Chapter 12
Gabe paced the length of his studio apartment, going stir-crazy. It had been a week since his discharge from the hospital. Couldn’t the captain at least assign him to light duty? Nope. He was off the roster until cleared by the fire department’s doctor.
He needed a distraction. Some pleasant company would do the trick. Misty popped into his mind right away. It would fit in with his plan of getting to know each other better.
He took his phone off the charger and called her as he paced around his apartment.
She answered on the second ring. “Hi, Gabe. I was hoping you’d call.”
“Oh yeah? I guess we’re on the same wavelength. How are you?”
Misty hesitated. “The question is, how are you? You’re the one who took a big bang to the head.”
“I feel a lot better physically, but I’m bored. If you’re free, we could go somewhere…or hang out and do something at my place.”
“Umm, I don’t know what you’re thinking of doing, exactly. I have to go to work tomorrow. I shouldn’t be out too late. And I can’t stay the night.”
Stay the night?“Whoa. That isnotwhat I meant at all. I…I shouldn’t have called.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“I just meant doing something this afternoon. I…uh…have plans with Jayce this evening.”
“Gabe? There’s something I have to tell you.”
“Oh? Okay. So tell me.”
“It’s not a conversation for over the phone.”
“Uh-oh. Are you dumping me?” He laughed. “Not that we’re really a couple, even.”
She must not have found his joke funny. Her voice became stern. “How about if we meet for coffee and discuss it this afternoon?”
“That sounds good. Starbucks? The one on Cambridge Str—Oh, sorry. I was thinking of the one close to you in the North End. You must be at my parents’ house in the South End, right? I can pick up a copy of the local entertainment paper on the way.”
“Actually, I’m at my friend’s house in Saugus.”
“Hi, Gabe,” a faint voice yelled in the background.
He chuckled. “Hi, whoever you are.”
The voice got louder, as if she’d grabbed the phone. “My name is Julie. Actually, I’m one of the girls who thought you were a stripper. Sorry about that.”
“Ah. No worries. It was kind of flattering—I guess. Can you put Misty back on the phone?”
“Sure.”
He heard Misty frantically whispering to her friend to give her privacy. A moment later, Misty said, “Hi.”
“Maybe I can meet you out there—wherever you are.”
“Saugus. There are all kinds of places we can go, but why don’t you meet me here at my friend’s house and then we can decide where to go to talk.”
“Okay. Give me the address.”
Misty gave him the address and some simple directions.
“I just have to borrow a car. I’ll be there in forty-five minutes—maybe longer, if I have to rent one.”
