5. Chrissy
5
CHRISSY
I SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH MY FAMILY.
That’s what I’ve been thinking for the last hour.
I should have listened to my gut and skipped this date because it’s proving to be one of the worst dates of my life. Not that I’ve been on a lot, but the few I have been on have been way better than this one.
If I have to listen to Roger say one more thing about how much money he has, or the country club he’s a member of, or the brand new Porsche he bought with cash, I’m not going to make it. I’m going to have to excuse myself and walk out of here.
It’s not in me to be rude, but Roger is on my very last nerve. He’s been rude and condescending to the waitress, and any time I try to carry on a conversation, he cuts me off like he doesn’t have the time—or the desire—to hear me talk.
Finally, as if he’s noticed my lack of conversation, he stops and smiles at me. “So tell me about you, Christine.”
I barely resist rolling my eyes because I’ve told him at least five times to call me Chrissy. I’m not going to correct him again because I doubt he’s going to listen. “Well, let’s see. You want me to tell you about me?”
I wait to see if he’s going to respond and if he says no because at this point nothing will surprise me. When he nods his head, I tell him, “Well, let’s see—”
Before I can get anything out, he leans forward. “Is it true you’re related to King?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “He’s my brother.”
His eyes light up. “Your brother? You know, I’ve heard that he was hiring an in-house doctor for his company. He wants to offer services for his employees and their families.”
I hate where this conversation is going. I’ve had numerous people befriend me to try and get close to someone in my family. It's either so they can get their car fixed by Dom, they want to date one of the boys, or they want to work for King, and they’re trying to use my relationship with my brothers to get them in. I would never ask any of my family to do something for me as a favor like that. I mean, they would do anything I asked of them, but I would never put them in that position.
I look around the room and notice Gabe coming in the door of the bar. He spots me instantly, and I smirk at him. I’m actually a little surprised it took him an hour to get here. I turn my head back to Roger, wishing this night would end. “Yeah, King is hiring a doctor.”
He smiles like the cat that just caught the canary. “Can you put in a good word for me?”
“Actually, he asked me to work with him on a list of applicants, and he’s already narrowed it down to two doctors.”
He doesn’t like the sound of that. He sits up straight, and his eyebrows practically disappear into his hairline. “Am I one of them?”
Even though I know he’s not, I shrug. “I’m not sure. You would need to call King’s office to find out.”
“But… maybe you could call him. I’d be happy for him to join us here, and he can get to know me. ”
This time, my mouth drops. The audacity of this guy. “Uh, King became a father two weeks ago. He’s not going to come down here tonight to get to know you.”
My refusal doesn’t even faze him because he throws a hand up. “But I’m sure once he looks at my credentials and knows that we’re friends, he will want to take a closer look.”
“Look, Roger. I’m not sure how to say this in a way you’ll understand, but I’m not going to talk King into hiring you.”
“But—” he starts, and then his eyes swing over my shoulder. I can feel Gabe’s presence before I can see or hear him. I turn to look up into Gabe’s eyes. The stool I’m sitting on is high enough for Gabe to press his shoulder against mine.
“Hey, Chrissy. How’s it going?”
I grab my beer and stand up. “Roger, this is Gabe. Gabe, Roger.”
Roger just nods his head at Gabriel. I can see Roger judging his long hair and the tattoos on his arms by the frown on his face. The fact that he’s a snob makes me feel even better about what I’m about to do. “Roger, I think we can both agree that this isn’t going to work. Since you asked me out to get a job with King and I’m not going to help with it, I think we can go ahead and call it a night.”
Gabe literally growls when I mention why Roger asked me out, but to his credit, he doesn’t say anything.
Roger leans forward and says, “Chrissy—”
But that’s all he gets out. He looks up at Gabe, and Gabe must be giving him a look because Roger’s tone weakens. “Yeah, okay, sure.”
Gabe puts his arm around my shoulder and leads me away. He doesn’t stop until we’re across the bar and he pulls out a stool, picks me up by the waist, and lifts me up to put me in the chair.
He then walks around the small table and sits down across from me. I look to where his fireman friends are all sitting, and I gesture to them. “You don’t have to babysit me, Gabe. You can go back to your friends.”
He gives me a look like I’m crazy. “Yeah, that’s not happening. But if you want to give me permission to kick in the doctor's teeth, I’ll be happy to do that.”
I shrug. “He’s not worth it.”
He grits his teeth. “It would make me feel better.”
I reach over and wrap my hand around his forearm. “It’s fine, Gabe. It’s not a big deal. This isn’t the first time someone has asked me for a favor or befriended me to get close to one of you guys.”
He rears back in surprise. “Excuse me?”
I shrug like it’s no big deal, but I’m obviously bothered by it. “Yeah, I have nurses that suddenly become friendly because they want to date you.”
He frowns. “You’ve never told me that.”
I nod. “Yeah, well, I never fixed you up with one of them. I assumed you wouldn’t appreciate that kind of behavior, but I mean, I can always—”
He holds his hand up. “No, I don’t want any part of that. I’m sorry, Chrissy. Roger is a dumbass. He doesn’t know how bad he screwed up.”
