Gael wasn't expecting Gloria to answer the door.
He'd co by to drop off Haley's jacket after she accidentally left it in his car earlier that afternoon.
Simple plan.
Thirty-second interaction.
Instead, Gloria opened the front door wearing fitted jeans, a loose white blouse, and the expression of soone already halfway through enjoying her evening.
"Well," she said imdiately, smiling warmly. "Look who finally rembered we exist."
Gael laughed quietly.
"That sounds accusatory."
"It's Colombian affection."
Honestly?
Dangerous answer.
The house felt quieter than usual inside.
No Luke yelling.
No Phil breaking sothing.
No Haley arguing with Alex upstairs.
"Where is everybody?" he asked while stepping inside.
"Jay took Manny to so golf dinner," Gloria explained. "Claire and Phil are out with friends. Haley texted she's coming later."
Then she noticed the jacket in his hand.
"Oh. So you ca for responsible reasons. How disappointing."
Gael smirked faintly.
"That sounded suspiciously flirtatious."
Gloria placed one hand dramatically against her chest.
"I flirt with everybody. It keeps young."
Unfortunately?
That was probably true.
She moved effortlessly through the kitchen while talking, energy filling the room naturally in a way very few people managed.
Confident.
Warm.
Dangerously charming.
"You want wine?" she asked casually while opening the fridge.
"That depends. Is this one of those situations where Jay appears halfway through and kills ?"
Gloria laughed loudly enough that he instantly understood why Jay tolerated half the chaos she created.
"No. Jay won't be ho for hours."
Interesting information to volunteer.
Potentially dangerous information to volunteer.
Abort imdiately.
Still, Gael accepted the wine.
Mostly because leaving imdiately would sohow make the situation feel stranger.
They settled in the kitchen naturally after that:
Gloria leaning against the counter,
Gael sitting nearby,
soft music drifting through the house from sowhere.
Easy conversation.
Too easy, honestly.
"You know," Gloria said eventually while sipping wine, "the family talks about you constantly now."
"That feels mildly threatening."
"It is mostly good."
"Mostly?"
Gloria grinned over the rim of her glass.
"Luke thinks you're secretly Batman."
"That's fair."
"And Phil thinks you are too mature."
"That's significantly more concerning."
Gloria laughed again before studying him for a second longer than normal.
"You make people comfortable very quickly."
Interesting.
Second ti soone had said sothing similar recently.
Gael leaned back slightly in the chair.
"That sounds psychological too."
"I am observant."
"That's Claire's word."
"Ah." Gloria smiled knowingly. "So now you notice how the won in this family talk."
Gael hid a smile behind his wine glass.
"You're enjoying this conversation too much."
"Yes."
At least she was honest.
For a mont, the room settled quieter around them.
The kitchen lights felt softer at night.
More intimate sohow.
Then Gloria sighed dramatically.
"You know what is unfair?" "I miss being flirted with properly."
Still playful.
But real underneath it.
Gael stayed careful.
"Jay seems pretty devoted to you."
"Oh, he adores ." Gloria smiled faintly into her wine. "But after many years, marriage becos…" She searched briefly for the word. "Predictable."
And suddenly the atmosphere felt different.
Not inappropriate yet.
Just aware.
"You're too young to understand that, probably," Gloria added.
"That sounded insulting."
"You know what I an."
Unfortunately?
He did.
Gloria looked toward him again, then, with dark eyes lingering slightly longer than before.
And for the first ti since eting her—
Gael beca very aware that Gloria wasn't just "Haley's step-grandmother."
She was still an extrely attractive woman who enjoyed attention and knew exactly how to create tension when she wanted to.
Then the front door suddenly opened.
Haley's voice echoed through the house imdiately.
"I'm starving!"
And just like that, the mont shattered naturally.
Gloria smiled faintly into her wine glass before standing upright again.
"Saved by timing," she murmured almost teasingly.
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