"Something like that," I admit. "Just us. Talking. No rules."
His mouth curves slightly. "Yeah," he says. "Me too."
***
The house is quiet when we get home.
Unusually quiet.
Maddie’s laughter isn’t bouncing down the hallway.
No cartoon noise from the living room.
Just the soft click of the front door closing.
Gabriel drops his keys on the counter.
I set my purse down.
Then we both stop.
Because suddenly we’re aware of the same thing.
We’re alone.
Gabriel steps closer.
"Mason texted," I say quickly.
"Yeah?"
"They’re still at the burger place."
"Good burgers," he says.
"Very good burgers," I say.
He’s close enough now that I can see the faint scar near his eyebrow.
I’ve noticed it before.
But tonight it feels different.
Everything feels different.
He watches me for a second.
"Alright," he says. "What’s going on in that head of yours?"
"I’m thinking," I admit.
"That sounds dangerous," he says lightly.
"I was actually thinking about dinner," I say. "I really enjoyed our dinner date. It felt nice and normal."
He doesn’t joke this time. He just studies my face.
"Natalie," I say with a small laugh, "we skipped about ten steps. We never even had the normal part."
