Unexpected

Chapter 14

GABRIEL

As I drive to Jude's, a small family-owned bar my parents have been going to for ages, I can't help but notice how fast my heart is racing. I can't keep playing hot and cold with Jo anymore. We need to talk.

I spent the day with the guys but my mind was on her the whole time.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well the talk with the guys went. I could feel the tension dissipating as we spoke. Josh said he's not making any rash decisions and that he needs some time to think things through before we can plan new shows. We still have a lot of contractual obligations to fulfill, but that's as far as we are going. No new shows until we get to figure things out.

I guess at the end of the day we are all just tired and in need of a break.

We all agreed we need some time to decompress after an extensive tour, so they'll stay the rest of the week here. We will be able to simply enjoy one another's company without the pressures of the world weighing down on us.

Apart from the heavy talk, we could enjoy a sunny day on the beach. I confess I missed just shooting the shit with them. Things got out of hand in England, but being back in the U. S. has already brought us some sense of normality.

However, my mind kept replaying last night with Jo in my head all day long. I expected to find her in the house in the morning so we could keep working on our songs, but she went to a café with Maria to get some work done. I'm happy she's getting back on track with her writing, but it doesn't mean I didn't miss her during the day.

All I know is I can't keep denying how attracted I am to her. I need to know where she stands. Because last night was too intense. At least for me.

She's been mostly silent as we drove, but now that we parked in front of the bar, she shoots me a smile. "I haven't been here in ages," she says.

"Me too." I get out of the car, circling it quickly so I can open the door for her. This is the most private place I could take her, so I'm glad she approves.

"I hope they still have those out-of-this-world burgers," she says.

"Only one way to find out." I press my hand to the small of her back, walking the short distance inside.

"At least it still looks the same," she says, and I look around, noticing the laid-back vibe I remember is still present here.

Dimly lit and with people who seem to mind their own business, this is a nice place to talk and unwind. Even though it is a bit more crowded than we were expecting, we are happy to see two stools open in the corner.

We barely had the chance to sit down before someone I hadn't seen in a long time comes in our direction, pen, and paper in hand, ready to take our order. "Gabe?" I hear Lydia, the owner's daughter, say.

"Lydia?" I stand up to greet her.

"Oh, my God! I can't believe you're here." She walks from behind the bar and when I see it, she's pulling me into a hug. "It's been what? Five, six years?"

"Yeah, I guess." I smile at her. She still looks the same with her dark hair and pale green eyes. "I didn't know you were working here?"

"Oh, I'm not!" She grins. "It's dad's sixty-fifth birthday next Saturday. We all flew here to celebrate."

"Nice." I step aside a little, putting my hand on Jo's back. "You remember Joanna, right? Maria's best friend."

"Of course." She holds her hand out to Jo. "It's nice to see you."

"You too." Jo shakes her hand.

"I didn't know you two were together." She brings her eyes back to me, and I don't miss the interest there. We hooked up a few times over the summers when we were younger, but I didn't expect to see her here. She leaves on the East Coast and has a successful business there.