
“Avery’s house burned down, Mom. You know that.” Gabriel takes my hand and brings it to his mouth, where he leaves a soft kiss. “Besides, Avery doesn’t live with her dad. She lives with me.”
My free hand stills, fork frozen beneath the mound of mashed potatoes on my plate.
Gabriel squeezes my hand and smiles playfully, nodding across the space separating us. “She’s moving in this weekend.”
My initial shock recedes, and I nod my head to support Gabriel in the farce. “I’ve been busy packing my things.”
“Moving in together?” Corinne clears her throat and adjusts the napkin in her lap. “You’ve only been dating a few months.”
Gabriel shrugs. “I don’t see any reason to wait when I know Avery’s who I want.” Beneath the table, his foot rubs mine.
“Well…” Corinne pushes back her chair. She offers me a quick smile. “Let’s have dessert somewhere more comfortable.”
