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

Chapter 27

chapter twenty-seven

luna

Ate

Are you at the apartment already?

I’m assuming you’re with Gabe but can you at least let me know you’re okay?

HELLO?

Luna

I’m home!! Things are great

Ate

Great??? I don’t need to know what that means but this is your reminder to always be safe.

Luna

OMG that’s not what I meant!!!!!

It was almost ten when we finished cleaning up. Though I was running on the four hours of sleep I’d gotten on the plane, I felt wide awake. I didn’t want Gabe to leave yet.

More like ever.

No. You are a strong, independent woman. You don’t need a man.

But just because I didn’t need a man didn’t mean I couldn’t want one. This one in particular.

“Thanks again for picking me up,” I said as I wiped my hands on a dishtowel. “And for helping with the food.”

Gabe cocked an eyebrow at me, one corner of his mouth lifting. “Are you kicking me out?”

“Of course not,” I rushed to reassure him. “I just thought it’s late and you had a long day and probably want to rest. I don’t want to keep you if you’re tired.”

“I’m not.”

His intent gaze had me fighting back a shiver of pleasure. “Good, cause I haven’t given you my gift yet.”

I hurried to my suitcase near the sofa and unzipped it.

“I need to grab something from my car,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

“Go ahead.” Best that he didn’t see my messy packing.

While he left, I rummaged through the clothes, food, and random items stuffed inside my bag. I finally found the two gifts and placed them on the table along with the pack of cards that Lonzo gave me.

A knock sounded on the door. I smiled at how that gesture was so Gabe. He knew I expected his return, yet he still knocked instead of simply barging in. None of my friends would have done that.

“Come in,” I called out.

The door opened, and there he was—his hair tousled, the top two buttons of his shirt undone. If circumstances were different, this could have been a sight I’d have every day. Him coming home from work looking a bit less polished than he had at the start of the day, but all the more handsome for it because that side of him would have been just mine.

His gaze fell to me sitting on the floor and his eyebrows rose. He quickly looked away. “Luna, your . . .”

I glanced down and found lacy underwear draped over the side of the bag. “Oh, sorry.” I closed the suitcase and said, “It’s just panties. I’m not even wearing them.”

He gave me a dark look that would have been intimidating if not for the slight flush on his cheeks.

No. Was he actually?—

“New deck?” he asked as he removed his shoes.

“Yeah, from Lonzo.” Before I left Manila, my brother had threatened to take back his gift in case I ended up playing it with “that guy.” I’d pretended that wouldn’t bother me either way but was secretly relieved that he didn’t follow through with it. Instead, he’d hugged me extra tight and reminded me to be careful.

I didn’t tell him it was too late—I was already all in with this man, regardless of the risks.

Blinking out of the memory, I said to Gabe, “Rematch?”

He grinned. “I seem to remember you promising to beat me.” Then he sat on the floor across me, and my heart nearly exploded.

“I did, didn’t I?” My words came out breathless, but I couldn’t bring myself to care because he was staying. “Open your gifts first.” I handed him two wrapped packages, enjoying how he almost squirmed as he received them.

“You didn’t?—”

I huffed out a laugh. So predictable of him.

He shut his mouth, then said, “Thank you.”

“Better. You’re welcome.”

He opened the long, flat box, taking care not to tear the wrapping. “Chocolate mangoes?”

“Yeah, you already tried dried mangoes, so I got you something different. These are coated with dark chocolate, and they’re really good. Plus, I don’t think you can find these here.”

“Thanks, Luna.” He ran his palms across the top of the box. “I’ll have it for dessert tomorrow.”

“Open the second one.”

He did as I said, looking confused upon unboxing it. “Is this a musical instrument?”

“They’re wind chimes. In feng shui, you’re supposed to hang them in the northwest part of your house for good luck. But honestly, I got them so you’d have a bit of noise at your place.” I grinned so he’d know I was teasing him. “And they’re really pretty.”

“Is this your subtle way of saying my house is boring?”

