Chapter 32

Chapter 32
Joslyn busied herself in the kitchen preparing dinner, the savory aroma of meatloaf baking in the oven filling her cozy apartment. Her mind, however, was far from the task at hand. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her chest since last night, when Gabriel had suddenly become distant. He hadn't called or texted all day. Not even a knock on the door from him was heard, and she knew he had stepped out because she'd heard his door creak late in the afternoon. Stirring the gravy with more force than necessary, she replayed their recent moments together in her mind.

Cooking had always been therapeutic for her, a way to unwind after a long day. Today, however, her mind was far from calm. “He was so sweet yesterday morning,” she mused out loud, recalling their tender moments from the day before. “But now, it's like he's avoiding me.”

Stirring the gravy absentmindedly, Joslyn replayed their night together in her mind. His touch, his whispers of affection—it had felt real, meaningful. Yet now, she couldn't shake the fear that Gabriel's interest might have been purely physical. Did he only want her for sex? Was that all it was to him? Just for his pleasure and then he'd discard her the moment he got the chance? Or perhaps she came off as “too much.”

As she carefully removed the meatloaf from the oven, Joslyn sighed heavily. Perhaps she was overthinking things, but then again, he had barely texted, and that was kind of odd. Had he been chasing her all along just to have another go and then leave once again? With a pang of disappointment, Joslyn plated the meatloaf, spooned out the mashed potatoes, and arranged the gravy and peas neatly on the side. She turned off the stove and stood by the counter, staring at the completed meal. She wondered what Gabriel was doing at that moment. Was he eating? Thinking of her? Outside with some other chick? Her mind ran wild with thoughts.

Deciding she couldn't wait any longer and fill her head with baseless thoughts, Joslyn made up her mind. She headed out of her apartment and down the hall to Gabriel's door. As she stood outside his apartment, she hesitated. Should she knock? Maybe he needed space, or perhaps he was just busy with work. What if he didn't want to see her? The internal debate raged within her, fear warring with longing as she wrestled with her decision.

But deep down, she knew she had to do this, for clarification and because a little—no, a huge—part of her missed him.

Finally, Joslyn raised her hand and knocked softly on Gabriel's door. The sound echoed in the hallway, a nervous flutter stirring in her chest as she waited for a response.

Silence greeted her, stretching on for what felt like an eternity. Joslyn's heart sank as she prepared to turn away, resigned to the possibility that Gabriel wasn't home or didn't want to see her after all.

Just then, the faint hum of the elevator caught her attention. Joslyn turned, her heart skipping a beat as Gabriel walked out, his expression shifting from surprise to curiosity as he spotted her standing outside his door.

“Joslyn,” Gabriel said, his voice soft yet tinged with confusion. “What are you doing here?”

Joslyn felt a rush of emotions flood through her—doubt, longing, and hope all mingled together as she searched his eyes for answers. She wanted to ask why he'd been avoiding her, but seeing him now, she couldn't find the words.

“I—I made dinner,” she managed, her voice wavering slightly, “and I thought... I thought that maybe we could... eat together?”

Gabriel studied her for a moment, his gaze lingering on her face, reading the unease she couldn't quite hide. Joslyn held her breath, waiting for his response, hoping against hope that he would say yes.

“Of course, darling. I'd love to,” Gabriel said, a smile softening his features as his voice broke the tense silence.

A wave of relief washed over Joslyn, and she managed a small smile in return. “Great,” she replied softly. She turned and opened her apartment door, stepping aside to let Gabriel in. They both walked in silently, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them.

Once inside, Joslyn motioned towards the dining table, where the meal she had meticulously prepared waited. Gabriel took a seat, his eyes scanning the spread of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas. Joslyn served him a plate, her hands steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts and feelings churning inside her. She poured two glasses of wine and took a seat across from him, their eyes meeting briefly before they began to eat in silence. The clinking of silverware was the only sound that broke the stillness.

Finally, the meal was over, and Joslyn collected the plates, setting them in the sink. She refilled Gabriel's wine glass and handed it to him, then led him to the living room. They settled onto the couch, the atmosphere between them still tense but slightly more relaxed than before.

Joslyn felt Gabriel study her for a moment, noting her subdued demeanor. “Are you okay?” he finally asked, his voice laced with concern. “You've been awfully quiet.”

Joslyn hesitated, swirling the wine in her glass nervously. She knew she couldn't keep her feelings hidden any longer. “I... I missed you today,” she admitted quietly, her gaze dropping to her lap.

Gabriel's brow furrowed slightly in confusion. “I missed you too,” he responded gently, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “What's on your mind?”

