“So, what happened? When you and Gaby were at dinner at our parents’ house the other night, everything seemed great between you two.”
“Itwasgreat. But she leaves tomorrow and so it’s in the past now.”
Brad frowned and held his gaze, leaning against the kitchen counter and folding his arms. “So that’s it over, then? Just like that?”
“I don’t have much choice. She was only here for a couple of weeks. Less, actually. She starts work on a cruise ship tomorrow and will be gone for months. You heard her talking about it at dinner the other night.”
Brad nodded. “We all had high hopes that something nice and romantic might happen between you two and make her change her mind about leaving.”
Peter lifted his eyebrows. “Something nice and romantic?”
“Those are Donna’s words and she told me to say them,” he said with a shrug.
“Gaby was never going to change her mind about staying here. She has a life.”
“Did you give her any reason to think she might have a life here, too?”
“Brad, why are you interrogating me about this?”
“Because when you brought Gaby home to mum and dad’s last week, it was the first time we’d seen you properly happy with a woman. Ever. As the oldest brother, it’s my job to find out if you did everything you could to make sure she knows how youfeel about her, because we don’t think you can be trusted to deal with it on your own.”
“Wow, that’s… insulting.”
Brad waved this off. “Look, the family sent me here. I’m just doing a job. I’d much rather be at home with my wife and kids than here with you, believe me. But we are where we are and everyone expects me to report back. So, let’s get on with it. Did you tell Gaby how you really feel about her?”
“Yes, I told her how I really feel about her.”
“Wait. What? You did?”
“Yes, I did. Why does that surprise you?”
Brad narrowed his eyes. “Tell me what you said.”
“No.”
“Tell me.”
“Get lost, Brad. It’s personal.”
“Did you tell her you loved her?”
“Yes, I told her I loved her!” Peter said, frustration finally punching through. “I told her I loved her and she told me to get lost. There, are you happy now?”
Brad seemed to think about this. “You really told her you loved her?”
“Yes.”
“And she said, ‘Get lost’. That was her reply?”
“Yes. Sort of.”
“She either said ‘Get lost’ or she didn’t.”
“Okay, she didn’t say that exactly. But that was the gist of it.”
Brad sighed. “Tell me from the beginning.”
It was obvious that if he wanted to get rid of his brother, he might as well just tell him what he wanted to know. “I told her I loved her and said I wished she would stay. She said that meant a lot to her but she had a job to go to and thanked me and then we said goodbye.”
