Chapter 19
Nineteen
GIA
Ishould get a bike. A nice pink one.
Being back in Willowbrook and seeing how small the town actually was, despite the majestic mountains surrounding it, made her more aware of her carbon footprint.
Willowbrook was not like LA, where the smog was nearly suffocating.
The constant emission of exhaust fumes was clearly doing unspeakable damage to the environment.
Unlike LA, the fresh air here, mixed with the near-constant wind blowing through the valley, was invigorating.
She could take a deep breath without curling her nose at the smell of gasoline permeating her senses.
It did wonders for her mood, especially when she’d practice her gentle breathing exercises.
It was a completely different experience when the air was free from pollution.
Marley’s bike made a lot more sense than the minivan Gia had basically commandeered since she came back to town. Her parents insisted she use it, but she knew they often transported things from the restaurant back to the home, or even helped with the kids when needed.
Having a bike would help reduce her carbon footprint, return the vehicle to her parents, who actually needed it, and allow her freedom to move about town, since everything she needed was within a fifteen-minute walk from her parents’ house. If she had a bike, she could cut that time in half.
She could see it clearly—biking around town during the spring, when the flowers were blooming. Riding along the paved bike trail following the lake during the summer. And in the fall, her scarf would trail behind her as she watched the leaves change color.
It was merely a fantasy, but while she was bouncing around from table to table, talking to the patrons who came in for dinner at The Lotus, she pretended it was possible.
A life where she would be content with what she had, instead of always chasing after something to fill the void inside of her.
A world where she felt less alone and maybe, just maybe, more in control.
It all came to a screeching halt when a pair of ice-blue eyes pierced through her bubble of illusion with a resounding pop. As she met Jake’s knowing gaze, her wistful smile wavered.
It was as if Jake could see where her thoughts had led her. She felt exposed in a way she had never been before. Every layer she’d built around herself was pulled back, exposing the soft, gooey center of her bruised heart, which refused to stop beating no matter how much she put it through.
It made her feel vulnerable. He could strip her of everything with only a look.
In doing so, he triggered her protective instincts.
With little effort, she fortified her walls with a growl, determined to keep Jake at arm’s length.
That is, until he lifted a brawny arm and brandished a giant bouquet—wrapped in the purple paper that was a signature of Blooming Petals—and her resolve faltered.
When was the last time someone had brought her flowers? Treated her as if she was more than arm candy or a ticket to Hollywood?
Too long. In fact, if she dwelled on it long enough, she would find that the last time she’d felt wanted was thanks to the very person staring straight through to her soul right now.
So, she did what she did best. Turned on her heel and walked away, ignoring the twinge of guilt that pierced her heart for rebuking Jake.
He was too good for her. Too wholesome. She didn’t deserve to be the focus of his attention.
Even as she thought it, the tears welled, unbidden, belying her true feelings.
This is bullshit.
Whining would do nothing, but it made her feel a little better. The first time she felt seen, it just had to be because of Jake.
The universe had a terrible sense of humor, and Gia was not laughing.
She stomped to the back, where she burst into the kitchen like a determined tornado to avoid the events of the last few minutes. Lying to herself, she thought she was only evading Jake, and not the fact that she was considering moving back to Willowbrook in a more permanent way.
“You okay?” Her mother’s voice broke through her thoughts, her eyes pinched in worry.
“I’m fine.” She pasted on a smile, but judging by the knowing glint in her mother’s eyes, she wasn’t as good of an actress as she’d thought when it came to hiding her true emotions. It was a wonder she’d gotten as far as she did in her career when she couldn’t even lie to her own mother.
Her smile dropped as she turned to face the pile of dirty dishes. As she was washing the bowls, she could tell the moment Jake entered the dining room. Not only did the bell signal his entrance, but the crowd practically erupted in cheerful shouts loud enough to carry to the back.
She rolled her eyes at how easy it was for Jake to walk into any room he was in and have a crowd of adoring fans, while she had to fight tooth and nail to be noticed.
“Gia Huy, that bowl is clean enough, yeah?”
Glancing down, she realized she’d washed the same bowl at least ten times by now, and grimaced.
