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Gabi snorts. "Still stirring up trouble in the kitchen. The other day she managed to convince the entire block that her tomato sauce cures the common cold."
I chuckle, shaking my head. "Classic Nonna. I remember when she tried to add her 'secret ingredient' to the school's spaghetti sauce for the fundraiser. The whole gym smelled like garlic for a week."
"Oh, I don't doubt it," Gabi says, leaning back in her chair. "And it might take more than a PR miracle to erase that memory from everyone's minds."
"Hey, at least she didn't try to sneak in her homemade vino this time. Remember Gio's eighteenth birthday when she showed up with five gallons of it? I swear my hangover lasted a month."
Gabi laughs, a sound as warm and infectious as always. "Nonna's wine should come with a warning label: 'May cause you to forget your own name'."
With a sigh, I lean against the edge of her desk. "Well, it sounds like life at the De Luca household is as eventful as ever. Maybe one of these days, I should come by and remind Nonna who her real favorite is. It's...been a while since I've been by, I know." I set my shoulders straight, my back stiffening. "Life just got kinda busy."
The smile on Gabi's face widens before it fades away. She looks down at her hands, fiddling with a pen on the desk. "Yeah, I know the feeling." Her tone is polite, but I can sense a hint of ice beneath it. "So...before we get sidetracked with more talk about Italian grandmothers, maybe we should get down to business." She hesitates. "Is there something you needed? From me?"
I rack my brain for a witty response, but all I can come up with is, "Just wanted to say hello."
Smooth, Jake. Real smooth.
Forget charm offensive. Now it’s a full-on operation “Don’t Be an Awkward Fool in Front of the One Woman You've Wanted For Over Half of Your Life”.
It's an operation that's getting harder by the second, as Gabi just stares at me expectantly.
I decide to tell the truth.
"Actually, I need the head of PR's help with something. And since I'm guessing that's you now, I have to say that I'm glad you're sitting...since what I have to tell you is kind of personal."
Gab's eyebrows furrow as she leans back in her leather chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "You've got my attention." She glances at the seat opposite her desk, motioning to it. "Why don't you take a seat while you're at it, Jake?" Her emerald eyes flash. "From what I've heard lately about you, it's probably safe to say that we're going to be here a while."
Chapter 3
Gabi
Ican't believe Jacob Walker is standing in my office, looking like he just realized he’s left the iron on.
It's been years since our lives last crossed paths, and now he's here, needing my help—just when I thought things couldn't get more complicated. I push the memories of our past to the back of my mind; I have bigger fish to fry.
The Chicago Blades are dining together tomorrow night, and as the new head of PR, it's my first big test. The pressure to make sure everything goes off without a hitch is immense.
"So, Jake," I say as casually as I can manage. "I hear the Blades are heading to the playoffs. The team dinner tomorrow night should be...interesting."
"Yeah," he says, sliding into the chair opposite me. "Interesting is one word for it. I'm hoping it's a good luck charm for the guys. They can use all the positive vibes they can get."
I chuckle, remembering how he'd always talked about luck and vibes as a kid. "Kind of like that time you thought wearing my brother's lucky socks would help us win that summer camp race?"
"Hey, those socks were legendary," he replies, his deep voice filling my new, bare office as he grins. "I'm sure we would've won if I hadn't twisted my ankle."
"Uh-huh, sure." I glance up at him, my mouth feeling dry. "So...speaking of history, how much of the last time we saw each other do you actually remember?"
He scratches the back of his messy golden-brown hair. "To be honest, not much. Too many drinks at Josh's party, and the rest is a blur. I didn't do anything...embarrassing, did I?"
It's like he handed me a ticking bomb wrapped in a bow. I force a nonchalant shrug, my face betraying nothing. "Nothing you need to worry about," I lie smoothly.
"Oh, that's a relief," he says, his face going temporarily slack. "After all my recent...hiccups, I don't need any more bad press."
"You mean like that time you accidentally set the fire alarm off during school assembly?"
He groans, shaking his head. "Don't remind me. Gio still hasn't let me live that one down."
We both laugh, and for a moment, it feels like nothing has changed between us. But then reality hits me like a slap in the face.
