Chapter 6 - GABRIEL ASKED ME A QUESTION I WASN’T READY TO ANSWER
The independent review took nine months.
During that time Hannah and Gabriel became something difficult to name.
They ate together.
Texted.
Argued.
Spent one night on his penthouse balcony until sunrise talking about Sofia.
Still no kiss.
No label.
That was almost funny.
One evening Gabriel finally said:
“I have become ridiculous.”
Hannah looked up from takeout.
“How?”
“I have known senators who made decisions faster than this.”
“Then date a senator.”
“No.”
“Problem solved.”
He glared.
She smiled.
Then he became serious.
“Hannah.”
“Yes?”
“May I ask you something?”
“You’re getting better at introductions.”
“Please.”
She put down her fork.
“Okay.”
“Would you like to be my girlfriend?”
There it was.
Months late.
Exactly the question she demanded.
And suddenly Hannah could not answer.
Gabriel saw it.
Something in his face tightened.
“Hannah?”
“I don’t know.”
Silence.
She hated herself for saying it.
But honesty was the entire point.
“I care about you.”
He waited.
“I think about you too much.”
His mouth almost moved.
“Not helping.”
“I know.”
She continued.
“But your life still scares me.”
Fair.
“Not because you’ll hurt me.”
That surprised him.
“Then?”
“Because I don’t know if I want the cost.”
Security.
Headlines.
People recognizing him.
Business history.
Violence that existed before she ever met him.
“Being with you is not just being with you.”
Gabriel looked down.
“I know.”
“I spent eight years building a normal life.”
“I know.”
“I like normal.”
He smiled sadly.
“I have noticed.”
Then:
“So the answer is no.”
Hannah’s chest tightened.
“No.”
He nodded.
Then she said:
“The answer is I don’t know.”
His eyes returned.
“That is different.”
“Yes.”
He leaned back.
“What do you need?”
“Time.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
He almost asked another question.
Stopped.
Good.
Then:
“Okay.”
No punishment.
No withdrawal.
No coldness.
He finished dinner.
Was funny.
Left at midnight.
Kissed her forehead?
No.
He asked.
“May I hug you?”
Hannah smiled.
“Yes.”
That was all.
Two weeks later, Hannah realized something.
Gabriel had stopped every romantic gesture after she said she didn’t know.
Not vanished.
Still friend.
Still available.
But he no longer arranged dinners automatically.
No late-night “did you eat?”
No gifts.
No touching.
He was giving her room.
Too much room.
Apparently boundaries can become lonely when respected perfectly.
So Hannah did something terrifying.
She went to his office.
No appointment.
Marco raised an eyebrow.
“He’s in a meeting.”
“Tell him I’m here.”
Five minutes later Gabriel entered the lobby.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
His face changed.
“You came here for nothing?”
“Yes.”
“That sounds medically concerning.”
She laughed.
Then:
“I missed you.”
He became still.
“Hannah.”
“I hated that you listened.”
He stared.
“You told me you needed time.”
“I did.”
“I gave you time.”
“I know.”
“That was wrong?”
“No.”
She rubbed her forehead.
“This is humiliating.”
His mouth twitched.
“Please continue.”
She glared.
Then:
“I realized I kept waiting until I felt completely certain.”
“And?”
“Trauma nurses should know better.”
“How?”
“You almost never get certainty before you act.”
Gabriel became serious.
Hannah took a breath.
“I still don’t know what forever looks like.”
“Neither do I.”
“I still don’t like half your world.”
“Neither do I.”
“You’re lying.”
“About half.”
She laughed.
Then looked at him.
“But I know I want to try.”
Gabriel did not move.
“Try what?”
She almost hit him.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
“Gabriel.”
His smile disappeared.
“Say it the way you want it said.”
That mattered.
Hannah stepped closer.
“I would like to be your girlfriend.”
The feared man of Chicago closed his eyes.
Just briefly.
Relief.
Then opened them.
“May I kiss my girlfriend?”
She laughed through tears.
“Yes.”
The kiss was gentle.
No audience.
No ballroom.
May you like
No one else deciding what it meant.
---
