Chapter 16
Sixteen
GIA
After another sleepless night, Gia decided she needed to switch things up.
Her afternoon was free until she had to go to work during the dinner rush at the restaurant.
Instead of heading to the backyard or hiking, since it clearly ended in a disaster last time, she wanted to explore Main Street a little more.
Though the town was mostly unchanged, she’d found a few new things that piqued her interest. Thankfully, her parents left the minivan for her to use again.
The brightly colored storefronts lining Main Street remained a relic from the past. And to think she used to find the cutesy aesthetic cheesy—but having seen how lifeless and dull the streets could be, she enjoyed the vivid shades of pink, purple, blue, and green gleaming happily at her.
It was almost as if she were seeing Willowbrook through a different lens—one jaded by time and dulled by her flashy lifestyle—which gave her a deeper appreciation for the little things.
While the bookstore was not a fresh addition to the town, it was under different ownership and had undergone a facelift.
What was once known as Willowbrook Books was now Moonflower Pages.
The fresh coat of paint did nothing to hide the fond memories the building held.
Situated directly across was the coffee shop, Sip Happens, and the bakery, Sweet Tooth Cakes.
The short drive from her parents’ was over before she knew it.
There were only a few cars in the small parking lot at this time of day, which meant she had prime parking right in front of the bookstore.
This was one thing she didn’t miss about LA—the heavily populated area meant loads of traffic and smog, and a lack of parking spaces.
The bookstore was among her planned destinations for today’s adventure, but it was not at the top of the list. Gia’s eyes scanned the small shop cast in shadows next to the looming bookstore. While the rest of the buildings glowed with pride, the storefront next to Moonflower Pages looked desolate.
If Gia hadn’t seen the elderly woman closing up shop the other night while she was bringing in the sidewalk sign for the evening, she would have thought Blooming Petals was abandoned.
Even from a short distance, her stooped posture belied more than defeat.
It reeked of weariness and despair. She’d felt an answering tug from deep inside her, one of familiarity.
Gia chewed on her bottom lip while she debated whether going inside was a good idea.
What was she hoping to gain by snooping around and meddling in things she had no business being in?
But something had happened in the short time she’d been back in Willowbrook.
A tiny seed planted itself inside the barren landscape where her heart should be.
In the dark cavern inside of her, it sprouted roots, growing little by little each day, with each act of kindness.
It was nothing compared to the yawning void inside of her—but it grew, nonetheless.
With it, irrational thoughts sprung. Something that felt dangerously close to hope.
She could finally see a different future for herself. One that didn’t involve flashing lights. Because in the window of the neglected flower shop was a For Sale sign. The blazing neon lights seared her retinas the longer she stared.
Fuck it. What do I have to lose?
Gia turned off the car and pushed out of the door with resolve. There was no harm in at least looking around.
She’d marched up to the grimy door, clammy hands yanking it open before she knew it. It opened with a squawk of protest, or maybe from disuse.
Gonna need to grease those hinges.
Already, she was compiling a list of things she’d change to bring life back to this place.
Stepping inside, she cringed at the dusty interior. Her eyes scanned the wilted flowers, which had seen better days, but mostly, the bins where vibrant flowers should be were empty.
“Hello?” Her voice echoed in the room. The lights were so dim, it looked like there were no occupants until she heard a groan followed by the squeak of a chair, and then a soft but strong voice answered her.
“Coming, dear.” On shuffling feet, a head of white hair emerged from the back, which Gia assumed was an office. “Ah, it’s you. I was wondering when you’d stop by to visit an old friend.”
Gia smiled thinly. As a teenager, she used to stop in once in a while to smell the roses, literally. But the colorful memories of her childhood did not compare to the lifeless space she now stood in.
“It’s so good to see you, Rosie.” The lines on the woman’s face were deeper, her hair a shade of silver, but the warm affection in her brown eyes had not changed. “I like what you’ve done with the place.”
“Oh shush. I’m old, not stupid. The place is as dead as my husband.”
“I see you have lost none of your bite.” Gia’s smile stretched widely. “You’re selling the place?”
A weary sigh escaped Rosie, making her seem impossibly smaller. “Afraid so. Unfortunately, there were no biters. Why? Are you interested?”
