CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Who are you texting over there?” Ellen asked as she navigated the chilly city streets.
“Yeah, your girlfriend?” Krystal threw in from the backseat.
He laughed. “Sadie.”
“So your side cougar,” Krystal said.
“Yes. Haven’t heard from her yet...I think I might actually legitimately need a calendar to keep track of all the women in my life. This is getting kind of insane.”
“It might not be a bad idea. I could help with this, given it’s kind of my thing,” Ellen said. “And what the fuck are you laughing at back there?”
“There’s just something hilarious about you creating a day planner for your husband’s other wives and girlfriends.”
“The concept or me specifically?”
“You specifically. I dunno, there’s still something absolutely wild about you being in this relationship. I never thought you’d actually go for it.”
“Honestly, neither did I. I mean we always had that fantasy about finding some cute boy to share, but that isn’t the same as this.
It’s weird how the jealousy just kind of...
went away. It’s still bizarre to me. It went away so fast that it’s almost like it never existed, but I know it did.
God, did I get so fucking jealous over shit. ”
“It was those shitheads you were dating…” Krystal murmured. Ellen sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t give you shit for it. I’m...remembering how to be nice.”
“And we appreciate that,” Ellen replied. “I mean, you’re right, of course.”
“Hmm,” Gabe said.
“What?” Ellen asked.
“I guess I was just thinking about my confrontations with your ex. Well, they could hardly be called that.”
“He swung on you and you punched him in the face. I’d call that a confrontation.”
“Yeah, fair. But I was just wondering, am I going to have to put up with that for anyone else? Chloe and Holly have exes where the relationship ended pretty poorly. We’re out and about a lot.”
“It seems unlikely...but not impossible,” Ellen agreed.
“Maybe I should start carrying around a taser or something. Mace. I dunno.”
“Might not be a bad idea,” Krystal said. “Honestly, with how everything’s going to shit, we probably all should invest in something, some kind of defense.”
“Fun times,” Gabe muttered. His phone phone buzzed and he checked it. Raised his eyebrows. “Oh.”
“What?” Krystal and Ellen asked immediately.
“Sadie.”
She had sent him a text: I’m doing well.
Sorry I haven’t reached out, I was going to later tonight.
I’ll admit that when you put it in me, it really took it out of me.
Or maybe it was the orgasms. How are you?
Also, ever since our night, I’m feeling a LOT more comfortable in my own skin, and felt comfortable enough to send you this.
She’d sent a picture of herself, full front nude, standing in front of the bathroom mirror.
“Oh my lord,” Krystal whispered, peeking over his shoulder. “That woman is really hot.”
“Is it a nude pic?” Ellen asked.
“Yep. She sent a text.” He read it to them.
“Holy shit, that’s so...sweet,” Ellen said.
“Right!? Gabe, you fucked confidence into her,” Krystal agreed.
He laughed. “I mean, apparently? I’m glad.” And he said as much in his response to her.
“I cannot fucking wait to see you rail her,” Krystal whispered.
“We all can’t wait,” Ellen agreed. “And here we are.”
They pulled into the driveway and Liz pulled up beside them with Chloe and Holly. He noticed Chloe looked slightly off as they began heading for the front door.
“Chloe,” he said, looking at her, and she looked back at him and heaved a sigh.
“How the fuck are you doing this? Whatever, I can’t even ask at this point,” she replied.
“What? What’s going on?” Holly asked.
“Gabe knows I’m bugged about something and wants to ask me about something because he is fucking psychic apparently. I’m worried about tomorrow. My stupid doctor’s appointment. Hate doctors.”
“They don’t have a great reputation,” Ellen agreed.
“I’ll be there,” Gabe said.
“I can go to back you up, too,” Krystal said. “I haven’t really got much going on tomorrow.”
“I’d appreciate it. And just...ugh. What if I find out I’ve got fucking cancer or something? I’ve got that fucking mole I need to get looked at. What if it’s cancerous but he just glances at it and says it’s fine because he’s got eighteen more patients to see and I’m just a girl?”
“Chloe, I’m not trying to be dismissive, but it almost certainly isn’t cancerous,” Ellen said.
“Yeah, and if you’re really worried, you can more than likely get a referral for a dermatologist,” Gabe agreed. “And if this doctor blows you off, we’ll find another one until we find a good one who actually listens. We aren’t going to just let you be steamrolled.”
“That...actually does make me feel better,” she murmured.
“We’ll take care of you,” Holly said with a sweet smile.
“This relationship...group is so crazy awesome.”
