Chapter 74 - The Beer Belly (2/2)
She makes tentative knocks on the door. She peeps inside even before Gabriel could answer. ”Sir Gabriel, may I disturb you for a moment?”
Gabriel's reading something on his computer monitor, but his face lights up upon seeing her. ”Sure, Clai—I mean, Bella. What is it?”
Claire closes the door firmly. She hesitates. ”Your brother's here. He wants to speak with you.”
”My brother? You mean, Miguel?”
She nods.
Gabriel's brow furrows. ”What about? He could have just called me up. I have three phones. He's just a few blocks from my place. He could have just…Wait, where is he?”
”He's outside.”
”Okay,” Gabriel says, because seriously, he doesn't know what to say anymore.
Miguel enters with a big grin on his face. Gabriel stares at his brother, his mouth open.
”What in hell is that?” Gabriel gestures towards Miguel's outfit.
”Oh, this?” Miguel snickers. ”Claire said she likes unfashionable men with a beer belly, so I thought I'd humor her.”
”Really?” Gabriel mutters. ”That's interesting.”
”Which brings me to the reason why I'm here, Gab.”
”Why do I feel like I'm about to hear a laughably serious thing from you?” Gabriel says, smiling.
”Well, this isn't really 'serious' serious because I know that your engagement with Claire isn't real, so…”
”What? Who told you that?”
”I have reliable sources. Have you forgotten, I'm a Tan, too?”
Gabriel says nothing, but his face says it all: he's visibly upset that his most ”previous” plan is starting to unravel.
”I don't want you to find out from someone else. I'd just like to let you know that…” Miguel hesitates because his older brother is staring at him like he's afraid of what he's about to say. ”I'd just like to let you know that I've asked her out on a date.”
It takes a while for Gabriel to react. He arranges and rearranges himself on his bog boss chair, trying to appear cool and nonchalant, but the more he tries to hide it, the more his awkwardness and discomfort shows. And he can't hide it from the person he grew up with.
Miguel notices it, too, but he chooses to ignore it. At this point, he's not ready to accept any response but yes.
”I hope it's okay with you,” Miguel mutters.
A beat. Then Gabriel flashes a big smile, probably the fakest smile he's made in years. ”And why would it be NOT okay with me? Of course, you can go out! Go crazy! The world is your oysters! Do whatever you want, it's not like I own her.” It's not like I love her, Gabriel's mind screams.
Miguel's face lights up. ”That's great to hear. I was afraid you'd say no. Don't worry, if we'd ever go out, she'd go out as Bella, and not Claire.”
If Gabriel's surprised that Miguel also knows about the Claire/Bella connection, he doesn't bother to show it. ”I'd just want to ask one thing, Miguel,” he says.
”Shoot.”
”Keep her safe, okay? She's not like other women,” Gabriel mutters, his voice heavy with rare gravitas. He speaks as though he won't see Claire again.
”You don't have to worry,” Miguel says. ”You know me. I can handle women well.”
That's what I'm afraid of, Gabriel thinks. All the ”handling” you can possibly do to a girl like Claire.