I don’t push further… yet. But something’s off. I can hear it in his voice. The strain, the hesitation, the way he’s holding something back. It’s there, and I don’t miss it. But for now, I let him off the hook.
“Alright, love. Give me a chance to talk to Alex. We’re supposed to leave for Puerto Rico, but I can reschedule.”
I peek back into the restaurant—and now the waiter is talking to Alex… all googly-eyed and smiley.
Oh, for heaven’s sake.
“Oh, that’s right,” Gabriel says with a sigh, as I watch Alex scribble what sure looks like his signature inside a book the waiter handed to him. Definitely an autograph. The waiter’s grin is far too cheeky for it to be just a check.
Alex caps the pen and hands it back, dimple fully activated—yep, I was right. The waiter immediately pulls out his cell, and they pose for a selfie.
“Don’t worry, Elijah,” Gabriel says, pulling my attention back. “The last thing I want to do is upset Alex or ruin your plans to see your family. I’ll be okay. Really, I will.”
“I know you will, love. Just promise you’ll call me when you get to the hospital. And if you still need me, Alex and I will join you.”
“Gracias,” he answers, soft and halfhearted. And guilt crashes over me like a wave. I really wish he’d call Noah. I wish he wouldn’t choose to be alone in this.
“Would you let Ana know I had to leave? I’ll call her once I’m settled.”
“Of course. Be safe.” I breathe deeply, the phone still pressed to my ear. “Gabriel?” I say quickly, my voice reaching for him because my arms can’t.
“I’m still here.”
“Te amo, mi amor,” I whisper. “I love you.”
“Me too, Elijah.Mucho,” he adds.
15
ALEX
“Don’t forget the tea!”Elijah calls out, wheeling his suitcase toward the elevator. “They don’t sell that brand in Puerto Rico.”
“Already packed,” I reassure him, stepping out of the kitchen. My voice is steady, but my chest tightens. “I’m going to miss you.”
“It’s just two days. One, if you don’t count today. We’ll be together before you know it.” He pulls me into a hug, and I let myself sink into it for a second longer than I mean to. When I try to pull away, he catches my hand, holding on gently. “If Gabriel were here,” he murmurs, “he would have stayed with you. You know that, right?”
I stop. The warmth of his touch fades the second those words land.
“Really, Elijah?” I drop his hand. “Like I want to be sexually harassed by your ex-husband while you soak up the sun in Puerto Rico?”
He laughs—light, amused. “Gabriel doesn’t sexually harass anybody,” he says, smoothing his hands down my arms. “And believe it or not, he actually cares about you.”
“Yeah, well, he has a funny way of showing it.”
Heat rises to my face as irritation twists through my stomach. I know Elijah means well. I know Gabriel means… something. But good intentions don’t mean much when they come with mixed signals and strange silences.
“I have to go,” Elijah says, glancing down at his watch. “Steven’s waiting downstairs with the car. I’ll call you when I land.”
“I’ll be waiting.” I try to smile, but it feels weak. “And let me know when you hear from Gabriel. I hope his mother’s feeling better.”
“Pretty sure she is. They should have released her from the hospital by now, so I imagine Gabriel’s at home helping out. I’ll let him know you were asking about her.”
He leans in for a kiss before stepping onto the elevator. “See you soon, love.”
I refill my coffee and shuffle back into the bedroom, needing to move. The photo shoot starts at eleven, and I’ve been dragging all morning.
I throw on a pair of comfortable slacks and a light-blue button-up—easy, professional. Hurrying, I grab my dark-brown loafers from the bottom shelf of the armoire, slip them on, and reach for my wallet. I shove it into my front pocket.
