Gabe: The Alvarez Security Series (10 page)

As he lay in bed, unable to sleep, he began to plan his date. A date. It had been a long time since he went on a real date with a woman he was interested in.
Dinner? Definitely. Somewhere really nice? Yes. Wait, no. She lives simply and I don’t want to overwhelm her. Okay, casual dinner. Flowers? No, that may be too much. Jesus, who knew this would be so difficult!

As he lay there, conflicting ideas racing through his head, he forced himself to think of her as a military mission.
Know your enemy. Hell, she’s not the enemy
. But that thought continued and he realized that he needed to think about what she would like.
What does she do on Saturdays?
An idea began to form, and a slow smile crept across his face as he formalized his assault. His mission? Meet her on her own field and show her the man he wanted to be.

Finally with a plan in place, he closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him.

J
ennifer slapped her
hand on the alarm.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to sleep late one Saturday morning.
Her dreams had been filled with erotic images of Gabe with his hands on her. She started to slide her own hand down but was halted by the sounds of Ross already awake and in the bathroom.

“Jennybenny, come on. Cora and Henry need us.”

Where does he get that energy? Was I that energetic at the age of eight?

“Coming Ross, just give me a minute.” Pulling herself out of bed, she quickly donned her jeans and a t-shirt. Running a brush through her tangled mane of blonde curls, she quickly pulled it up into a sloppy bun secured with a chopstick.

“You ready?” she asked, checking to make sure he had combed his hair and washed his face.

Tugging on her hand, he pulled her toward the door. “Come on. I want pancakes,” he called. “As soon as we serve them we can have them too.” Saturday mornings were special to Jennifer. She and Ross got up early and helped Henry and Cora prepare breakfast for the residents. The food was donated or bought with their grant and helped to stretch the residents’ meager budgets. For some of them, it may be their only meal of the day. They usually had pancakes, Ross’ favorite, and scrambled eggs and bacon as well. Ross accepted the duty of serving food, then loved to sit with the residents as he ate with them.

She smiled at her tow-headed brother as he dashed into the hallway toward the stairs. She could hear his feet stomping down quickly as he headed to the kitchen.
Little boys. Do they ever walk?

As she neared the kitchen, she could hear Ross’ chatter and a deep male voice answering. Rounding the corner she stopped, stunned. Standing in the industrial kitchen wearing an apron and talking with Ross…was Gabe. His eyes looked across the room, capturing hers and his mouth split into the most glorious grin. Before she could ask what he was doing there, he turned back to the counter where the bowls of pancake batter were being mixed.

“Hey, that’s my job,” Ross shouted. “Are you going to help me?”

Jennifer saw Ross’ expression of awe at the giant of a man in the kitchen. Nor could she miss the smiles on Henry and Cora’s faces.

“Looks like we’ve got some extra help today,” Cora announced unnecessarily. “Ross, you’ll have to show our new helper how it’s done.”

Gabe bent down to Ross’ level and stuck out his hand, introducing himself. “So, you’re Ross? Nice to meet you. I’m Gabe.”

Ross stared at his hand for a moment and Jennifer was just about to prompt him to greet Gabe, when he suddenly put his small hand in Gabe’s and shook it enthusiastically. “I’m Ross. That’s my sister, Jennifer, but sometimes I call her Jennybenny, but I’m the only one who can call her that. Are you going to help make breakfast? I mix the pancake batter, but you’re bigger and can do it faster. Can I watch?”

“Ross,” Jennifer admonished as Gabe burst into laughter. “Let the poor man have a moment to see that the whirlwind that just blew in is really a little boy!”

Gabe stood as Ross up scrambled up on the stool next to the counter. “All right Ross. How ’bout you show me how it’s done.” He winked at Jennifer before returning to the batter.

Jennifer locked eyes with Cora and motioned for her to follow as she walked into the pantry. Rounding on her friend she hissed, “What’s he doing here?”

Cora smiled as she replied, “Honey, he just knocked on the back door about twenty minutes ago and said that he’d like to help. Now you know, I’m not going to turn down an offer of help.”

“I know. I just…well, I’m not sure…oh, I don’t know,” she said nervously.

