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Janessa finished pouring the hot water into the last mug, then looked over at her. “No. Not at all.”
Relief spiraled through Aria. She couldn’t lose this job, and she didn’t want anything to jeopardize the home she’d found in Serenity Point. Whatever Janessa suggested she do in this situation, she would do. The last thing she wanted to do was upset her friend.
Janessa set a mug in front of Aria before she put the tea bags in each of the other two mugs. Once that was done, she moved to stand on the other side of the counter, lifting the mug to her lips. Her dark eyes regarded Aria as she took a sip.
“Can you explain what you meant about Gareth?” Aria asked. Normally, she wouldn’t be so bold, but too much was at stake for her to not try to figure out where Janessa’s mind was.
“I’ve been watching Gareth with you,” Janessa said before taking another sip. “I wasn’t sure, at first, if he was just wanting to get to know you as a new employee.”
“That’s what I assumed,” Aria said, cupping her hands around the mug. She appreciated the warmth that soaked into her hands and also kept her from scratching her arms as anxiety crawled beneath her skin. “It made sense since I’m not just living with his sisters, I’m working for him.”
“You’re not really working forhim,” Janessa clarified. “You’re working for the clinic. As the receptionist, you fall more under Jay’s supervision since you do admin work. As a nurse, I fall under Gareth’s supervision.”
When Janessa put it that way, it made sense, though Aria looked at all three of them as her supervisors. She’d definitely take advice or guidance from any of them. Nora was the only one she wasn’t entirely comfortable dealing with.
“Why don’t you think that he’s just getting to know me as a new employee?” Aria asked.
Janessa gave a short laugh. “Have you not seen how he looks at you?”
Aria lifted her mug, inhaling the aroma before taking a sip. She was trying to figure out how to answer Janessa. Had she seen how he’d looked at her? Sure. But she didn’t know how he usually looked at people since she didn’t know him very well.
“He’s looking at you like you fascinate him,” Janessa said when she didn’t respond. “And he gravitates to you like he just can’t help himself.”
That would explain why he’d chosen to sit next to her downstairs, even though there had been plenty of other seats available. She supposed that if anyone would know what Gareth was thinking, it would be one of his sisters. Did the others see the same things Janessa did?
“Are you sure?” Aria couldn’t help but ask. “I mean, I’m no one special.”
Janessa frowned. “We’re all special.”
Since her mom had died, Aria hadn’t known anyone who made her feel like she was special. Even her fiancé had never made her feel as special as her mom had. It was hard to believe that Gareth—or any of Janessa’s family—really thought she was all that special.
Though Janessa had offered her a place to live, Aria hadn’t assumed that she’d have any sort of presence in her friend’s family. All she’d wanted was a steady job and a safe place to live. Everything else was gravy.
Charli walked into the kitchen and joined Janessa at the counter, picking up her mug to take a sip. After humming in appreciation, she said, “Where are we?”
“I’m telling her that Gareth is acting differently with her than he usually does with women.”
Charli nodded. “He does seem to be.”
Aria continued to grip her mug, really at a loss as to what to say in response to Charli and Janessa’s observations. She and her ex had met when his mom had been a patient on the ward where she’d worked. His mom had introduced Aria as her favorite nurse, and she and her ex had chatted whenever he’d come to visit his mom.
The day after his mom had been discharged, he’d shown up at the hospital with a bouquet of roses and a request for a date. They’d dated for over a year before he’d proposed. And then six months after that, he’d decided that he was done with her, leaving her alone to deal with the weight of her mom’s illness and eventual passing.
If Aria was a little leery of trusting her own judgement when it came to men, she hoped people would understand. Plus, after her ex had walked away from her so easily, it was hard to believe that a man of Gareth’s stature in his community and town would be interested in her, of all people.
Especially when he had women like Nora wanting his attention. While it was clear that Nora wasn’t his choice, there were plenty of women out there who might be.
If Janessa was right, what was it that Gareth saw in her? Or would his attention eventually wane the same way her ex’s had?
“I guess the question is,” Janessa began. “Doyouhave thoughts on Gareth’s interest in you? Is he barking up the wrong tree? Is he not your type?”
Aria’s brows lifted. Not her type? Whose typewasn’ta friendly, smart, good-looking man? That he was a doctor and had a great family was just the icing on the cake.
“He’s very… nice,” Aria said slowly.
Charli frowned. “That doesn’t sound like a good thing.”
“Oh. It’s a very good thing,” Aria hurried to reassure her. “Dating Gareth would be a dream for a lot of women.”
