Chapter 15
chapter fifteen
gabe
Luna
Ate and Lonzo are coming to watch the finals!!!
Gabe
Excited?
Luna
YES I’m meeting them in Atlanta next week. Can’t wait!
Gabe
You’re leaving on Saturday?
Luna
Yeah, I’ll take the bus and stay till Sunday
Gabe
I’ll drive.
Luna
For real?? Road trip!!!
If anyone told me a year ago that I’d become friends with Tala’s sister, I would have called them delusional. Yet here I was, picking Luna up before dawn on a Saturday so we would arrive in Atlanta in time for lunch with her siblings before Jason’s game. I didn’t even have to be roped into chauffeuring for her. I’d offered myself up for the task—and I looked forward to it.
I hadn’t spent time with Luna in the months since I got sick, but we texted on occasion. I sent her a pizza from D’Angelico’s on her birthday because she mentioned craving it, and she randomly dropped off food at my place when she cooked too much for herself. By unspoken agreement, we didn’t talk to each other on campus. She’d smile at me when our eyes met, and I would nod at her before looking away because that was what I did with any other student.
Never mind that she wasn’t just another student.
The door inched open, revealing a sliver of Luna’s face. “Okay, don’t be mad, but I’m running a bit late. I’ll be quick, I promise.”
I fought back a smile. “Can I come in, or should I wait out here?”
“I still have to get dressed, okay?” She disappeared. There was some rustling, and then the door swung open to a bleary-eyed, tousle-haired Luna wearing a jacket over what looked like a thin nightdress.
My eyes accidentally landed on the V exposed by her neckline before I snapped them up to her face. I opened my mouth to apologize but she spoke up first.
“Sorry, it took me longer than I expected to finish my paper.” She moved to let me in and locked the door behind me. “Then I slept through my first alarm and had to make the sandwiches. Just give me ten, fifteen minutes to prep.”
“Take your time,” I told her as she hurried to her bedroom. Spotting a shoe rack past the doorway, I took off my shoes and put them on an empty slot. A pair of large blue slippers that looked like they belonged to a man stood out beside her strappy sandals and sneakers.
Did Luna have a boyfriend? She was sometimes with different guys on campus, but she didn’t appear to be involved with any of them. She never talked about her dating life, and I never asked because it was none of my business.
To be safe, I left the slippers untouched, padding barefoot to the kitchen. Wrapped sandwiches were stacked on a platter with a used knife and an open jar of cheese spread on the counter beside it. An empty takeaway cup sat in front of her coffee maker.
Of course she’d prepared food for our trip.
I took over where she’d left off, putting the sandwiches in the plastic bag tucked under the platter. Then I put the spread in the fridge, washed the plate and knife, and wiped down the countertop.
Walking to her bedroom door, I knocked twice.
“Almost done!” she said, sounding out of breath.
“No rush. Just wanted to ask if you want milk and sugar in your coffee.”
“That’s for you. I can’t have coffee this early.”
Her words gave me pause. She’d prepared coffee for me. It was so unexpected that I hesitated, staring at the door.
After my failed attempt with Inez in high school, I’d never had a relationship again. I didn’t want to risk getting attached only to be left in the lurch. My friendship with Tala was the closest I’d come to one, and it worked out because we were both used to being self-sufficient.
This—another person doing something for me— this was new. It awakened a warmth in my chest that put me on edge.
“Ready!” The door opened and Luna took a step back, clutching her chest. “Gabe! What are you doing hovering there?”
Never had I been more grateful that I’d perfected my poker face. “Checking to see if you’re ready.” My gaze fell to her shirt—the one I’d gifted her last Christmas.
“Hey, that was fifteen minutes max. I skipped my makeup so I wouldn’t take too long.”
She’d paired the top with a pink skirt and socks that went midway up her calves. I frowned. “Your socks are showing.”
Raising one leg, she wiggled her foot. “They’re supposed to. It’s the style now, haven’t you noticed it on campus?”
“I don’t exactly go around looking at students’ legs.” Though that might not appear the case with how I couldn’t stop staring at hers.
Shit. Don’t be a creep, Gabe. This is Tala’s sister you’re gawking at.
I forced my gaze up.
Luna smiled, appearing amused. “So I’m the only one, huh?”
“I’m sorry,” I said, wincing.
“You just had a sock revelation—it’s perfectly understandable.” She chuckled. “Maybe you can try crew socks with shorts sometime.”
She had to be kidding. “No.”
“Such a millennial.” Shaking her head, she hauled a bag onto her shoulder.
I reached for it only to pause, remembering what she’d told me before. “Can I get that for you?”
“What’s with you and my bags?”
“It’s called chivalry.”
“Hmm.” She tipped her head to the left. “I should insist on carrying it myself, but honestly? If you want to do it, knock yourself out. I think it’s sweet.”
I grunted. “It’s not sweet. It’s the right thing to do.”
“Would you do the same with a guy?”
“If he needed help, yes,” I answered. “Nice shirt, by the way.”
She beamed at me. “Thanks. This random guy gave it to me.”
“Whoever he is, he has good taste.”
Her laughter sent a jolt of electricity through me, waking me up more effectively than the espresso I had before leaving home.
I convinced myself it was simply the shock of having amused Luna. I’d never put much stock in humor before because it seemed to serve as nothing more than filler. An ice breaker. But maybe there was something to be said for making someone laugh.
“Good morning, by the way,” Luna sang out as we buckled up inside the car.
