"So, New York?" Sharpay asked as she straightened out some of the jars on the table avoiding Gabriella's eyes.
Telling Sharpay about their relationship was surprisingly, the easy part. She couldn't stop herself from smiling. They squealed, they hugged, they even giggled like a pair of high school girls in the bathroom between classes.
But telling her about moving in with him, well, that part was a little bit of a blow. Time was flying by so fast. She wanted to draw it out and eke out every second she could. Between preparing for the meetings, working with Taylor Kelsi and Sharpay to figure out how to put a WordPress website together—which was a two-bottle-of-wine job— and spending time with Troy she felt the end of the summer closing in on her.
The cape was her home, with her friends, the flea market, and her hopes to grow a business. But Kelsi and Taylor were also leaving soon to go back to Connecticut. She had always been a traveler in her past. Just bouncing around and making things work. The cape was her first real attempt at making a life for herself. Despite Eddie, she really did love it here.
"We'd be back every summer," she said quietly. "When we started all this, I thought it would be kind of a part-time and year-round. You know, work the flea markets in the summer, maybe indoor fairs in the winter, see how it goes."
"We can still do that," Sharpay shrugged, "We're just starting out, we can turn this thing into anything we want to. And what's a four-hour drive here and there?"
Gabriella bit her bottom lip while she tried to keep the edge off her voice. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you guys around."
Sharpay smiled, "You'll call and skype me all the time, and every once in a while, we'll have a crazy girls weekend in New York!"
"And we'll have summer."
"Summer at The Cape," Sharpay said looking hopeful.
Gabriella felt the lump in her throat get a little bit bigger. "Promise me you won't go getting a new best friend."
"Never." Sharpay offered, then let out a breath, "It has been one hell of a summer, hasn't it?"
"I know," Gabriella shook her head. "I can't believe it either. I know it's crazy fast, but it feels so right. I feel like even If everything fell apart tomorrow, as long as we were together, everything would still be perfect. I never felt that way with Eddie." Gabriella chewed on her bottom lip for a moment as she watched Jack sit under the table chewing on his pink pig. "With Eddie, I always felt like I was trying to do everything in my power to make sure it didn't fall apart at all. Like I knew if I messed up, even a little…everything else would crash and burn. And in the end… it did anyway."
"Does he know about your penchant for laundry piles."
Gabriella laughed. "I haven't hidden a thing. I'm sure we'll both have to make concessions. I mean, he's already accepted Jack. He wouldn't even smile at him when we first met, and I can't believe he's taking time away from his writing for us. but he is, and he says it's what he wants."
"You really like him," Sharpay smiled as she took a seat in her fold-out chair.
Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last, Gabriella silently thanked heaven that she had Sharpay, Taylor, and Kelsi in her life. When she thought of the people who would always be there for her, they were the only ones who came to mind. She never thought anyone else outside of her family could measure up to the safety and love that her friends gave her unconditional, and now that she'd met and fallen in love with Troy, she knew just how wrong she'd been. And how lucky she was. "I really do."
"Then I'm happy for you," Sharpay checked her phone, her eyes focused on the screen in her hand. After a while, she smiled and typed out a quick response back.
"Who's texting you?"
"No one," she said slipping the phone into her back pocket, then reaching for a piece of fresh bread. "So, are you thinking about marriage or just living in sin?"
"Marriage? We haven't really talked about marriage." Thoughts ran through her mind and she shifted her attention to one of the jars of jam on the table. Marriage. With Troy. A slow smile began to grow on her lips.
"Whoa, Earth to Gabriella," Sharpay said tearing the piece of bread in two pieces and giving her half. "You got it bad girl."
The day had started off late, he'd been in bed with Gabriella all morning, and he was just now making it out for his morning run. His day would be thrown off by this late start, and again by the interruption of meeting with Zeke about the kitchen studio renovation. Troy was such a creature of habit that he expected to be moody because of the disturbance to his schedule, but an unfamiliar calm settled over him as he ran beneath the thinning clouds.
