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“Or go downtown? We can get that really good mac and cheese they have. Dad never wants to go. Says it’s too much trouble to go down there. But I bet if you want some, he’ll take us.” Aurora side-eyes her father and then smiles at me.
“If he says it’s okay, I’m down for that. Or we could get a ride down there and let your dad rest. We’ll figure it out. I don’t want to stress your dad too much while I’m here. He still has OTA’s you know.”
“Trust me. I know. The early mornings have him cranky as—” Gin stops mid-sentence and stuffs another bite of pancake in her mouth.
“Excuse you.” Gabe raises a brow.
“They’d have me cranky too.” I pile pancakes on my plate.
“You better hurry up, Gin, or you’re going to miss the bus. I don’t have time to drive you this morning.”
“Aurora could drive me.”
“I don’t have a rental. It was too late at the airport last night.”
“Oh.” She frowns and then stands, shoving her chair back. “Okay well, I’ll see you when I get home?”
“See you then.” I lift a piece of pancake in her direction. “And you can tell me all about how you aced that test.”
“I hope!” she calls and then runs off to grab the rest of her things.
She hustles her way out the door a couple of minutes later, tossing a goodbye over her shoulder before it slams shut behind her. I look at Gabe, and he just shrugs.
“Does she have a boyfriend yet?”
“Don’t joke.”
“It’s only a matter of time. I had my first one when I was her age.”
“Yeah well… I’m going to live in denial for as long as I can on that front.”
“Just trying to prepare you.” I smirk and then pour a generous helping of creamer and sugar into my coffee.
“I appreciate it.”
“I appreciate these pancakes. They are amazing you know.”
“Figured you might need them after yesterday.” He offers a small smile.
“Thank you again for letting me stay. I’m just going to keep saying that and reminding you how grateful I am and maybe you won’t hate me for waking you up in the middle of the night?”
“I never hate you. If you need to get away, our place is always here for you. But you need to explain what David did. I can’t imagine him doing anything wrong.”
“He didn’t do anything wrong, and maybe that’s the problem. Or rather… I do everything wrong, and I’m the problem.” I eat another bite, loving the way the chips melt perfectly on my tongue and take another swig of coffee to wash all the sugar down. I need the sugar rush and the caffeine. Something to make me feel alive again after I stayed up most of the night worrying about everyone hating me. Being a runaway bride once was a sensation. Being a runaway bride twice made you a problem. A big one. One that ruins lives and vacations and family friendships according to my mother who had yelled at me on the drive over here from the airport.
“Well if it didn’t feel right… Are you sure though? Everyone gets cold feet.”
“How would you know?” I glance at him. Gabe had never been married. Gin’s mom had been a very short-term girlfriend who broke things off before she had the baby and ran the second she dumped Gin in his arms. It had left such an impression on him that he hasn’t had a long-term girlfriend since. He barely dates as far as I know. He always says Gin and football take too much time, but I think having his heart broken so thoroughly was a piece of that puzzle too.
“I have enough friends getting married right now to know. Even the ones who are obsessed with each other have a little panic moment on occasion. Are they making the right decision? Is he the right guy? Will she hate him when football is done? Am I good enough for her? I hear them worrying about it. I’m sure it’s universal.”
“This isn’t just cold feet. The second I told him I wasn’t going to make the wedding; I felt a massive amount of relief. Like I’d finally been set free from a huge weight that was around my neck.”
“Well…” Gabe stares down at his coffee.
“Don’t tell me you’re judging me.”
“No. I’d never do that.”
