“Only the ones I can’t speak about around here,” he said quietly.
“Dad!” I laughed.
The old man blushed. “I was young once.”
“Yeah, so was I.”
“Oh, stop it. You’re in the prime of your life.” He shook his head and looked at me as if he were considering something. “You go on that date. I can check up on your sister myself.”
“No, it’s fine—”
“Don’t talk back to me,” he said, entirely serious. “You deserve to have time to yourself without worrying about Bev as much as I do. It’s not your responsibility.”
“She’s my sister,” I countered. Despite her bullshit, I loved her and worried about her constantly.
“And she’s my daughter. You’re my son and I’m telling you to go on that date.” He adjusted his tie as if he’d just confirmed he was the boss. Which, technically, he was.
“Fine. But you will call me if you need help. Promise?”
Dad nodded and I returned to my office. My next appointment was due to arrive soon. Despite the nonchalance I showed toward my sister’s whereabouts, I did worry about her. I’d done so much worrying these past few years that I just didn’t have any more room for it. If Bev weren’t going to change for Amelia, she never would. I’d accepted it. Mom had accepted it, but my father refused to. But that was what I loved most about him–he never gave up on his family.
I recalled something he’d said when I was a boy. I couldn’t remember the circumstances for prompting the conversation, but his words were as clear now as they had been back then.
When you love someone, you fight for them. No matter what.
CHAPTER FIVE
JAKE
I was shaking in my shoes as I clocked out. This morning I was hopeless about my future. By noon, I was soaring high. Now, I was totally freaking out. The roller coaster ride was making my head spin.
Gabriel.I liked the way his name flowed off my lips. It was a good strong name. I was in disbelief that the man of my dreams had asked me out. As I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, I wished I’d brought a change of clothes. But I could never have predicted I would be spending the evening with Mr. Dreamy.
My uniform consisted of black pants and a white dress shirt. Scowling at my reflection, I untucked the shirt, and popped the buttons on the sleeves and collar. I wet my hair and finger-combed it, giving it a purposely messy style. I cracked the cap on a small bottle of mouthwash I’d bought and swished for a long minute. When I was done I conceded I didn’t look too bad. It would have to do.
Taking several deep breaths, I pleaded with myself to not screw this up.No babbling. Let him do most of the talking. Just nod and smile.I gathered my belongings into my backpack and left the bathroom. Every step toward the front of the store was terrifying. By the time I reached the revolving doors, my heart was pounding against my ribcage. I dallied for a moment before finding my balls and stepping outside.
A blast of cool air hit me, making me shiver. My nerves were on edge as I looked around. The sidewalk was thick with people on their way to wherever they were going, and the street was packed with cars. Pulling the sleeves of my hoodie over my hands, I considered that Gabriel might not show. Maybe he hadto work late, or maybe he’d decided he wasn’t all that interested. He hadn’t asked for my phone number which left me second guessing everything. It hadn’t occurred to me to ask for one, either.
The minutes ticked by, and my throat grew tight. It was probably for the best that he didn’t show because it was unlikely we’d go on a second date.Think positive thoughts!
Just when I was about to start for the bus stop, a man in a wool topcoat rounded the corner. My breath caught as Gabriel approached with a brisk pace. Oh, fuck, he was so gorgeous. I waved awkwardly, my guts tumbling. I’d fully expected him to walk past me as if I’d misread the situation.
“Hey,” Gabriel said, his tone jubilant. “Sorry for being late. Family drama.”
“It’s okay. We can reschedule.”
“Not a chance.” He winked. “So, I was thinking Vietnamese. Do you like it?”
The closest thing I’d had to Vietnamese food was Ramen noodles. “Sure. Sounds good.”
“Great! I know an amazing place. It’s within walking distance.” He frowned, doing a once over on me. “Is that all that you have? Are you cold?”
“No, I’m fine,” I said, trying not to chatter my teeth. The weather had really turned south the past few days. “Once we start walking, I’ll warm up.”
“We can grab an Uber.”
“I’m okay,” I said again, knowing I didn’t sound convincing one bit. “I’m really hungry. I…I didn’t eat lunch.”
