Chapter 43 - Gabriel
GAbrIEL
Me
Happy New Year, man! Sorry, I didn’t respond last night.
Liam
No worries. Hope you had fun. You did have fun, right? You weren’t sitting in your room…alone…working…
Because that would’ve been depressing.
Me
You make me sound so lame.
Liam
Am I wrong?
Me
Usually not…
But this time, yes. I celebrated New Year’s Eve with Lily and her friends.
Liam
Oh…you were with Lily…
That’s what you should’ve led with!
Me
Don’t worry, I’ll call you later and fill you in.
Liam
You better. Beans and I are waiting.
*Attachment: Selfie of Liam and Beans on the couch*
Me
You do know once I’m back, you’ll have to return my cat?
Right???
Liam
We’ll see. We’ve bonded in the last month.
There truly wasn’t a feeling like being twenty-eight and sneaking into your grandfather’s home in the late morning. I was an adult, and I hadn’t done anything wrong, and yet…I didn’t want to have a run-in with Hal.
Not right away, at least. I needed to first find a way to wipe this stupid grin off my face that hadn’t left since last night. Honestly, it was hard not to smile when I was around Lily.
After staying up for pizza, we fell asleep in her bed, and I had the best night’s sleep I’d had in a long time. Possibly ever. This morning, we woke up, and I had my way with her again in the kitchen before breakfast.
It was like weight had been lifted off my shoulders now that I knew that our connection was real and that she felt it, too.
But…as quickly as one weight was removed, another was thrown down. I was falling in love with Lily Richards.
And I couldn’t do anything about it. I couldn’t stop it—not that I wanted to—but I also couldn’t do anything if I was lucky enough for her to feel the same way. I couldn’t stand in the way of her dreams with the café or with the building. I couldn’t ask her to move with me to Milwaukee.
I slid the key into the lock and turned the doorknob, trying to quietly push the front door open. The hinges squeaked and cut through the living room, and I swore under my breath.
I closed the door behind me and started to unzip my coat, again trying to be quiet.
When I looked up and saw the light on in the kitchen and heard Hal flipping through the newspaper, I quickly realized there was no point. Hal was home.
I hung my coat, toed off my shoes, and made my way into the other room. As predicted, Hal was sitting at the kitchen table, his glasses low on his nose as he read today’s edition of the Golden Falls Gazette.
“There you are,” he said with a knowing smile, taking off his glasses and folding the newspaper on the table. “Your sneaking in could use some work.”
I let out a laugh as he broke the tension. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be home or not.”
“Had to make sure you’d get back okay.” Hal gestured to the seat across from him. “Well, grab a cup of coffee and take a seat.”
I did as Hal said and sat across from him. I expected Hal to say the first word, but he didn’t, just sipped on his coffee. His expression was warm, inviting.
“I like her,” I admitted eventually, sighing. “A lot.”
Hal nodded, like he already knew that, like he saw it coming from a mile away. “I know it’s early, but I think you two bring out the best in each other. Make each other realize that what seems out of reach really isn’t and help each other see the small everyday joys.”
That was exactly how Lily made me feel. I came to Golden Falls because I wanted to buy the building to prove myself to my father, to salvage my career.
But being here made me realize that life was so much better when you had people in your corner who supported and uplifted you.
I had that with my friendship with Liam, but I’d never felt that with my parents.
And in my month in Golden Falls, I’d felt that from Hal, from Lily, and from people I’d barely gotten to know. People who I wanted to get to know more.
Lily meant more to me than the building, than my career, frankly. With her, it felt like anything was possible. Even leaving Nelson Group and figuring out what to do until my non-compete was up and I could go back to doing the work I set out to do.
“She’s changed my perspective on a lot of things, and you have, too.” I lifted my eyes to look at him. “Things feel less scary knowing I have people on my side.”
Hal’s expression softened. “You’ve always had me on your side, Gabe, and you always will.”
“I know that. Now, at least. Maybe I didn’t before—not because you didn’t make it clear, but because…” I paused, my gaze flicking down to my clasped hands on the wooden table. “Because I wasn’t sure if you’d forgive me for not being here for you when Vera died.”
The silence hung in the air for a moment, and I felt another weight lift off my shoulders. I’d been holding those words in since I entered Golden Falls—and even before that, if I was being honest. It wasn’t easy to say them out loud, to be vulnerable with the guilt and regret, but it felt better.
“Oh, Gabe,” Hal said quietly. “There wasn’t anything to forgive.”
I looked up at him. Seeing the way his tears glazed over his eyes had me feeling equally as emotional.
“Of course, I would’ve wanted you here,” he continued.
“But I was never mad at you, and I knew you were beating yourself up enough about it.” He let out a heavy sigh.
“What I was frustrated about was how your father handled it all by not telling you, by putting business first and not letting you make a choice. Your father and I…we don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things.
I don’t like the way he treats people or the way he runs his business—and I’ve made that known over the years.
He’s tried to cut me out of his life, and that’s his choice, but the main reason I haven’t let him do that is because of you.
Because I never wanted you to feel alone.
Maybe I could’ve done a better job at that. ”
I wasn’t sure why my father was the way he was, and maybe I would never know.
I’d spent years trying to please him—to live up to his expectations—but I was realizing I never had a chance.
Because I wasn’t like him. I thought back to my earlier conversation with Hal, when he reminded me that I was my own person.
It was time to start acting like it, time to start doing things for me.
I’d finally gotten a chance to do that in Golden Falls and it had been great.
Who knew a work-life balance would do wonders for my mental health?
“I think you did a great job,” I assured Hal.
“I don’t think I was ready for it yet, but I am now.
Being here in Golden Falls has reminded me that I’m not alone.
That if I distance myself from him and set boundaries, that I’m not on an island.
Honestly, some boundaries would probably do me good. With both him and my mom.”
“I’m proud of you, Gabe. I really am.”
“That—” I cleared my throat. “That means a lot.”
“Anytime you need a reminder, you know where to find me.”
I let out a laugh, reaching for my coffee. “You have a nice group of people here supporting you, Hal.”
“They’re your people now, too.”