22. Fia
Fia
My stomach drops when I step outside and see Jesse sitting at an umbrella-covered cafe table. There’s no one else out here, and he looks enormous in the small metal chair.
I’ve never been intimidated by my sister’s longtime boyfriend, he’s like a big brother to me, but the look on his face has me hyperventilating.
He knows something.
“What’s going on? You’re freaking me out . . .” I walk up to him, too nervous to sit.
Jesse puffs out his cheeks, his long inked legs splayed out in front of him.
“You tell me, Fia.”
“I don’t like your tone. I’m busy, just tell me.”
His jaw tightens as he nods at me. “You want to explain why I just drove past the house and saw a dumpster in the driveway and a crew of guys in hazmat suits hauling out drywall?”
Everything stops moving.
Jesse leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Fia.”
I’m an adult. I made my choices, and I can own up to this.
“Fine.” I tense but I hold his gaze. “But before you freak out, please hear me out.”
Jesse sweeps his hand through the air, watching me closely.
“A few weeks ago, I discovered a leak in the roof,” I say, sighing heavily, “and called a contractor. They found mold in the drywall of the ceiling . . .”
Jesse’s brows rise and his lips fall open.
“So, long story short,” I say, barreling on, “the guys you saw were hauling out the damaged drywall. Then the house will get a new roof.”
Jesse gazes at me like I’m talking in a foreign tongue.
“How the hell—” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Do Penny or Danny know about this?”
“No!” Stepping towards him, I nearly jump out of my skin. “And they can’t know. I have it under control.” The desperation is thick in my voice and I hate that.
Jesse pushes off his black shorts, standing tall above me. “Fia . . . I can’t lie to your sister.”
“Jesse!” I snap, and his green eyes find mine.
I’m on the brink of tears. “You. Cannot. Tell. Anyone.” I breathe deep, combing my fingers through the tips of my hair.
A nervous habit. “If Penny finds out, she’ll want to be involved, which means she will use this as leverage to sell the house. We both know that’s true.”
He pinches his lips together tight. He can’t deny it.
“She’s been waiting for a reason to get rid of the house,” I say as I kick at the pebbles under my feet, squinting in the high afternoon sun. “But I’m fixing the problem. In less than five weeks it will be livable again, and Daisy and I will move back in.”
Jesse unclenches his jaw, nodding slowly, taking it in. “That’s a lot for one person to take on alone. You sure you don’t need some help, Fi? How are you paying for this? Where are you staying?”
I cross my arms, knowing it’s no use to hide anything from Jesse.
“My boss is letting me stay in his guesthouse for free for a bit,” I respond quietly.
Jesse opens his mouth, but I hold up my hand in defense.
“It’s been a little over a week,” I say, stronger now, “and we’re adjusting well. The place is new and safe. Daisy, Hamburger, and I are good.” I step forward, nudging his shoe with mine. “I promise, Jesse.”
I can tell he doesn’t like this by the way he’s avoiding my gaze.
But it’s not up to him. It’s up to no one but me.
“Where’d you get the money to fix the roof?” He narrows his eyes quizzically at me. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“I got a loan.”
Jesse raises his brows. I’ve always been a shit liar.
The silence stretches on, my foot fidgeting on the stone pavers.
“Okay,” I say faster. “Caden loaned me the money—”
“Wait, your boss?” Jesse asks, pitch an octave higher.
“Yes.” I glance back in paranoia at the cafe, but Caden’s not standing there. “His family owns a construction business, and he got me a great deal on the repairs.”
Jesse tilts his head back, neck flexing, and shakes his head.
“Look,” I continue, sucking in a breath, “y’all are always harping on me, but I took care of this. Once it’s all said and done, I will tell Danny and Penny. I just needed to do this on my own. You have to understand.”
He bites his lip.
I snap my eyes to his and hold them there. “Jesse, I need your word. Promise you won’t tell them. About any of it.”
My sister would show up to Caden’s house in the middle of the night if she knew I was staying there.
“Fuck,” he growls and starts massaging his temples.
I know I’m asking a lot. He and my sister don’t keep anything from each other.
Jesse inhales sharply. “Fine. But if anything at all happens, promise you’ll call me immediately.”
I nod silently. I can agree to that.
Jesse shakes his head, lips still in a scowl. “You’re lucky Penny left for the bachelorette trip this morning and is out of town for an entire week.”
