That was the point of calling it an experiment, right? Besides, Reid had been graciously accepting of Gabriel’s enthusiasm up to this point. He’d probably continue.
Gabriel hit send before he could talk himself out of it.
Awesome, Reid responded.I was thinking something casual, maybe involving junk food.
Gabriel liked the sound of that. Casual made him feel safe. Reid wasn’t expecting too much of him.
Sounds good, he texted back, smiling down at his phone.
Thursday?Reid asked
Thursday seemed like an age away, but Gabrieldidhave a lot to catch up on right now. He would probably have finished by Thursday.
Thursday works. Got somewhere in mind?
Reid sent back a winking emoji. Even that was enough to make Gabriel’s heart flutter, his cheeks heating up as he blushed.
The way Reid made him feel was totally alien to him. He’d never wanted another person’s attention and approval so badly.
It was just as well Reid actuallywasimpressed by Gabriel’s career, because Gabriel had basically nothing else to offer. For whatever reason, his personality seemed to be something Reid actuallyliked, too.
Reid was a likeable man. Gabriel assumed he made friends easily and he could have had more or less whoever he wanted, so it felt like a miracle that he’d want him.
Miracles happened, though. Gabriel knew that. He’d left Earth in a tin can propelled by forces no one entirely understood, not really, not once you got past the surface of it.
For whatever reason, it wasn’t impossible to believe Reid liked him, and that felt amazing.
Reid’s next text was an address.
7 o’clock?
Gabriel was tempted to look the place up before responding, but he trusted Reid. Besides, of the two of them, Reid had a much better idea of what he was doing than Gabriel did. Dates weren’t… really… something he’d done before. Not by himself with another person, anyway. He’d had the occasional pity double date in college that had worked out even worse than he’d imagined it could, but…
He was ready to try again. It was time to find something in lifeoutsideof his goals. Especially since, for the moment, he’d run out of goals.
Perfect, Gabriel responded.I’ll see you then.
He was going on adate.
He couldn’t wait for Thursday to come.
