The Choice - Nicholas Sparks [12]
“How long have you been here?”
“Long enough,” she said. She saw the cooler near the door and pulled out a beer. “For a second there, I thought she was going to punch you. Then I thought she was going to cry. And then she looked like she wanted to punch you again.”
“That’s about right,” he admitted. He rubbed his forehead, still processing the scene.
“Still charming the girlfriends, I see.”
“She’s not my girlfriend. She’s my neighbor.”
“Even better.” Stephanie took a seat. “How long have you been dating?”
“We’re not. Actually, that’s the first time I’ve ever met her.”
“Impressive,” Stephanie observed. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“What?”
“You know—making someone hate you so quickly. That’s a rare gift. Usually you have to know a person better first.”
“Very funny.”
“I thought so. And Moby . . .” She turned toward the dog and lifted a scolding finger. “You should know better.”
Moby wiggled his tail before getting to his feet. He walked toward her, nuzzling Stephanie in her lap. She pushed the top of the head, which only made Moby push back harder.
“Easy there, you old hound dog.”
“It’s not Moby’s fault.”
“So you said. Not that she wanted to hear it, of course. What’s with her?”
“She was just upset.”
“I could tell. It took me a little while before I could figure out what she was talking about. But I must say that it was entertaining.”
“Be nice.”
“I am nice.” Stephanie leaned back, evaluating her brother. “She was kind of cute, don’t you think?”
“I didn’t notice.”
“Yeah, sure you didn’t. I’d be willing to bet it was the first thing you noticed. I saw the way you were ogling her.”
“My, my. You’re in quite a mood this evening.”
“I should be. The exam I just finished was a killer.”
“What does that mean? You think you missed a question?”
“No. But I had to really think hard about some of them.”
“Must be nice being you.”
“Oh, it is. I’ve got three more exams next week, too.”
“Poor baby. Life as a perpetual student is so much harder than actually earning a living.”
“Look who’s talking. You were in school longer than me. Which reminds me . . . how do you think Mom and Dad would feel if I told them I wanted to stay in for another couple of years to get my PhD?”
At Gabby’s house, the kitchen light flashed on. Distracted, he took a moment to answer.
“They’d probably be okay with it. You know Mom and Dad.”
“I know. But lately I get the feeling that they want me to meet someone and settle down.”
“Join the club. I’ve had that feeling for years.”
“Yeah, but it’s different for me. I’m a woman. My biological clock is ticking.”
The kitchen light next door flashed off; a few seconds later, another flashed on in the bedroom. He wondered idly whether Gabby was turning in for the night.
“You’ve got to remember that Mom was married at twenty-one,” Stephanie went on. “By twenty-three, she already had you.” She waited for a response but got nothing. “But then again, look how well you turned out. Maybe I should use that as my argument.”
Her words filtered in slowly, and he furrowed his brow when they finally registered.
“Is that an insult?”
“I tried,” she said with a smirk. “Just checking to see if you’re paying attention to me or whether you’re thinking about your new friend over there.”
“She’s not a friend,” he said. He knew he sounded defensive but he couldn’t help it.
“Not now,” his sister said. “But I get a funny feeling she will be.”
Two
Gabby wasn’t sure how she felt after leaving her neighbor’s, and all she could do after closing her door was to lean against it while she tried to regain her equilibrium.
Maybe she shouldn’t have gone over there, she thought. It certainly hadn’t done any good. Not only hadn’t he apologized, he’d gone so far as to deny that his dog was responsible. Still, as she finally moved away from the door, she found herself smiling. At least she’d done it. She’d stood up for herself and told him exactly how it was going to be. It had taken