“Oops.” She rinsed the bowl and was placing it on the drying rack when the kitchen doors swung open.
By the charge of awareness shooting through her, she knew it wasn’t Minnie who had come through the doors.
Still, she kept her back turned away like the coward she was as Jake greeted her parents, who responded exuberantly.
Traitors.
Picking up the next dish, she scrubbed it a little too hard, her hands gripping the sponge in a tight fist. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as Jake sidled closer. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him place the bouquet on the counter as he stepped closer to her.
“Gia.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his muscled arms across his broad chest. The movement caused the fabric of his shirt to stretch tautly, exposing more of the golden skin at the base of his neck.
“What do you want, Jake?” Gia bit out. It wasn’t really a question, though Jake acted like it was an invitation for conversation instead of the rebuke it was.
“I’m glad you asked, actually.” A corner of his lip tugged upward in an arrogant smirk, as if he knew she would react this way to him. “The restaurant will be closed soon, and I’d like to take you out to dinner.”
Dinner?
Turning the faucet off, Gia reached for a hand towel.
She braced herself as she turned to face him and then wished she hadn’t, because he looked absolutely delicious standing there with a devil-may-care attitude, his tie loosened to expose the strong column of his throat.
She could make out the curls of his chest hair at the edge of his unbuttoned shirt.
That’s a new development. I wonder what else is new about Jake.
“Gia, my eyes are up here.” Jake gestured to his eyes with two fingers.
Fuck.
He’d caught her checking him out.
“I know where they are.” She puffed, but his smirk widened in response. There was no fooling Jake. “And no thank you.”
She turned to walk past Jake, but he stopped her with a hand around her arm. Gasping at his warm hand on hers, she instinctively pulled away. She expected resistance, but he immediately let her go.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have grabbed you.” His face scrunched in concern as he looked her over, half-expecting her to break down at any moment.
“I’m fine.” To her shock, she was telling the truth.
If anyone else had grabbed her without warning, she probably would have reacted much differently, but both her mind and her body knew what she’d refused to acknowledge until now—she was safe.
Despite how he had broken her heart, she had never been in any danger around him.
Maybe she had been a little hard on Jake.
He’d been nothing but kind to her. Thoughtful even, as shown by the flowers he’d brought her.
Her past hurts didn’t justify how she treated him now, because despite their issues, he always showed he cared about her.
Even if she was friend-zoning him, as she was.
I could really use a friend.
Gia shoved down the teenage girl inside of her, who protested at the prospect of being Jake’s friend—but they slept together and had nothing but heartache to show for it. Maybe some people were only meant to be just friends.
“Dinner sounds great.”
Jake’s eyes widened comically. He clearly hadn’t expected her to agree so readily. She had surprised herself too.
“How about the bar down the street? I haven’t been there since I’ve been back.”
“Crystal Hollow Grill?”
“Yeah, that one.”
“Lead the way, little lady.” Jake held the door open for her in a flourish, but as she moved to walk by him, he stopped her short with the flowers. “These are for you. I was instructed to give these to you, or else.”
“Oh.” A wave of disappointment crashed into her as she gripped the floral arrangement. “Thanks.”
And here she thought he had been trying to seduce her.
Guess I am in the friend zone, after all.
She waved goodbye to her parents as Jake walked her out of the restaurant. They seemed gleeful he was taking her out, which only made her frown in confusion. Her poor parents were hoping to marry her off to their surrogate son, while all Jake wanted was to rekindle their friendship.
How awkward.
What was even more annoying was the fact that she thought he wanted more.
Of course he doesn’t want more. I’ve been nothing but mean to him since I came home, so why would he want anything more to do with me?
If she had been alone, she’d have slapped herself on the forehead, but since she was walking side by side with the town’s golden boy, she resisted the urge.
The sun had long since disappeared behind Mount Luna, finally giving up its dominion over the vast sky. She glanced up at the twinkling stars beside the crescent-shaped moon. Without the light pollution of LA, the sliver of moonlight illuminated the town in a soft glow.
It was moments like these she missed. Being able to look up at the sky and see the inky darkness sprinkled with gleaming lights. Out here, nothing could mute the brilliance of the cloudless sky.