Gia stared at the gleam in Rosie’s eyes, the wheels turning in her head. That seedling grew a stalk and reached toward the beam of hope, but reality came crashing down, smothering it in darkness once again.
Maybe if life had been different, she would be right here with Rosie, but unfortunately, she had too much unfinished business to even consider taking on anything else.
Shaking her head ruefully, she moved in to give Rosie a hug. “Just came here to say hi to a friend.”
Her heart sank the same way Rosie deflated.
After a few minutes of polite conversation, Gia left the shop without a backward glance and headed to the bookstore next door. The bell chimed, signaling her entrance. Moonflower Pages was the picture of cozy and eclectic. The smell of dusty books made her tense shoulders instantly relax.
From the doorway, she could see row upon row of weathered shelves of varying heights with signs displayed at the top of each shelf showing the genres.
Gia spotted her favorite section, romance, in the back corner and made a beeline to it.
The floorboards creaked with each step. Behind the checkout counter, Lana sat with a frown, waving when she saw Gia rushing by.
She was reading the back of a romance book with a half-naked man on the cover when a familiar teenager found her.
“Hi, Gia! How’s it going?”
Gia jerked at the unexpected voice. She’d been so deep in her head, she’d lost track of her surroundings. Realizing what she was holding, she shoved the book back into its place. Hand on her chest, she turned to face her visitor. “Oh, Marley. You surprised me.”
Marley looped her fingers into the straps of her backpack. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Are you okay?”
“Me? I’m fine, totally fine.” Marley rocked back on her heels, chewing on the inside of her cheek as if debating what to say. Then, with a deep breath, she whispered, “I need your help with something.”
Brows furrowed, she leaned in and replied in a hushed tone, “What do you need?”
“Well, so, I have a sensitive situation, and I was thinking you would be perfect to help.”
“A sensitive situation?” What am I being roped into?
Marley frowned. “Well… it kinda involves a cat.”
It was the last thing Gia had been expecting. “A cat?”
“Yeah… Well, kinda. I’ve been trying to trap it all week.”
“Why?” Do I even want to know what’s going on?
“I’ve been watching it from my window every morning, and for the past week, it just didn’t look right…”
“Did Jake put you up to this?” Gia popped her hip, arms crossed against her chest defensively.
“Jake? No way.” Marley shook her head vehemently. “He has no idea about any of this.”
Gia narrowed her eyes at the wide-eyed teenager standing before her. A halo of wild curls framed her flushed face as Gia considered her answer.
She didn’t know what was going on. Between the overly enthusiastic welcome she received when she walked into the bookstore ten minutes ago and the puppy-dog-eyed teenager who made a beeline for her—she was suspicious.
Her foot tapped absentmindedly against the carpeted floor as she mulled over the situation. The romance book she’d been looking at was long forgotten on the shelf. Marley offered a tight-lipped smile. She appeared genuine, but Gia’s instincts screamed there was more to the story.
“Why me?” she finally asked.
Marley sighed, her brown eyes rolling before responding. “It’s not like I can ask Jake.”
“And why not? Isn’t he your guardian or whatever?” Her brows pinched together with confusion.
Marley’s teeth worried her lower lip, weighing her next words. Gia watched as the girl twisted her fingers in her sweater while she wrestled with her thoughts.
“It’s just… he’s already done so much for me. I don’t want to be a burden to him, but I really need help. I think the cat is in trouble, or something is wrong with it.” Pearly white teeth clamped down hard on her lower lip.
Gia raked a sharp gaze over Marley’s features.
She couldn’t figure out what harm there was in helping her.
Besides, it was probably better for Marley to ask her for help instead of trying to tackle the task alone.
Or maybe she was a sucker for an innocent face.
Gia shook her head, a small sigh escaping her.
The decision was made before the words left her mouth.
“Fine. I’ll help you, but under one condition.” Marley perked up at Gia’s stern tone.
“Okay…”
“You promise me Jake is not involved with this.” Gia resisted the urge to point a finger at Marley for emphasis. She didn’t want to scare her away. It meant a lot that Marley felt comfortable enough to ask her for help.
Marley bit back a smile as if she had been anticipating Gia’s response, and nodded her head sharply as she raised a hand and drew an X over her heart.
“I swear. Jake has nothing to do with this. Cross my heart.”
Gia narrowed her eyes, but Marley’s promise seemed sincere.