His thoughts turned introspective, and he took stock of how his life had changed. How he had changed. He used to work through plot issues and character development in the hours he wasn't writing, and he never understood how writers claimed to turn their writer brains off in the evenings and on weekends. To Troy, every day held the promise of a blank page, and he craved the challenge of filling it with meaningful words that engaged the reader to the point of obsession. Now he was beginning to understand the desire to climb out of his characters' mind and turn odd the plot formations. As he rounded a bend, he thought of Gabriella up early and working on her business. She'd changed, too, he realized. He'd never been a big believer in fate, and as he came to the end of his three-mile run, the sun broke through the clouds, shining brightly on the studio.
Zeke had arrived on time. He was a good-looking man built for hard work. He stood eye to eye with Troy, with thick brown hair parted on the side, and smallish eyes, which gave him a mysterious look. In his jeans and a white T-shirt, complete with a five-o'clock shadow at ten in the morning the man probably turned a lot of heads.
"Zeke Baylor. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." he flashed a killer smile, and Troy was surprised when his handshake wasn't a challenge, as he'd expect from a man like this.
"Thanks for coming out."
"This place is beautiful."
"Thanks," They walked across the grass to the guest cottage. "The place was empty for a while, just had it updated for the summer. Nothing big, just some comfortable additions to make it more habitable. I'd like to open it up a little more and outfit it with the materials I noted in the photographs I sent. My girlfriend has a jam and jelly business."
Zeke eyed the building with an accessing gaze.
"You mentioned that. She's currently residing here?"
"She'll be moving in with me soon, so it won't be a problem." They went inside, and Zeke ran a hand over the countertop. He sized up the ceiling and walls, checked out the storage area, and took notes on a notepad he'd pulled from his back pocket.
"This place is incredible. There are so many possibilities with the setup. Are you open to a few ideas, or are you set on the images you've already provided?" Zeke put one hand on his hip and rubbed his chin. "I think we can make this much more comfortable and elegant unless your girlfriend really enjoys a sterile feel to the environment."
"She's anything but sterile." He smiled, looking at Gabriella kitchen stacked high with dishes from the first night he'd come over to put up shelves. "I think she'd like something that felt like home but was easy to clean. Jams and Jellies make for sticky cleanups, so if you can work with that, then sure. I'd love to hear your ideas."
"Renovations like this can be pricey. Are you sure you don't want to run a few ideas by her first?"
Troy locked the guest cottage up. "Actually, you'll be working with her business partner Sharpay Evans. I sent her contact information to your email, she knows exactly what Gabriella wants. I worked out the details with her this morning, she's expecting to hear from you soon."
"Great, then I'll reach out to her and see when she wants to get to work."
"Before you head off, can I get you a drink?"
"Sure, thanks. Water's fine." They began walking to the main cottage. "So, how long have you two been together?"
"Oh, man, don't even ask. You'll think I'm nuts."
Zeke chuckled, "Well, based on what you're about to do for her, clearly you guys are nuts about each other."
Troy gazed out over the ocean, wondering again if he was moving too quickly. For a guy who kept his world close to his chest, he was opening up to Gabriella in ways that couldn't easily be closed. He tried to picture his life without Gabriella and found he was unable to. There was no room for doubt in his very full heart. Fast or not, the only thing in his life that he felt as passionate about as he did Gabriella was writing, and even that now took a backseat. He was moving forward, and it felt right all the way to his core.
"Yeah, we're nuts."
A week later Gabriella was curled up in bed, hugging a pillow to her chest as she watched back to back re-run episodes of The Golden Girl's sitcom, her body feeling as though it had been through a boxing match, and lost. Occasionally, she'd chuckle at Rose's spacey antics on the show, which told her she was on the mend.
The worst part of her nausea had passed, and no she wasn't pregnant, along with a raging headache that had been pounding in her head most of the day. Her abdominal cramps were completely gone, though her muscles still ached. Her empty stomach had grumbled hungrily a few times, and when she thought of ingesting something, she no longer felt like she wanted to throw up. Except she didn't have the oomph to get up, go to the kitchen, and make something to eat, though she knew she'd eventually have to.
She'd moved into the main cottage now and she was still getting used to living with Troy. It wasn't too difficult, it was a lot less exhausting than it had been living with Eddie. Troy was often the first one up, making coffee, taking Jack out on his run. The daily exercise seemed to be good for Jack too, he was a lot more relaxed in the market. He was no longer pulling at the leash or trying to get away from her.