Cora stepped closer, tucking one of Jennifer’s curls behind her ear. “What is it honey? I don’t know him, but he seems like good people to me. The way he looks at you and showing up here? Seems like you’ve got a great guy interested in you. What’s confusing about that?”

Looking to the side, she bit her lip as she tried to organize her thoughts. Sighing, she turned her gaze back to the woman who had been like a mother to her for the past couple of years. “Honestly? There’s Ross to consider. I’m his guardian, not some twenty-four year old who has no responsibilities. It’s not fair to have him around a man that may up and leave at any time. Ross has already dealt with loss – I don’t want him to have more if I let someone in and then they leave.”

“Oh darling girl. You’re doing a wonderful job with your brother. You can’t protect him from all loss and I think it would be good for him to have a younger man to be around instead of all of us old folks.”

Jennifer glanced at the kitchen door, hearing the laughter of Ross mixed with Gabe’s patient voice. Sucking in her lips, she looked back at Cora. “He’s…or was…well, he says that he’s not—”

“Girl, spit it out,” Cora laughed. “We’ve got breakfast to fix.”

“He’s a player, Cora. He’s been surrounded by gorgeous actresses and women. I’ve seen him. First of all, I have no idea why he’s even hanging around me and second of all, I refuse to be another one of his conquests.”

This outburst caused Cora to stop laughing and pull Jennifer in for a hug. “Honey, I have no idea what that young man in there has been like, but I’m a good judge of character and he gives me the impression of someone who really wants to get to know you. I think you’d possibly miss out on something really special if you let this chance pass you by.”

Hugging Cora tightly, she took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay then. Let’s go make breakfast.”

For the next thirty minutes, Gabe worked alongside Jennifer, Ross, Henry and Cora as they prepared food for the almost forty residents who began to trickle down to the dining room. Ross ran ahead, already visiting with them. Cora and Henry began the serving, telling Jennifer and Gabe to bring the next batch of pancakes when they were ready.

Suddenly finding herself alone in the kitchen with Gabe, she couldn’t help but glance over at the counter where they had made out the night before.

He caught her eyes looking over and grinned. “Thinking of something special?”

Blushing a deep red, she rolled her eyes. “Please don’t remind me. That was so…”

“Hot?” he interjected.

“I was going to say unlike me,” she retorted.

Gabe took a step forward and stared down at the beauty in front of him. Barely any makeup, hair pulled in a messy knot on top of her head with a few curls falling down. Cheeks naturally blushed. Jeans and a t-shirt.
Well, jeans that have me growing hard every time she bends over and a t-shirt that makes me want to peel it off and discover the treasure underneath.

“I’m glad it was unlike you,” he said.

Cocking her hip, she narrowed her eyes as she said, “Oh? And why is that?”

He reached over and cupped his hand on her face. Her skin felt like pure silk and he couldn’t help but brush his rough thumb over her cheeks, noting with pleasure that she leaned into his palm. “Because you’re special. And I want to be special to you.”

Sucking her lips in, she suddenly felt very unsure, but before she could back away he interjected, “I know you don’t trust me yet. I have to earn that. But you will trust me, darling. I promise to show you just how special you are.”

He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Soft. Not demanding. Then it was gone as he turned with a large platter in his hand and walked into the dining room. She stood there for a moment, dazed by the events of the last twelve hours. Giving her head a little shake, she picked up another platter and followed the others as well.

For the next thirty minutes they, along with Henry and Cora, served the residents. As Jennifer greeted each by name, they were all curious as to the handsome man standing next to her. He charmed the women and earned nods of approval from the men as he heaped their plates with the nutritious food.

Ross wanted to stand next to Gabe and kept up a running dialog the entire time. “That’s Mr. Simmons. He’s funny. Sometimes he’ll take his teeth out just to make me laugh. Maybe he’ll do it for you. Do you want to see him take his teeth out?” he asked, twisting his head way back to look at Gabe. Before Gabe could answer, Ross had moved to the next description. “That’s Mrs. Portal and she’s standing next to Mr. Zimmerman. I think he likes her because he always hurries to stand next to her in line. Isn’t that what you’d do if you liked someone? I try to stand next to Chrissy, who’s in my class. I like her because she smells pretty. You’re standing next to my sister. Do you think she smells pretty?”

