19. Gia

nineteen

Gia

Peering out Dad's window for the third time in the last five minutes, I crane my neck.

Still no car in the driveway.

I wonder what North is doing. Going out on a Monday night is against his normal routine, but it's a little too soon in our situationship for me to demand he tell me what he's up to.

He was awfully vague.

What if he's on a date?

Nah—I cut my thoughts off, and then immediately remember he was the one who rushed to say we don't need a label for our relationship. At the time, I assumed he was being shy, but maybe that was to cover up something else?

Would he really date someone else?

He also didn't kiss me when he had the chance.

Again, I thought he was being shy.

What if he really isn't interested, and I've been misreading him the whole time? He said he went out of his way to be a friend to Rocco when he got in trouble. What if he's just a nice guy, trying to be a friend to me, because he saw my dad get stuck.

To be honest, he hasn't ever asked me out on a proper date. We've only grabbed coffee and tea from the Coffee Loft and cleaned. If he is truly interested, he'd take me to dinner or a movie. Right?

"Gia!" Dad calls as he walks through the front door, pizza in his arms. "I'm so sorry to hear about your day."

"It's okay. Just a job. It's probably time I move on anyway. I was at a bit of standstill with my career." Closing the window curtain, I hang my head, sulk into the kitchen, and pull up a chair at the table while I wait for dad to bring over the pizza.

He drops the box in the center of the table and flips open the lid. Pepperoni and jalape?o—my favorite. Not waiting for a plate, I dig right in, help myself to a nice cheesy slice and take a giant bite.

Dad mirrors me, plopping in the chair across from me, and grabs a slice. "I was thinking," he says while he chews down his food. "You can help me in the pizzeria."

"Dad." I sigh, as I really don't need him to offer me a pity job.

"No, hear me out." He places his hand on mine. "I've been enjoying my house being so clean. It's so freeing, and in a way it feels like I've gotten a new chance at life." His voice cracks, and I stop mid-chew. I knew he was dealing with heavy emotions, but he hasn't opened up to me about it yet, other than the arguments we've had about not throwing out his stuff. "After your mom died, and Rocco got in all that trouble, I just sort of wanted to hide."

"I know, Dad." I match my gaze with his. "I've never faulted you for any of this mess. We were all doing the best we could."

"Well, but I do think I'm better now." His eyes are bright and clear, clueing me in to his honesty. "But, I'm tired, and I want a break. When North's parents sold that house to him, they retired to Mexico City. They invited me to visit, and you know, I think it sounds nice."

"Oh." Tipping my head to the side, I let that sink in. "I had no idea you needed a break. Of course, I can cover for you. How long are we talking about?" I take another bite, and chew.

"I'm awfully sick of the cold. My bones don't handle it like they used to. I've been thinking about it for a while, but never had a way to swing it. If you think you can cover for me, I'd like to leave soon. Maybe give you a week to train you back in as it's been years since you covered a shift, and I'll make the arrangements. I'd love to stay until spring." He jerks a thumb over his shoulder, pointing down the hall. "You can stay here in your old bedroom. I know you have a couple of months left on your lease, but by all means, if you want to let it go at the end of the year, you're more than welcome to crash until you get settled into a new job."

I swallow the last of my pizza, but really, I'm swallowing more than that. I'm so overly touched that Dad thought this all out before I had a chance to get worried about my bills.

"And," Dad cuts into my thoughts. "If you find a job you want to take before spring, just holler and I'll be right back."

"I love you, Dad," I say, the words spilling out as tears fall. Tears that I hadn't even realized were hiding back here, but these last two weeks have been such a whirlwind. Swiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I lean over and wrap my arms around his neck. He hugs me back, and I inhale the scent of fresh oregano and pepper—the scent he's always worn since he works at the pizza shop. I bite back a smile, knowing this is going to be my new scent.

"Say," Dad says while finishing his pizza and brushing off the last of the crusts into the open box. "I want to show you something." He stands and starts walking down the hall. "You'll never guess what I found . . ." His voice trickles off as he enters into Rocco's room. When he pops back out with a toddler sized, pink stuffed amphibian, I jump to my feet.

