My December Darling

9. Luke

9

LUKE

I fucked up. That much becomes clear after Catalina pulled away from me on the rooftop and threw her walls up higher than ever before.

I told myself I’d give her space but after seeing her crying, but I go against my better judgment and text her after my shift, needing to check if she is doing okay. Unlike all my other messages, she doesn’t answer this one, which makes me feel worse.

I shouldn’t have touched her the way I had. It was a bold move given our situation, but I couldn’t resist wanting to comfort her, and look where that got me.

I’m not sure how to best navigate the situation, so I turn to Aiden for advice, only for him to involve Gaby, who happens to be hanging out in our apartment, helping pack up some of his belongings.

“What do he mean you’re interested in my sister?” She shoots Aiden a pointed look after he stated the obvious a moment before.

Aiden salutes me from behind her back. Good luck , he mouths.

Bastard . “I like her.”

“Since when?”

“It’s a rather new development.”

My soon-to-be ex-best friend snorts, and I’m tempted to smack him on the side of his head.

Gaby plants her hands on her hips. “So it’s nothing serious then.”

“I never said that.”

“As your best friend’s future wife, I deserve to know what your intentions are with my sister.”

“I’m not sure that’s how it works.”

She throws her arms up. “Luke!”

“What?”

“Stop being cryptic!”

“All right, fine. Yes, I’m interested in Catalina, and I already talked to Aiden about it, so it shouldn’t be an issue, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

She curses under her breath.

“What?” I ask as my stomach drops.

“You should’ve spoken to me too.”

“Why?”

Her gaze drops. “Because I just had a whole conversation with her about why she should stay away from you.”

“Why would you do that?” Horror bleeds into my voice.

“Because I didn’t think you seriously liked her!”

“Well, thanks for checking in with me before giving her another reason to stay away.”

Gaby winces. “Sorry. Aiden hadn’t talked to me about your conversation yet, and I panicked after the gingerbread house thing. I feel like I’m just starting to get my sister back, and I’m worried that she would go back to avoiding me if you two…you know…”

“Got together?”

“Yes,” she says with a groan.

“I’m not the kind of person that casually hooks up with people.”

She avoids eye contact. “Yes, but Cata isn’t like you.”

I take a deep breath. “Noted.” I’m not about to hold Catalina’s history against her, so it doesn’t matter.

“But she isn’t completely against relationships.” Aiden offers, as if I needed a reminder of the last person she seriously dated.

Gaby pinches the bridge of her nose. “This is a mess.”

“I’d say.” I collapse onto the couch.

Gaby starts pacing the length of our living room. “If I had known you actually were interested in my sister?—”

“You didn’t exactly give me a chance to talk to you about it first.”

“I’m sorry.” She drops onto the sectional piece parallel to me.

“What am I supposed to do now?”

It takes Gaby a minute to speak up again. “I think I have an idea.”

I beckon her to continue.

“My sister requires a certain kind of handling.”

“Is she a package or a person?”

Gaby glares.

“Okay, okay. I’m listening.”

She rubs her chin. “If you come off too strong, you’ll scare her away for good.”

“A little too late for that,” Aiden whispers under his breath for all of us to hear.

I flip him off before asking, “What do you suggest?”

“Tell me what you have in mind first.”

“Well, before this chat, I bought the Galactic Command Base LEGO set and planned on inviting her over to build it.”

Both of their jaws drop.

“Is that a bad idea?”

“You bought a seven-hundred-dollar LEGO set for a first date?”

I rub the back of my neck. “Well, I wasn’t going to tell her it’s a date.”

Aiden and Gabriela share a look.

“What?”

Aiden speaks first. “If you’re inviting her over to your apartment to build a LEGO set together, then it’s a date.”

“Do you think she’ll see it that way?”

Gaby looks up at the ceiling and mutters for help. “Yes.”

“What are my chances of her agreeing?”

“Before the conversation I had with her? Maybe twenty percent.”

“And now?”

She makes a face.

I drop my head back against the couch. “Fuck me.”

Gaby frowns. “Let me help you. Please?”

Aiden nods aggressively behind her. Yes , he mouths. Say yes.

“Sure.”

Gaby’s smile returns at full force. “Okay. But first I need to know when the set is being delivered.”

I check my phone. “Tomorrow.” Along with the espresso machine I plan on installing before my next shift.

“Perfect.” Her smile is borderline concerning, but once she tells me her plan, I find myself wearing a similar expression.

“I’ll talk to my sister and do some damage control, and Aiden will help you with the rest.” Gaby rubs her hands together like an evil villain.

Looks like my odds of Catalina agreeing to come over just got a whole lot higher because with Gaby and Aiden helping me, she doesn’t stand a chance of resisting.