The Odds of Happily Ever After (The Reyes Siblings #2)

Chapter 20

chapter twenty

luna

Jason

Hey Luna, you have any plans? Can I drop by around 4?

Luna

Hey! Sure, I’m free then

Jason

Cool. I’ll bring D’Angelico’s.

Luna

YAY! See you!!

“Wait, are you serious? You’re moving to the Philippines?” I stared across my dining table at Jason, who came over bearing my favorite pizza and a major announcement. I’d known he was enrolling in a master’s degree in Sterling, but him going for the distance learning option was news to me.

“Yeah.” He grinned. “I have to fly back here a couple of times but for the most part, I’ll be living in Manila. Already found a condo near your family’s house and everything.”

“Oh my God. That’s amazing. And Ate has no idea?”

“She still thinks I’m arriving next week. I want to surprise her at the studio.”

“Good luck trying to fly under the radar.” Not only was Jason a six-foot-four blond hunk of a man, he was also a recently retired NBA player in a country where basketball was the national sport. I could already imagine the uproar he’d create as soon as he landed—and Ate’s reaction. “She’s going to freak.”

“Hopefully in a good way. I’m crossing my fingers she’ll forgive me for keeping a secret from her this time.”

“I’m pretty sure she will.” I shook my head, amazed by Jason’s love for my sister. “Wow, this is really happening. I’m so excited for you guys.”

“Me too. I’ve been counting the seconds till I see her again.”

“I bet. Give her a hug for me, ‘kay?”

“Of course.” His brow furrowed as he regarded me. “You sure you’re okay here?”

“Not you too.” I’d gotten the usual question from my parents just last weekend, like surviving on my own this past year wasn’t enough proof of my ability. “I’ve been living alone for almost a year now, you know.”

“Yeah, but you’ll be busier this semester with your fashion classes.”

“Are you kidding? Those are the ones I’m looking forward to the most.”

“I can understand that.” Leaning forward, he said, “I still think you should have let me cover your tuition.”

Despite his and Gabe’s offers, I’d applied for an international student loan that my advisor recommended and Jason co-signed for. “You’ve already done so much for me and my family. I appreciate the offer but I want to do this for myself. I need to know that I didn’t have to rely on someone else for this too.”

He nodded slowly. “I guess Tala would have done the same thing.”

“Oh, yeah.” My sister had never been good at accepting help, though she had relaxed with that since Jason won her over.

“The offer’s on the table in case you change your mind. Anything you need, just text me.”

Gratitude filled me that he genuinely cared. It was like I’d gained an older brother in Ate’s boyfriend. “Thanks, Jason.”

“I’m glad Gabe’s around though,” he casually said as he grabbed a slice of vegetarian pizza. “And that you two are actually civil now.”

I squinted at him. “Is this your way of trying to get info?”

Jason laughed. “Just stating facts. Don’t worry, I won’t meddle and I’ll remind your sister not to either. Just remember we’re always a text away. Got it?”

“Got it.” Getting my own slice, I held it out to him for a little pizza cheers. “Here’s to your Manila chapter.”

He clinked his slice with mine. “And to your junior year. I have a feeling it’ll be a big one.”

gabe

Dropping my head back, I closed my eyes and exhaled. I was five days into my research, and already I struggled to focus on the articles tabbed on my browser. Why did this feel harder than I remembered?

Harder wasn’t the right word . . . more like tedious.

I gave myself a ten-minute break to grab a drink. A beer would have been nice, but I passed it up for coffee because it was going to be another long night. While sipping my espresso, I scrolled through the headlines and stopped on one entitled “Six Reasons Your Phone Might Be the Dirtiest Thing You Own.”

My mind immediately went to Luna. Before I could question myself, I shared the article with her and smiled as I imagined her reaction.

My grin spread ever wider when my phone rang, announcing Luna’s name on the screen.

“My phone is not dirty,” she said as soon as I answered.

I held back a laugh. “I didn’t say it was. The article said it might be.”

She snorted. “Uh huh. Of course you’d send me an article like that instead of memes or reels.”

“I don’t have social media.” Luckily, I didn’t have to ask what those terms meant. I wasn’t that old or out of touch . . . for the most part.

“I know. It’s a good thing you don’t because it can be super distracting.”

“So I’ve heard.” I’d never had the inclination to create a social media account, so why did I have the urge to create one just so I could see what Luna posted on hers?

“How did you find that article anyway?” She gasped. “Wait, is this your version of procrastinating—reading news articles?”

“I’m taking a break.”

She snickered. “Okay, I totally get that. What’s it like to be back in school? As a student, I mean.”

“I don’t have classes so it’s not the same experience. But I might prefer that over the research.”

“Oh. Would it help if you changed your topic?”

“That would mean I’d have to start from scratch.” My shoulders tightened at the mere idea of it. “It’s alright, I just have to push through with what I started.”

“Any way I can help?”

You already are just by talking to me.

My eyes widened as the thought flickered in my head. I tossed back the rest of my coffee, hoping the caffeine would reboot my brain. “You can tell me what your parents really thought about Jason’s move. I’m not sure your sister wasn’t exaggerating their reaction.”

Laughter sputtered out of Luna, and she launched into a retelling of the day Tala officially introduced Jason to her parents. Before I knew it, my ten-minute break had tripled in length but I didn’t mind. It took Luna pointing out the time for me to reluctantly say good night.

Then I spent the next ten minutes looking up her Instagram account—which was private, unlike Tala’s—and debating whether or not I should finally create my own.

One month later . . .

luna

I stared at my phone, then blinked multiple times to clear my vision.

The notification was still there: gmartins requested to follow you.

Clicking his profile showed me he was following two news accounts and two people: Tala Reyes and Jason Meyer.

Guess that made me lucky number five.

My heart pounded as I dialed his number. When he picked up, I blurted out, “You made an Instagram account?”

There was silence, and Gabe said, “I thought I’d get the full student experience.”

I burst into laughter. “Okay, for a second, I thought someone was impersonating you.” Putting him on speaker, I went back to the app and accepted his request. “I wonder what you’ll post. Finance tips? Your drink of the day?”

“Nothing. I’m just testing it as an alternative to my news aggregator.”

“Uh huh.” I rolled my eyes because only he would make social media sound so not social. “Well, I’m warning you in advance that my posts will mess up your feed.”

It struck me then that Gabe was actually going to see my photos. I didn’t post often, but when I did, it was random things I found interesting. A painted doorway with flowers, unique patterns, a vintage outfit I spotted while window shopping. Then there were a few shots with friends.

I tried not to overthink my posts but now that Gabe would see them . . .

“I wouldn’t mind,” he said.

Giddy energy radiated through me. Clearing my throat, I tried to sound casual. “I bet I can get you to start posting too.”

“If anyone could, it’s you.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I held back a squeal.

This guy was killing me, and I was living for the thrill of it.

gabe

Lying on my desk next to a glass of water, my phone lit up with multiple notifications, and it took my full determination to continue typing out my paragraph.

I had worked through distractions before. I could do it again.

When I completed the section, I rewarded myself with a quick phone check. Luna had sent me three reels, allabout men’s style trends through the years.

I wanted to call her, but it seemed excessive. So I settled for replying instead.

Gabe

I thought you were studying for your test.

Luna

I am! It’s about fashion history so this counts as research haha

Gabe

Fair. Can I send you my version of research?

Luna

As long as you’re ready to explain it to me too

I caught myself smiling, which was my cue to tell her I needed to go back to work.

Truth was, I would take explaining my dissertation over actually writing it—but only if that conversation occurred with Luna.

And that was not part of the plan.