Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Gabby

I 've debated back and forth on whether I should wear a dress or a pair of cut-offs, and I can't decide. Grabbing my phone, I FaceTime Kara. She answers on the third ring. "Hey, are you going to Monroe's tonight?" I ask, chewing on my bottom lip.

She's curling a piece of her hair, grimacing after she drops her arm, and moving her wrist to the left and right. "Yeah, I'm gonna meet Abel over there. I've gotta get my damn hair cut, it's too hard curling it, but Abel likes it."

"What are you wearing? Barrett is coming to pick me up and I keep going back and forth on whether I want to wear jean shorts or a dress. There are plusses to both, but I just don't want to make the decision on my own."

She laughs, rolling her eyes at me. "The fact that you run your own business surprises the hell out of me because you can be so indecisive. I can't believe you get anything done."

It's true, it's a problem I'm running into since I got divorced But I do know I want Barrett. "There I know everything I want to happen. I know what my end goal is, and how I want to get to it. Within my personal life that's not as easy. I question everything, including whether what I'm doing with my life is correct, even though I know it is. So would you please just be nice and tell me what I should wear?"

"The cut-offs, you have killer legs from running back and forth all day, and being on your feet. There's no way Barrett will be able to say no when he gets a good look at them. Wear your boots, and a tank top with it. You're built like a fuckin' supermodel. We're all jealous of you."

I'm not built like a supermodel. I weigh too much, my arms are too muscular from where I handle dough and heavy items all the time, and I'm short, but I love her for what she's trying to say. "Thank you. See ya over there." As I hang up with her, a text comes in from Barrett saying he's on his way, which means I have about twenty minutes to finish my hair and get dressed.

Nervous butterflies swoop in and take root in ways they haven't in years. This feels like the beginning of something big, something I haven't had a chance to appreciate in a long time. It's how I felt when I first met the man I ended up marrying, and then I stopped believing in myself. It stopped being so easy, and I wasn't able to trust what I thought were my good instincts. It's taken me a long time to try and figure out if I can trust that again. I'm proud of the Gabby I've turned into.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I'm not sure if I recognize the person. She's older, she's wiser, but at the same time, she's come through every hurdle that's been thrown in her path. She's still standing, and still here. A little broken, but pulling it all back together again. The person looking back at me has a fire in her eyes I haven't seen in a long time, and I'm itching to examine what that fire means.

There's a knock at the door, and my heart leaps because I know it's Barrett. Running to the door, I throw it open, wrapping my arms around Barrett when I see his smiling face.

"Hey, gorgeous." He dips his mouth down close to my ear. The depth of his voice sends chill bumps and shivers all along my arms. His calloused hands run up and down my back, snagging on the material and edges where the shirt doesn't cover. "I missed you today. I thought about you every single time I wasn't working."

"I thought about you, too, and you don't want to know how long it took to me to decide what to wear. I mean, it's shameful."

He lets go and pushes me away from him. Those eyes of his rake up and down my body. He spins me in a circle. "Goddamn, woman, you're hot, and I'm a lucky asshole to have you on my arm tonight."

There's the Barrett I know. The one who isn't scared to let me know what he's thinking, the one who turns me into a puddle of goo when I think about how sweet he is. He's everything I've needed as a divorced woman, and I hope that now we're starting again, that doesn't change. That's one of the things I've been scared of; that it wouldn't feel the same as it did before, but maybe it shouldn't. Maybe it should feel different, and comfortable at the same time. "Let's get going." I reach up and kiss his jawline. "I can't wait to burn up the dance floor with you."

We head down the stairs and when I see his truck parked next to my car, I can't help but think about how manly it is. How hot it is to watch him drive. He opens the passenger side door and gives me a boost up when I put my foot on the running board and grasp the edges. His eyes are right on my ass, his gaze burns. "Like the view?" I look back over my shoulder before settling in the seat and pulling my seatbelt over my chest, making sure it clicks.

"If you only knew. Your ass looks amazing in those shorts. I'm glad you decided to wear them tonight."

And so am I.

Monroe's is loud and proud tonight as we walk in. Never mind that we had to park halfway to the next fucking town over to get here. I don't think I've ever seen it this packed. I'm kind of worried about where we're going to sit, but as soon as we walk through the door, he pushes me toward a table in the back. I can't see anything, but as the people on the dance floor part, I see two large tables full of all the guys in the squad. There's a table full of beers and peanuts, and a few empty chairs. Kara and Daisy wave as they see me, pushing a chair out so that I can sit next to them, and the guys do the same for Barrett. It's so loud I can barely hear anything, but Barrett puts his arm around the back of my chair, and I lean into him.

"Was I right, or was I right about the cut offs?" Kara gives me a look.

"You were right. I have some free cake for you in the next few days."

"That's what I'm talking about."

Alexis comes over to our table and drops a round of beers along with a round of shots for the girls. Without being told to, the three of us grab the glasses, toast, and throw it back, before chasing it with bottles of beer. I shiver as the alcohol runs through my body.

Barrett taps on my shoulder, his eyes shining brightly. "Wanna dance?"

"I'd love to." Putting my hand in his, I follow as he leads me out to the floor.