Chapter 8: GABRIELLA

“So, where have you two been?”

“Oh, Cal took me out for a burger since I hadn’t had anything to eat on the train but some crackers.”

“Cal, he’s Mr. O’Rourke to you.” Was she angry? No, I must’ve mistaken that tone in her voice.

“Sorry, um, he took me out for a burger.”

“Do you make it a habit to go gallivanting all over a strange city with a strange man? Don’t you find that a little…sluttish?”

I felt my mouth drop and my face heat up. Had she picked up on my feelings for him? But how? I’d been so careful the whole time he was here.

“I’m sorry, Aunt Marion, I thought it was okay since he said you sent him after me; it won’t happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t, Cal and I are very close, but I don’t think he’d appreciate my little hayseed ward taking up too much of his time. I’m sure he was just doing it to get back in my good graces.”

She smiled, but it wasn’t like any smile I’d ever seen before. There was no warmth to it, and she looked almost feral. I felt a shiver go down my spine. I might be green, but I’m not that green. I know venom when I see it.

I had the feeling that there was something more going on with those two, but what? She seemed almost jealous of the time we spent together, which made no sense. Hadn’t she been the one to send him after me?

“You must be tired; why don’t you run along to your room and go to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.” I left the room feeling chastised for some unknown reason and not at all welcomed like I’d expected.

It was a great letdown after the warm welcome I’d got from Callan. Just the thought of his name gave me butterflies. I’m such a ninny, mooning over a guy like that. Aunt Marion was more his type, I’m sure.

I walked over to the mirror and took stock of myself. I looked the way I always have, too tall, too thin, and with too much unruly hair.

It might’ve helped if my hair was a better shade, but it was just a drab, reddish-brown. Some had called it copper, but all I saw was a frizzy mop.

Looking down at my clothes, I felt my face heat up. I looked like just what I was; what had she called me, hayseed? That’s exactly what I looked like and probably what he saw as he sat down across from me.

No wonder he had been so nice; he probably felt sorry for the poor little country hick who was so gauche as to tell him she only had crackers for lunch.

Mortification began to set in, and I threw myself across the bed, reliving every moment spent in his presence. For whatever reasons he’d been kind to me, I’ll hold onto the memory of the best few hours of my life. It didn’t last long, but it was nice while it lasted.

Gabriella O’Rourke, stop it, Gabby; you’re being silly, and anyway, he wasn’t for you. He obviously had something going with aunt Marion.

But that look he’d given me while she was running her fingers over his chest…he’d seemed uncomfortable. Oh, it was too much to think about now; I’d just make myself miserable pining after something that could never be the story of my life.

I started to unpack as I took in the room that had been given to me. It was a nice room, a little bigger than the one I had at home.

I walked around, being careful not to touch anything, and then I saw the window and the view beyond. A little bit of my excitement returned.

I was in New York City. Hugging myself, I turned around in circles until I remembered that I hadn’t called momma and daddy to let them know that I’d reached okay.

I was a little hesitant to go back out there and ask her if I could use the phone. If I didn’t, they would worry all night long, though, so I squared my shoulders and headed back out.

There were pillows strewn all over the living room floor, and she was in the process of tearing apart another one when I reentered the room.

I was too shocked to say anything, and so she caught me standing there with my mouth hanging open like an idiot. I couldn’t quite make sense of what I was seeing, but instinctively I knew it wasn’t good.

“WHAT’RE YOU DOING OUT HERE? Didn’t I tell you to go to bed?” I jumped a mile in the air at her first shout.

“I…I’m sorry, I just wanted to use the phone to call home and let them know I got here safe.” She picked up the handheld and threw it at me before storming past me.

I heard a door slam seconds later and felt my heart deflate. What had I done wrong? Was it because I’d gone to dinner with Cal…Mr. O’Rourke?

Just thinking of him made my tummy hurt, and I felt a sense of loss. Maybe I shouldn’t have come here after all. I hate confrontations. They make me very nervous and always leave me feeling inept.

Aunt Marion sure wasn’t acting too happy to see me, and I wondered if maybe she was just having a bad day. That had to be it; I mean, why else would she have told momma it was okay to send me here if she was going to be this way?

I pushed it aside for now and put on a bright, cheery voice as I called home. Everyone was very excited that I’d made it here safe and sound.

No one in my family had ever been this far away from home before; to my younger siblings, it was as if I were already a star.

We chatted for a bit, and not once did I let on about my misgivings concerning momma’s friend; they’d just think I was sassing anyway, so I said nothing.

I had a restless night, what with all the new feelings running around inside my head.

I thought for sure my every thought would be of my new home and getting started on the new life I’d been dreaming about since the day momma and daddy told me it was okay to come, but no.

Instead, my dreams were filled with green eyes and an enigmatic smile. A soft drawl that made me feel weak even in my slumber and all the things we would do together if only it were real.

...

The next morning, I woke up full of excitement, my first day in New York. I wore the nice knee-length skirt momma had made me and the second-hand cream silk shirt I’d found in the thrift shop back home. I was very proud of this outfit because it made me look so grown up and a little sophisticated.

When aunt Marion had offered the job as her assistant, momma had thought it right that I have some office-type clothes.

Daddy said he could afford to send me to the mall to get some things, but I knew that the farm had only just started to turn a profit, and there were still my brothers Sam and Virgil and my little sister Hayley, so I went to the second-hand store.

My best friend Melanie went all the time and swore that if you took your time, you could find some really good stuff.

I was never too good with makeup, so just a few strokes of the brush through my hair and a touch of gloss over my already pink lips, and that was it for my grooming.

Of course, I thought of Callan and what he would think of my outfit and me in general.

I touched the blush on my cheek as I remembered some of the more torrid scenes from my dreams the night before.

I wondered if I’d see him today, would he say hello, or would he ignore me? Had aunt Marion been right, had he only been showing me kindness because she’d asked him to? And what exactly was their relationship?

All questions that I had no answers to and would probably be crushed if I did.

Better to leave that alone, Gabby, you didn’t come here to get your stupid heartbroken, and there was sure to be heartbreak if you kept thinking about him. Besides, you wouldn’t know what to do with him if he did show an interest in you.

I wish I had Melanie here with me or that I could just call her up and have one of our gab sessions.

She was so much worldlier about these things than I was, having gone steady with her boyfriend for four years. I had no experience with relationships with boys my own age, furthermore a man of Callan’s caliber. I just wish I could get him off of my mind, as I’m sure I was already off of his.