Chapter 4
NOAH
I fire off the text after I finish scribbling out a draft of the first week’s training schedule.
Me: Still good for me to come after work?
The reply comes almost instantly.
Gabe: Yes.
I stare, thumb hovering over the screen. Short and to the point. Okay then. I slide the phone back into my pocket. All of his responses have been like that. I know text isn’t the best indicator of tone, but he seems more distant than he ever was before. I hope he’s not regretting saying yes.
I turn toward Aiden, who’s adjusting the new shelving unit we assembled this morning.
“Schedule’s sorted,” I say, stretching my arms overhead. “You happy for me to post it online?”
Once Aiden mentioned this property was available, I wanted to make sure I could do everything possible to make our business work, so I learned how to set up a website and online booking system for the gym.
“Yeah, hopefully we’ll get a decent amount of pre-bookings before we even open,” Aiden grunts without looking up. “Still trying to get this thing level. Either the floor’s fucked or I am.”
I grin. “Probably the floor, if you were fucked, you’d be in a better mood.”
“Shut it, I’m in a great mood. Me, myself, and I are getting on just fine on our own,” he replies, crooked smirk in place while he wiggles his right hand, making me snicker.
“You’re a tool,” I tell him affectionately. “No dating, then?”
“Fuck no, my priorities are Rose and Anchor Strength.”
I can’t judge him for that.
He gives me an appraising look. “If you start seeing someone… I don’t know if Gabe would be okay with them in his space.”
As if I’d be able to consider another soul when Gabe’s around.
“No dating for me either,” I say simply, can’t exactly get into the fact that I’ll be struggling hard enough not to make moon eyes at his brother every day.
We work in companionable silence for a few minutes. He finally gives the shelf one last nudge and steps back. “Another thing done. You nervous about moving in?”
I shrug. “I wouldn’t say nervous. But it’s been a while since I’ve seen Gabe. It’s probably going to be pretty awkward at first.”
“Oh, it’s going to be really awkward,” Aiden says, laughing at my surprised face. “He’s still quiet, still turns pink if you try to compliment him. Still loves reading.” The soft smile on Aiden’s face shows how much he adores his brother—that particular smile is reserved for Gabe and Rose.
I nod slowly. “He always seemed... soft. And I don’t mean that in a negative way, he’s always been so gentle. Like an old soul in a way.”
Aiden nods, and his smile dims a little. “Yeah, that’s him. More anxious these days, though. Give him a chance to open up, he’s still working through a lot.” Aiden’s eyes cut to mine, and I give him a reassuring nod.
We fall into sync again—tools clicking, playlist running in the background.
My thoughts drift to the apartment and seeing Gabe again after so long.
I can admit to myself that it’s not just about needing a place to live.
I could tough it out at The Inn while I kept looking for a rental.
But when Aiden mentioned Gabe’s spare room, something lit up in the back of my mind.
I want to see who he is now—and make sure he’s okay.
“Rose doing okay?” I ask after a while. “She’s gotten so big. Is it weird that I’m this excited to be part of her life beyond a phone screen?”
Aiden gives a hearty chuckle. “Not weird, I’m glad you’ll be in her life more, too.
She’s good, perfect really. I can’t believe she’s two,” Aiden says, though a weariness creeps into his voice.
“Lucy’s been flaking on us lately, though.
Dropped her off early yesterday, then didn’t answer her phone when I called to ask if Rose had dinner there.
I’m trying not to be an asshole about it, but it’s frustrating.
I need to know Rose is okay when she has her. ”
“You’re not an asshole. You’re a good dad, you have the right to worry.”
He blinks at me, caught off guard by the compliment. “Thanks.”
“It’s true,” I say honestly. “You have Rose the majority of the time, and you’re starting a new business. That’s a lot.”
He just nods and goes back to adjusting the shelf, clearly avoiding the compliment. Outside, the sun dips low, casting golden light over the street.
Aiden pulls off his gloves and stretches, and I hear his back crack. “We done for today? I wanna get home to my girl. Macy’s watching her, that woman’s a godsend, but I don’t wanna take advantage of her time.”
I smile to myself as I start tidying. He’s wrapped around that little girl’s finger, and we all know it. “Yeah, I’m gonna head over to the bookstore now anyway.”
He claps my shoulder. “Say hi to Gabe for me.”
