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

Chapter 37

chapter thirty-seven

gabe

Gabe

Are you free to talk?

Tala

Give me 30 mins.

How long could someone stare at a piece of glass?

It had gotten to the point that I could probably recreate it in my head, edges, glints, and all. I’d known that string of numbers etched on it since I was a child—that endless sequence that followed no logic yet influenced so many computations. It was a reminder that some things would always be beyond my understanding.

It was also a reminder that the lack of absolute certainty shouldn’t stop me from pursuing what truly mattered.

After two years, I finally took down the rocks glass from my shelf. One wash and two fingers of cachaca later, I sat in my armchair and remembered the night Luna had given it to me. She’d been both proud that she’d bought it with her own money and seemingly ashamed that it was all she could afford. Knowing her as I did now, I recognized how it stemmed from her seeing herself as less than—less than capable, less than her sister. And I had helped perpetuate that misbelief.

Another memory came to me—the car ride with Tala to pick up Luna at the airport that very first day. I remembered Tala checking her phone repeatedly and my annoyance mounting each time she did.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked her.

“About what?”

“Your sister.”

“Gabe. She’s almost here. Are you asking me if I’m considering sending my sister back home?” Her stare drilled into me.

“Not sending her home, but getting her into a dorm, maybe? You’re giving up your space for her.”

“I’m not giving it up—I’m sharing it with her.” Tala sighed. “Look, I know Luna being my family doesn’t mean you’ll care about her, too, but I hope you’ll give her a chance. Who knows, you might even like her.”

A strange sense of foreboding filled me then, as though my instincts recognized my life would change with Luna’s arrival. I couldn’t have known how right they’d been or the magnitude of the impact she’d have on me.

My phone rang, and I answered right away. “Tala.”

“Hey, we just finished lunch,” she said. “What’s up?”

“Where’s Jason?”

“He’s checking on something, but he’ll say hi in a bit. Now stop putting it off and tell me why you wanted to talk.”

“Can’t a man check in on his best friend from time to time?” Yes, I was stalling, but I had no experience with these types of conversations.

“Of course he can. But this particular guy prefers to check in via text, not a random phone call.”

I decided to just get on with it. “It’s Luna. I’m?—”

Tala screeched. It was a sound I’d never heard from her before. “I knew it! Finally!”

I frowned, annoyed that she’d interrupted the speech I’d been practicing. “I haven’t said anything yet.”

“Your tone says it all. And honestly, when Luna told me you went to her party, I knew that was it.”

“Don’t sound so smug,” I grumbled.

“I love being right, especially when it comes to two people I care about.”

My brain bombarded me with memories of each of my parents telling me they had to leave and Inez telling me I couldn’t give her what she needed. “I know I don’t have the best track record with relationships”—more like none—“but I promise?—”

“Gabe, this is me. I know you’ll treat Luna right.”

Her certainty humbled me. “I wish I could be sure.”

“None of us know for sure how things will turn out. All we can do is try our best and choose each other every day. Also, talk to Luna. Don’t try to control the situation because that’s not how relationships work. Trust me,” she said drily.

“I do.” Though we didn’t talk often, she’d told me enough about her struggles with Jason, especially when they had to maintain a long-distance relationship for almost a year. I couldn’t imagine going through that with Luna.

“You okay there?”

I took a long sip of liquid courage to aid me in the second part of my talking points for this call. “Tala . . . I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate our friendship. You’ve been a lifeline for me, especially during those first years.” I heard her inhale but carried on before I lost steam. “I never want to jeopardize what we have.”

“Gabe! Can you give a girl a heads-up before you go all sentimental?” Her voice sounded rougher than usual. She gave a shaky laugh. “Why does it sound like you’re breaking up with me or something?”

In a way, our friendship had changed long before this talk. I just refused to acknowledge that until now. “You are my longest relationship.”

“Only because you keep blocking out your dad.”

I rubbed my neck. That would need to be tabled for another day. “I had many reasons to keep Luna at arm’s distance. But she’s . . .” Amazing. Beautiful. Unforgettable.