Troy was converting the guest cottage into his own writing studio and Sharpay was in the process of overseeing a new facility that she thought might work out for Feel-Good Flavors. Even Kelsi and Taylor were busy with Kelsi's mom who came into town and wanted a grand tour of The Cape for the last weekend.
She hated being sick. Eddie would always leave and stay at his mother's house for fear of catching whatever she had. Not that she could blame him. Being sick was not fun. When Troy had offered to take care of her she'd insisted he go out for his morning run and stick to his routine. She'd already intercepted his life enough. Besides, she could handle a little flu on her own.
A while later, a shirtless Troy appeared in the doorway, "How are you feeling?" he asked patting the sweat from his chest with a green towel. He went out for his run an hour ago, sticking to his promise that he was coming straight back up here to take care of her. He held out a Gatorade, "Got to keep you hydrated."
Gabriella rolled to her back and groaned. As thoughtful as the gesture was, she wasn't really in the mood for company. She was in her rattiest pair of sweatpants and an old cotton T-shirt, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail because she didn't want it getting in the way of her bending over the toilet earlier. She'd only recently had the energy to brush her teeth, but that didn't make up for her ghastly appearance. She couldn't remember looking or feeling worse than she did today, and this flu's dreadful aftermath was not an impression she wanted to leave in Troy's head.
"Don't bother ignoring me. I'm not going away." He said tossing the towel off to the side and approaching the bed. He was grinning, looking so hot and sexy and full of himself and damn if just seeing him didn't lift her spirits and make butterflies take flight in her stomach. "I got your favorite ice cream downstairs, Ben and Jerry's."
She perked her head, "Chocolate Fudge Brownie?"
He nodded.
After a moment she shifted, "You know you really don't have to do this?"
"I know. I really want to." He teased right back, but then grew serious as his dark blue eyes searched her face. "I want to take care of you and make you feel better."
She swallowed hard, so not used to this kind, caring side to Troy. It made her love him even more. "I told you I was going to be fine," she said, suddenly self-conscious as she played with the hem of her faded T-shirt. "I look and feel gross."
"You don't look bad," he said and grinned. "Not even a little gross."
She rolled her eyes. "You're such a liar, but appreciate you sugarcoating the truth."
"I wasn't. You always look beautiful to me." And to prove his point, he leaned towards her and placed a soft, achingly sweet kiss on her cheek, as if she hadn't spent most of the night and early morning hurling up her toenails.
Her throat closed up with emotion, and because she wasn't able to talk past the know in her vocal cords she smiled.
"Why don't you make yourself comfortable and wait for me to bring you some soup. And get started on drinking this Gatorade to make sure you're hydrated." He pressed the chilled bottle of drink into her hand this time.
It felt weird being doted on, and he must have seen the indecision on her expression because he pointed a finger down at the bed. "Stay. Put." He said strictly as he got up to leave.
She nodded. Knowing full well what he was capable of when he was in one of his bossy moods. She settled into the mattress with the covers pulled up to her lap, and took a few sips of her drink.
By the time she'd finished watching the next episode, Troy walked in with a steaming bowl of chicken soup and a plate of crackers. Jack followed behind with his pink rubber pig hanging from his mouth as he made himself comfortable on another huge doggy bed Troy had purchased for him.
Troy handed her a dishtowel to hold beneath the hot bowl so she didn't burn her hands and placed the saltines on the nightstand next to her Gatorade. Then he walked around the bed to the other side, toed off his shoes and made himself comfortable beside her with the extra pillows stacked behind him. She'd never been in bed with him fully clothed before, and oddly enough, it seemed more intimate than being completely naked.
She swallowed a spoonful of the delicious soup, then glanced at him, her face warming when she caught him looking back at her. "Troy…thank you for the food, but you don't have to stay." She was sure he had things he rather be doing than tending to her.
"I know I don't have to." He picked up the remote and pointed it at the TV and started pressing buttons. "We're going to watch Netflix and chill. And by 'chill,' I mean relax. Do you want to watch another episode of The Golden Girls, or something else?"
He looked like he genuinely wanted to stay, and she was finding it difficult to argue when she wanted him to stay. "Whatever you want." The least she could do was let him pick the show or movie.
A slow sinful grin eased up the corners of that gorgeous, talented mouth of his. "I guess watching porn is out of the question tonight, huh?" he asked, just as she put another spoonful of soup into her mouth.
