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Chapter Twenty-Nine

Gabriel

My mind is buzzing with what happened in the shower with Storm. So much so that I’m now even worried about meeting his friends. Meeting new people isn’t something I enjoy, or typically do, especially when I’m in an unfamiliar place. I am unexpectedly grateful for obsessing over what we did.

Every time Storm and I have partaken in something sexual, I lament on it for hours. I wish I knew why. No matter how much I think about it, dissect every little thing that happened, I can’t figure out why it bothers me. Especially because it isn’t enough to stop me from doing it again. I can’t pinpoint any particular emotion that I feel toward all of it, other than excitement and the need to do it again. Is it just enjoyment I’m feeling? Is liking it enough to make me obsess over it? Perhaps I should just accept the fact that I like thinking about it, and that’s all there is to it. I enjoy other things and don’t think about it all hours of the day. But maybe it isn’t just that, but instead that this is new and… unexpected?

I know I enjoy lunch with Marta. I know dinner with my parents is stressful. I know how long the drive to work will take me. I know what days to wash my sheets. I know the setting to put my washer on and the temperature to cook eggs just the way I like. How often to get an oil change on my car is never a question, and neither is when my cell phone bill is due. But this stuff with Storm? It’s all so unpredictable. Though I don’t hate it, there’s just something about it that has me… well, feeling something I can’t put a name to.

“You ready for this?” Storm asks, gripping the door handle to the restaurant we’re meeting his friends at.

“Do I have a choice?” I say, meaning for it to be a joke. You know, settle the tension? Isn’t that what people do?

Storm frowns, lets go of the handle and grabs my upper arm, pulling me away from the door to stop by a bench. It isn’t rough, not in any way.

“You always have a choice with me. No matter what it is. If it’s something you don’t want to do, just say it and that’s that. I will not force you.”

Now I frown, unsure if he means about this or something else. You know, since people like to allude to things. Can we just say what we mean, people? Life would be so much easier.

“I appreciate that, but we already established that communication was important, right?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“Do you think I’m incapable of communicating my feelings?” I ask, shoving my hands into my pockets.

“Incapable? No.” He gives a shake of his head. “But you said yourself it’s difficult and I’m just trying to make sure you’re comfortable.”

“You’d know if I weren’t, just maybe not verbally. Is that a problem?”

“No, but that just means I am going to communicate verbally to make sure I’m reading your cues correctly.”

I nod, not seeing any issue with that. “Fair.”

“So we’re good to go inside?”

The genuine way in which he’s looking at me tells me all I need to know. Though he’s sometimes too loud, too messy, and a list of other things that make my skin itch, he is kind and thoughtful and caring. He’s a good person.

“We’re good to go inside.”

He moves to walk toward the door, but I stop him by putting my arm out. He looks at my outstretched arm, then up at me. I bring my hand toward his, spreading my fingers.

“Is this okay?” I ask, my heart pounding a little harder. We did not talk about this, but not all communication needs to be words, right?

His smile is genuine as he takes my hand. “Absolutely.”

We walk into the restaurant, hand in hand, and find his friends sitting at a table way in the back. I take them in as we walk toward them. They’re both masculine guys, both look like they work out often. One is bigger than the other, much more defined. His maroon t-shirt is tight across his wide chest, his arms bulging out of the sleeves. The other one is wearing a light blue t-shirt, fits him well but is a little loose. Neither of them looks mean, but one does seem a little fed up with the other. In a playful way, I guess. They’re going to get married in a few hours, so hopefully they don’t actually hate one another.

“Hey, guys,” Storm says as we reach the table, cutting the one in the blue shirt off from what he was saying to the other.

“Storm!” The big one gets up, smiling brightly and pulling Storm into a hug. He turns to me, giving me a knowing grin. “You must be Gabriel.”

I appreciate Storm introducing me as Gabriel and not Gabe. Though the nickname from him and him only is starting to grow on me. I won’t tell him that, though.

“That’s right,” I answer, as he moves to the side.