"Rosie!" I hold my arms out, waiting to receive my axolotl. "I looked everywhere for her. I swore I lost it. Where did you find her?"

"It was in Rocco's room. I was cleaning up the last of everything and wanted to pull the bed back so I could shampoo the carpets. She was stuffed between the wall and his headboard. It looks like it was intentionally hidden." His voice lowers, but I still make out the last of his mutter, "stupid kid was always so jealous of you."

"Wow." I hug Rosie, remembering how it felt the first time North gave her to me, and I could have sworn that night he was going to ask me out.

He didn't.

Yet another example of how I thought he was shy, but he was merely being a nice guy. You'd think after all the chances that boy has had to ask me out, and he never has, he's just not interested.

Nobody is that shy.

I half smile, not feeling light enough for a full smile. I'm happy to have Rosie back, but in a way, it feels bittersweet. Part of me had hoped this gift had been more than a get-well gift, but I'm finally seeing that North never wanted to be with me. He was always just being a nice guy.

If he wanted to be with me, he would have said something by now.

Knock, knock, knock.

I jump to my feet and fly across the room because nobody uses the side door but North. As soon as I open the door, he exclaims, "You'll never guess what I just found!" He bursts over the threshold while waving papers in the air. "Oh, hi Mr. Bella." He tips his head toward Dad. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, son. What's all the commotion about?"

"You're not going to like this." His words take a cautionary tone as he plants his gaze on Dad. "Gia dropped off a box of Rocco's trophies at the school, and I got to putting them away tonight, and look." North slides papers in front of Dad. I peer over Dad's shoulder and gasp.

"What is this?" Clearly, I can read, but I don't believe it! "Is Rocco getting funding for his car lot in exchange for political favors?"

"It looks that way." North shifts his feet, as he keeps his gaze glued to Dad. "Did you know about this?"

"How could he know about that?" I scoff, but Dad blurts over the top of me.

"—I did." His eyelids lower, hooding his eyes, and his skin grows ashen. "Forgive me, but I found that box the other day, and that's why I had it sitting in the living room. I didn't have the heart to turn in my own son, but I know it needs to happen. I was hoping you'd come over, look in the box, and find it. Well, things didn't really go that way. When you offered to donate it to the school, I figured this would work out."

"Were you ever going to say anything?" Anger sizzles in my chest, not for Dad, because I oddly understand his plight, but at Rocco, who is about to drag our family through another scandal.

"I planned to send anonymous copies to the local press if you didn't find it. I also knew my heart can't handle the constant news and gossip, and that's the real reason I planned to go to Mexico." His head's still down, and I can't see his expression, but his voice is strong with conviction. "Rocco's a grown man who's made his own bed."

"If you'd like to avoid a mess with your own son, I can take this to the police myself," North offers. "He won't ever need to know you were going to turn him in. I know he's estranged now, but maybe some time in jail will help him to see things differently, and he won't blame you."

"I really don't think it will make a difference who turns him in but be my guest." Dad scratches at the back of his head, thinking through his words. "All I know is going through another one of these scandals with him is not on my Bingo card this year."

"It's not on my Bingo card either." A disgusted snort bleeps out of my mouth.

"You're welcome to come too." One corner of Dad's mouth curls at the tip as his gaze cuts to North. "But something tells me you have a reason to stay."

"I don't know if I do." With emotionally exhausted eyes, I turn to North. He seems to avoid my gaze, looking at the floor.

"I think that's my cue to leave you two." A gleam sparkles out of the corner of Dad's eye as he passes me on his way out of the kitchen, calling back, "I'm going to start packing my bags."

The silence that Dad's absence creates pulsates as I fix my gaze on North. This has to be it. We've been dancing around our connection for a decade. If North doesn't say something, then I'm going to. I can't wait another decade, wasting years we can be together.

And if I'm wrong about this?

Well, at least I will find out now.

"North." My voice cracks and I pause to swallow. "Dad asked if I have a reason to stay." I squawk out, so afraid of another disappointment. "Do I?"

