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She rolls her eyes then returns to her own canvas. I try to suppress the shiver that rolls down my spine, try to remind myself that the goal with Gabi is to be friends again.
Friends. I shake my head and pick up my drink, taking a long pull of the cool beer. We’re going to be friends, and nothing more.
“You alright?”
I turn and look at Gabi, finding her gaze on me, one eyebrow lifted. Nodding, I set my drink down and pick up my brush.
“I’m good. You?”
She watches me for a long moment before she nods as well.
“I’d be better if you’d start holding your brush the way I told you to.”
Smirking, I adjust my grip. “This better?”
“Yeah.”
Then we get back to painting a lake in the mountains at sunset.
“Be honest. Was it way more fun than you expected?”
“Nope. It was just as lame as I thought it would be.”
I bark out a laugh and hold up my canvas. “How can you say anything was lame when it ended with this masterpiece!?”
She leans her head to the side and gives me a placating look. “I’m so sorry. I hadn’t considered your masterpiece in my assessment.”
“Don’t be glib. Would you like me to sign it for you so you can hang it in here somewhere?” I flip it over so I can look at it again then glance around the room, pretending to scout out the appropriate location to display it on the wall. “Your students can see it and admire the other incredible talent you’ve worked with.”
“Glad to see your ego hasn’t gotten any bigger over the years,” she replies, raising an eyebrow. “You might not fit through the door.”
“Ha-ha.”
We make faces at each other then continue moving the pottery wheels back to where they were earlier, the easy playfulness between us both unsurprising and surprising in the best ways. Once we finished painting and all the supplies were cleaned up and the instructor had taken off, Bellamy offered to help Gabi put anything back that she wanted to rearrange. Being the ‘I can do it myself’ type, Gabi—predictably—declined the offer and shooed everyone out as quickly as possible.
Except for me. She didn’t seem as eager to shove me out the door, and when I offered to help with the rearranging, she accepted. Now that we’re about to wrap up, I realize I’m not ready to let the night end.
I glance around, trying to come up with…something, knowing any suggestion will surely be pushing my luck. Then my eyes land on the single six-pack still sitting on the counter. Rusty said it was a thank you for hosting.
“Hey, wanna take the beers up to the roof of the gym?” I ask.
Gabi gives me a look like I’m an idiot.
“Oh, come on. You’re already breaking rules tonight. Why not round out the evening with just a little bit more fun? Like we used to.”
Her lips twist as she considers me.
“You know you want to.”
Sighing, she narrows her eyes and crosses her arms. “Fine. But just one. I had a beer earlier and I still have to drive home.”
On the inside, I give myself a fist bump. On the outside, I nod. “Sweet.”
Ten minutes later, we emerge through the fire exit that opens up onto the roof of the gymnasium. Our feet crunch on the gravel as we cross over to the small ledge we sat on the handful of times we snuck up here when we were in high school.
“I’m surprised they haven’t put a lock on that door,” I say as Gabi pops the caps off two beers then hands one to me.
“They can’t. It’s a fire exit.”
