Three days later, Haley invited Gael to dinner.
Which, in Gael's opinion, sounded less like a social invitation and more like being summoned for judgnt.
"You're nervous," Haley said from the passenger seat.
"I'm being realistic."
"You sold a company for millions before graduating high school."
"And tonight I'm eting your mother."
Haley burst out laughing.
"Okay, fair."
Gael exhaled slowly while turning into the familiar suburban neighborhood.
Seeing it in real life felt surreal.
The Dunphy house.
White exterior. Basketball hoop. Slightly over-maintained lawn and a small backyard.
A place he had watched for years on a television screen now sat directly in front of him under the evening California sunlight.
"This is insane," he muttered quietly.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Haley narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"You do that constantly."
"What?"
"Act like you're having secret internal conversations."
Gael parked the car.
"If I tell you I'm ntally unstable, does that lower expectations for dinner?"
"Honestly, maybe."
Before he could answer, the front door flew open.
"Haley's ho!" a voice yelled from inside.
Phil.
Gael physically felt his brain short-circuit for a second.
Phil Dunphy hurried outside wearing cargo shorts and excitent.
"Oh wow," Phil said imdiately upon seeing the car. "That is a beautiful machine."
"Dad," Haley groaned. "Please don't embarrass imdiately."
"No promises."
Phil extended a hand enthusiastically toward Gael.
"Phil Dunphy."
"I know," Gael answered before stopping himself.
Phil blinked.
"…From Haley?" Gael corrected smoothly.
"Oh! Right. Yes. That makes more sense."
Barely.
They shook hands.
Phil's grip was overly enthusiastic but genuine.
Gael already knew he would like Phil in person.
That sohow made this harder.
"Co in, co in," Phil said. "Claire's pretending not to wait by the window."
"I was not pretending," Claire's voice called from inside.
And then she appeared.
Gael's thoughts stalled for exactly half a second.
Claire Dunphy.
Late thirties. Blonde hair. Sharp eyes. Fitted blouse and jeans.
Beautiful in a way entirely different from Haley.
More composed.
More dangerous.
And sohow even more attractive in person than the show had ever managed to capture.
Unfortunately.
Claire crossed her arms lightly while examining him with imdiate suspicion.
There it is, Gael thought.
The Claire Dunphy scan.
The look that silently asked:
{Are you good enough for my daughter?}
"Hi," Claire said politely.
"Hi."
Her eyes flicked briefly toward the Aston Martin behind him.
Then back to him.
"You drove that here?"
"That's usually how cars work."
Haley choked on a laugh beside him.
Claire blinked once.
Then narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Oh, he's sarcastic."
"Mom," Haley warned.
"What? I'm observing."
Gael smiled faintly.
"I've heard you're very observant."
Claire looked montarily caught off guard by that.
Interesting.
Phil clapped his hands together awkwardly.
"Well! Great start. Nobody's fighting yet."
"Yet," Luke said while appearing behind the doorway holding a juice box.
Gael stared at him briefly.
Jesus Christ.
This really was happening.
Luke noticed the stare imdiately.
"What?"
"Nothing," Gael said carefully. "You're shorter than I expected."
Luke frowned.
"That feels insulting."
"It probably was."
Haley smirked proudly beside him like she personally approved of his responses.
Claire noticed that look instantly.
Of course she did.
"You should co inside," Claire said. "Before the neighbors think we're talking to Jehovah's Witnesses."
"Too late," Phil whispered dramatically to Gael. "The HOA already suspects ."
Gael laughed despite himself and followed them inside.
The house looked exactly the sa.
Family photos.
Controlled chaos.
Backpacks thrown carelessly near the stairs.
The strange warmth of a ho that always felt alive.
It hit him unexpectedly hard.
Because he rembered watching this family during lonely nights in another life.
And now he was standing inside their kitchen.
"You okay?" Haley asked quietly beside him.
Gael blinked.
"Yeah."
"You got the weird, distant look again."
"I'm starting to think that's just my face."
"That's concerning."
Before he could answer, another voice drifted in from the hallway.
"Wait, he's actually here?"
Alex.
Gael turned instinctively.
And imdiately forced himself to remain calm.
Alex Dunphy stood near the staircase holding a book against her chest.
Younger than Haley.
Smaller.
Sharp-eyed.
Pretty in a quieter way than the show usually emphasized.
And currently staring at him with open skepticism.
"Oh my God," Haley groaned. "Why are you looking at him like that?"
"Because rich startup guys usually look like they sell illegal supplents online."
Gael smiled before he could stop himself.
Alex looked mildly surprised.
"You're not denying it."
"I'm deciding whether defending myself is worth the effort."
A small smile almost appeared on her face before she suppressed it quickly.
There it is, Gael thought.
That dry humor.
Claire noticed the interaction imdiately, too.
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
Dangerous woman.
"Dinner's almost ready," Claire announced.
"Great," Luke said. "Can we not do the thing where everyone interrogates Haley's boyfriend?"
"I'm not her boyfriend," Gael said automatically.
Haley looked at him.
Phil looked at him.
Claire looked at him.
Alex looked up from her book.
Luke slowly pointed between them.
"You guys definitely kissed."
Gael nearly laughed.
Haley threw a napkin at Luke's head.
"Oh my God, shut up."
"HA!" Phil yelled triumphantly. "I knew it!"
Claire pinched the bridge of her nose.
"This is why we can't have normal family dinners."
Gael should have felt uncomfortable.
Instead, sothing unfamiliar settled warmly in his chest.
Noise.
Chaos.
Sarcasm.
People talking over each other.
It felt…
Nice.
Too nice.
Which made it dangerous.
Because Gael already knew sothing terrifying.
He didn't just find Haley attractive anymore.
He was starting to genuinely like being here.
And that could ruin everything.
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