Elara’s POV
Gabriel Cross had been a family friend for as long as I could remember. He was my mother’s friend first, and her colleague from work. They always went on trips together, and even though I still didn’t understand the specifications of her job, I was just so glad she had someone to lean on there.
And Dad was too.
Because his voice boomed through the space as we pushed into the living room, Gabriel still by my side, a smile stretched on his face.
“Gabriel!” Dad pushed through from the stairs. “We weren’t expecting you today.” I could see the confusion in his eyes, the one he never let anyone see through. But I’d always had a way of reading him.
“Oh,” Gabriel’s head jerked back in mild surprise, but he recovered from it quickly, crossing the space to shake hands with my dad.
