Gael tried spending less ti at the Dunphy house.
It lasted three days.
On the fourth day, Haley showed up uninvited at his penthouse carrying takeout and criticism.
"This place looks like a rich person's aquarium."
Gael opened the door wider.
"That's a deeply specific insult."
"There's too much glass." Haley walked inside slowly, looking around the sleek, modern interior. "And why does everything look expensive enough to emotionally judge ?"
"Because it is."
She pointed accusingly.
"See? That."
Gael smiled despite himself and closed the door behind her.
The penthouse sat high above downtown Los Angeles, all floor-to-ceiling windows and polished minimalism. Beautiful in the way luxury hotels were beautiful.
Clean.
Impressive.
Empty.
Haley noticed it imdiately.
"You really live like this?" she asked more quietly now.
Gael set the takeout containers onto the kitchen island.
"Mostly."
"That sounds lonely."
He glanced at her briefly.
"People keep saying that."
"Maybe because it's true."
There she went again.
Finding the exact pressure points in conversations without even trying.
Haley wandered toward the massive windows overlooking the city skyline.
"At night, this probably looks amazing."
"It does."
"But also kind of depressing."
"That too."
She turned toward him slowly.
"You know what your problem is?"
"I'm beginning to regret asking people that."
"You built a whole life that looks impressive from far away." Haley crossed her arms lightly. "But nobody actually lives here with you."
The words landed harder than he expected.
Because she was right.
The penthouse had always been a symbol first and a ho second.
Investors loved it.
Journalists loved it.
Gael rarely did.
He leaned against the counter while watching Haley explore the apartnt.
Seeing her here felt strangely intimate already.
"You hungry?" he asked.
"I brought food. So yes."
They ate on the couch overlooking the city while Haley complained about one of her professors for nearly twenty minutes straight.
Gael mostly listened.
Not because he had to.
Because he genuinely liked hearing her talk.
That realization kept happening lately in increasingly inconvenient ways.
"And then," Haley continued dramatically, "he said my presentation lacked structure."
"What was the presentation about?"
"Celebrity breakups."
Gael blinked slowly.
"In fairness, I see his concern."
She threw a napkin at him.
"Traitor."
He laughed quietly.
God.
This felt normal.
Dangerously normal.
Haley eventually stretched out beside him on the couch, legs resting partly against his lap while the late afternoon sunlight filled the apartnt.
"You know," she said sleepily, "your couch is nicer than my future."
"That's a concerning life assessnt."
"You're rich. You don't understand struggle."
"I understand taxes."
"That's not the sa thing."
Gael smiled faintly before his phone buzzed against the coffee table.
Claire.
Both of them looked at the screen.
Haley grabbed the phone before he could.
"Ooooh."
"That's my phone."
"And now it's my entertainnt."
She answered before he could stop her.
"Hello?"
A pause.
Then Claire's voice ca faintly through the speaker.
"…Why do you have Gael's phone?"
Haley grinned wickedly.
"Wow, Mom. No hello?"
"Haley."
"We're eating."
Another pause.
Gael reached for the phone.
Haley leaned away imdiately, laughing.
"Absolutely not."
"Give the phone."
"Make ."
Claire sighed audibly through the speaker.
"I called because your father wants to know if Gael can co to dinner tomorrow."
Gael paused.
"You called him for that?" Haley asked suspiciously.
"Phil lost his phone and refused to wait."
"That sounds accurate."
"It was exhausting."
Gael finally managed to take the phone back.
"Sorry about that."
Claire laughed softly on the other end.
Unexpectedly soft.
"I expected worse, honestly."
"That's not reassuring."
"Living with Haley lowered my standards years ago."
"Rude," Haley called out loudly from the couch.
Claire ignored her.
"So," she continued, "are you free tomorrow?"
Gael hesitated briefly.
That was the dangerous part.
He never really wanted to say no anymore.
"I can make ti."
"Good." A small pause followed. "Phil already started planning dinner conversation topics."
"That sounds threatening."
"You have no idea."
Gael heard the smile in her voice before the call ended.
The apartnt grew quiet again afterward.
Haley narrowed her eyes imdiately.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"That voice."
Gael set the phone down carefully.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"My mom likes you."
"She tolerates ."
"She voluntarily called you."
That was… true.
Gael frowned slightly.
Because now that he thought about it, Claire could have easily called Haley instead.
Or waited for Phil to replace his phone.
Or simply texted.
But she called him directly.
Interesting.
Haley sat up slowly, studying him.
"You know what? You and my mom have similar energy."
Gael nearly choked on air.
"…What?"
"You both do the intense eye-contact thing."
"That's not a thing."
"It absolutely is."
Gael rubbed a hand over his face while Haley laughed at his expression.
The scary part was that she wasn't entirely wrong.
Claire did hold eye contact longer than most people.
Just attentively.
Like she was always trying to fully understand whoever she spoke to.
And lately, Gael had started noticing when her attention shifted toward him specifically.
Noticing it far too much.
Haley stretched again before settling closer beside him.
"You're thinking again."
"I'm always thinking."
"That sounds exhausting."
"It is."
For a mont, neither spoke.
The city glowed beyond the windows while warm evening light filled the apartnt.
Then Haley tilted her head against his shoulder quietly.
And without thinking, Gael rested his hand lightly against her leg.
Simple contact.
Comfortable.
Natural.
The kind that sneaks up on people slowly until suddenly it matters.
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