Breathe Page 4

  “How are you gorgeous?” he asks with that devilish smirk still intact.

  “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” I ask sardonically trying my hardest to keep from smiling. It’s barely working.

  “Not yet, but you will,” he throws back flirting.

  “As you can see, we’re extremely busy so what can I get you?” I rush out remembering I have a job to do.

  “What’s good here?” he asks still teasing me with his grin.

  As cute as he is, I do quickly become irritated. We’re too busy for this back and forth shit right now.

  “Here,” I say handing him a menu. “When you decide, Trish here will take your order,” I tell him, gesturing to my elderly coworker. Hearing her name, she looks up from the cup of coffee she’s pouring. “Good lord almighty,” she says throwing her hand over her chest.

  “Really, Trish?”

  “Is it hot in here?” she asks fanning herself. I roll my eyes and briefly turn my attention back to the tauntingly handsome face undressing me with his eyes.

  “She’ll take care of you,” I say suddenly breathless. He just smiles, and I disappear to the back to catch my breath.

  Breathe Gia.

  What the hell is he doing to me? No man has ever elicited that sort of reaction from me. Especially one like him. He’s now done it on two occasions.

  I quickly pull myself together and head back out to get to work and try my best not to acknowledge the eyes following me.

  The dinner rush is finally over, and the crowd in the diner has dwindled leaving just a few stragglers. One being Mr. handsome.

  I stroll over to the counter where he’s engrossed in conversation with a smitten Trish. I bite the inside corner of my lip trying to suppress my grin. He catches me staring, and the smile on his face grows. I approach them eyeing him warily.

  “You need me to call security, Trish?” I playfully ask.

  “To what? Throw out my eye candy? I think not. You best go on girl. Besides, you know Mitch is too cheap to hire some fancy security.” I laugh loudly at her shaking my head.

  “Order up Trish!” Ken, our cook, yells from the back.

  “I’m coming. Thank goodness it’s my last one,” She mumbles, excusing herself.

  “And then, there were two,” my stalker says.

  “You still here?” I say wiping the counter.

  “Let’s go out tonight,” he says enthusiastically.”

  “I don’t think so heartbreaker. I bet you don’t even remember my name.”

  “Why would you think that?” he asks. His smile never faltering.

  “Because I don’t remember yours,” I lie.

  “We both know that’s not true Gia. Now my question…”

  “No.”

  “What? Why not?” he questions as that smirk of his finally turns into a frown.

  “For one, you didn’t ask me a question. Two, did you not see this crowd? I’m exhausted, so even if I didn’t already have something else to do, I’d pass.”

  “What do you have to do?” he pokes.

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “Let me guess. Meeting your girlfriend?”

  I smile remembering the night at the club. “As a matter of fact, yes.”

  He shakes his head smiling, showing off his perfect teeth.

  “Okay, let’s try this again,” he says straightening on his stool.

  “Let’s.”

  “Gia, I find you incredibly attractive. I would love to take you out when you have some time. What do you say?” he politely asks.

  I cross my arms over my chest looking to the ground pretending to contemplate the answer, but I already know what I’m going to say.

  “No. But thanks for the offer.”

  “You serious?” he asks in disbelief. I don’t think any woman has ever told him no. No sane one anyway.

  “As a heart attack. I’m sorry. You’re just…not my type,” I tell him, trying to lessen the blow to his ego.

  “First,” he says holding up one finger, “I’m everybody’s type. Second,” he says now holding up two fingers. “I know you’re not really a lesbian, Gia,” he says rolling his eyes.

  “Do you?”

  Before he can come back with some snappy yet charming retort, the bell to the door rings and as if on cue, Quinn walks in.

  “Hey, babe. You ready to go?” she asks.

  Nathan rolls his eyes again, and I throw my head back in laughter. Quinn is looking at me like I’ve lost my mind.

  “Sorry. Yes, I’m ready. Let me make sure Ken is staying to help Trish lock up.” I’m wiping the tears from my eyes as I make my way to the back, still chuckling at Nathan’s expense.

  Once I return from collecting my coat and purse, I say goodnight to Trish and Ken, then rejoin Quinn who’s anxiously waiting to get going.

  When I get to the door, I partially turn around to bid my beautiful stranger farewell. He’s standing in preparation to leave when I say, “Good night…Nathan.”

  He doesn’t say anything. He just smiles and nods. My eyes linger on his momentarily. Quinn loops her arm through mine bringing me out of my trance.

