The Hidden (The Hidden Trilogy) (21 page)

Damn it, Beth…

My mouth parted as if to speak, but nothing came out. I swallowed again. “Because it shouldn’t matter. We’re just friends.”

“You didn’t have this
boyfriend
when we met,” he said, practically spitting the word. “It’s a fairly recent thing, is it not?”

My hands balled into fists under the table. I didn’t know where he was going with this, but I didn’t like it. “Yeah, so?”

He met my stare head-on. “
So
, isn’t that the type of thing you tell a friend?”

Jesus,
where
was all this animosity coming from? Normally Gabriel was relaxed and easy to be around. It was like someone flipped a switch in him, and I couldn’t understand why he’d be mad at
me
, of all people.

The waiter returned with another scotch and Gabriel downed it in one gulp, nearly slamming the glass on the table when he was done. The waiter’s eyes widened before he turned and left almost as quickly as he’d come.

I glanced around to the other patrons, glad to see no one really seemed to be paying us attention. “
What is your problem?
” I hissed under my breath.

His eyes were hard as he stared me down, but they weren’t cold. There was a heat to them, and something else. He almost looked…pained. “You’re dating him, aren’t you? That asshole you were telling me about.”

Oh…
that
. I’d totally forgotten I complained to him about Thomas. I lowered my eyes briefly, smoothing out the napkin in my lap.

“Goddamn it, Em.” He leaned back in his chair, shaking his head until he looked away, like he couldn’t stand the sight of me anymore. “What did I say, hmm? What did I tell you was the
one thing
he wanted?”

“It’s not like that. He hasn’t even–” My skin blazed at what I almost let slip.
Why
was I letting Gabriel get to me? It didn’t matter what he thought.
I
knew the truth, and that was all that mattered.

I threw my napkin down on the table and pushed out my chair to stand. “I’m done with this.”

He grabbed my wrist, the look in his eyes fierce. “Well, I’m not. So sit.”

Oh,
hell
to the fucking no.

“
Get. Off
.” I tried to pull away, but he had an iron grip on me. My eyes darted around the restaurant, taking note of people starting to stare.

He stood up quickly, blocking me from the view of the other patrons. Moving his body close to mine, he brought his mouth to my ear and released his hold on me. “Don’t think for a second that I won’t cause a scene if you try to run. Now
sit
.”

My hands had clenched so tight that my nails dug into my palms. I pulled my head back and looked up at him, sticking my chin out defiantly. “Don’t think for a second that
I
won’t cause a scene if you don’t get out of my way. Now 
move
.” I didn’t respond well to bullying, and I sure as hell didn’t respond well to threats. Gabriel would have to drag me back to that seat kicking and screaming if he wanted me there so fucking bad.

We glared at each other for several seconds, neither one of us backing down. He finally scowled and looked away, muttering, “Goddamn it,” under his breath. There was a renewed determination to him as he met my eyes. “What do I have to do to get you to stay?”

I crossed my arms, my chin still jutting out. “Ask me–
nicely
. Then apologize.”

He exhaled sharply, and I
just knew
he wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn’t. “I’m sorry I grabbed you, and I’m sorry I yelled at you. I just… I don’t want to see you get hurt.” He frowned, his face clouding over with something I couldn’t pinpoint. It was only there for the briefest second before vanishing. “Please, Emily, will you sit down and talk to me?” His voice was much softer–barely above a whisper–as his big green eyes pled with me, his face completely earnest.

Son of a bitch,
how
did he do that? A minute ago, I’d been ready to throttle him, and now–with one look and some soft words–I was actually contemplating staying. Damn him and his odd charisma.

“You better be glad that I believe you’re genuinely concerned for my well-being. Even if you went about showing it like an
ass
.” I brushed past him and sat down. 

He resumed his seat opposite me, carefully eyeing nearby customers before resting his gaze on me. “I’m not good with
this
,” he mumbled, gesturing between us. “I’m still learning how to be your friend, so you’ll have to cut me some slack.”

