The Dance

Chapter 193 I Want What They Have

"Well?" Noah looked at Gabe with a raised eyebrow. Gabe had that faraway kind of look in his eyes after his date with Lucy.

"Well what?" Gabe snapped back.

"Did you kiss her? Because you sure look like you did."

"I don't kiss and tell, brother." Gabe replied back as he settled Cuppy down for the evening.

"You just answered my question." Noah chuckled as he kicked back in his bunk.

"Noah." Gabe hesitated. "What do girls want?"

"Romance. Lots and lots of romance. Grand gestures. Poetry. Sweet nothings whispered in their ear."

"Sweet nothings?" Gabe questioned that suggestion.

"You know compliments. Like your eyes are bluer than the bluest ocean. If stars were diamonds, I would lay them all at your feet."

"Gotcha." Gabe pondered how to incorporate those suggestions for the next time he saw Lucy.

"Just be yourself. If she really likes you, you won't have to be anything but you." For a younger brother, Noah was wise when it came to the affairs of the heart. It was probably because he himself had spent countless hours reading about romance with his collection of books by Shakespeare, Flaubert, the Bronte sisters and every other classic romantic author you could think of.

"That's what I'm afraid of. What if she thinks my imitations are a bit corny?"

"Then she might not be the one you're looking for." Noah reached to turn the light off over his bunk. "By the way, what are you looking for in a woman?"

"I want what Bam, Matt and Bear have. I want a forever kind of love."

"Don't we all, Gabey, don't we all."

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Gabe busied himself with his sketch pad not quite ready for sleep. At first, he found himself just doodling but then he flipped to a clean page. He closed his eyes trying to imagine Lucy again at their picnic with her hair wild and loose in the wind.

He carefully transferred his vision to paper trying desperately to capture the sparkle her eyes with each stroke of his charcoal pencil. When he was finished, he titled it "Lucy at the Picnic," signed and dated it. He rolled it up and tied it with a piece of leather cord he found in Jill's studio.

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"Luce, I need you to run lunch down to Bear."  Red called to her assistant who was pulling several loaves of fresh baked bread out of the oven.

"And his brothers?" Lucy was obviously a willing volunteer if she could spend a few minutes with Gabe.

"Like I needed to bribe you to do that run." Red laughed putting the last sandwiches in the basket. "Don't forget to give Bear his chocolate cupcakes or I'll never hear the end of it."

Lucy lugged the basket out the door. It was almost heavier than she was and she was determined to make that thing looked like a feather when she approached the new Browntown construction site.

Noah spotted Lucy first calling to Gabe and pointing down the pathway. Gabe practically broke his neck trying to scramble off the roof he was working on. He tried to pull himself together but he was covered in sweat and a hard morning's work.

Lucy smiled as he walked toward her and offered to carry the basket the remainder of the way. Lucy obliged happy to ditch the overladen basket.

"Did you make the lunch?" Gabe found a spot and helped Lucy set up lunch.

"Not lunch, but I was thinking we could do dinner at my place tonight? Maybe watch a movie if you like."

Gabe nodded and his smile almost slid off his face. "What's for dinner? Can I bring sonething?"

"What do you like to to eat?"

Gabe answered, "I'm easy. I'll eat anything you put in front of me."

"Good. I'll surprise you."

"Comedy or drama?" She asked not knowing enough about him to know his preferences yet.

Gabe thought for a moment. "Comedy."

"Comedy it is. Is 6pm good for you?"  Lucy handed him a sandwich.

"Yep." Gabe devoured his sandwich in a few minutes.

"Walk me back to the bakery?"

Yes, m'am!" Gabe took the empty basket in hand and walked Lucy back to the bakery. This time he didn't forget to kiss her goodbye even if it was only on the cheek.

Charlie Puth-One Call Away