Pretty Remarkable: A Pine Village Prequel Short Story by Lacey Black

Author:Lacey Black [Black, Lacey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lacey Black Books
Published: 2022-09-07T18:30:00+00:00

I pad down the stairs, my nose following the spicy scent of chili filling the air. As soon as I step into the kitchen, I find Gabe at the counter, stirring a large pot of something at the stove. He doesn’t hear me enter, which gives me a little time just to watch. It’s been years since I’ve seen him. Hell, besides the casual mention of his name during a conversation with Hallie, it’s been years since I’ve really thought about him. Gabe aged well, that’s for sure. He clearly takes care of himself, if the defined arms I saw earlier are any indication. He’s always been good-looking, but I think it’s safe to say he’s a total hottie now. Why he’s single is beyond me.

But really, that’s none of my business, and I’d do better to remember that.

I must have made a noise, because when I look up, I find Gabe’s eyes on me. Not my face, on my body. There’s a…hunger there I wasn’t expecting, one that takes my breath.

“You made yourself at home, I see.”

His words catch me off guard, but only for a fraction of a second. Instantly, realization sets in. It’s not hunger swirling in his blue eyes, it’s annoyance.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry about that, but apparently, when I grabbed a stack of my clothes, I didn’t grab anything to wear to bed. All I have is a sweater and some skinny jeans for tomorrow,” I say with an uncomfortable chuckle. “I peeked in your closet and saw this crewneck sweatshirt and joggers on the shelf and grabbed them. I hope that’s okay.” I bite my lip, waiting for him to say something about the fact I’m wearing his clothes without his permission.

He visibly swallows hard before averting his eyes and concentrating on the pot on the stove. “Yeah, of course. Fine. Dinner’s ready.” His tone is gruff, his words jerky, which makes me sigh.

Why the hell didn’t I pay closer attention to the clothes I grabbed? I managed to make sure I had plenty of underwear, but didn’t think about having something to sleep in. Brilliant.

“I hope you don’t mind spicy food. It’s white chicken and corn chili, but I always add a little extra kick to it.” Gabe retrieves two bowls from one of his gorgeous cabinets and fills them both with the mouthwatering soup.

“I don’t mind spicy,” I confirm, taking the offered bowl and walking over to one of the barstools in front of the counter. “Thank you.”

He sort of grunts his reply before turning his attention to the fridge and filling two tall glasses with milk. “This’ll help,” he says, sliding a glass in front of me.

We eat in silence, the only sound is the clanking of our spoons against the bowls. I have to admit, this soup is really good, and when he returns to the stove to refill his bowl, I actually consider having seconds myself. But I stop myself. It’s already so late, and the last thing I need to do is stuff myself and have horrible indigestion.

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