She almost snorted a noodle out of her nose for swallowing and laughing at the same time, and he chuckled too. God, she wasn't supposed to be laughing after the rotten night she had, but it felt good. And oddly normal with Troy. "Porn is definitely not an option tonight."
"Can't blame a guy for asking," he teased as he winked at her, then returned his attention to the catalog of movies he had to pick from.
He ended up choosing Ferris Bueller's Day Off, surprising her.
"I love this movie," she said, though it had been a while since she'd seen it.
"Me, too," he said, giving her a quick smile before pressing the play button. "With The Breakfast Club coming in a close second."
"Yeah, they're total classics that are underappreciated these days." She munched on a saltine cracker, realizing just how grateful she was to finally have something in her stomach.
They were both quiet as the movie started and she finished her coup and crackers and drank more of her Gatorade. After a while, he paused the show, then took her bowl and plate to the kitchen, and she heard him cleaning up and washing dishes. When he returned, he turned off the bedroom light, got back into bed beside her, and scooched down a bit on the mattress so he wasn't totally upright.
He patted the space next to him, his smile affectionate. "Come here, sweetheart, so I can cuddle with you."
God, she loved that pet name. "You're not worried about catching my cooties?" she asked, certain he'd change his mind after the reminder of how sick she'd been.
He shook his head, not looking the least bit concerned. "Nah. I'll totally risk it for you."
Such simple words, but they made her melt inside. After readjusting the pillows, she snuggled up to his side and rested her head right where his chest tapered into his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, and she placed her hand on his abdomen and relaxed one of her legs over his. They were tangled together in the best possible way, and while she thought he might feel too smothered and he'd want his space, it never happened.
So, Troy was a cuddler, she thought with a smile she fixed her gaze on the movie they were watching. And a really good one. He smelled amazing, too. Warm and masculine, the scent of him was both arousing and comforting, and she had to resist the urge to burrow closer, deeper, so she could memorize everything about this man and how something so simple as bringing her soup when she was sick made her feel so…special.
She couldn't remember the last time that a man she was in a relationship with had gone out of his way above and beyond what was expected, to take care of her. To just be with her. No pretenses of anything else. No expectations.
He had all the makings of being perfect swoon-worthy boyfriend material, and he was hers.
She was a lucky girl.
Zeke and Sharpay were working on the renovations in the guest cottage, Gabriella was out with Taylor taking documents to the print shop. She'd been working on her own website and the girls were putting together some printouts for her table at the market.
This left him with a free morning to write without any distractions—only he sat staring at this computer screen like it was a foreign object. There was so much to prepare for Gabriella moving in with him, he began making a mental to-do list for New York: Clear space in the closet, the dresser, the bathroom. When Tracy called, he was thankful for the distraction.
"Hi, Tracy."
"Hi, Troy. Are we going to make our deadline?"
"Yes. Didn't you get my confirmation email?" he knew she had.
"And are you on target for our meeting on Monday?"
"We're still on. I plan on emailing the manuscript Thursday evening, which will give you the weekend to review and prepare to harangue me." He clicked on his manuscript. Definitely Doable. With only the final scenes left to write, he should have it done and ready to go before Thursday evening, but he knew better than to shorten a deadline.
"If all my clients were as easy as you, I wouldn't have gray hair."
"You don't have gray hair now."
"And that's the beauty of a good colorist. Can't wait to read your latest."
He ended the call, and when his mind drifted back to house preparation, he gave Gabriella's laid-back attitude a test ride of his own. Don't stress over it. I'll clean out the drawers and stuff when I get home and it'll all be fine. Troy repositioned himself in his chair. Sweat beaded his upper lip, and he gazed up at the sky, wondering why it suddenly felt ten degrees hotter.
Fuck it. he felt like he was wearing a sweater two sizes too small and realized—more like accepted—that there were some things he couldn't adapt as his own. The idea of Gabriella walking into his house and not feeling at home made him worry, and worrying would hinder his creative ability. He glanced back at the computer screen. He really needed to get back to it.
He reached for his phone and called Emily. "Hey, I need a favor."
"Sure."