They knocked on the door and Emily answered, looking overjoyed to see them all. She invited them in and then laughed and hugged Krystal.
“I cannot fucking believe you actually live here now!” she cried.
“Fuck, I know, it’s like the old days but without all the bullshit!”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Abby murmured as she walked in with a small smile.
“Yeah, I’m sure the three of you are going to generate new bullshit between each other,” Gabe said.
“And you’ll have to put up with all of it,” Emily replied, walking over to him and smirking in his face. “Oh, poor Gabe.”
“Uh-huh,” he replied, then leaned forward and kissed her quickly on the lips.
The look of surprise on her face made almost everyone burst out laughing.
“You fucker,” she whispered.
“He completely stole your momentum,” Krystal said.
“Oh, whatever! Come on, the pizza is here and the tacos just got here and the Chinese should be coming in the next few min–” She turned and began walking deeper into the house, and the moment she did he slapped her ass pretty hard.
The look of sheer delighted amusement on everyone’s faces (including Abby’s) was worth whatever wrath Emily might visit on him.
She turned slowly back around, her face red. Then she took a step forward so her face was an inch from his. “I will break you,” she whispered intensely.
“I would very much like to see you try,” he replied.
She stared at him a moment longer, then laughed and took his hand and began guiding him towards the dining area. “You are so different from when we first met.”
“I dunno, I think it’s less different, more...true to himself,” Abby said as they all followed.
“You’re saying I was always like this?” Gabe asked.
“More like you always had the potential to be like this. Just make sure you keep an eye on it.”
“Yeah, it is a razor’s edge,” Krystal murmured. “It’s a little easy to slip into being too full of yourself and overconfident, and then you go from being what you are now to kind of an annoying asshole. Although I promise we will tell you if we see you slipping.”
“I’m sure you’re just waiting for the opportunity to backtalk me,” Gabe replied.
She glared at him as they settled down at the food-laden table. “I am also going to break you.”
He hesitated. There was something about the way she’d said that, like the connection to Emily saying it was deeper than it appeared. But it was just a flicker. He let it go after after a moment. Might be something, might be nothing, for now he was hungry.
“So, Gabe, any new ladies in your life?” Abby asked.
“Um…”
Her eyes widened a little. “Wait, seriously?”
“I made...a new friend,” he replied.
“If by made a new friend you mean ‘got your dick sucked and bounced on by a hot blonde’, then yeah, that’s accurate,” Chloe said.
“Who is this hot blonde?!” Emily demanded immediately. “Show me a picture!”
“She is...shy,” Gabe replied. “She’s Chloe’s friend from past work. She wanted...something specific that I could provide. And I did. And it was pretty great. Also, I did the deed with Sadie.”
“Okay, what was she like?” Abby asked almost immediately, leaning forward a little.
“Man, you’re like invested,” Ellen murmured.
“It’s sex between a twenty something guy and a fifty year old woman. She’s like twice his age. That’s hot. Plus she’s got that lonely cougar energy. You know, like the woman you root for to get a win.”
“I gave her a win,” he replied. “It was shockingly good. For both of us. I mean I figured it’d be good, but like...man, it was electrifying.”
“Knew she had it in her,” Abby said, grinning and settling back into her seat.
“Well, she does now,” Emily murmured, making them laugh.
“So is this blonde going to join your little harem?” Abby asked.
“No,” Gabe replied firmly. “She is not. It’s just a once in a while kind of thing.”
“I was kind of curious where you guys were gonna draw the line,” Emily said.
“Probably here,” Ellen said. “Unless we find someone really cool.”
“I’m happy with where we’re at right now,” Gabe replied.
“And then a week later you find the most kickass chick by having her kamikaze unexpectedly into your life and can’t say no to her,” Chloe said.
“I hope not.”
“You’ll be singing a different tune when you meet her, I think,” Krystal said.
“Considering she’s purely theoretical, I’ll take my chances,” Gabe replied. “Now, how are you doing?”
“Very well,” Abby replied. “I’ve been to the doctor’s, getting checked up, prepping for motherhood, making sure the baby is going to be healthy. Or as much as I can. Em isn’t handling it well.”
“Oh whatever, I’m handling it fine,” Emily replied, rolling her eyes.
“Emily?” he asked.
She met his gaze, stared at him for a moment, then growled. “How the fuck do you do that? How the fuck do you just make me want to tell you?”
“I actually want to know that, too,” Liz said. “You’ve gotten things out of Krystal with a word and a look that most anyone else she’d tell to fuck off and even I might have a little trouble with.”