Page 83 of This Kind of Forever

Delilah and I share a worried look. When we both turn to Clara, I’m the first to speak. “We heard you. We’re just…surprised.”

“Though youhavebeen kind of violent lately,” Delilah adds. “Are you okay?”

She huffs. “Cooper deserves it. He’s an arrogant, self-centered prick who insulted my restaurant, and he broke my teenage heart.”

I grimace. Clara, who rarely leaves Kip Island as a general rule, drove all the way down to Toronto the day she and Cooper broke up for good. She stayed in my room in my university residence hall for three days. They had always been on and off when they dated during high school, but that breakup was different. Permanent.

Delilah’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “This guy is your ex?”

I nod in confirmation. “He grew up with us, but he left the island behind when he started gaining popularity for his acting. He doesn’t even go by Cooper anymore. Now he’s Hudson LeFort.”

“You datedHudson LeFort?” Delilah shrieks.

Clara groans, dropping her upper body onto the island, covering her face with her hands. “Not you, too.”

“No, wait.” Delilah reaches out, grabbing Clara’s hands and coaxing them away from her face. “I’m sorry. We hate him. We hate him!”

“Wedohate him.” She looks at Delilah sternly. “No matter how pretty he is, do not fall for it. He left this place behind the second he could, and he stepped on anyone he needed to in order to make it happen. He used his own brother’s notoriety as an NHL player to get a leg up, and they don’t even talk. Everything that comes out of his mouth is bullshit.”

“Fuck him,” Delilah says.

“Fuckhim,” Clara agrees.

We all clink our glasses together, and then Delilah artfully switches the subject. With a little assistance from the rosé, it doesn’t take long for our friend to forget all about her stupid ex. With any luck, his movie will wrap and he’ll be back on a plane to California before we know it.

Gabriel

What are the chances girls’ night wraps up soon so we can pick up where we left off earlier?

I told you that you don’t know how to behave!

This is why you had to leave. If Clara saw you touching me, she would know.

Gabriel

Funny. Touching you is exactly what I’m thinking about right now.

My teeth ensnare my bottom lip as I glance up from my phone to make sure Clara and Delilah are both still occupied by the movie. Thankfully, they’re very engrossed in our screening of10 Things I Hate About You. I could recite the dialogue in my sleep, I’ve watched it so many times, so I don’t mind missing a couple scenes.

Gabriel.

Gabriel

Foster.

You’re incorrigible.

Gabriel

I’ll be whatever you want me to be, as long as I get to be buried inside you at the end of the day.

I can feel the flush on my cheeks. Another quick peek at my friends reveals they’re still preoccupied. I slide down lower in my corner of the couch, hiding my phone from them.

This feelswrongon so many levels. But then again, every sinful thing about Gabriel Bowman has this preternatural rightness to it I can’t explain.

Flirt.

What happened to hanging out with Luke?