“If you think it’s a good idea to have Gabe over for dinner, then I suppose I do too.”
“Really?”
“I miss him too, you know.” She pulls me into a hug and, after a few seconds, I feel long, skinny arms wrap around us.
“I love you guys,” Trisha says.
“We love you too, Trisha,” my mom says, detangling herself from us. “Now. Where did that bottle of wine go? I need a glass. Or three.”
“Me too,” I say, grabbing the bottle.
Trisha, still looking a little hungover, scrunches up her nose and holds her hand up. “I’m all set, thanks.”
“Something sure smells good in here,” my dad says, joining us in the kitchen. He walks over to the stove and picks up a piece of seared chicken that’s popping in the pan. He drops it into his mouth. “Mmm. You got a good scald on that chicken, baby,” he says to my mom over his mouthful, and she grins.
“Stop eating it or we won’t have enough for everybody.”
“Who’s everybody?”
“Gabe’s coming over to have dinner with us,” she says casually.
“Oh. Well, that’s good,” he says cheerfully. “That’s real good,” he repeats, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me into a hug.
I smile at him.
“You know, Gabe stopped by the office a couple of days ago,” he says, piquing my curiosity.
“He did?” I can’t help but wonder what else he was up to all week.
“I needed him to sign some papers. He seemed different, lighter than I’ve seen him in a long time. I think he might have even smiled.”
“Daddy.” I roll my eyes.
The doorbell rings and my heart jumps up into my throat.
“Well, go let the boy in,” my dad says to me, and I see a small smile on my mother’s face out of the corner of my eye.
I fight hard against a smile as I hurry to the front door. When I open it, I’m swept back to when I was sixteen, when Gabe stood on this very doorstep waiting to take me out on our first date. Except, instead of the teenage boy who stood before me then, I’m staring at a very tall, thickly muscled, scruffy-faced man. And instead of holding flowers, he’s holding a bottle of wine.
“Hi,” I say, exerting all my self-control to not jump up and kiss his full, cupid’s bow lips.
“Hey,” he says in a husky voice that oozes all things male. He grins and I know exactly what he’s thinking, because I’m thinking the same thing.
“Hi, Gabe,” my mother calls from somewhere behind me, and my indecent thoughts are quickly zipped up and tucked away for later.
“Hi, Maggie,” he says over my shoulder.
“Well, are you going to let him in, Liv?” she asks, stepping beside me.
“Sorry. Yes, come in.” I smile at him and step to the side.
“I hope you brought your appetite, Gabe. I’ve been cooking up a storm,” my mother says, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck.
He leans down to hug her. “It smells great, Maggie. I’m starving.”
My dad crosses the living room, extending his hand as he closes the space between him and Gabe. “Gabe,” he says, shaking his hand with a warm smile.
“Hi, Duke,” Gabe says, gripping my dad’s hand firmly.
“How ya doin’, son?”
“Can’t complain,” he says, masking a smile I can see in his eyes.
“Sure glad you could join us tonight. It’s been a while since we all shared a meal under the same roof.”
“Yes, sir. I’ve missed Maggie’s cooking, that’s for sure.”
“Oooh, what’d you bring me?” my mom asks, eyeing the bottle of wine in his hand.
“Momma told me this is your favorite.” He holds up the bottle and looks at the label.
“And that is why your mother has been my friend for twenty-five years.” She smiles up at him. “Thank you, sweetie,” she says, taking it from him.
“The infamous Gabe North. Long time no see,” Trisha says, joining us in the living room.
“Hey, Trisha. Good to see you again.”
“Thanks for relinquishing your hostage this morning. I was starting to feel neglected.” She smirks.
Trisha! I step on her foot.
“Ow!” she squeals.
Gabe looks at me and I look at my parents and they look at him.
“Is that where you were?” my mother asks, raising her eyebrows at me.
“So, who’s hungry?” I ask, clapping my hands together. I take Gabe’s hand and pull him into the dining room, and Trisha trails behind us, followed by my mother and father.
We sit around the table and eat and drink, until our stomachs are full and the wine has run dry. My mom prepared a ridiculous amount of pasta, salad, and buttery garlic bread, which is almost completely gone now.
The conversation has been light and even funny at times. My dad recited all his old jokes, most of which begin with two unlikely characters walking into a bar. And he and Gabe regaled us with stories from their recent hunting and fishing trips with Gabe’s father, Danny. I love hearing about the time they’ve spent together in the woods since Brandon died, something Brandon always said was good for the soul. I think it’s their way of staying connected to him.
Trisha recounted embarrassing stories from Raleigh, like when I tripped down the stairs at the Museum of Natural Sciences, and I told them about the time I made her laugh so hard she peed in her pants in the middle of Pullen Park.
“Momma, that was so good. Thank you for making dinner for us.”
“My pleasure, honey. I’m just happy to have a full house to feed again.” She smiles and reaches across the table for Gabe’s empty plate.
He stands up and takes it from her. “Let me, Maggie.”
“Yeah, Momma, we’ll clean up. You go relax.”
“Oh, well, all right, if you insist.” She smiles.
“We insist. Go.”
We send my mother and father out of the room and go clean up the mess in the kitchen. When we’re through, I tell Trisha that I need to drive Gabe back to his truck.
“It shouldn’t take long. Charlie’s is only a few miles from here.”
“No need to hurry. I’m heading off to bed anyway. I want to get an early start tomorrow, so I can get back in time for my date with the hockey player.” She presses her lips together over an excited smile.
“What? What date?” I ask, with eager curiosity.
She laughs and shrugs. “I wanted to tell you before, but you’ve had a lot going on.”
“Trisha Marie, I cannot believe you waited until now to tell me this!”
“I was waiting for the right time.” She laughs again. “He asked me out at our last appointment, and I said yes. So, he’s cooking me dinner at his place tomorrow.”
“That’s great, Trish.”
“I really like him. He’s funny and sweet. I think you’ll like him too.”
“I’m sure I will.” I pull her into a hug. “I’m so happy for you. And I’m so glad you came.”
She gives me a quick peck on the cheek and says, “Me too. This has been...well, eye opening, for one.” She laughs. “And so much fun. I love seeing you like this. I’m going to miss you when I leave in the morning, but this is where you belong.”