Love In the time of covid

Chapter 46

"Do you remember that time you smashed my face in a piece of pizza? Dion laughed as they could now see the house at the end of the street.

"Oh god yes. You wouldn't shut up and my grandma said we couldn't go outside to play until we finished lunch." Giselle said unashamed at telling her side of the story. "I was just helping."

"Yeah I never messed with you again after that." He teased as he bumped his shoulder against Giselle's.

"You were always so smart." Giselle playfully winked at him when she turned her head to look at him.

"Mmhm." Dion hummed as he rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Except when you were getting me in trouble."

"What are you talking about I never got you in trouble." Giselle said furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. For the most part she was a good kid. She could only recall a few times when she stepped out of line.

"You're telling me you forgot we got kicked out of the movie theater for sneaking in to see a second movie after the one we paid for was over?"

Giselle smiled widely remembering the rainy summer afternoon they spent at the mall theater. They had nothing better to do so they took the bus to canal street to pass the time. Both 'Hot Chick and 8 mile' were out and the ending of one movie lined up almost perfectly with the beginning of another. "Hey. I only suggested I wasn't ready to leave yet. You came up with the plan to sneak in unnoticed."

"Right, hide in the bathroom for 5 minutes, buy more snacks and rendezvous in the back of the theater 12." Dion recounted their plan from 18 years ago as they arrived at the front door. "Still one of the best Saturdays of my life." He added to test if Giselle would pick up on his flirting.

Giselle caught on to exactly what he was doing. She avoided what was happening by looking down at the ground. It felt like betrayal if she were to flirt back. The fight she had with Chris was not even an hour ago. "Well thanks for the walk back. Did you want to come in for a few beignets? They're probably not hot any more but I'm still willing to share."

Dion caught on that she was uncomfortable and accepted the platonic offer. He figured he could try again later. "Sure. Thank you."

Giselle pulled out the key from her cross body purse with her free hand and opened the door for them both to go inside. She kicked off her shoes at the door and waited for Dion to the do the same before leading him into the kitchen.

"Can you grab some napkins from the counter over there?" Giselle asked as she opened the cabinet to pull out enough small plates for them plus Gabby and Duane who she was sure would be joining them soon.

"Sure." He agreed as he grabbed a small stack and followed her to the kitchen table at the other end of the room. "What's new with you? How's your son? Are you seeing anyone? Are you a publisher author yet?"

"Whoa. One at a time." Giselle replied to his quick round of questions with her first bite in her mouth. "Let me swallow first."

"That's what she said." Dion made the pun that was too easily set up.

Giselle rolled her eyes at his foolishness. He always walked the line between well behaved and inappropriate but only in a tasteful manner. "You just couldn't help it could you?"

"Oh c'mon. Who knows when I'll see you again. You hitting me with that door today was pure luck." Dion did his best to guilt her into opening up to him.

Giselle took a long sip of her coffee and another bite of beignet before sitting back in her chair. "My son Jeremy is 7 now. He is probably the best little boy in the world but obviously I'm biased."

"Clearly." Dion joked at her bragging which earned him a playful shove to the shoulder. "What kind of things is he into?"

"He's your typical boy. He loves super heroes and playing video games. But he also likes reading and working on puzzles. He's so smart but I'm not sure where he got that from."

"I know exactly where he got it from." Dion added not missing a beat. He was always astounded how much she undervalued herself. He was amazed with her for as far back as he could remember.

"Stop you were always too nice." Giselle coyly brushed off the compliment.

"And what about someone special? Don't tell me those Yankees are stupid enough to let you run wild?" Dion complimented her once again, hoping he would see her blush again like she had earlier.

"Morning Elle...oh and Dion?" Gabby said surprised as she came around the corner and into the eating area. "What are you doing here?"

Giselle stood up from the table to put distance between herself and Dion. "I went out to get some beignets and coffee. I just happened to bump into him...quite literally."

"And how did he end up in my house?" Gabby questioned skeptically. 

"I offered to walk her back. I thought we could catch up on the past 10 years." Dion explained from his chair as he nervously moved his hand up and down the outside of his cup.

"Well that was nice of you. I have to run to the store to pick up some things for dinner, did you want to come along?" Gabby focused her attention on her cousin standing next to her. "Maybe while we're out you can pick up a few extra outfits if you plan to be here much longer?"

"Yeah that's probably a good idea. One or two shirts and pairs of pants would help." Giselle agreed because she had now recycled her clothes she brought with her once already.

"I guess that's my cue to leave." Dion said standing up and walking toward Giselle before pulling her into a hug. "It was nice seeing you again." He didn't miss the chance to leave a kiss on her cheek.

"You too." Giselle returned the affection and only held on for what was an appropriate time. "Bye."

"And you too Gabby." Dion said farewell to her as he turned to grab his cup of coffee off the table and head toward the front door. "Tell Duane I said what's up"

"Hey do you want to come back for dinner? I'm sure Duane would love to see you too." Gabby asked as Dion was reaching for the door handle.

"Yeah that would be great." Dion accepted the offer, he wouldn't mind hanging out with his fraternity brother but his main objective was to see Giselle again.

"Great! Be back around 6."

"I'll be here." Duane said with a smirk and his gaze landing on Giselle. "I can't wait."

"What?" Giselle asked annoyed when she caught Gabby giving her a look that was full of judgement. She walked back the foyer to grab her purse and put her shoes back on.

"You know exactly what. Don't play stupid with me." Gabby fired back. She was well aware of the "friendship" that Giselle had with Dion in the past. It may have never crossed boundaries but when they were growing up there was an unspoken je nais se quois between the two of them. Everyone noticed it.

"I'm not playing anything. That was nothing. I could never move on that quickly." Giselle explained almost offended that she could think it would be that easy to get involved with another man that fast.

"Just make sure that he knows that. I have eyes and trust me, that man is going to try." Gabby warned Giselle about what she had just observed.

"Mind your business. You were always so nosy."Giselle said after huffing out a frustrated breath. She was not in the mood to be lectured. "Let's go."

Nuh uh. Don't rush me." Gabby snakily shot back as she grabbed her keys from the bowl on the console table. "Don't get cute."

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A/N:

I don't have much to say for this one. I've gotten mixed reviews for the past two chapters so I'll just let y'all tell me what you think and your predictions lol

If you liked or even loved what you read, please feel free vote, comment, add to your reading list and/or share with a friend.

Love y'all bye 😘