The rest of Gabriella's day was a blur. She had a consultation with a woman and her daughter, who did not like her father's new girlfriend's son. Gabriella wasn't sure about it so she looked into the divorce circumstances. However, now she was headed home. As she drove, Gabriella prepared herself for the conversation she wanted to have with Leo.

She was not going to let her brother bully Troy out of her life. She loved that Leo wanted to protect her, but he didn't have to protect her from Troy. Gabriella felt that in her bones. Troy was one of a kind. He and Ethan deserved all the happiness in the world and she wanted to give it to them. No matter what it cost her. She also knew that, no matter what she said, she would never date a man her family didn't like. She wanted, no needed, Leo to like Troy.

When she pulled into the parking lot at her apartment building, Gabriella took a deep breath to fortify herself. When she was ready, she got out of her sky blue Volkswagen convertible Beetle Bug and walked inside. She walked up a half flight of stairs and down to the second door. She opened the door and walked in.

"Leo! I'm home", she called.

Leo came around the corner from the kitchen. "Hey sis", he greeted her as if he hadn't found her with a man this afternoon. "How was the rest of your day", he continued casually.

Gabriella looked at her brother like he had two heads. "It was good", she answered slowly.

"What", Leo asked with laughter in his words as he walked into the living room with a plate of enchiladas.

"I expected you to all but attack me when I came in", she said.

Leo sat down to watch a baseball game. "I'm not gonna attack you", he said turning to face her during a commercial. "To be honest, I was really just hurt that you never mentioned to me that you were interested in anyone."

Gabriella released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "I'm sorry", she apologized. "That wasn't my intention. I really like him", she smiled as she said it. "I don't want to ruin it. I was afraid you would scare him off."

Leo laughed. "I promise I won't hurt him, sis. Unless he hurts you. Then, he's a dead man."

Gabriella just shook her head and tried not to laugh. "After you left we were talking", she began. "Troy doesn't drink, so I thought we could have a cookout instead. Just us, Troy and Ethan."

That was Leo's opening. This whole ready made family worried him for his sister. "I thought you were getting to know each other. You said it was new. If it's not serious yet, why has he introduced you to his son?"

"Ethan was my client not that long ago. That's how we met. Troy brought Ethan to me. He felt that Ethan needed his own lawyer. Troy's ex wife was trying to take Ethan away from him, but Ethan wants to be with Troy. So, I went on visits to both homes. It was clear that the former Mrs. Bolton was not a fit mother, so when we went to court, I told the judge what I saw, what Ethan wants and what I recommended. The judge saw it our way and Troy was awarded full custody", Gabriella explained matter-of-factly. She thought she wasn't giving away her emotions, but Leo saw through it.

"So, how long did it take for you to fall in love with him", he asked not beating around the bush.

Gabriella smiled at her brother's directness. "Not long", she answered honestly. "You know how I feel about kids." Leo nodded and she continued. "When they were in my office the first time I saw Troy's love for his son, but for all I knew it could have been an act. When I went for a surprise visit, I saw his words in action. He was attentive and loving, listening to everything Ethan said with real interest. Troy was born to be a father." Sighing she looked at her brother and smiled. She had been in her own world, remembering that first dinner. "When I met his ex wife I saw exactly what Troy and Ethan described. She was selfish and she made it clear that she didn't care to be around her son. It was just sad, but in the middle of all the sadness Troy quietly captured my heart. We exchanged phone numbers and started talking. Now, we talk everyday and we talk about any and every thing. We talk about our days, our work. I used to be careful about discussing cases, but I find myself talking my problems out with him and he helps me. Troy talks to me too. I don't exactly know how architecture works, but it helps him to talk out loud and he comes to his own conclusions." She smiled as she thought about all the times, in the last two weeks, that it had happened. She thought it was cute every single time. Troy Bolton was stealing her heart little by little, and she didn't care. She let him have it. Gabriella was so excited to see where this relationship could lead. "So", she started, getting back to the original topic of conversation. "Will you go to his house with me for a cookout?"

Leo smiled. He could never deny his sister anything. Especially, seeing how much it meant to her. "If that's what you want", he agreed. "But, why doesn't he drink?" Leo wasn't sure he could trust a man that couldn't throw back a few beers with him.

"Troy is a Christian", Gabriella defended her man. "He doesn't believe in drinking to get drunk. He won't go to the bar to be around drunkards and he doesn't drink around Ethan, but he might have a beer on a Friday night, after Ethan goes to bed."

That made sense to Leo. He nodded. "I can respect that. What is Ethan like? Does he like you?" Leo wanted to make sure his sister wasn't just fawning over a man and not paying attention to the boy's feelings.

"Ethan is a sweet boy. He loves me as much as I am coming to love him." She saw Leo's skeptical look. "Unfortunately, Ethan understands that his parents can not be together. He doesn't even want to be around his mother. Troy told me that Ethan said he likes that I make his daddy happy", she smiled at that thought.

