The look makes my lips tingle, but since I'm not prepared to face it, I brush off the sensation and tease him. "Are you going to drive me home or just stand here flirting awkwardly?"
Alek mock gasps as he grabs his laptop bag and suit jacket. "How dare you call my flirting bad. I practice these smooth moves in front of a mirror daily."
I pat his head when I walk past him to hold the door open. "Might need to work on it some more then, buddy."
****
The ride to my apartment is filled with the familiar banter between us before it eventually switches to my job ventures.
"I'm still waiting to hear from a couple of them," I reply when he asks me about the places I've applied.
"Eh, we both know you'll get a call back. You have experience in your field and a bachelor's degree. Have you thought about Grinder's?"
"What about it?"
"Buying it. Toby mentioned thinking about selling. I'm sure he'd sell it to you for a reasonable price, or at least work with you on buying it."
That idea never even occurred to me. Even if I wanted to, I have no idea how I’d manage it. My small savings can’t compare to what it takes to buy a business.
Would I even want that? Owning Grinder’s would mean settling here for good. My roots are in Granite Bay, but I liked knowing I could leave—especially after what Keaton did. Opening a place together was once our dream, but now I’m not sure I want this city to anchor me.
"Doing that would mean being stuck in Granite Bay. I'm still not sure what I'm doing yet," I reply quietly.
"Did you apply for any jobs outside of Granite Bay?"
"One or two are in a few towns over, but most have been here."
"What about where I work? Did you apply for the marketing manager position we have open?" Alek asks.
"Of course I did. It was the first one."
CB Acquisitions is one of the biggest companies in the state. A job there would look amazing on my resume. I just don't know if it's a smart idea to work in the same place as Alek.
"I'll talk to Cesare when I go in tomorrow and see if I can't speed up the process."
I reach over and place my hand on top of his on the shifter. "No. Don't do that. I don't want a job based on who I know, Alek. I want one based on my credentials." His hand shifts under mine, and I yank mine away, dropping it to my lap. "If I'm meant to get the job, then I will. For now, I'm good at Grinders."
Letting Alek touch me feels less foreign now. Guilt still tries to creep in, but I shove it aside. I’m single for the first time in nearly seven years, and it’s...weird. Not bad, just unfamiliar. Life as half of a couple was all I knew, and now I’m learning how to be whole on my own. I’m not ready for anything serious, not because I’m waiting for Keaton. I don’t want him back. Not now. Maybe not ever. But that image from the poolhouse still haunts me.
A shudder rolls over me.
I don't know if it's something that will ever go away.
My apartment complex comes into view, and my palms sweat as we pull into the designated parking space. I know what's coming next. It's the same thing that he does every time he drops me off.
He's out and rounding the car to my side, opening the door, and holding out his hand to help me. Once I'm standing on my feet, he drops my hand and steps away so he doesn't crowd me. He shoves his hands in his slack pockets as he walks me to my apartment. The one thing I enjoy about being friends with Alek is that the silence is comfortable. He doesn't have the need to fill it with unnecessary conversation. For the last two months, the world around me has been loud as fuck, so the silence feels good.
"You ready to put me out of my misery yet, Lollie, and go out on a date with me?" he asks with that cheeky smile of his that I've seen get him in trouble many times.
I stick my keys in the knob, but instead of opening it, I lean back against it and look up at him as I think over hisquestion. Nibbling on my bottom lip, I study his face as I try to find...something. I don't know what. Maybe something that tells me whether this guy is trustworthy or whether he'll hurt me.
When I realize what I'm doing, I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths to settle my chaotic emotions. I refuse to let Keaton's betrayal fuck with me so much that I'm questioning the motives of any guy I come across. Especially ones I'm close to.
My lips curve in a small smile as I peer up at him. "Can I think about it?"
It takes him a minute to realize that I didn't give him a flat-out no, and his eyes widen as his lips curl into a slow smile. "It's not a no this time, so you do what you got to do, pretty girl." His eyes softly roam over my face. "If you're not ready, then don't force it, Char, yeah? There's no pressure, and I won't be pissed if you say no. I only want to take you out and let you have some fun."
Warmth fills my chest, and I raise a brow. "Is that the only thing you want?"