  We load up in her car parked in front of the diner. The traffic here is brutal, so she’s in deep concentration. After she pulls out onto the road and has us headed in the direction of our night class she giggles, “Now, fill me in on that sexy piece of man candy you were just eye fucking back there.”

  Chapter 5

  Nathan

  It was pure coincidence I walked into that diner and saw Gia the other night, but I’m damn glad I did. Now I know where to find her. I haven’t stopped thinking about her since I met her. More specifically, her hauntingly beautiful grey eyes.

  I had a meeting in the area with one of my new clients I acquired for my security company. When I asked about where in the area I could get some good food, they’d suggested I try Mitch’s Place.

  And just like magic, the girl of my dreams appeared. Although, dream Gia is a lot nicer in my head. Dream Gia likes me. Unfortunately, the real life Gia is not feeling me.

  I’ve never had a woman reject me before. Ever. It’s a little unsettling. But I do love her tenacity. She’d be the perfect woman to keep me on my toes.

  My mind is going a million miles a minute thinking of how I can convince Gia to go out with me when my phone rings. I answer the familiar number when I reach it across the room.

  “Hey, Kyle.”

  “Hey man. How’s it going?”

  “Good actually. What’s up?”

  “Nothing new on my end, I was just checking to see if you found out anything.”

  I sincerely feel for my old friend. I spoke to the lead at the club, but she said she didn’t know a Georgia. Quite frankly, she was a bitch and was absolutely no help.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t call like I said man. I got caught up with some business. It was another dead end though. Sorry,” I say like I have so many times before.

  “Damn it. I was really hoping that would pan out. My contact was so adamant they knew each other.” After a few moments of silence, he sighs out, “I suppose this means you’re done looking for my sister then?”

  I take a deep breath. I want to help him, but we have nothing to go on. I should be the one to ends this. This might sound cruel but maybe if I do, he can start to move on.

  “No I’ll keep helping you for now, but we’re back to square one it seems,” is what I say instead. “I have to ask though Kyle, how long before you’re willing to let this go.”

  He releases another long breath. I can almost hear him running his hand through his hair. “I don’t know Nate. Probably never.”

  I take down the number for his contact so I can follow up and see what we may have missed. I once again let him know I’ll call him if I find anything and tell him to call me if he can think of anything that might point us in the right direction.

  I truly hope I can hel
p him find his sister, but I can’t help to wonder why it is she ran away in the first place. She clearly doesn’t want to be found.

  As soon as I walk into Mitch’s, I see Gia sitting at the counter writing in a notebook. “What are you writing?”

  Startled, she quickly closes the tattered book, hiding it under the counter.

  “What are you doing here?” she asks with her hands in her hips making me grin.

  “A guys got to eat, don’t he?” I ask playing coy.

  “Okay, what can I get for you?”

  “It’s a lot quieter in here today,” I say looking around at the near empty diner.

  “It’s the calm before the storm. Now, what’ll it be?” She snaps impatiently.

  “Can I get a short stack with a side of bacon and a black coffee,” I ask. I’m still determined to win her over.

  “You got it,” she says moving to put in my order.

  “Oh, one more thing,” I call out causing her to stop in her tracks.

  “What’s that?”

  “Your phone number.”

  “No.”

  “Is that like the only word you know?” I tease.

  “No,” she smirks heading to the kitchen.

  When she returns, I resume my quest to wear her down. My irrational logic is that if I can get her to agree to go out with me once, it’s a wrap, I’ll charm the hell out of her, and she’ll be mine.

  Like I said, irrational. Or is it wishful thinking?

  “What are you doing tonight?” I ask her.

  “You’re relentless.”

  “Why don’t you want to go on a date with me?”

  “It’s nothing personal. I told you. You’re just…not my type,” She says yet again.

  “Okay, so what’s your type?”

  “Just…not you,” she says, waving her hand in my direction.

  “What does that mean? Specifically,” I encourage.

  She hesitates before answering honestly, “Not white.”

  Well, wasn’t expecting that answer. I did ask…I guess.

  “That’s discrimination if I’ve ever heard it,” I reply.

  “It’s not discrimination, just a preference,” She chuckles. “I don’t date outside my race.”

  I look at her curiously. Maybe I’m wrong. But I think it’s pretty evident she’s biracial, but I don’t want to offend her by assuming, so I ask, “Which is?”

  “Which is what?”

  “Your race?”

  “Black,” she scoffs as if it’s obvious and I’m an idiot.

  “Hmm,” I nod.

  “Hmm, what?”

  “And…?”

  “And nothing.” She’s getting annoyed. I decide to keep poking anyway fairly certain it won’t earn me any points where she’s concerned. Just as well, I’m batting zero anyway. “Ever met your milkman?”

