Chapter 10

Everyone woke the next morning right where they were supposed to be. Of the girls, Bailey was up first. She heard the shower upstairs running. She took a quick drink of flat Pepsi to wash away the stale taste of Doritos and pizza.

Bailey smiled at the memory of the previous night. Holding hands with her beau. Falling asleep in his bed with his arms wrapped around her. Everything felt so ... so ... right.

Morgan and April stirred few minutes later. The girls trudged up the steps wearing the same clothes from the day before. Their hair was a mess. Their make-up had long since rubbed off. They hadn't brushed their teeth in over twenty-four hours.

They found Gabe in the kitchen. He was reading the directions on a box of hashed brown potatoes. A carton of eggs, some milk and a package of bacon sat on the counter. He was obviously lost.

"Good morning, girls," he said with a broad smile that Bailey sensed was meant especially for her. "Are you guys hungry?"

He was trying to be a good host, but it seemed that the kitchen was not his element. As politely as possible, Bailey and April pushed him aside and took over. Growing up on a farm, they knew how to cook; their mother and grandmothers had seen to that.

What amazed them was how nice Gabe's kitchen was. He had high-end fixtures, marble countertops and enough space to feed an army. It was a far cry from the cramped quarters and often-broken appliances they were used to. The girls cooked up a hearty country breakfast with fresh home-fried potatoes, eggs and bacon. Gabe busied himself slicing up some fruit and appearing to be helpful.

They sat at his kitchen table and enjoyed the meal together. He cleaned up the mess while the girls freshened up in the bathrooms. Bailey wanted to stay a little longer, and it seemed to her that Gabe wanted them to stay, too, but they knew they had to be getting home. April had to work that afternoon and both girls had weekend chores that needed to be done.

Gabe helped them load up the clothes and things they bought at the mall the day before.

She and Gabriel stood awkwardly in the driveway.

"Thanks for having us over last night," she said quietly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Morgan and April watching them from the car.

"It was my pleasure," he returned. There was a brief pause. "Would you like to go out again sometime this week?"

"I would love to," she replied. "I don't know when I work this week, but I usually don't work more than one or two nights."

"Will you know later today?" Gabe asked. "Why don't you call me when you find out your schedule?"

"I will," she promised.

He stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Bailey decided she needed to take the initiative.

Her hand reached for his and she tugged gently. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. After a first quick peck, Gabe pulled back as if he didn't want to make a scene in front of April and Morgan, but her hand went to his neck and she pulled him close.

Gabe's lips were soft and warm. She felt deliciously light-headed as she planted a series of soft kisses on him, resisting the urge to stick her tongue down his throat.

Finally she let go, a devilish smile on her face. He stood there, bewildered, for a moment. She thrust out her chest just to tease him and winked.

"Thanks again, Gabe," she said and got in the car. April and Morgan were both grinning like Cheshire cats.

"Ummmm, sure thing," he stammered.

She closed the door, put on her seatbelt, started the car and backed out of his driveway. As they drove away, she honked the horn. He waved and in her rearview mirror, she saw that he hadn't moved.

The drive home was full of teasing from Morgan and her sister, but Bailey didn't care.