“Of course not! I’m just suggesting you add an element of surprise to it.” Now that I said it out loud, it felt stupid. The total opposite of his thoughtful present. I shrugged off my embarrassment. “Or don’t. It’s really up to you.”

He held it up and listened as the metal and wood cylinders tinkled gently. His smile looked genuine. “It’s not something I would have chosen, but that’s a good thing. Thank you, Luna.”

“You’re welcome.” Part of me didn’t think he would use it, but I would have no way of knowing for sure. Not unless he invited me back to his home or I ambushed him again.

Carefully, Gabe laid the chimes back in the box and put it beside him. Then he brought out a smaller, thinner box from his pocket. Without fanfare, he handed it to me.

I narrowed my eyes at him even as my heart pounded. “What is this?”

“Try opening it.”

“You already got me a gift.”

“Think of it as pasalubong.”

“It better be chocolates,” I said, though they obviously weren’t. Picking off the tape, I lifted the lid. A gold crescent moon pendant and its fine-linked chain glinted against a satin blue cushion. My breath caught. “Gabe.”

“I saw it in Miami and it reminded me of you.”

“Because of the moon.”

He considered me for a moment. “We have this saying in the investment industry—to the moon.”

I’d heard that phrase in a song, but I doubted it meant the same thing. “Like going the distance?”

“It’s when a currency shoots up beyond projections. When it exceeds expectations and blows everyone away,” he said. “That’s why I got this for you. Not just because of your name.”

Just when I thought I couldn’t fall deeper for this man, he went and said things like that . It almost made me believe he could actually feel for me what I did for him. “Thank you,” I murmured, fighting the overwhelming urge to kiss him. “It’s beautiful.”

He scraped a hand through his hair. “You can wear it in water. It won’t tarnish.”

“Now I feel kind of silly with my chocolate mangoes.” I traced the smooth curve of the moon.

“Don’t. I’m grateful that you thought of me.”

If he only knew how often I did. “I really hope you enjoy them.”

“I will.” He nodded at the box in my hand. “Do you want to try it on?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m scared of damaging it.” I laughed as I picked up the pendant, trying not to tug on the chain. I put it around my neck and fumbled with the clasp.

Gabe moved closer. “Let me.”

Heartbeat pounding in my ears, I turned my back to him and lifted my braid out of the way. His fingers barely skimmed my nape, yet my skin broke out in goosebumps and heat bloomed low in my stomach. I held my breath as he closed the necklace’s clasp with more dexterity than I expected.

“There.” He moved away, and I missed the warmth he took with him.

I faced him and stared at the crescent on my chest. It was a good thing it was water resistant because I never wanted to take it off.

“It suits you.” His voice came out lower than usual.

Looking up at him, I caught his gaze flicking from the pendant to my lips. “Gabe,” I whispered, leaning toward him.

He checked his watch. “I didn’t realize how late it was,” he said. “I should go. You had a long trip.”

His withdrawal didn’t hurt any less for its familiarity. My chest sank but I smiled and pretended nothing was wrong. “So did you. All that driving.”

“We both need to rest.”

If I were brave enough to risk rejection, I would have suggested he just rest here on the sofa.

The sofa, Luna? You’d offer up your bed and find a way to keep him there forever.

Glad to know my brain believed I was some obsessive psychopath. I got up in a rush, hoping it would stop me from saying too much. “Thanks again for . . .” For picking me up. For the flowers. For helping me cook. For the necklace. For the words. For being here . “For everything.”

He stood with the mangoes and chimes in hand. “Thank you too.” He gave me that half smile I loved. “For everything. Rain check on pusoy?”

I nodded.

Then I figured to hell with it. I stepped close to him for a hug, and he hesitated for the slightest second before wrapping his arms around me. The boxes nudged my back where he still held them, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was Gabe was here, and he was holding me. Not only that, he was letting me hold him too. The world could have crashed and burned around us and I wouldn’t have noticed.

Forget about reaching the moon—he’d launched me clear over it. And I never wanted to come back down.