Leaning back in my chair, I nodded and re-crossed my arms, putting my “wall” back up. I might be staying, but I was still pissed, damn it. “You also need to learn that who I date is none of your business. You don’t hear me saying anything about
your
girlfriends.”

Gabriel scowled as he turned his empty glass around on the table, keeping his eyes down. “I don’t have girlfriends, I have sex.”

His words triggered a mental image of him in the act, and my skin burned as I shifted in my seat. “Whatever.” I cleared my throat. “My point is, I don’t get involved in your affairs, so stay out of mine.”

He looked up with hard eyes. “You’re right. It’s none of my business who you fuck.”

My jaw clenched. He was just being vulgar to get under my skin. I was mad that it’d
worked
. “I know what you’re doing. Stop it.”

He dropped his head and groaned, resting it on the table. “That was a dick move… I’m sorry.”

I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “I was wrong about him, okay? He’s not an asshole.”

Gabriel lifted his head and stared at me, unmoved by my claims.

I sighed, wishing I’d never said anything to Gabriel about Thomas in the first place. “Do you really think I’d be with someone who didn’t treat me well?”

He frowned, his expression turning into petulance. “No…” He shook his head, almost to himself. “I still don’t like it, Em.”

I laughed at his ridiculous reaction–at the whole
ridiculousness
of the situation–and shrugged. “Too bad.” I picked up the menu and opened it, peering at Gabriel over the top. “So, what’s good here?”

*          *          *

The front door slammed behind me as I threw my purse down. Beth popped her head up over the back of the couch.

“
Dude
. What the hell?”

She arched a brow, looking at me like I’d lost my mind. “What?”

I stalked around the couch and sat down. “What did you say to Gabriel after I went inside?”

“Oh.” She sat up, tossing her textbook on the coffee table. “I just asked him what was going on between you two, and–”

“Oh my god,
why
?” I dropped my head and covered my face. My whole body burned with humiliation knowing that Gabriel had been subjected to that awkward conversation.

“Because it looks bad, Em.” Her voice softened as she placed her hand on my shoulder. “You have a boyfriend. You can’t hang out with Gabriel alone.”

I lifted my head. “We’re never
alone
, alone. We always meet someplace public–”

“Like for coffee today?” She gave me a pointed look. “How would
you
feel if Thomas met a beautiful girl for coffee? Oh, and how would you feel if Thomas never told that girl about his girlfriend?”

I pointed my finger at her. “That’s not fair. Today’s the first time I’ve seen Gabriel since Thomas and I started dating. You didn’t even give me a chance to tell him.”

She gave me a reluctant nod. “I’ll give you that one, but what about the rest?”

I bit my lip. “You might have a point.” Shit, I’d never thought about it like that. I didn’t like the thought of Thomas meeting with a girl, even if they were just friends. It made me jealous even in the hypothetical.

Beth rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying you can’t be friends with him, Em. Just…hang out with him in a group. Invite him along the next time we all go out or something.”

I nodded, lost in thought. I tried to picture Gabriel hanging out with our group of friends, with his fancy suits, model-worthy looks, and eighty-thousand dollar car. Call me crazy, but I just couldn’t see it.

“You know nothing’s going on between us, right? We really are just friends.”

She smirked. “Gabriel said the same thing.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Thursday, October 8
th

EMILY

My purse vibrated on the diner’s table, just as I shoveled the last bit of ice cream in my mouth. I pulled it out to see Gabriel calling me.

Balls.

I hadn’t talked to him since he found out about Thomas, and I was
not
looking forward to the conversation we needed to have.

I pushed my seat back, the metal legs squeaking on the tattered linoleum floor, and grabbed my jacket from the empty seat next to me. Beth looked up at me with a mouthful of food, and I held up a finger, gesturing that I’d just be a sec.

I answered and maneuvered through the crowded diner, holding the phone up to my ear as I pushed open the front door. The crisp fall air greeted me like a punch to the face. “Hey,” I said, pulling on my jacket and heading to a bench under the streetlamp.

“Are you ignoring me?” Gabriel asked. He didn’t sound mad, he sounded…amused.

