Page 76 of The Christmas Dash

Chapter 23

Beth

If I had any trepidations about dropping in on Gabe and his mom tonight—and believe me, I did—they’re mostly cured by the face-wide smile stretching between Gabe’s dimples.

How is his face so pretty?

I wonder what it would feel like to have his lips on mine.

Not a helpful thought. I tell myself to look away from his mouth, but it’s like he’s got me in a trance.

Ivy elbows me.

“What?”

Ivy smirks back at me. “I said, we were just in the neighborhood and wanted to stop by to see how Elena was doing, right, Beth?”

“Right. Spread a little joy.” I smile at Gabe, and my face feels like the surface of the sun.

Gabe’s gaze holds mine, and I see the crinkle of his smile reach the lines by his eyes. “You’re good at that.”

My knees wobble.

“Beth, is that you?” Elena calls out from somewhere in the house, snipping the invisible thread of tension stretching between Gabe and me. “Give me a sec!”

“No, Mom.” Gabe spins. “Stay put. We’ll come to you.” He turns back to us. “Come on in. Unless you have somewhere else you need to be?”

He shifts his gaze from Jack to Ivy and settles it on me.

“No way, man.” Jack steps forward. “We came to see you.”

“I’m honored.” Gabe grins. “Can I take your coats?”

Jack helps Ivy out of her peacoat, and Gabe guides my arm out of the sleeve of my parka. His fingers brush along my back, sending shivers ring-ting-tingling down my spine and a pleasant warmth pooling in my stomach.

“Thanks,” I murmur, taking off my hat and smoothing down my hair.

I’m not usually a self-conscious person, but this is Gabe—a heartthrob in the country music industry, famous and rich and so, so dreamy. Even though he may not admit it, a million and one different women would be on his arm in less than two seconds if he said one word.

I finally meet his gaze and stand a little straighter because Gabe is looking at me right now like I’m both a map and a destination. He’s poring over me, and he wants to be where I am.

This is Gabe. My Gabe. Who said he missed me and couldn’t stop thinking about me.

“Where are you guys?” Elena calls out.

“Does she know about . . . us?” I whisper.

Gabe winces, wearing the same guilty look I know all too well from our sophomore year of college when he’d show up to the one class we had together—Big Bands or, as the student body called it, Clap for Credit—with bloodshot eyes and an extra-large thermos of coffee.

“Stayed up too late watching YouTube videos again, didn’t you?” I’d tease him.

He’d look back at me all grimacing and sheepish.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I say now, heading to face Elena. I’ve always wanted her approval, but now even more so.

“Elena, how’re you feeling?” I bend to give Gabe’s mom a hug. Ivy and Jack do the same and seat themselves on the small love seat.

“I’ll live,” Elena gripes. “Mostly annoyed by this immobility. But it’s giving me great empathy for people who deal with things like this all the time.” She darts a glance between Gabe and me and then over to Jack and Ivy. “You guys should stay and eat with us. We’ve got pizza on the way.”