Page 16 of Finally Mine
Harper jumped to her feet. “I’ll help you,” she offered brightly. They hurried toward the house.
Aldo climbed gracefully to his feet, brushing the dirt from his shorts. He took the seat that Harper had vacated next to Gloria. “I give it ten minutes before they kick us out,” he predicted.
“Well, itisa work night,” Gloria said.
“I don’t think they’re worried about getting a good night’s sleep,” He said with a wink. “So, how are things?”
“Things?” she repeated. Gloria ran a hand through her hair, still surprised at the length. She was suffering from nightmares of a reality she’d only just exited. She had no concrete plans, no confidence, and she wanted another piece of pie. But she was spending a spring evening under the stars with the boy from high school who gave her butterflies. “Things are pretty good.”
“What’s next for you?” He asked.
Stop the dreams. Remember what it’s like to be a person.“I’m looking for a job,” she blurted out.
“Yeah?” Aldo asked, looking interested. “What kind of a job?”
Gloria chewed on her lip. “I don’t know. Something that makes me feel good. Something that lets me do something…nice.” She laughed. “How’s that for vague?”
“I’d offer you a job at my office, but I have a feeling designing bridge restorations and expense reports wouldn’t be good or nice.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Probably not.” She’d once wanted to be in fashion or marketing. Something with color and beauty and fun. Though getting to stare at Aldo Moretta all day would be its own perk.
But she didn’t want to be beholden to anyone. She wanted to earn a spot somewhere.
“You’re staying around here, aren’t you?” Aldo pressed. His tone and his warm brown eyes were serious.
She nodded, her earrings swinging against her neck. “Yeah. I’m staying.”
That was one thing she wasn’t going to let Glenn Diller take from her. Home.
9
“Geez, don’t let the door hit you,” Aldo quipped as Luke slammed the front door behind them the second their feet hit the front porch. The look of love passing between the happy couple was hot enough to start a house fire, and Aldo didn’t want to accidentally catch a glimpse of Luke’s junk…again. They were close, but notthatclose.
“Where’s your car?” he asked Gloria. “I’ll walk you to it.”
“It’s in the shop. I walked.”
“I’ll drive you home,” he offered. No way was he letting the woman who’d just walked out of a nightmare find her way home in the dark.
“Oh, I can walk,” Gloria insisted.
“I know youcanwalk,” Aldo teased, guiding her down the walkway to the street where he’d parked. “But if I drive you home, you’re going to feel obliged to give me that last piece of pie, and, Gloria, there’s something you need to know about me.” He paused by the passenger door of his truck.
“What?” she breathed. He wasn’t imagining it—the air between them was charged. There was a connection being made. Whether it was natural or a side effect of the decade-long crush he’d had on her, Aldo didn’t care. He reveled in it.
“I love apple pie for breakfast,” he whispered.
She rolled her eyes. “You’re ridiculous,” she told him, but there was a smile behind her words.
“I’m ridiculous, and I’m taking you home.” He opened the door for her and gave her his most charming smile. Legions of women had fallen for this. Well, maybe not legions, but a respectable number. They’d all been practice for the real thing. He’d been honing his weaponry, his skills, for this woman, this night. And he wasn’t going to lose.
She took a step forward and hedged, second-guessing herself.
“Gloria, it’s okay if you don’t want a ride home. I’ll walk you home, tell you you’re the prettiest woman I’ve seen in my life, and make sure you get inside safely. We can drive or walk. The choice is yours.”
She sighed. “Drive.”
He ushered her into the truck and closed the door.Aldo for the win.Sliding behind the wheel, he started the engine. There was a part of him that didn’t quite believe he had Gloria Parker sitting next to him. She’d been a pretty little thing in high school. All sweetness and sunshine. He’d looked more than twice. But the age difference meant a lot more back then. He was a senior, and she barely had a driver’s license. By the time he’d decided it didn’t matter, Glenn “Fuckhead” Diller had stepped into his place.