I push down the guilt at the mention of my sister. I’ve been avoiding her calls. Though I did text her a picture of Daisy and tell her to have a safe flight last night.
But this secret I’m keeping is all temporary.
Jesse stretches his legs and reaches for his keys in his pocket. “I’ll keep your secret, but I can’t promise your siblings won’t see the house on their own.”
“I know. I’m just praying the summer stays busy for them. I’m taking it one day at a time.” I shrug, knowing it’s a loose plan, really, but it’s all I got.
Jesse’s motorcycle key twirls on his finger. “One thing though.” His dark green eyes fix hard on mine. “I want to see where you’re living.”
I grumble but he doesn’t budge.
“If anything ever happened to you or Daisy, and I knew about all of this, your sister would kill me with her bare hands.”
“That’s fair.” I scrunch my nose at the image because he’s not wrong. “I need to pick up Daisy, then I can meet you there. I’ll text you the address.”
Jesse taps my shoulder and proceeds to his bike. As he’s starting it, the back door of Good Grinds swings open.
Caden steps out, lifting his head at me. He’s got his backpack and car keys, likely heading home. “You good out here?” he asks, and I offer a polite smile.
“All good,” I croak.
Caden’s Jeep is already parked in the driveway when Jesse pulls in behind me, but he’s nowhere to be seen.
I’m relieved.
Lush green grass surrounds us, the sounds of the city far gone—replaced with the sound of a breeze rushing through leafy trees.
“It’s nice. Stop looking around like you’re gonna rob the place,” I hiss, rolling my eyes at my sister’s boyfriend as I get Daisy from her car seat.
He smiles loosely at me, skepticism lingering on his face.
“This is where you’re living . . . for free, you said?” He lifts his chin towards the guesthouse, then follows me as we walk down the stone pathway.
“Yes, it is,” I reply over my shoulder, pushing open the front door. Hamburger skitters across the floor, hiding under the sofa when we step inside.
Jesse’s eyes roam around, landing on Daisy as she smiles and reaches up to him from my arms. He takes her, tossing her up. The house is filled with uncontrollable giggles from my toddler.
With her in the nook of his arm, Jesse walks around, peeping in all the rooms like a protective father. I stand in the kitchen waiting for him.
“Do you need to look in all the cabinets and closets, or are you satisfied?” I ask.
“Damn, you are Penny’s sister.” Jesse scoffs.
I scrunch my nose at him.
“Thank you for showing me. It’s very nice,” he muses.
“Why did you say it like that?” I cross my arms as Daisy touches the tattoos on Jesse’s neck with a pudgy little finger.
“I didn’t say it in any type of way. Just want you to be careful, okay?”
“Don't be cryptic.”
He cocks his head, shifting his weight uncomfortably. “Your boss obviously has money. So whether it’s a loan”—Jesse puts loan in air quotes, and my stomach clenches at his assumption—“or whatever, I just don’t want to see you getting taken advantage of.”
“You’re suggesting he has ulterior motives?” I rebut, my breathing slightly unsteady.
Jesse shrugs. “I don’t know the guy. But you’re a pretty girl, Fia. Don’t be naive.”
My face reddens and I shake my head.
“Trust me,” I start with a self-deprecating chuckle. “Caden has zero interest in me outside of making sure he doesn’t lose his store manager.”
“How much do you owe him?” Jesse asks, and I bite my lip, hesitant to answer. He’ll find out eventually, I’m sure.
“Twelve thousand,” I say quietly.
Jesse doesn’t reply, but nods, lips in a tight line.
“It’s a lot of money, I know, but it’s important for me to do this myself.”
I don’t mention that it’s going to be a very tight squeeze on my budget. Or that it will take five years to pay him back at my current rate.
I can’t think about that right now.
“I get that, Fi. I really do.” His lips pull into a slight frown. Jesse’s been on his own since he was sixteen and fought for everything he has. He understands maybe better than anyone what it feels like to prove yourself.
I lead him out to the driveway, where he pulls me in for a tight hug with Daisy between us. His long arms could wrap twice around my frame.
He kisses my daughter’s head and hands her back to me before slipping on his helmet and kick-starting his bike.
“You call me,” Jesse shouts over the roar of the engine. “Any time, day or night. You hear me?”
I nod. “Thanks, love you, Jess.”
Daisy and I stand barefoot in the grass, waving at him as he drives away.