Joslyn hesitated, her words tumbling out hesitantly. “No, Gabriel, you don't understand,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “I missed you... because you kept your distance all day. It felt like, like you were pulling away from me. Intentionally.”

His expression softened, understanding dawning in his eyes as he squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Oh, baby,” he breathed out. “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I wasn't pulling away from you at all. I just had a lot on my mind.”

“But it felt like you were avoiding me," Joslyn admitted quietly, shrugging as though the idea of him actually doing that to her hadn’t hurt as much as it did. “I started to wonder if maybe you regretted what happened between us. Maybe you were done with me now after finally getting what you wanted.”

A pinched expression crossed Gabriel's features, his fingers hurriedly cupping her cheeks as he turned her face towards his. “No, Joslyn, never,” he insisted firmly. “I could never be done with you. What happened between us... it meant something to me. It means something to me—more than I can put into words. And I don’t know if you remember but I made a promise to you, baby, that now that I finally have you, I’m not going anywhere.”

Joslyn searched his eyes, her heart fluttering at the sincerity shining in their depths. “Then where were you all day today? Why didn’t you reach out to me at all?” she asked softly.

Gabriel set their wine glasses aside and gently pulled her into his lap, cradling her close. His touch was tender and reassuring, as if he was trying to pour every unspoken word into the gesture.

“Baby,” he murmured, his voice a soothing rumble against her ear, “those years ago, yeah, I chased you because I was attracted to you. But over time, it has become so much more than that. I have fallen for you, Jos. Hard.”

He paused, brushing strands of her silver hair from her face, his expression earnest and open. “Even though it nearly killed me to do so, I stayed away today because I wanted to give you some time to think. I don’t wanna rush things with you, Joslyn. I've waited years for this chance with you, and I wasn't about to fuck things up by moving too fast.”

Joslyn felt an instant rush of warmth at his words, her doubts melting away like frost under the morning sun. Understanding filled her as she gazed into his eyes, reading the truth of his confession written in their depths.

“I'm sorry for doubting,” she admitted softly, resting her head against his pecs, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her ear.

Gabriel hugged her tighter, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “It's okay, baby,” he whispered. “I understand why you felt that way. But I'm here now, and for as long as you’ll have me, I'm not going anywhere. Ever. Though I have to admit, seeing you being anxious about my absence today does make me feel good. I didn’t think you were this obsessed with me.” He teased, shooting her a playful wink.

Joslyn rolled her eyes, cheeks turning red as she swatted him lightly on the arm, drawing a quiet chuckle from him. They sat in comfortable silence for a second, the only sound being their quiet breaths mingling together. Gabriel shifted slightly, tilting Joslyn's chin up to meet his gaze once more.

“And Joslyn,” he began, his countenance serious and voice filled with sincerity, “I want to do this right. I want to know everything about you. Your hopes, your dreams, your fears, your likes and your dislikes. I want to know your imperfections and love every single one of them. I want to learn your insecurities and teach you to love them. I want to be there for you in every way I can.”

Joslyn smiled, feeling a rush of affection for the man holding her so tenderly. “I want the same with you too,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss him softly.

“So,” he drawled, a playful smile tugging at his lips, “how about a date then?”

Joslyn giggled softly, her heart lighter than it had been all day. “Are you asking me out, Mr. Reid?” she teased, arching an eyebrow. “Where are the roses and everything else?”

Gabriel grinned, his eyes bright with happiness. “If you want roses, darling, I'll get you an entire garden,” he replied, his tone playful yet earnest. “In fact, I'll buy you the world if that's what you want.”

Joslyn's heart skipped a beat as she laughed, the sound bubbling with joy. “Just the roses will do. I wouldn’t want to render the rest of humanity planet-less, now would I?” she answered with equal playfulness, her voice overflowing with affection as she looked into Gabriel's eyes.

Before she could say anything more, Gabriel closed the gap between them, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that spoke volumes of his feelings and the three words he was still waiting to say. Joslyn melted into the embrace, her hands instinctively finding their place on Gabriel's shoulders, pulling him even closer.

As they parted, their breaths mingling in the small space between them, Gabriel looked into her eyes with a soft smile. “Is that a yes to our date?” he asked gently, his voice tinged with hope.

Joslyn couldn't contain her own smile, the happiness evident in her eyes as she nodded. “Yes, baby. Of course,” she giggled.

“Consider the roses and everything else done then,” Gabriel said with a wink, pulling her in for another quick kiss.

Joslyn leaned into him again, her head finding its place on his shoulder as she settled comfortably in his laps. She closed her eyes with a soft hum, savoring the moment as Gabriel's fingers combed through her hair with tender care. A sense of calm washed over her, knowing she was right where she belonged—in Gabriel's arms.