"Gabriella is moving in with me when I get back home, and—"
"Moving in? Holy Moly Troy you're going to cohabitate? Oh my god! Does mom know? I'm going to tell her now. Mom!" Emily shouted away from the phone. "Mom, Gabi is moving in with Troy!"
"Take a chill pill Em." He smiled at the excitement in her voice. He liked that they got along. He was excited that his family seemed to really like her. Just as he did. Which made him even more excited to start building a life with her.
"Troy, I am so happy for you, she's just a wonderful girl!" he mom called out in the distance.
"Thanks," Troy shifted a hand through his hair. "Hey, Em?"
"Sup T-Dog."
Troy winced at the nickname. "Would you mind helping me rearrange some things so she has room?"
"You really trust me to go through your drawers and stuff?"
"Oh, don't even try to pretend like you haven't already snooped through all my things," Troy huffed. "You can snoop all you want, you won't find anything. I'm an open book."
Emily sighed. "I know. You're boring. Okay. Tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it."
"You're a lifesaver. I just need you to make some room for her to put her things."
"Do you mind if mom comes with me? She'd love to help get your house ready for a woman."
"Of course she would." The thought of the two of them working side by side to prepare for Gabriella was an amusing one.
"Just don't go overboard. I was thinking about making room in the closet, the bathroom, the dresser. You know what to do."
"Yeah, yeah. It'll be fun. Can we get extra stuff? Do you care if we put some things she might want, like scented soaps, body wash, that kind of stuff?"
He sat back and looked out at the water as the tide rolled back in. "She probably has her own stuff that she'll bring with her, but sure, go for it. Whatever you want. Just don't turn my house into a pink, fluffy chick's place."
"Don't worry. I know you liked things a certain way. I'm so excited she's going be living here!"
He and Emily caught up for a few more minutes, and by the time they ended their call, Troy's mind was ready to focus. He set his fingers on the keyboard and disappeared into the final chapters of Nothing Left To Lose.
Gabriella was putting some blankets in her Volkswagen when she spotted Taylor and Kelsi walking by hand in hand from the beach.
"Hey girl!" Taylor greeted, "Going to the Drive-In tonight?"
"Yeah. Should be fun. Troy's never been." Gabriella watched Troy coming up the road with Jack, and she was touched by how he'd come to care for her dog.
"Taking the van to get down and dirty at the drive-in like a couple of teenagers?" Kelsi wiggled her eyebrows.
Gabriella laughed. "I swear, we are like a couple of teenagers, but I really just want to cuddle tonight. We're leaving this weekend for New York."
"Us too, time to get back to reality," Taylor sighed.
"I'm going to miss you guys this winter. Maybe we should plan a get-together over the holidays?" Kelsi asked.
"Or maybe we'll get together for Troy and Gabriella's wedding," Taylor suggested.
"You guys have it all figured out, don't you?" Gabriella reached for Troy's hand as he approached. Yeah, I'd so marry you. Her breath caught in her throat. She really would marry him.
"Hey, sweetheart. Ready to grab dinner?" he ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Taylor and Kelsi. "You guys live in your bathing suits."
"Why not?" Kelsi laughed. "We have to leave this weekend, so we're making the most of it."
Troy laughed. "Will we see you girls next summer?" Troy asked as he interlocked his fingers with Gabriella's.
"Count on it," Kelsi said with a wide smile.
Gabriella glanced at Troy, "Hey, why don't you guys come with us?"
"Oh, we wouldn't want to impose."
"Nonsense," Troy shook his head, "I'm going to be with Gabriella every night after she comes to New York. I'd feel guilty if I didn't share one her last nights with you guys." He folded Gabriella in his arms.
"Let's do it, we could call Sharpay and Zeke!" Kelsi blurted.
"Who's Zeke?" Gabriella's eyebrows lowered. Something was going on, she could sense it. They were all hiding something. Only she had no idea what it was. Sharpay had been so busy these last two weeks she was beginning to worry she wouldn't get to see her before she left.
"We've actually never met him," Taylor nudged Kelsi as if she was telling her to go along with the lie she was fabricating.
"Right!" Kelsi nodded eagerly. "He's just some guy that works with her."
Taylor's eyes widen as she turned to meet Kelsi. "Seriously?"
Troy laughed as he nuzzled against Gabriella's neck. "You might want to let Sharpay know she's invited."
