Well shit again. She could be as young as nineteen. Really wanting to know when she graduated from high school, I decide to ask that later so it doesn’t look like I’m interrogating her.
“Gabby!” Lilly yells again. I feel two hands grab my arm and I look over to her and see she’s out of breath.
I know she’s going to want the scoop on Chelsea so I look over at Lilly and say, “Lilly, this is Chelsea, Tony’s date.”
“Gabby, not now,” she spits, breathing hard. “I’ve got to talk to you.”
Ignoring Lilly again, I go on with my snark. “She’s a sophomore in college, but she hasn’t decided on a major yet.”
“Gabby!” Lilly semi yells in my face.
But before I have time to say anything else r or act like a snarky bitch to get back at Tony for announcing that Jude is my live-in boyfriend, I hear a different voice, a familiar voice. “Gabby?”
I turn to stone. Looking straight into Lilly’s eyes, hers get as big as mine feel, communicating the whole story to me.
James is here and she was trying to warn me but this is what I get for being a snarky bitch to sweet, young Chelsea. Yes, this is exactly what she is saying to me through her eyes.
But it’s not me who responds, it’s my Uncle Nic, who says in an unwelcoming tone, “James? What in the hell are you doing here?”
I close my eyes instantly as I feel Jude’s hand on my forearm that he gently slides up my arm to my shoulder. His touch gentle but significant. Opening my eyes and giving Lilly a look that hopefully communicates that I cannot effing believe this is happening, I let Jude turn me as he smoothly folds me into him, my front to his side with his arm around my shoulders holding me tight.
This’s when I see him.
James.
My one year and three-month selfish, asshole boyfriend who broke up with me right after my parents died because I was too high maintenance. He’s pretty tall, though not as tall as Jude, but somehow seeing him now standing in front of us, I realize how much smaller he is. And that’s because there is no bulk to him at all. I wouldn’t call him scrawny, but definitely skinny—really skinny. Skinnier than I remember, especially standing next to Jude.
I really don’t know what to say, I haven’t seen him once since we broke up, but that could be because I haven’t put myself out there, either. I simply greet him with a cool, “James.”
“Gabby,” he repeats while taking in some air. “It’s good to see you. You look good. How are you?”
What the hell? He wants to know how I am? All Carpino eyes are on us and Jude’s arm tightens around my shoulders at his you look good comment. But before I can answer, Jude chimes, “She’s great. I should know.”
Oh no.
James’s eyes go directly to Jude and narrow on him. “And you are?”
“Jude Ortiz, Gabby’s man,” Jude bites out.
“Jude.” I try and calm him.
“You’re Gabby’s man?” James asks for clarification.
“Yep,” Jude clarifies, but James’ eyes come back to me.
“I’m gonna ask again, what are you doing here?” Nic chimes.
“My accounting firm bought a table,” James answers but doesn’t look away from me.
“Maybe you should go and find that table,” Jude returns.
James looks back to Jude. “Maybe,” he enunciates, “but I’d like to catch up with Gabby first.”
“Oh, really, there’s nothing to catch up on. Everything’s the same,” I say in the fakest happy voice I can muster.
James looks back to me and I can see but also feel his eyes raking over my hair, dress, legs and finally back up to my face.
“No, I think things have changed,” James mutters.
This is when I feel Jude turn to stone against my body.
Oh no, again.
I can’t see it, but I can feel the Jude Fury setting in. Okay, it’s time to bring this scene to an end.
“Well, then. Thanks for coming over to say hi,” I say, trying to wrap this up. “It was … um … you look like you’re doing well, James. That’s good. Good for you. Maybe I’ll see you around. Or not. It has been almost four years.”
“Yeah, it has been almost four years. You seem different, Gabby,” he braves.
“She’s saying goodbye so you’ll leave,” Jude says, getting my point across much better than I did.
I snake my arm behind Jude and fit myself closer to make a point but also just because it feels good. That’s when James looks at Jude, back to me and then at us both together.
“Okay, Gabby, maybe I’ll see you around.” He looks at me a beat, I raise my eyebrows giving him a fake smile before he turns to leave.
The Carpino Clan at least gives him enough time to get out of earshot before starting up the Carpino Incinerator. My Uncle Gino starts, “That ass has a lot of nerve trying to talk to you in front of all of us.”
“He’s got some balls approaching Gabby after what he did,” Tony adds, now on my side again.
“But did you see his face?” Paige exclaims, the only happy one in our clan over what just happened. “That. Was. Awesome! With Jude telling him he’s your man and all. Jude, you’re way hotter. It makes me so happy that Gabby got caught in that raid with the gun smuggling people. We always hated James. Crazy as it was, I’d pay to see that again. That made my night. Priceless!”
As I glare at Paige, my Uncle Tony says, “Paige, sweetheart, you couldn’t afford to pay to see that again. It’s time for you to get a real job.”
“Dad,” she yells back, not finding his comment priceless. The rest of my family just shake their heads, as we are all accustom to Paige. She has her own brand of crazy.
Jude softly gives my shoulders a squeeze. “You okay?”
Letting the tension go, I smile up at him only to realize that yes, I am more than okay. “I’m fine.” I look at the rest of my family and go on. “Really, everyone. I’m good.”
I can see my tense family barely begin to relax—other than Paige who seemed to love the entire exchange—and sweet Sophia saves me by saying, “Welp, everything looks amazing, Gabby. You did a great job. Sorry I wasn’t up to helping. Two more weeks with this one. I feel like a blimp.” She leans against Lanny as he takes her weight with an arm around her while she rubs her big, preggo belly.
“Thanks.” Looking up at my family I say, “I need a drink. Who wants a drink?”
“Come on, I’ll take you to the bar,” Jude says and he takes my hand pulling me through my family.
As we walk through my clan, Pop puts his hand up to Jude’s shoulder stopping our progress. Keeping his hand on Jude’s shoulder he looks up at Jude for more than a beat, then with his other hand slaps him on the back giving him a little shake. Then, one more slap on the back and Pop moves to walk away.
I look up at Jude, grin at him. “I think you’ve just been given approval by the king.”
Jude leans down and kisses my head, saying quietly, “I’m glad.”
Then we go in search of a much-needed drink.
Paige is swinging Gabby around the dance floor and Tia is trying to get in on the fun. They are all laughing their asses off. Gabby’s not as drunk as she was that night with her friends, but she’s getting close to it. She’s drinking something called a Salty Dog, which I’m pretty sure is just grapefruit juice and vodka with a salted rim.