  “Not funny jackass,” she scowls at me.

  “You know what? Where’s Trish? She likes me at least.” That seems to work to ease her tension because she laughs. “Trish is coming in a little later this morning. So Gia is what you get.”

  “You promise?”

  “Ugh!” she says letting out an exacerbated breath.

  “So tonight?”

  “Anybody ever tell you you’re annoying?”

  “Yes. My little sister. All the time. Now, tonight?”

  “I have class.”

  “After?”

  “No,” she says with finality.

  “Order up!” is shouted from the kitchen and she walks over to grab my breakfast.

  God. Maybe she is a lesbian. A racist lesbian.

  Just when I reconcile that this woman just does not like me, she caves. Stopping in front of me across the counter, she drops my plate of food down in front of me.

  “Hope you’re not expecting a tip.”

  “Saturday.”

  “Saturday?”

  “Yes,” she says hesitantly.

  “Damn, it feels good hearing that word coming from your lips,” I say, pleased she’s changed her tune.

  “Whatever. Pick me up here at eight. A minute late and I walk.”

  “I’ll be here at seven forty-five.”

  She tries to suppress her smile, but the task is proving futile as she heads back to the barstool she was previously occupying, pulling out the notebook she abandoned when I arrived. I don’t know why she changed her mind suddenly, but I’m damn glad she did.

  “You’re still not getting a tip,” I joke.

  She doesn’t look up, but I see the corner of her mouth turn up when she flips me the bird.

  Oh, she’s definitely going to give me a run for my money. And I’m very much looking forward to it.

  Chapter 6

  Gia

  What the hell was I thinking? I can’t go out with him. I still can’t believe I said yes. It was like I couldn’t help it. My mind was screaming no! But that gravitational pull dragged me to him, and my big mouth opened and out came yes! Fucking brain mouth miscommunication…again.

  “What are you always writing in that thing,” Quinn asks, pointing to the notebook in my lap when she joins me in the living room on Saturday morning. I gently shut it, straightening up on the couch.

  “Just words,” I sigh out.

  “That thing looks like its seen better days,” she says.

  “The better days are as of late. The first ones it bore witness to…not so much,” I whisper.

  She tilts her head studying me. Before she can pry, I change the subject. “Hey, you think I can borrow your hair straightener?”

  “Sure. I can straighten your hair for you if you’d like,” She says excitedly, taking a bite of her bagel.

  “You don’t mind?”

  “You kidding? I’ve been dying to get my hands in that hair again. I may have to charge you though. It’s going to be an all-day affair trying to tame that mane,” she says jokingly.

  “Very funny,” I say throwing a pillow in her direction.

  “So, what’s the occasion?”

  “I…have a date.”

  “Oh my gosh! With who? Please tell me it’s not Sean,” she frowns.

  I told Quinn that Sean has been blowing my phone up nonstop trying to apologize. As if that makes up for screwing my roommate. “Hell no. I don’t believe in looking back — no second chances. We’re history. Especially after what he did with my apparently imaginary best friend.”

  “Forget them both. You have a real new best friend and a new boo. So spill, who is he?”

  “He’s not my new anything. It’s just a date. And it’s the guy you saw at the diner the other night,” I say with a slight wince waiting to hear what she thinks.

  “That fine ass guy that was looking at you like he was planning all the many ways he wanted to make you scream?” I just look at her blinking. So she continues. “And you were looking at him like you were ready to let him bend you every which way?”

  “So I take it you approve?” I giggle.

  What the hell? I am NOT a giggler.

  “Oh, I so approve. Now let's get started on that head of yours. I wasn’t kidding about it taking forever.”

  I arrive at the diner around 7:30 to wait for Nathan. Quinn didn’t understand why I didn’t just have him pick me up from the condo, but if this is a disaster, I don’t want him knowing where I live. I still can’t believe he just happened to stumble into the diner. He called it fate…I call it stalking.

  When I walk in, Trish’s eyes widen taking in my look. She’s never seen me in anything other than my work clothes.

  “Great day in the morning! Is that my Georgie? You look amazing!” she gushes.

  Embarrassed, I tuck my hands in the pockets of my second-hand black pea coat.

  Quinn wasn’t lying when she said it’d take a while to do my hair. I owe her big time because I actually look fantastic. She got it super straight and styled it with a middle part. She ev
en trimmed it a little for me. Pressed out my hair, which reaches my tail bone. I never knew it was so long since I’ve never straightened it before. Quinn couldn’t stop raving about it.