Leo smiled too. He liked the kid already. "How old is he?"

Gabriella grinned. She loved talking about Ethan almost as much as she loved talking about Troy. "Five", she answered simply.

Leo nodded. "Can't wait to meet him." Before he went back to his game he added, "the enchiladas are on the stove."

Gabriella's smile got bigger. She loved Leo's enchiladas. "I'm gonna take a shower and text Troy. I'll be out in twenty minutes." She walked to her bedroom and pulled out her phone to send Troy a quick message: Just got home. Leo said a cookout sounds good.

It was five o'clock in the evening so Gabriella didn't expect to get a response. She went to her dresser and pulled out something comfortable to wear and went to take a shower. As she turned the water on her phone chimed with a text message. She fixed the water the way she liked it before picking up her phone to read his message: Awesome! We're sitting down to dinner. I miss u. Call you after I get Ethan to bed.

She smiled at that and responded: Miss u too. Can't wait to hear ur voice! :)

After that Gabriella put the phone down and stepped into the shower. When she was clean she got out and got into her more comfortable clothes before she walked out for dinner. She fixed a plate and sat down to watch baseball with Leo. As they watched the game the conversation flowed with Leo telling her about all the gossip back in Houston. She enjoyed hearing about how everyone was doing and all the stupid things Leo had done with his friends. It pleased her to know that her mother was getting along well with her grandmother. Abuela Herrera, Maria Montez's mother, was now living with her daughter after the death of both their husbands.

After dinner, the two siblings talked some more, enjoying each other's company, until Gabriella's phone rang around 8:30. "Hello", she said with a broad grin. Leo laughed and got up to do the dishes giving her privacy.

"Good evening, Beautiful", was his flirtatious greeting. "How was your day?"

She sighed. He made feel so loved and cared for. "I had lunch with this really hot architect", she flirted in return. "I was in a really great mood, but my mood was blown by a teenager that hates her father's girlfriend's son."

Troy laughed at the part about himslf, but quickly sobered when she got to what she wanted to talk about. "I'm sorry", he said sincerely. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She sighed deeper. "I don't think I'm gonna take the case", she started. "It's not like she's being abused in anyway. This girl lives with her mother because she hates her father's girlfriend's son. I had Maci look into the circumstances of the divorce. It seems like everyone is being nice. The parents just can't be married anymore. They get along better apart. The girl loves her father's girlfriend, but the son is obnoxious. The parents have shared custody, but the girl is fifteen. I think all I can do is remind everyone that she doesn't have to go see her father if she doesn't want to. I could even recommend weekly dinners or outings. That way the girl doesn't have to see the other child."

Troy smiled as he listened to her work things out in her mind. "You'll find a way to give everyone good advise. You're too best. I know that first hand."

She smiled at the compliment. "Thank you", she said. "I'll figure it out."

"I know you will", he further assured her. "Now", he went on changing the subject. "I was thinking we could do our cookout on Saturday afternoon. Do you volunteer at the ASPCA this weekend?"

"Yeah. Saturday morning. Why?"

"I was thinking that maybe we could come too. It's never too early to teach a child about charity, right?"

Gabriella smiled. He was always thinking of ways to teach his son something new. "Good idea. I'm sure we could find something for the two of you to do."

"What time", was his next question.

"I start at nine. I'll be there until twelve, but they open at eight."

"Awesome", Troy said. He liked the idea of being able to kill two birds with one stone. He would teach his son a good lesson while spending the morning with his lady before he had to share her with her brother and his son. It also amazed him, and slightly scared him, how quickly she had become his lady. He was amazed because just a year ago he was completely heart broken because of Shelby's betrayal. Now, he had the hope of a second chance to get it right. However, that second scared him because his heart wasn't the only one on the line. He had Ethan to think about. His smile widened again thinking about Ethan. He really had nothing to worry about. So far, Ethan loved Gabriella. Troy decided to stop his worrying until he had something to worry about. When silence lasted a little too long he sighed. He wasn't ready to say good night, but he knew he should. "I better let you go", he said reluctantly. "We both have work in the morning. Good night, Beautiful."

Gabriella smiled. She seemed to do that alot lately. She loved that Troy Bolton didn't even have to be in the same house to make her smile. She knew she was cared for in words and deeds. From the flowers to his subtle compliments. Troy Bolton knew how to make her feel loved and cared for. She loved the flowers and compliments, but she knew for sure that he cared when he asked her to let him know she was safely at home. It was just one more thing that reminded her of her father. "Good night, Troy", she said softly before hanging up. She fell asleep with a smile.

A/N: I am sorry that it's taken so long for an update. I had some serious writer's block happening. Thank you all for your continued support. Keep reading and don't forget to review. I love the feedback and take the criticism into consideration. If you have any suggestions private message me. Thanks! Happy reading!