Page 114 of Yours, Finally

"I'll make time." He walked the rest of the way and sat on the couch. I mirrored him. "I've been meaning to talk to you, too. Let me text Lina."

I rubbed my lips as my friend sent the message. "What would you like to talk about?"

I would probably end up asking him to discuss it at another time; my priorities for the night were set. But the least I could do was hear him out first.

Gabe put his phone away and studied me. "I planned to wait until after the party, to be honest, but maybe it's good if you have a warning."

I frowned. "What is it?"

"We can talk about your thing after."

"What's up, Gabe? Give me the warning."

My best friend's nod was slow, like he had concerns about my reaction. Funny, considering I also worried about what his reaction would be to mything.

"I've tried to talk to you about this before." He kept a steady gaze on me. "You've always stopped me. It's the one thing we can't seem to discuss, but after Friday… with that song…"

In the quiet of his office, time stood still. He didn't need to say more for me to figure it out. Gabe and I had known each other since we were eight. By the time we were teenagers, we were brothers. I knew him well enough to understand what he was doing. He had tried before, and I remembered.

"Don't," I said.

"Don't shut me out, Jake. Not this time. I need to ask you again."

"I'm not shutting you out. We're talking about the same thing."

"What?" His deep brown eyes, so much like his sister's, searched mine.

"I need to be the one to tell you this, Gabe, so don't ask me."

He kept his mouth closed, but the tense lines around his mouth showed me how much it cost him.

I gathered up my strength and stared at him. I kept my face open; hell, my heart, too.

"I am in love with Violeta." I said it clearly, enunciating each word. Like he would get confused otherwise. "I have loved her for years."

I held my breath; Gabe continued to watch me closely.

"Say something, Gabe. Even if it's to yell at me—"

"Yell?" He scoffed. "Why the fuck would I yell— Jake."

He got up and took a few steps away, his hands on his temples. I stood as well, ready to face his reaction.

Gabe scoffed again, before turning to me with a grin.

He laughed. "Finally, man! Finally."

I shook my head in confusion. Of all the reactions I had prepared myself for, I had thought this one to be unlikely.

Gabe returned to my side. He put his hands on my arms. "You said years. How long?"

I licked my lip, swiping scenarios away in my head and adjusting to my friend's response. "Since college."

"Took you long enough to admit it, huh?"

He laughed again, and I let myself smile.

"You suspected. I knew that much, because you tried to ask…"