Willowbrook was a safe town—much safer than LA or any of the other places she had been—but she still appreciated the thoughtful offer, even if it was from her sworn enemy.
“Yeah, okay. Let me grab my purse.” Double-checking she had locked the safe and the register, Gia grabbed her purse from its spot under the counter and slung it over her shoulder. It was a brand-name purse gifted to her by the designer herself. It was the first of many, but it was the one she cherished the most, as it was the symbol of how hard she’d worked.
In the dim lighting of the evening, it looked gaudy and out of place. A feeling she was all too familiar with.
Bracing herself, she approached Jake, who held the door open for her.
What could possibly go wrong?
Fourteen
JAKE
The universe must be in on his plans to get Gia alone. Though he hadn’t talked to the Liens, he thought it was curious Minh left as quickly as she did when he’d arrived. Even more puzzling was the way her parents abandoned the two of them. He’d greeted them when he brought back a tray of dirty dishes. They’d smiled and waved at him, and the next thing he knew, they were peeling out of the parking lot like the restaurant was on fire.
Whatever the reason, he was grateful to have time alone with Gia. He’d known Gia was working at the restaurant since he’d seen her during his morning jog. He certainly hadn’t missed the way her gaze roamed over his body, or the spark of interest in her eyes before she realized it was him. If nothing else, Gia found him attractive, which would benefit him. He could use it to his advantage.
They certainly didn’t lack chemistry. Like lighter fluid near a flame, the two of them were extremely combustible. If she felt half of what he felt, no doubt they would set the whole town on fire when they got together.
When.Not if.
Failure was not an option. He’d spend the rest of his life proving to Gia they were meant to be together.
As Gia sidled up to him reluctantly, he smothered a smile behind his hand. She approached him as if he were a dangerous animal. Or more appropriately, like she was the dangerous animal, and he was the unknown stranger reaching out a hand to help her. It was clear she didn’t know whether she could trust him. A part of him deflated knowing he had caused her distrust.
Never again.
He’d be damned sure to gain her trust and never lose it again.
Teenage Jake was an idiot, but adult Jake was more mature and self-aware. He was no longer riddled with misplaced guilt that they shouldn’t be together or Thao would have been unhappy about them. If anything, the past had been creeping back into his subconscious and reminding him of all the times Thao seemed to give his blessing, but Jake had been too dumb to recognize it for what it was.
Hindsight is twenty-twenty.
“Come on. Let’s get you home.”
Jake waited patiently while Gia locked up the restaurant, purse slung over her shoulder like she’d use it as a weapon at a moment’s notice. He bet she would launch it at his face at the smallest provocation.
“I can’t believe they just left me behind,” Gia muttered under her breath as she headed to the sidewalk, not bothering to see if Jake was following behind her.
“It’s not like I’m a stranger.”
“You are a stranger.”
Her words cut him deep. No doubt she believed it.
“I never used to be.”
“Stop.” Gia whirled around, hair flying like a weapon as she met his eyes. Fire burned in her gaze as she stabbed him in the chest with a manicured finger. “Stop pretending we’re still friends. You are not my friend, Jake.”
Fists clenched at his sides, he resisted the urge to shake her until she understood what she meant to him.
“I don’t want to be your friend, Gia.” Voice low but determined, he let his eyes broadcast his intentions.
Flustered, pink staining her cheeks in the fading sunlight, she shook her head at him sharply, as if the entire idea were preposterous.
“Nothing is going to happen between us.” Her hand dropped back to her side limply. “I can walk home by myself.”
“Okay.” He agreed she could walk home by herself, but was he going to let her do that? Obviously not. He had some manners.
