Page 48 of The Sweet Life

Carmen nodded and took a sip of water. “I need to see my baby. I won’t sleep unless I know she’s all right.” Bruno helped their mother to her feet. As he did, Gia realized he was dressed as a firefighter.

She pressed her lips together, refusing to make eye contact with her sister, who was making weird noises in her throat, clearly trying to swallow her laughter. But they lost their battle with laughter when James arrived and said to Bruno, “I didn’t know you were a volunteer firefighter.”

Chapter Sixteen

Gia sang “Rise Up” into a wine bottle along with Andra Day while vacuuming around the tables at the front of the restaurant.

Her mother had been right about Gia dancing more. She’d forgotten how good it felt to move to the music, belting out the lyrics of some of her favorite songs while finishing up the regular closing routine.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d danced and sung her way through the final cleanup of the day. Her mother or her sister were typically with her and always eager to get done as quickly as possible. They both had someone to go home to. It hadn’t always been that way. They used to have fun doing the final cleanup of the day.

Not tonight, though. Eva had taken off with her hot husband, and Carmen was off with her hot firefighter checking on the well-being of her favorite child. No one, it seemed, was worried about leaving Gia on her own.

Because you’re the strong one, she thought with a snort. Themelancholy from fifteen minutes ago threatened once more. Then the next song on her playlist came on, and she punched the wine bottle in the air. “You hear that, Spicy Eggplant? You don’t scare me because…” She turned the vacuum off with her big toe. “I’m on fire!” She danced around the tables, rocking out to “This Girl Is on Fire” with her girl Alicia Keys.

“Yes, I am, Alicia. I am on fire,” Gia said, twisting her hair onto the top of her head and clipping it in place while waiting for the next song on her playlist.

An odd sensation slithered up her spine, and her gaze darted to the front window. It was dark now. The outside lights had come on, illuminating the red rosebushes at the front of the restaurant. Shadows chased each other down the road, the summer breeze moving through the trees. Not creepy men with nothing better to do than watch women in their windows, just a warm ocean breeze.

“Fight Song” came on. It took a little longer for the music to beat back her nerves, but once it did, she danced like no one was standing in the shadows watching. In case they were, though, she danced toward the back of the restaurant with her wine mic in hand, rocking out with Rachel Platten.

At least until someone knocked on the glass. Now the words froze in her throat, the wine mic at her mouth, her knees going weak. Her fear made her angry. She wasn’t going to let some jerk make her afraid. She spun around with the wine bottle raised. Nerves fluttered in her throat as she took in the man’s tall, broad-shouldered, rangy frame.

Her eyes met his through the glass. Her nerves warred with her temper. She wasn’t afraid of him, and she didn’t know whyshe was angry at him. That was a lie. She knew why she was mad at him. He was making her feel things she didn’t want to feel. It shouldn’t bother her that her sister went to him when she was scared or had turned to him for comfort the other day. It wasn’t his fault he was easy to love.

She lowered the wine bottle and walked to the back door, opening it for Flynn.

“What are you doing here?” she yelled to make herself heard over Sia singing “Unstoppable.”

It was as if the song had come on to remind Gia how much she was hiding from everyone. But she’d do like Sia said and put her armor back on. She wouldn’t let anyone hurt her again.

He gently nudged her aside and walked in, closing the door behind him. “Your—” he began and then shook his head. “You mind turning the music down?”

She did mind, actually. She could still see the look in Flynn’s eyes when she met his gaze in the glass, still feel the gentle pressure of his hands on her when he moved her out of the doorway. She needed Sia’s reminders if she wanted to avoid the temptation of the man standing before her.

He opened his mouth but then closed it, instead following Sia’s voice to the phone on the bar. He turned the volume down, the lyrics faint as they trailed off, and then he sat on the stool and reached for her, drawing her between his legs. “Your sister texted that you were on your own here. She didn’t think it was a good idea, and neither did I. So here I am.”

He smoothed a damp tendril of hair from her cheek. “Do you want to tell me why I had to hear from your mother that the same person who followed Cami was parked outside the restaurant tonight?”

“You already had one Rosetti to protect.” Her tone was flippant, cutting. She knew from the look in his eyes she’d gone too far. But that had been her plan for their talk tonight. To push him away. To make it so he was the one to walk away. She was weak, her feelings for him too deep. She wouldn’t be able to walk away from him. He had to be the one to walk away from her.

The muscle in his jaw pulsed, and he placed his hands on her hips, setting her aside as he got up from the barstool. He lowered his hands from her hips and stepped away from her.

“I’m not a kid anymore, Gia. I’m forty-nine. I don’t play games, and I sure as hell don’t play with women’s feelings. I understand you’ve got issues with what happened between your ex and Cami, but I’m not him. To be honest, I don’t appreciate being made to feel like I’ve done something wrong when all I’ve done is be there for a friend.”

“You’re right, and I’m sorry I made you feel that way. It was unfair to you. You didn’t deserve it. Thank you for coming to check on me. I appreciate it, but I’m honestly fine.” She lifted her wine bottle, forcing a smile that probably came off more self-conscious than cocky. “I’m armed and dangerous.”

“What are you doing, Gia?”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, I know a brush-off when I hear it. So, what, I tell you how I feel and call you on your crap, and that’s it? We’re done?”

“Mycrap?”

“Crap, issues… I don’t really care what you call them. All I know is I care about you in a way I never thought I’d care about someone again. My wife was the love of my life, andafter I lost her, I devoted myself to my family and my career. It was enough. I was happy. I was content. I dated once in a while but had no interest in a long-term relationship. Until the day I walked in here to meet my daughter for the very first time and I saw you, and you smiled at me, and that was it, I was a goner. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get you off my mind. I came back to Sunshine Bay so often this past year that my staff and clients thought something must be wrong with my dad. I was pumping Willow and Amos for information about you anytime we talked while trying to play it cool. I used to have game, you know. Until I met you.” He shook his head. “If you could see yourself the way I do, you wouldn’t doubt my feelings for you.” He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “Take care of yourself, Gia.”

I feel the same way about you. Please don’t go.The words were right there, on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed them back. This is what she wanted. As painful as it was letting him go, it would be so much worse if she waited any longer. She’d already hurt him.

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