I glanced over at her. “Good morning.”
Her skirt rose to the middle of her thighs, highlighting her tan skin. It suited the weather outside, but it might be too thin in the air conditioning. Reaching into the backseat, I grabbed the blanket I’d stashed there and handed it to her. “In case you get cold. Or you need a pillow.”
She smiled at me with drowsy eyes as she wrapped the blanket around herself. “Thanks, Gabe.”
I programmed the GPS for our hotel in Atlanta. According to it, the drive would take nearly five and a half hours. “Sleep,” I told Luna.
“I should argue because you’re being bossy and I love road trips. But I’m too tired,” she murmured, her eyes fluttering closed. “I promise I’ll wake up in a bit. Just need a power nap . . .” Her voice trailed off.
I took a moment to observe her. She was leaning against the window with part of the blanket clumped beneath her head. I should have brought an actual pillow too.
As I drove along the highway, the sky lightened in muted washes, the sun obscured by tufts of clouds. It created a melancholic atmosphere, which wasn’t helped by my music choice.
Folk rock poured softly through the speakers, clearing my mind of other thoughts. With one hand on the steering wheel, I finished my coffee. Driving wasn’t something I found particularly enjoyable. It was a means to an end, and I spent it planning for my day or thinking through a problem. But I found this drive relaxing.
“I love this song.”
I jolted and looked at Luna, who had angled her position to face me and was studying me with a small smile. “How long have you been awake?” I asked her.
“A couple minutes.”
That meant she’d only gotten a little over an hour of rest. “You should sleep some more.”
“I’m good. Told you I just needed a power nap.” She stretched out, and I kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead. “Thanks for the blanket, by the way. I didn’t know you were a blanket in the car type of guy.”
Was there such a thing? “I brought it for you,” I admitted without thinking.
“Oh.”
The quiet happiness in that single syllable did something to my insides.
“It’s really comfy.”
“Good.”
She cleared her throat. “So. Now that I’m fully awake, tell me. How have you been?”
My lips twitched. “Okay.”
“No,” she said with a groan. “No okays and fines. How are you? How’s work? Is your assistant working out for you?”
“Well, I’m not sick, for one.”
“Yay, you.”
“Work is . . .” Boring. Exciting. It depended on which job she was asking about. “Teaching is the same. My consulting is doing well. I signed three people last week. A group of friends, actually.”
She did a little bounce on her seat. “Oh, wow. Congratulations, Gabe. How did they hear about you?”
“Referral from a client, who was referred to me by Felix. Do you remember him?”
“Of course. You should thank me for my excellent client service.”
“You exchanged a total of three messages.” I’d checked right after I changed my passcode.
“Which was enough to charm him into staying with you after you cancelled your meeting.”
I snorted. “Rescheduled.” She was right, though—I owed her for covering for me that day and taking care of me. Considering we hadn’t technically been friends then, she’d gone above and beyond.
“Details,” she said. “And your assistant? You haven’t scared him off yet, have you?”
“Her. Harry is alright. She has potential to be better, and luckily I have time to train her.”
“So you’re still set on continuing your PhD?”
“Yes.” It was my last chance to complete it—in Sterling, at least. I could already imagine what my schedule would be like next semester, and it didn’t look good.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Haven’t you already?”
“Ha ha. What will your PhD give you that your consultancy can’t?”
“Tenure,” I answered without hesitation. “The consultancy is profitable now, but that might not last. Having a doctorate means I’ll always have a career in the academe, and it also gives me another level of credibility.”
“Hmm. But do you enjoy it?”
I tapped a finger on the steering wheel. “I doubt anyone truly enjoys the process of getting a doctorate.”
“Not that. Teaching. Do you want to teach?” Her gaze drilled into the side of my face.
My mouth curled down. “I want a stable career. My father transferred jobs multiple times in different tracks. He rarely had a steady income and there were months my mother cried over our unpaid bills. I don’t want that for myself.”
“I understand,” she said, and I knew she did because her family had experienced it too. “It’s scary, that uncertainty.”
I nodded.
“I guess I’m just wondering . . . You have a portfolio, right? I’m assuming it’s diverse enough.”
“It is—but it’s not just about the money. It’s knowing that whatever happens, I have a safety net because I only have myself to rely on.” I opened my mouth to say more, but I’d already said too much. She didn’t need to know how my mother never considered taking me with her when she divorced my father or that the one girl I’d loved broke up with me because I couldn’t give her what she needed.
I could almost hear the wheels whirring in Luna’s head. “You know, I always admired you for how independent you were,” she spoke carefully. “How you always seemed to have a plan. You’re like Ate that way.”
It was why her sister and I got along so easily. That, and how we didn’t enjoy socializing more than we needed to.
“I always wished I could be like that,” Luna said.
“Is that why you moved here?”
“I mostly moved to be with Ate, and look how that turned out. But I guess her leaving gave me the chance to really challenge myself. It’s why I stayed.” Her laugh came with an edge. “Even though my parents keep asking me to move back.”
My gut tightened at the possibility, which was strange given that I shouldn’t have any attachment to her in the first place. “Are you considering it?”
“No. I love it here.”
The tension in my shoulders dissolved.
“I don’t have to be the mediocre middle child when I’m here. I can be whatever I want to be.”
I sneaked a glance at her. “And that is?”
“Independent. Happy with life.” Shrugging, she said in a softer voice, “Just . . . myself.”
“Aren’t you all that already?”
She chewed her lip. “You know what? I’m not sure.”