I laugh at that. “Yeah, he does because he’s not getting a reference from me to King.”
Gabe reaches across the table and puts his hand on my chin. “Look at me.”
I blink my eyes and look into his. I’m trying to hide it, but there’s no hiding anything from Gabe. Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself.
Gabe smiles softly. “He screwed up because he had a date with the most beautiful, the most special, the most big-hearted woman in Whiskey Run, and he fucked it up. You were right there in front of him, and he didn’t see it. Fuck, he has to be blind.”
My heart is racing, and I take a deep breath because I can feel the flutters in my stomach. Sometimes the things he says to me make me think he feels more for me, but I have to remind myself that this is Gabe. This is who he is. He knows I’m hurt, and he’ll say and do anything to make me feel better. I try to make light of the situation. “Fine, you’re forgiven.”
He releases his hold on me, but he doesn’t go far. He wraps his hand around mine. “What do you mean, I’m forgiven?”
I laugh. “You’re forgiven for showing up at yet another one of my dates.”
He laughs with me. “Well, first of all, I told you I was coming, so it should be no surprise, and second of all, don’t do that. Don’t make light of this, Chrissy. You deserve better from people.”
All of a sudden, I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day—and night—and I’m ready to go home, get in my pajamas, and call it a night. “I think I’m going to get out of here. I have to work in the morning.”
He stands up and throws some money on the table. “How much did you have to drink? ”
I point at the beer bottle I carried over with me. “I’ve nursed the same beer since I got here.”
He looks at the half-full bottle. “Okay, I’ll follow you home.”
I hold my hand up. “No, you will not.” I point to his friends. “You had plans, and I’m not letting you change them because you feel sorry for me.”
He sounds aghast. “Feel sorry for you? I don’t feel sorry for you. I just want to make sure you make it home safely.”
I string out his name. “Gabriel.”
He puts his arm around my shoulder and walks with me through the bar. I look over at where Roger is sitting, and he’s found some woman to keep him company, but she looks just as bored as I felt when I was sitting with him. As we get outside, I don’t even try to stop Gabe from walking me to my car because I know the argument will be pointless. “I’m around the block in the back.”
He nods. “Me too. I parked next to you.”
Of course he did.
I clench my hands together. “I know I complain about it a lot, but I hope you know I appreciate everything you do for me.”
He smiles and pulls me into his side a little tighter. “I know you do. We got each other’s back, Chrissy. Always.”
I lean my head against his side, and it’s not the first time that I’m imagining things I shouldn’t be. Like what would happen if I told him how I really feel? Would he freak out and turn me away? Or would he react the way I’ve dreamed about and tell me he feels the same way?
We stop next to my car, and he opens the door for me. “I’ll follow you home to make sure you get there okay.”
“Gabe, that’s ridiculous. It’s the opposite direction for you.”
He just laughs, and I push his stomach, pulling my hand back as soon as I feel his abs flex under my palm. He waves for me to get into the car. “Come on, Chrissy. You know there’s no talking me out of it.”
I nod, but I’m not ready to leave yet. “Ya know, I’m sorry you’re always getting landed with looking out for me. It’s not fair to you. Your friends are all inside, having a good time.”
He opens his mouth, and I’m sure he’s going to say it’s okay, but I hold my hand up to stop him. “And don’t say it’s okay or that you haven’t been landed with me when we both know it’s true. You heard Ledger tonight. He and everyone else just assumes that you’re going to be the one to look out for me.”
He shrugs. “Because I am.”
I suck in a breath and sit down in my car. “But this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be… I’m not your responsibility. I don’t want to be someone you have to take care of.”
He squats down so he can see me in the car. “You know that’s not what I meant. I want to be here, honey.”
I reach for the door to try and get him to move, but he doesn’t budge.
He just smiles at me. “Come on, you can’t be mad at me just because I want to make sure you get home.”
“I’m not mad at you. Look, it’s been a shitty night. It sucks knowing that the only date I can get is because of who my brothers are. I’m not mad at you. Follow me home, I know you’re going to.”
“Chrissy, please…”
I let out a huff. “Please, Gabe. I just want to go to bed.”
He searches my face, obviously frustrated, and I can’t blame him. I’m taking out my attitude on him, and I shouldn’t be. None of this is his fault, just like it’s not his fault that he thinks of me as a friend.
He reaches into the car and puts his hand on my bare knee. He squeezes me gently, and my whole body reacts. His thumb brushes across my skin. “Okay, but I want you to know that the doctor is a dumbass. This is his loss, baby.” When I don’t say anything, he huffs. “Okay, drive safe. Tomorrow evening me, Cole, Holden and Dom are going to play pickleball if you want to join us after work.”
“I need a good workout, but I’m working a long shift tomorrow. Thanks, though.”
He searches my face under the interior light and then nods. “Okay. See you then.”
“See you.”
He squeezes my knee again and then releases his hold on me and stands up.
He shuts the door, and I watch as he walks to his truck.