He rests his hand on my shoulder, putting the other on his chest. “I’m Dominic.” He points to the guy in the blue shirt, who is watching us. “This is my soon to be but not soon enough husband, Mikah.”

“Hey, nice to meet you,” he says with a wave.

“Nice to meet you too,” I respond, smiling.

“Hey, Storm,” Mikah then says.

“Mikah,” is his response, along with a smile.

“Sit, sit.” Dominic gestures to the table as he goes back to his chair. They’re across from one another, so I can take either seat. I glance at Storm, and he gives me a look that tells me I should pick first. Something tells me my safe bet is sitting next to Mikah. Dominic already gives off touchy-feely vibes, and though it was okay when he did it just now, I can see it getting bothersome after a while.

Storm takes the seat opposite me, and Dominic puts his arm around him, giving him a shake. “It’s been too long. How are you doing? How’s your mom?”

“I’m good. Getting by. She’s the same as usual, and I don’t want to talk about it but you know that.”

Why wouldn’t he want to talk about his mother? He’s never told me that before, but now that I think about it, he doesn’t talk about her outside of saying he’s visiting her. I wonder if maybe they don’t have a great relationship? I don’t like to talk about my mother either.

“Don’t be a pain this early in the day, Dom,” Mikah scolds, reaching for his water.

“Fine,” Dominic relents with an eye roll, turning his attention to me. “So, tell us about yourself, Gabriel.”

“Oh, uh… well, I’m a lab tech in the emergency department.”

“That sounds interesting,” Dominic comments in a friendly tone.

“It can be.”

“Storm, what have you been up to since we last saw you?” Mikah cuts in, and I’m grateful for it. At least he can sense I’m not the talk-about-myself type.

“Not much, really. Hung out in Cali for a few weeks. Went back to Boston for a while, then made my way to Seattle. I stayed in a hotel until I found the room at Gabriel’s. Really thankful for that, because I was losing my sanity in the hotel room.”

“I’m surprised you spent time in the hotel room at all.” Dominic laughs. “Are your clubbing days over?”

Storm shrugs, his cheeks getting a little pink. “Just haven’t been in the mood to go out lately.”

The waitress comes to take our orders, and then we make small talk. Mostly it’s them catching up and me watching their interactions and listening. They’re comfortable talking to one another, but I can tell Dominic and Storm get along better than him and Mikah. Not that they don’t like each other, I don’t sense tension, just that maybe they don’t know each other as well? Or Dominic’s and Storm’s personalities just mesh better? I don’t know Dominic or Mikah well enough to judge how they are. I’m just glad they’re accepting of me being here.

“So, is this your first time on the island?” Mikah asks me after we’ve gotten our food.

“It is, yes. Thank you for having me.”

“We’re just glad Storm wanted to bring someone,” Dominic says, giving Storm another shake and laughing. Yep, very touchy-feely. Glad I sat on this side. Mikah has kept his hands to himself this whole time, and I appreciate that.

When we’re finished eating, Storm insists on covering the bill since Dominic and Mikah shouldn’t have to pay for anything as they’re getting married. I agree, though I wish he would have let me contribute. We part ways outside, letting them know we will see them soon.

“So, what are we going to do in the meanwhile?” I ask.

Storm takes my hand, grinning and walking forward. “We’re going shopping.”

“Shopping? Why are we shopping?”

I hate shopping. There are people and decisions to be made.

“Because I’m pretty sure everything you packed won’t suit a wedding on Kauai.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, getting a little worried. Are weddings here different from weddings in other places? I packed nice clothing, as I knew we would be attending a wedding.

“How about we just go with I want to dress you up?”

“What in the world… why would you want to do that?”

Storm rolls his eyes, and we keep walking.

“Just accept it, Gabriel.”

With a sigh, I keep walking and do as he says. By the time we reach the clothing store, I’ve accepted that I’m going to be wearing something I won’t be comfortable in. But if it’s going to make Storm happy, I guess I can deal with it for a few hours.