Love Me Back Read Free Page A

you do that Gabe.  Not to mention the reason for me getting a rental car was not to rely on anyone this week.”
    He pulls out his wallet handing the young kid his id and credit card.  “Go ahead and book us an SUV and put us both on the truck.”  He grabs my credit card and hands it back to me.  “You can keep the truck and come get me when we are doing something.”
    He puts finality to the conversation.  Did I miss something?  Since when is he in charge of me? The problem is I knew Ian’s luggage was a problem to begin with.  I figure I will just go ahead with Gabe’s plan and then drop the truck off later for him to use for the week.  I don’t need or want his charity.
    We lug all of Ian’s bags onto the shuttle van to take us to the rental car lot, Gabe makes me pick out the SUV we are going to use.  Of course, Gabe can’t just get an SUV he has to get the full size SUV.  I pick a nice blue Chevy Tahoe but it is huge and I don’t really want to drive it.  Since living in New York for the last two years, I never drove and to go from taxi cabs to this monster of a truck is too much for me to take.  When Gabe tries to give me the keys I tell him to keep them.
    Gabe raises his eyebrows to me after we load Ian’s last bag into the back.  I am astonished that it is jam packed with luggage.  Did he always have to be right?
    We head down the freeway. Our town is about an hour outside of Chicago.  I can’t stop nibbling on my lower lip.  I don’t know what to expect when I get there, I have heard Gabe’s phone buzz a few times with text messages and I wonder who they are from. 
    By the time we pass the sign Welcome to Belcrest population 1,531, my lip is raw and I am starting to sweat.  I can’t believe I am back to the place I swore I would never revisit.
    “Holy Shit.  You weren’t kidding when you said you came from a small town.”  Ian remarks from the backseat.
    “Belcrest is small but mighty.  Right Madgirl?”  Gabe nudges me with his elbow.  That is how the football team has always been described as, small but mighty.  We never have as many guys as other teams but we were State Champs for five years in a row when my brother and Gabe played.  By the time I graduated the run ended.
    “Hum…I like the sound of that.”  Ian teases in the back.
    I remain quiet, nervous to see everyone.  We pull up to Gabe’s house, still the same white porch with the hanging flower baskets.   I get out to stretch my legs and Mrs. Basso comes walking out with a chocolate lab behind her.  Dixon passed away when we were in high school and they got their new pup Kisses, affectionately named by Mrs. Basso.  She said she was outnumbered for years and it was time she got a girl.  Since all the boys were pretty much out of the house there wasn’t really a fight.
    “Gabe, it’s so good to have you home.”  She embraces him in a tight hug. 
    “It’s good to be home Mom.”  The hug from Gabe is just as strong.  I know he always had a close relationship to his family unlike me.  “Anyone else here yet?”  He asks.
    I freeze, not wanting to know if Trent is here. 
    “Doug is outback with your dad.”  She says and then turns towards me doing a double take.  She looks from Gabe to me looking confused or upset I can’t really tell.
    “Madeline?”  She asks curtly.
    “Hello Mrs. Basso.”  I say.
    “Hi Maddy, I assumed you would be in town this week” she comes over giving me a short hug.  Cold compared to how she used to hug me.  “Why are you guys driving together?”  She seems irritated.
    “We ran into each other at the airport, thought we would share a rental car this week.”  Gabe tosses the keys in my direction. 
    Catching them I hear Ian clear his throat behind me.
    “Oh I’m sorry.  Mrs. Basso this is my friend Ian.  Ian this is Gabe’s mom Mrs. Basso.”  I motion back and forth.
    She eyes him up and down.  “Please, call me Wendy.”  She extends her