“See you tomorrow.” I slide only one foot close to the truck, hoping he’ll maybe try to kiss me, or shoot, ask me to hang out longer. It’s really not that late for Saturday night.
“Yeah, I’ll call before I come over.”
“Sounds good.” I slowly open my door, and I climb inside, my heart sinking a little. “Bye.”
“Yeah. Nice seeing you again.” His feet still don’t move, and it’s not my imagination that he's wanting to ask me something else, but it’s just not working. It’s beyond awkward now.
“Nice seeing you, too.” I put my hand on my door, closing it a bit.
“Okay. Bye.” He turns toward his car, and I quickly shut the door before we invent another fifteen ways to say goodbye. I never remember him being that uneasy before, but at least he wasn’t as shy as he used to be.
He definitely is still thoughtful, and as good looking as ever. I turn the truck on and steer forward, seeing that North’s in his car, politely waiting for me to pull out. He waves. I wave back. I move in front of him, and wave again. In the rear view mirror his reflection waves back at me.
eleven
North
Somehow, I make it to bed, but now I’m lying here flat on my back, hands locked behind my head, staring at the ceiling. I don’t settle as I replay everything I said to Gia over and over in my head. It is so easy to converse with her. She was so attuned, and acted like she had nothing better to do than spend time with me, though she has a literal mountain of work to get back to at her dad’s house.
My eyes drift to my alarm clock. 2:14, and I’m still wide awake with a cheesy grin on my face. I can’t help but wonder if things would have been different for us had I not been so shy. I had fallen in love with her literally the first time I saw her, but being shy, I made friends with Rocco first. I thought he could be the bridge to bring us together, but it had turned out to be the opposite. All he ever did was warn me to stay away from her. I tried for years to forget about her, but it was useless. There’salways a gigantic pull when she is near, like my soul recognizes her presence, and I don’t want to deny that anymore.
Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I can. It’s been escalating so much. Now that I’ve finally had a chance to sit down with her, I feel like if I don’t let her know how I feel soon, I’m going to explode.
I get up early, head over to the church, where I sit in the same pew I’ve sat in every week for the last decade. After the service, I stop at the Coffee Loft for my daily spiced chai and that cherry mocha Gia had mused about. While I wait for our drinks, I tap my leg and stare at the menu. I should get something for Mr. Bella, too. I have no idea how he likes his coffee. Wanting it to be a surprise, I don’t text to ask. “How about an extra mocha,” I add to my order after Portia made my other two drinks.
“Absolutely, chai guy.” She smiles at me coyly. “Are you seeing your lady friend again today?” The mere mention of Gia makes my heart stutter like a manual car that can’t find its gear. “Who said she is my lady friend?”
“She’s a lady, and I assumed she’s a friend. Most people don’t have coffee with their enemies.” She holds on to a teasing smirk as she hands over a drink carrier with three cups.
I grab the drink carrier and simply say, “Thanks for the drinks.”
“See you tomorrow.” She waves at me until I turn my back. As I walk out the door, I text Gia.
Me: Are you ready for backup?
Gia: Yes! I found his stored canned food collection. Some of these pickles are older than me and have horns growing out of them!
The anticipation of seeing her sets my gut in fire knots. There’ve been so many times I’ve wanted to spend time with her that I can’t believe it’s finally happening. Though, I chuckle that it’s not the romantic picnic or walk on the beach, I would havewished for. Nope. I’m literally going over there to clean out her dad’s junk.
Yet, I couldn’t be more excited, and I grin all the way to her house.
After parking in my driveway, I kill the engine, grab the drinks, and cross the front yard to her dad’s. I’ve taken this path so many times under the pretense of seeing Rocco, when I was actually doing all I could to get a glimpse of Gia. Even after all these years, the grass never regrew fully. I make it to the front step. It’s barely forty degrees out, but my palms gloss with sweat.
I’m sure it’s the coffees.
It couldn’t be anything else.
It’s definitely not my stomach flutters.
I shuffle my feet a few times before I decide on the perfect stance to take. I need one that doesn’t make me look too eager, yet excited to see her. I hold the drink carrier by the handle and knock quickly before casually leaning against the house with my free hand. All the effort to look relaxed is wasted when Mr. Bella promptly swings open the door.
“North, what a neighborly thing to do.” He stands back, and I pass over the threshold. “Gia was telling me you’re helping today.” He leans in close, dropping his voice to a whisper, “Between you and me, I don’t need any help. I’m allowing her to do this because I think she’s miserable and misses—” Gia rounds the corner, and Mr. Bella interrupts himself mid-sentence shouting out, “It looks like you brought refreshments. What a saint!”
Gia’s gaze catches mine, and a ping blasts to my heart. “Hey,” she says softly, the sweetest smile curling on her lips. “I was half-expecting you to have a late awakening about what you agreed to do, and bail.”
“No.” Shaking my head, I struggle for the right words. Words to tell her there isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be. I’m more thanwilling to throw out moldy food if it means I can see her. “I’m a man of my word. I’m here as I said I would be.” I retrieve her drink from the carrier and offer it to her. “And, I picked up the cherry mocha you wanted to try.”
“That’s very sweet of you.” Her lashes lower to the cup, and she doesn’t wait to sip out of it. “Thank you.”
