Chapter 15 Gabe
Sunday August 31, NOON
Gabe closed all the tabs on the computer. His stomach had been rumbling for a while, but he and Avery had been on a roll figuring out the paperwork and he didn’t want to stop. But when the clock hit noon he couldn’t stand it anymore. “I’m starving. Let’s go eat.”
Avery narrowed her eyes at him, as if calculating his motives.
Gabe held up his hands in defense. “As friends. Promise.”
They drove separately, Gabe playing the morning over in his head. What luck Avery had been at the library, and they were on friendly terms again. He had wished for more, but considering everything, it really was the best solution.
“What do you want, Gabe?”
Avery’s voice danced around in his head. What did he want? A loaded question. He wanted lots of things, but they all pulled at each other. A relationship with his parents. A great job as an archeologist, while still somehow substitute teaching. A relationship with a girl… with Avery. Not that he was going to tell her that. Being in the friend zone was better than no zone at all.
They each pulled up to a local Mexican restaurant Gabe had picked. “This place has the best everything,” he proclaimed.
Avery took off her sunglasses. “Must be new. I don’t remember this place.”
He opened the door and waited for her to walk through. “Not a date. Just a guy being chivalrous.”
“My hero,” she said.
Gabe laughed. Avery was funny, even when she wasn’t trying. Witty. Probably why she was so good at writing—she had come up with some great stuff while helping him on the forms earlier. There was still more work to do, but it was a great start.
Once they got their food, they dug right in. Gabe was about to do his regular “shove all the food in my mouth” move, but he stopped himself. He wasn’t trying to impress Avery or anything. He acted more civilized around her, or something.
Or maybe he was practicing being a better, uh, date. Kind of. Slowing things down and getting to know the girl as a friend first. Not trying to race to the finish line because he knew it would end eventually. Enjoy the process.
He set down his fork. “So you graduated high school and headed off to NAU. Did you like Flagstaff?”
She nodded. “The trees and hiking trails were incredible. But it’s super expensive. And it gets too cold. I had to load up on so much winter gear. And driving in it was horrendous.”
Gabe dipped a chip into some salsa. “Too true. But I loved all the snow sports in Canada. I must have clocked forty miles per hour sledding down a mountain.”
Avery stopped mid-bite of her taco. “You did not.” A piece of fish plopped out of her taco and onto her plate.
“You’re right. I did not. But I had fun trying. You’re telling me you didn’t go sledding up north?”
She shook her head. “No way. Too busy studying.”
“Where’s your sense of adventure, Williams?” He leaned toward her.
She reached over and grabbed one of his chips. “That’s what subbing’s for, Talon. That’s about all the adventure I can handle.”
Literally no one but family knew his middle name, except for Avery. Hearing her say it made it feel less odd. More endearing. He smirked.
“And hanging out with me,” Gabe added, leaning back.
“Your whole personality is definitely an adventure,” she agreed.
They ate in silence for a few minutes. Gabe appreciated this new dynamic. If dating her wasn’t possible—because of Claire, because he might be leaving town—then this was a good compromise.
A pit formed in his stomach, thinking about how he would eventually move on, she would move on, and it would end like all the rest. He craved something more stable. To be honest, he craved her. The way she saw him, noticed things about him, was proud of him, and took care of him. But he wasn’t going to let his heart get the better of him this time. This friendship was worth having no matter how long or short it was.