I nod again, but before I can turn away, he adds, “You’ll probably meet Abbie and Ciarán during the week. I’m sure you’ve heard Gabe mention them before. They’re kind of a package deal.”
That makes me smile, knowing Gabe has people there for him. There’s a faint ease to his shoulders when he speaks again. “Abbie’s great,” he adds, a smile tugging at his mouth. “You’ll like her. She’s always up for a laugh. She’s got a good heart, loves Gabe.”
I nod along, absorbing all these details about Gabe’s life. “And Ciarán?”
I’ve heard Gabe mention him before, going to book events or brunch together, but I don’t know anything about Ciarán himself.
His smile dies fast, mouth twisting like he’s tasted something sour. “He’s fine.”
I frown, surprised at his reaction. “You don’t like him?”
Aiden blows out a breath through his nose. “Not really.”
“Why?” I ask because Aiden isn’t the type to dislike people without a reason.
His brow furrows. He shrugs, but the movement isn’t casual. “Just don’t.”
I study him, trying to understand his reaction.
“Is he a bad friend to Gabe or…” I let my question trail off, hoping he’ll fill in whatever I’m missing here.
He stares at the ground, then slowly he moves his head side to side. “No, he’s a great friend to Gabe,” he mutters begrudgingly.
“Right,” I say slowly, still not sure what the problem is. “Well, guess I’ll find out for myself when I meet him.”
“Yeah,” he mumbles, hooking his bag over one shoulder. “Talk to you tomorrow.”
He leaves it there. I’m left staring after him, wondering what the fuck that was all about.
As I step out into the early evening, the breeze cool against my neck, I feel a strange combination of nerves and excitement.
It’s only a short walk to Gabe’s place, but when I get close, I slow down to stare.
The building is redbrick, ivy crawling up the walls, but the storefront is painted a deep hunter green.
On the display window, Evergreen Books is hand-painted.
And underneath, he’s built this tiny version of Willowrun out of stacked books—some open for rooftops, spines as walls.
Fairy lights run along the bottom, throwing little shadows across it all.
It’s whimsical, so perfect, and it makes me smile.
I step inside, and the place smells unexpectedly like lavender; it’s comforting. For a second, I pause, taking it all in.
It looks different from how I remember it when I was a kid. The shelves are more crowded now, with large sections dedicated to queer stories and authors. The back wall has a little reading nook lined with plants and string lights that give the place a soft, lived-in glow.
And there, behind the counter, is Gabe.
He looks up, and when our eyes connect, I forget how to speak. How to breathe. I’m not prepared for this version of Gabe Shaw. This isn’t the Gabe I knew before I left—that version of him was a boy compared to who stands before me now.
Tall and lean—a body built from repetition and endurance.
I see it in the way his faded T-shirt stretches across his chest, the firm cut of his shoulders, the long lines of his arms. A runner’s body.
Aiden mentioned he took up running. I assumed that meant he did twenty minutes each day and called himself a runner—that obviously isn’t the case.
He’s all tendon and lean muscle; this man is in serious shape.
But his face, that stops me in my tracks.
His jaw looks sharper than I remember, with enough stubble to show he hasn’t shaved today.
His cheekbones are high, cut like someone sketched them flawlessly.
His nose is a little crooked, it always was, but it suits him—makes him look more real, more human.
His mouth… Fucking hell. Soft lips, fuller on the bottom, a faint bite line like he still chews it when he’s nervous.
I remember that he used to do it all the time.
His eyes hit like a punch to the ribs.
A thick wave of dark brown hair falls over one.
Mossy green. The kind of green that makes you think of deep woods, of wet leaves after rain.
They’re watchful. Not entirely guarded, but careful.
And still, there’s something painfully open in them.
Something that hasn’t been crushed completely.
Those eyes lock onto mine for just a second before they flick downward, retreating to the safety of whatever he’s holding.
As his head dips, the light ghosts across his face, and I see it.
A pale scar on his right cheekbone. Subtle but impossible to miss.
My stomach churns seeing the evidence of what he’s been through.
I pull my focus from it; the last thing I want is for him to catch me staring at it.
I stand there like an idiot, every word I rehearsed on the walk over gone.
Because fuck, he’s even more beautiful than I remember.
Which is not a thought I should be having.
I clear my throat and step closer. “Hey,” I manage, giving him a smile I hope isn’t too much. “Long time no see, Gabe.”
He nods once, throat working like it’s hard to talk. “Hi. Y-Yeah. I… It’s been a while.”