AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gabi and I carefully maneuver Nonna to her bed, tucking her in like she used to do for us. We exchange a glance, full of shared memories and unspoken words, before collapsing onto the couch ourselves.
"Ugh, I don't know why she does this. That hip of hers is going to be killing her tomorrow," Gabi mutters, rubbing her own lower back.
"Well, she just wants to feel useful." I shrug. "And we both know she's stubborn enough to not listen to anyone else's advice."
"True, but I still worry about her."
As we sit on the couch, exhausted from all the cooking and caretaking, I can't help but chuckle. "You know, we make a pretty good team in the kitchen," I say, nudging Gabi with my elbow.
Gabi laughs, resting her head back against the cushion. "Well, except for that one time you almost burned the garlic bread."
“Don’t. Like you said, it was one time. Once. And I was distracted by your terrible singing."
"Hey, my singing is not that bad."
"Not that bad? Nonna banned you to the treehouse when you tried to serenade her on her birthday."
We both dissolve into laughter, reminiscing about all the silly and sweet moments we've shared with Nonna. Even though she drives us crazy sometimes, we wouldn't have it any other way.
"Thanks for coming over tonight," Gabi says, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us once again.
"Are you kidding? It's always a blast cooking with you two. Has been since I can remember.”
I smile at her, and our eyes meet. Inside the living room, the air around us seems to change.
It grows warmer, almost electric. The next thing I know, I'm leaning in, and so is she.
Our lips meet in a soft, gentle kiss. My heart races, but it feels so natural, as if this moment was coming all along.
Gabi's lips are warm and soft, and for that moment, nothing else in the world matters.
Our lips touch, tentatively at first, then with increasing fervor.
Her kiss is a blend of sweet and fiery, and I find myself getting lost in it. My hand moves to the back of her neck, pulling her closer as the kiss deepens.
My hand finds its way to her cheek, and she leans in closer, our breaths quickening in unison.
Suddenly, Gabi pulls back, a confused look in her eyes. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, and I can feel the tension in the air.
She places a hand on my chest, as if to catch her breath and create some space between us.
"Jacob, we need to talk about this," she says softly.
I nod, though my heart is still pounding. "Yeah, you're right. That was...unexpected."
"It's just...we have a lot at stake here," she says, meeting my eyes. "And I don't want to risk our friendship over something that we know can't work out." She takes my hand, squeezing it gently. "I think...you were right."
"About what?"
"About solving this ‘you and the owner's wife scandal’. Your idea." She exhales. "I think we should go through with the fake relationship."
I start to speak, but she cuts me off. "But, "she stresses, "we need some ground rules if we do this. We can't let anything like this happen again. No kissing. No hanging out alone. Nothing that can complicate things even more. No crossing lines." She pauses. "Are you with me on this?"
My mind is spinning, but I know she's right. We can't risk our friendship and blur the lines between reality and our fake relationship.
"Yeah, I'm with you," I say finally. "We'll have clear boundaries and stick to them."
"Is that a deal then?"