"Do you?" North's dreamy eyes lock on me the same time his feet propel him across the room, closing the gap between us. He's so tall, he dips his head down to align our gazes, all his attention on me. "Gia, I've been in love with you from the first moment I saw you, but I couldn't tell you because Rocco threatened to destroy us both. I never wanted to cause any trouble for you. I held in my feelings all these years, wishing them away, but they only grew stronger." His eyes fill with tears, and his words float out like poetry, each word swelling my heart even more. "I know you said it was too soon to decide what we are, but it's killing me. I need you to know that you're the only woman I've ever wanted."

His eyes bounce between my lips and my eyes, all the while his gaze becoming more heated, and the strongest magnetic pull of gravity I ever felt, draws me directly to his lips. We lean closer and closer, with each second ticking until our lips finally crash, instantly tangling as if we've been training to do this our whole lives. There isn't anything shy about the way he kisses me, or even polite. The chemistry is beyond anything I could have dreamed. We are perfectly matched to each other, and before I can take a deep breath, he pulls away, a boisterous smile covering his face.

"Mama Mia," I whisper, and fight back all the happy tears pricking the backs of my eyes.

"Mama Mia is right," Dad's voice echoes from the edge of the kitchen. Apparently, he used his snoopy manifesting power to sneak back down to hall and overhear our confessions. My laugh mingles with North's husky chuckle. I don't even care that Dad overheard us. It's not like any of this is a secret to him. He's the one who had called it all those years ago.

As the laughter dies, I gaze back at North. Talk about a truth bomb. It all makes so much sense now. I thought he was too shy, but he was protecting me from my own brother. After all this time, we can finally be honest with each other and be the couple we've always wanted to be.

"This calls for a celebration." Dad whoops from the corner.

"What's on your mind?" I turn back to Dad, enjoying how he's taking part in this whole thing. It's not the romantic declaration of love I dreamed about, with my dad in the corner, but in an odd way, it doesn't feel uncomfortable either.

"How about we go for one of those coffees you've been bringing over? My treat."

Pushing out my lower lip, I only need to muse for a second before I know I'm game. "Sounds good. North, what do you think?"

"Let's go."

"I'll drive." I lunge to steal my keys off the hook, before Dad can grab them, and race out in front of him.

Dad bursts out next, calling out, "Shotgun."

North laughs, as he pulls up the rear, shaking his head. "Maybe I should have been more careful about what I'm getting into," he teases while he climbs in the backseat of my car.

"It's fine. We aren't that scary. Just Dad's driving is awful. I couldn't let you experience that on top of everything else we've put you through." Nothing can erase the smile on my lips, as I gaze at him in the rearview mirror. On the drive over, Dad jokes about all the times he caught North looking at me over the years, and North's ears grow a healthy shade of crimson. Before he starts revealing my secrets—because I know he caught me looking back at North—I pull over in front of the Coffee Loft and rush to get out.

North and I link hands, weaving our fingers together, and stroll through the Coffee Loft door with Dad in tow. Dad smack talks North from behind us "Tell me you're going to try something other than that stinky chai."

"What?" North jolts, turning back to fake scowl at Dad. "You did not just insult my drink order."

"I did. After all these years, you finally brewed up the courage to kiss Gia. It's time for you to turn a new leaf all together and try a new drink."

"What's going on here, chai guy?" Portia butts in, leaning over the counter with her gaze directly on North. "Are we seriously talking about not having chai?"

"I guess, I'm breaking my habits." North shrugs, and looks at me, his eyes glittering back with all the shades of dreamy, rich espresso. "I'll have whatever she's having."

"You got it." Portia's curious smile curves on her lips as she punches our order in, and we pay. Then we link arms, heading back to our booth, and slide in to sit shoulder to shoulder with Dad across from us. We aren't the couple of kids we were in high school. I can't say we're better off, just different. Our lives are actually fairly uneventful, which will leave us plenty of time for long dates at the Coffee Loft where we laugh, bond, and fall in love, one sloooow sip at a time.