Ignoring, no. Avoiding, yes.

“What?
No
.” I lowered my head at my pathetic attempt at lying.

“Then why haven’t you returned any of my texts or calls?” His amusement quickly faded. He probably realized he wasn’t too far off base with his first question.

“I’ve been busy,” I said, which was actually true.

“Well, let’s meet for coffee. We can catch up.”

I winced, glad he couldn’t see me. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

Several seconds of silence passed before he asked, “Why not?” in a glacial tone.

My voice softened. “You
know
why.” I hugged my jacket tighter, the dusk bringing the cold in with it. 

Damn it, why is this so hard?

His tone was glacial when he spoke. “Where are you?”

“Why?”

“Because I need to see you.”

I closed my eyes, leaning back against the bench. “Gabriel–”

“At the very least, don’t you think I deserve to have this conversation in person?” A car door slammed on his end of the line.

Maybe…probably. “I’m at the diner on third.” I stood and headed back down the sidewalk, to the brightly lit storefront of the diner.

“Be there in five.” He hung up without another word.

I shoved my phone in my jeans pocket, seeing Beth and our group through the windows. Pulling open the door, the warmth that flooded out was too much, and I pulled off my jacket as soon as I sat back down at our table.

“What was that about?” Beth asked me around a mouthful of apple pie.

“Gabriel wants to meet me.” At her disapproving stare, I said, “Relax. It’s only so I can have ‘the talk’ with him.”

She licked her fork and nodded. “I’d offer to come with, but…” She glanced down to her plate and looked up at me apologetically. “
Pie
.”

I nodded and patted her on the arm as I stood, grabbing my purse this time. “S’okay. I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.”

Four minutes and twenty-eight seconds later, Gabriel pulled up in front of the bench I sat on. He climbed out and slammed his door before walking around the front of his car. He looked about five shades beyond pissed.

He sat down next to me, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He stared straight ahead, into the street. His face was a controlled mask of fury. After a minute or so, he said, “So you get a boyfriend and we’re not allowed to be friends anymore.” His jaw clenched, and I practically
saw
the rage simmering just below his surface.

“I didn’t say that,” I murmured. “I just don’t think we should hang out alone.”

He finally turned to face me. “Last time I checked, a crowded café was not
alone
.”

I rolled my eyes, but my voice came out quiet. “You know what I mean.”

“No, I really don’t.”

I looked down to my knee, playing with the hole in my jeans. “It’d be okay if we hung out in a group… Maybe next time I go out with some friends, you could come too?”

“I don’t see how that’s different than meeting someplace public. You’re arguing between a group of strangers and a group of friends.” He threw his hands up in exasperation. “A group is a group, Em.”

I sighed, picking at the frayed pieces of denim sticking out. “It just
is
.” Even to me, it sounded lame.

He stood, his face hard as he looked down at me. “I want to meet him.”

“What?” I was on my feet in a flash, the abrupt change in altitude making me dizzy. “No.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

“Because, it’d be…awkward.”

He smirked. “Why? We’re just friends, aren’t we?” His voice taunted me as something flickered across his face.

I crossed my arms. “It’s not gonna happen, so just forget about it.”

He crossed
his
arms, matching my stance. “Fine, I’ll drop it–
for now
. But I still want to see you.”

I held my hands up in surrender. “I said you could, it’s just gotta be–”

“With your friends. Right. Got it.”

I tried not to roll my eyes at his petulance, when I got an idea. “How ’bout you come over to my place sometime? You, me, and Beth can watch a movie or something.” The
Three’s Company
theme song popped into my head, and I tried not to scowl. Or sing along.

He glared at me. “Super.”

“Whatever,” I huffed. “If you’re gonna be a baby about it, then I’m done talking to you.” I turned and stepped off the curb, seeing the only oncoming car approaching a stop sign.

I hadn’t even gotten halfway across the street when something grabbed my hand, snatching me backward. I let out an
oomph
as I collided face-first with Gabriel’s concrete chest, just as the car–that was
supposed
to have stopped–whizzed past us.