Olivia said he’d told her to keep the weekend clear. He had…but not for work. He had plans. A weekend away. Together.

He would tell her it was a well-earned vacation. Which it was. However, it also marked an occasion. Six weeks since her breakup with Ricky. Not an occasion she’d want to celebrate. Gabriel, on the other hand…

He was loath to say their breakup came as a cause for celebration. Olivia had been happy, and Gabriel wanted that. Yet Ricky was not the only person who could make her happy. Perhaps not even the one who could make her happiest.

No, Gabriel was not displeased by the breakup. “Relieved” was a better word. Suitably un-gleeful. Relieved, because the alternative would have been wooing her away from Ricky, which made him uncomfortable. Immensely, if he was being honest. It came too close to repeating Gwynn’s mistake.

Gabriel had decided six weeks was a respectful period. He’d planned this getaway down to the last detail. Rent a cabin with two bedrooms, so as not to set up awkward expectations. Arrange catered dinners, to be followed by a blazing fire, a comfortable couch, and vintage wine. He would drink exactly half a glass, enough to relax without risking actual inebriation. Olivia rarely exceeded her glass-and-a-half personal limit, but if she did, he’d cancel his plans and try again the next night. And by “try again” he meant making the most subtle of moves, escalating incrementally so if he encountered resistance, he could withdraw before she realized his intention. Even if she failed to respond to his overtures, it wouldn’t mean he’d failed. Not permanently. He would resume his careful wooing, showing her that he could be what she needed.

He knew she cared for him. He knew she wanted to be with him in some way. It was simply a matter of inching toward a destination he was confident they could reach, eventually.

Now he waited for a response to his earlier text, informing the cabin owner that they would be unexpectedly bringing a canine. He was not asking permission—that wasn’t how one handled such matters. But he was aware that negotiations—and an extra fee—might be involved. That was fine. While having Lloergan there was hardly ideal, in accommodating that, he would please Olivia. He had encouraged her to “dog-sit,” knowing it would impede his secret weekend plans, and thereby honoring his pledge to Ricky that, whatever happened, he wouldn’t interfere with their friendship.

Lloergan would join them for the weekend, and that would not disrupt his plans. Nothing would disrupt his plans. Particularly not…