None of the words seemed to encompass all that Luna was.

“Sticky.”

“ Sticky ?” Tala burst out laughing. “I hope you work on your compliments, Gabe, because sticky is not going to cut it.”

“Damn it.” I ran a palm down my face and realized I was sweating. “You’re enjoying this.”

“You bet I am. The unruffled Professor Martins, so . . . ruffled.” Her laughter rang in my ear for a solid minute.

“Nice to know my best friend is enjoying my misery,” I said when I could get a word in.

“You know I love you.” She seemed to pull herself together. “There’s no better guy I could think of for Luna. You just have some baggage, which I hope you’re working on.”

“I am. Actually, I was wondering how Jason dealt with his career shift last year.”

She gasped. “Does this mean what I think it means?” Without waiting for me to answer, she shouted, “Jase! Can you come here real quick?”

I heard the muted thump of feet, then Jason’s voice came in the background. “What’s up?” he asked.

The audio seemed to echo, like Tala had put me on speakerphone. “Guess who’s finally moving on from the denial stage?” she said.

“You say that like you weren’t in denial about me for the longest time,” Jason replied. “Hi, Gabe.”

“Jason.” I smothered a laugh, knowing Tala wouldn’t let his comment pass.

“Remind me again, who ghosted me for six years?” she drawled.

Jason’s answer came without hesitation. “A sorry boy who didn’t realize he almost lost the best thing in his life.”

“Right.”

“I love you, dance girl,” he said solemnly.

“Uh huh. Like I was saying, Gabe is finally ready to put his heart on the line for the love of his life,” Tala declared, as though daring me to contradict her words. When I stayed quiet, she continued, “He was asking how it was for you when you gave up your basketball career.”

“Ahh. First off, congrats, man,” Jason told me.

I rubbed the back of my neck. “It’s too soon for that.”

“You’re talking to us—that’s a huge step,” he said. “But yeah, about the career switch . . . It helped that I wasn’t giving up basketball just for Tala. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted more time with her and that definitely influenced my decision. But I also figured that I didn’t love my job anyway. Why stay when I had the chance to get the girl and the career I really wanted?”

I nodded as I took in his words, then I realized they couldn’t see my reaction. “That makes sense.”

“Are you considering quitting your job at Sterling U?” Jason asked.

“And my doctorate.”

“Oh.”

“There’s no point continuing one without the other.”

“I can see why.” He paused for a second and said, “Did you want to ask me anything else?”

“Don’t rush him,” Tala murmured.

I spoke up. “Actually, no. I know everything I need to know.”

“Really?” she asked in disbelief.

“That was quick.” Jason chuckled. “For what it’s worth, the hardest part was telling my coach and teammates.”

“Don’t forget your mom,” Tala added.

“Oh, yeah. Her too. Everything after that came easier than I expected. And it was the best decision I’d ever made—next to going after the girl of my dreams, that is.”

“Nice,” Tala told him. “Just cause of that, I forgive you for that line earlier.”

They laughed together, and I joined them.

I’d already made up my mind before I called Tala. Talking to her and Jason only cemented that I wanted this with Luna—this sense of belonging and ease that came when two people trusted each other completely. I needed to work on becoming the man Luna deserved, but I would do whatever it took to be with her.

“Just a heads-up, you’ll have to win Lonzo over,” Tala warned. “And Papa too. Mama will be easier, but the guys are another story.”

“I know.” Convincing them I was the right man for Luna would be a challenge given the distance, but I’d fly to the Philippines if I had to. “Has your dad adjusted to you two living together yet?”

She snorted while Jason simply chuckled. “If by adjusted, you mean him sending me wedding-related articles practically every week, then sure,” she said.

They caught me up on news from Manila then wished me luck with my plans. After we hung up, I finally opened the message I’d gotten from my father hours ago.

Cesar

Can you call when you have time?

I would . . . but first, I needed to prepare myself for that conversation. Anyway, it was almost two a.m. in Rio now, so I could leave that for tomorrow.

I drained my liquor and proceeded with step two.

Scheduling a meeting with Nora.