Gabriella reached for her phone in her pocket. "I'll shoot her a text."
Having never been to a Drive-In, Troy wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't kids running around on the playground equipment and families backing their trucks and vans into parking places and piling in under blankets and pillows like one big slumber party, or setting up beach chairs behind their cars with blankets spread out on the asphalt and coolers full of food.
The drive-in played a family-friendly movie at eight o'clock and a movie for adults at ten fifteen. When Gabriella has mentioned that she wanted to watch both movies, he'd questioned the decision. He wasn't exactly a movies type of guy. In fact, he couldn't remember ever being into kids' movies, even as a boy, but she said it was part of the drive-in experience, and he agreed.
He'd brought his computer, and if the children's movie was too painful to watch, he could start outlining his next book while she watched the first movie. He'd sent his manuscript to Tracy earlier in the day, and he'd touched base with Sharpay and Zeke, happy with the work that was taking place. Also, not surprised at all that he'd walked in on them making out.
He looked around him, as soon as they had pulled up, the girls had gone to work. Setting up beach chairs, complete with pillows, blankets, and bowls of snacks. Troy and Jack watched them create a comfortable slumber party of their own, and the whole scene made him smile.
The couple to their right had two small children, both dressed in pajamas. He heard the father tell the children that after the movie they would go to sleep in the van and they'd drive home after Mommy and Daddy watched their movie.
God, he wouldn't have pegged himself as a guy who might enjoy this type of Brady Brunch environment, with the noise and chaos of lines and crowds hanging out by the snack bar. Now, here with Gabriella, he found himself wondering what it might be like to bring his own children here one day.
Their children.
Zeke and Sharpay arrived a few moments later, Sharpay had a bottle of wine and Zeke was carrying a bag of more snacks. He nodded knowingly at Zeke and Zeke shot him a shy but friendly shrug. He watched on as Sharpay introduced him to Gabriella, as Gabriella suspiciously looked back at Troy.
So, she'd caught on that he and Zeke knew each other already… that was going to be fun to explain later when she cornered him for information.
Zeke came to Troy's side with two beers in hand. "Got us a few beers," he motioned. "If I have to sit through this god damn Frozen movie, I at least drinking a beer."
"Agreed," Troy took the offered beer. "Their playing Prisoners after this."
"Got to love Hugh Jackman," Zeke said, he opened his beer, then passed the bottle opener to Troy.
Eventually Troy and Zeke joined the girls behind the van. Jack settled in by Troy's feet. It was a dark night with very few stars, and when the enormous movie screen came to life, it lit up the parking lot. The din of the crowds quieted as information about the theater, including emergency exits from the parking lot and a snack bar commercial that must have been shot in the 1960s filled the screen.
Gabriella's eyes were wide, and the hint of a smile played across her lips. Kelsi, Taylor, and Sharpay sat with popcorn in between them, eyes glued to the previews. Zeke seated next to Sharpay, his beer in one hand and the other rubbing the nape of Sharpay's neck gently. The brisk night air carried the scent of popcorn and every now and again a parent could be heard shushing their child.
Troy probably would have gone forever without seeing a drive-in movie, and it would have been a shame. This…being with friends and family, coming together with a computer or the internet, but in real life, in real time…this was more meaningful than the extra hours he'd spent on his manuscript throughout the years. Gabriella had opened another door to the world for him. There were probably a hundred things he had scoffed at over the years that, with Gabriella, he might see differently, and he couldn't wait to try them all.
"Hey you," she whispered coming to sit on the space between his legs, nestling herself back against his chest. And he loved it.
"Hey yourself," he whispered, inhaling the scent of her shampoo.
"So," she said and he could hear the smile in her voice. "You know Zeke?"
"I do," he nodded.
She was quiet for a moment. "Well, what do we know about him? Is he trustworthy? Do we like him?" she wiggled a bit to see him from the corner of her eye.
"Zeke's a good guy." Troy smiled, "Sharpay's in good hands."
Gabriella relaxed against his chest and he placed a tender kiss on top of her head. God, he loved her. Like, really, really…loved her. A smile pulled at his lips and he slithered an arm around her waist giving her a good squeeze.
"I love you."
She sighed. "I could stay like this forever."
Forever sounded pretty darn good to him.