encounter with the group holding court in the front rooms.
* * * *
At the restaurant, Kate quizzed Gabe over their sandwiches. “You have a lot of male cousins. Why are they in town? I can’t believe I’ve never met them.”
Gabe was slow to answer her. “My mom’s throwing a party tonight. It’s kind of a family reunion.”
Kate remembered a comment she’d overheard at Maya’s house from her older sister, Solange. “Oh yeah, I think I heard something about that from Solange Wilkes.” Then, remembering the Wilkes were not related to the Blakes and the party wasn’t entirely a family reunion, she felt horrible. She and her mother hadn’t been invited. “Oh,” and she dropped her gaze so Gabe wouldn’t see how hurt she was.
Gabe’s expression became pained. “You’re wondering why you and your mother weren’t invited, aren’t you.”
“Well, no,” she mumbled to her lap. “You’re free to invite whoever you like. It’s your party.”
“It is most definitely not my party,” Gabe snapped. “And we’re not free to invite everyone we like, and…and I really can’t think of a good excuse to give you as to why you were not.” He blew out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling as if for inspiration. Kate watched him, curious. “See, it’s really not going to be your mother’s kind of party, and as for you, well, you saw how my cousins were this afternoon. It’s just not a good idea. God only knows where you’d end up.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I mean, they’re not…doing anything criminal, are they?”
“No-no. They’re all decent guys, actually. It has to do with timing more than anything.” He chewed his thumbnail, examining Kate with a worried frown. “They’ve just got out of school and several of them are probably going to be kind of…drunk…and they can get a little rowdy. And we’re a little too young for that, according to my mother. That’s why she’s shipping me off to Maine.”
“Oh. Well, that makes me feel better then. Sorry. It was rude of me to bring it up.”
“No, I brought it up. You guys are close family friends. “ I’d wonder if it were the other way around.” He let out a short laugh at this idea.
Kate examined Gabe more closely, realizing he’d grown since she’d last seen him. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the company they’d just left, she would have been surprised by his appearance. He looked great. His dark hair was thick and wavy, his face had become more angular and masculine, and he was filling out. She realized he would soon fit in very well with all of his cousins, and this bothered her. She didn’t want to think about how other girls, probably all of her classmates, would flirt with him if they saw him now. She also noticed he wasn’t wearing glasses for once. “Gabe, you look really good, by the way. Did you get rid of your specs?”
“Forgot to put them back on, I guess.” He slid his glasses out of his shirt pocket and started to place them over his nose but stopped. He smiled at her. She felt a thrill go through her, and she was utterly unable to stop the smile that came to her face in response. She felt the ground of their friendship shift underneath them.
“Do you realize this is our first unchaperoned outing together, ever?”
“Lunch at the Bait Shop,” Kate teased, reaching across the table to tap his hand with her straw. “We’re such troublemakers.”
He laughed and put his glasses on. “I can see getting into a little trouble with you.”
Kate pretended surprise. “What could be riskier than this?”
“One day, if you’re lucky, we’ll figure that out. Or maybe it’s if I’m lucky. You’re so pretty, Kate.” His expression was guileless and warm.
Kate flushed with pleasure and felt the last vestige of their easy childhood companionship float away. In its place was something more guarded and exciting. She felt a new twinge in her heart and slight nausea in her stomach. She also felt
* * * *
At the restaurant, Kate quizzed Gabe over their sandwiches. “You have a lot of male cousins. Why are they in town? I can’t believe I’ve never met them.”
Gabe was slow to answer her. “My mom’s throwing a party tonight. It’s kind of a family reunion.”
Kate remembered a comment she’d overheard at Maya’s house from her older sister, Solange. “Oh yeah, I think I heard something about that from Solange Wilkes.” Then, remembering the Wilkes were not related to the Blakes and the party wasn’t entirely a family reunion, she felt horrible. She and her mother hadn’t been invited. “Oh,” and she dropped her gaze so Gabe wouldn’t see how hurt she was.
Gabe’s expression became pained. “You’re wondering why you and your mother weren’t invited, aren’t you.”
“Well, no,” she mumbled to her lap. “You’re free to invite whoever you like. It’s your party.”
“It is most definitely not my party,” Gabe snapped. “And we’re not free to invite everyone we like, and…and I really can’t think of a good excuse to give you as to why you were not.” He blew out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling as if for inspiration. Kate watched him, curious. “See, it’s really not going to be your mother’s kind of party, and as for you, well, you saw how my cousins were this afternoon. It’s just not a good idea. God only knows where you’d end up.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I mean, they’re not…doing anything criminal, are they?”
“No-no. They’re all decent guys, actually. It has to do with timing more than anything.” He chewed his thumbnail, examining Kate with a worried frown. “They’ve just got out of school and several of them are probably going to be kind of…drunk…and they can get a little rowdy. And we’re a little too young for that, according to my mother. That’s why she’s shipping me off to Maine.”
“Oh. Well, that makes me feel better then. Sorry. It was rude of me to bring it up.”
“No, I brought it up. You guys are close family friends. “ I’d wonder if it were the other way around.” He let out a short laugh at this idea.
Kate examined Gabe more closely, realizing he’d grown since she’d last seen him. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the company they’d just left, she would have been surprised by his appearance. He looked great. His dark hair was thick and wavy, his face had become more angular and masculine, and he was filling out. She realized he would soon fit in very well with all of his cousins, and this bothered her. She didn’t want to think about how other girls, probably all of her classmates, would flirt with him if they saw him now. She also noticed he wasn’t wearing glasses for once. “Gabe, you look really good, by the way. Did you get rid of your specs?”
“Forgot to put them back on, I guess.” He slid his glasses out of his shirt pocket and started to place them over his nose but stopped. He smiled at her. She felt a thrill go through her, and she was utterly unable to stop the smile that came to her face in response. She felt the ground of their friendship shift underneath them.
“Do you realize this is our first unchaperoned outing together, ever?”
“Lunch at the Bait Shop,” Kate teased, reaching across the table to tap his hand with her straw. “We’re such troublemakers.”
He laughed and put his glasses on. “I can see getting into a little trouble with you.”
Kate pretended surprise. “What could be riskier than this?”
“One day, if you’re lucky, we’ll figure that out. Or maybe it’s if I’m lucky. You’re so pretty, Kate.” His expression was guileless and warm.
Kate flushed with pleasure and felt the last vestige of their easy childhood companionship float away. In its place was something more guarded and exciting. She felt a new twinge in her heart and slight nausea in her stomach. She also felt
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