Gabe burst into laughter, as he ruffled Ross’ hair. Jennifer finally moved over to Ross saying, “Honey, you need to slow down. You’re going to wear Mr. Malloy out with all your chatter.”

Ross had started serving but after a few of the residents begged him to sit with them, he bounded over to sit with them.

Gabe smiled at him and then turned to look at the beautiful woman standing next to him.

“I’m sorry. He gets so excited and sometimes it’s hard to keep up with his train of thoughts.”

“Don’t apologize. I think he’s great.”

Jennifer beamed with pride as she looked first at Ross and then up at Gabe. “Thanks. He’s pretty special.”

“You two going to eat with us old fogies?” called one of the residents.

Smiling, the two fixed their plates and sat down at a table surrounded by residents, all questioning ‘Jennifer’s young man’.

“He’s awfully handsome, Jennifer. Where have you been hiding him?” one lady quipped.

In answer to one of the men’s queries, Gabe replied, “I was in the Army, sir. Special Forces.” The table became quiet, as the man sitting across from him stood up and leaned over the table with his hand extended. “Sergeant McBride, U.S. Army. Served in Vietnam.”

Gabe, momentarily stunned, reached across the table and grasped the older man’s hand while rising from his chair as well. At that, several other men stood as well, introducing themselves by their military rank.

Jennifer looked on, moved to tears as she saw the men bonding with Gabe over their military service. She realized that she did not know anything about him and perhaps dismissing him as a player had not been fair. He seemed embarrassed by the attention but also appeared genuinely impressed with the former soldiers around him.

Gabe sat back down, moved but also nervous.
Jesus, she thinks I’m an attention hound and this probably just confirmed it.
He warily glanced next to him, unsure of what her reaction was going to be. “I’m sorry, Jennifer. I didn’t come here to be the center of attent—”

“That was really nice,” she said softly, glancing at the tables now filled with men smiling as they began conversing among themselves about their military careers. Her eyes swept back to his as she said, “I know you didn’t plan that.”

He was surprised to see her smiling shyly at him.
God, she’s so beautiful.
Before he could say anything, Ross called out to her and he watched her walk over to her brother. She bent down to roll his sleeves up his arms to keep them out of the syrup, laughing as she kissed the top of his head. On her way back to their table, she stopped casually among the residents. Assisting one, picking up the dropped napkin of another, refilling coffee cups. He rubbed his hand over his heart, feeling it ache.

The breakfast ended and the residents all rose, taking their own plates to the industrial-sized dishwasher in the kitchen. Gabe watched as they moved with a purpose, each seeming to be glad to have that purpose. Ross grabbed a bucket of soapy water that Henry handed to him and began wiping down the tables. As Jennifer bustled by, Gabe snagged her and whispered, “What should I do?”

Looking confused for a moment, she replied, “Nothing. You helped cook breakfast so you can just rela—” She was interrupted by the sound of a bucket of soapy water hitting the floor and a surprised Ross standing in a puddle. Sighing, she began to walk over when Gabe stopped her.

“You keep doing what you were doing. I’ll take care of him,” he said.

She watched from the kitchen door as Gabe deftly lifted Ross out of the puddle and sat him on a dry table. He took the mop out of Cora’s hands and began to clean the floor. Within a few minutes, the floor was clean and the tables were wiped off. She heard Ross’ laughter and he and Gabe chatted over spilled water.

Jennifer jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Cora standing right beside her.

“Seen a lot in my days. Seen a lot of good and my share of not so good,” Cora commented as she held Jennifer’s eyes. “But I know the difference between fake and real. And I’m telling you that that young man out there is real. Not saying he ain’t had his fair share of problems or mistakes. But girl, that man is real.”

“I know,” she replied in a whisper. “But is it fair to have him around Ross to only take a chance on him leaving?”

“Honey, there’s no guarantees in life. You know that. Ross has already known loss and he’s gonna know more before his life is over. You’re not doing him any favors by trying to shelter him from that. And he needs to know some good men in his life.” Jennifer’s eyes quickly found Cora’s but before she could retort, Cora continued. “And I’m talking about more than just us old geezers around here. Good men all of them too, but Ross needs more.”