Gia made it into the customer bathroom without anyone really noticing her. She'd hide in one of the stalls until she could regain her composure, and then she'd take a few minutes to touch up her makeup before heading back out to wait for Jupiter.
"Oh, God," she whispered into the quiet bathroom. "What a mess I've made of things." She wasn't about to call Jupiter back and tell him she'd changed her mind, nor did she feel like going to dinner with him and pretending everything was hunky dory. Why, oh why had she called him, of all people, in the heat of the moment? Anyone else on her admittedly short list of friends and family would have been understanding of the situation, mainly because everyone in her life besides Jupiter knew and loved Ricky already. Sure, she might have inconvenienced someone else, but they would have forgiven her and moved on.
She also didn't want anyone at Ricardo's to know she was spending time with Jupiter outside of work, so why she'd instructed him to pick her up at the cafe was beyond her; she clearly wasn't in her right mind today. Gia had seen too many employees come and go because of workplace romances gone bad, so she made a point not to mix work with her personal life as much as possible. She was pretty sure that was one of the reasons Ricardo had promoted her...and now here she was, breaking her own rule with Ricardo's nephew. Although she justified it because the guy was only going to be here on a temporary basis—she'd have to remember to ask him how long he was staying—she still felt uncomfortable about it.
She'd have to make the best of it. And maybe, when all was said and done, tonight was the perfect night to go out with him for the very reason that she really didn't want to. She'd fulfill any obligation she had inadvertently agreed to and she'd be ready to turn in early. She'd get a better feel for the kind of person Jupiter was—in particular, what he wanted from her—and would then be better prepared to interact with him the rest of the time they worked together.
Feeling like she had at least some semblance of a goal for the night, if not a plan, she pulled her hair loose from the messy bun she'd worn all day, releasing a sigh as the whole mass tumbled down her back. Her scalp always ached a little when she wore her hair up and she ran her fingers through her roots, relishing the relief. Curls now fell playfully around her face and she hoped they'd help mask any residual evidence of her emotional outbreak. She hadn't cried a lot, thank goodness, but enough that anyone who knew her would be able to tell. She dug in her shoulder bag for what little make-up she carried with her—a powder compact, mascara, a Merlot-tinted gloss that made her lips look fuller, if not exactly pouty. Then she stepped back, smoothed her blue sweater over her waist, and squared her shoulders.
"As ready as I'll ever be," she said to her reflection.
She cracked the door to make sure the coast was clear, then darted out into the hallway and made her way toward the side customer exit of the cafe. She kept her head down, not wanting to be noticed, and made it outside without anyone halting her escape. A few minutes later, she'd skirted the building to the back parking lot and stood on the curb outside the employee door, praying that no one would be coming in or out anytime soon. Lord have mercy, it was like deja vu on automatic replay. How many times was she going to stand on this stupid part of the sidewalk tonight?
She kept her eyes peeled for Ricardo's Lexus, her phone in hand, checking the time. The longer she stood there, the more she wanted to retract her offer to spend the evening with Jupiter, to call her grandmother to come pick her up, to crawl under her covers and pull her pillow over her head.
She closed her eyes for a few moments and let the thoughts that had been fighting for an audience take center stage. Ricky loved her. Nothing new there, not really. But he didn't just love her. No, he was in love with her. And supposedly had been for a lot longer than she'd estimated. The notion made her knees a little wobbly and she quickly opened her eyes to keep from stumbling.
A car rounded the side of the building and eased up to the curb in front of her, a low, sleek little slate blue Miata, the throaty rumble of the engine punctuated by the bass kicks of the music being blasted inside. "No way," Gia murmured, not sure if she was impressed or put off. Of course. Why wouldn't Jupiter Multiple-Italian-Names Valentine drive a little roadster on the weekends?
He didn't turn off the car, but the music stopped, and a moment later, he was unfolding from the low bucket seat and making his way around the streamlined hood. Her eyes grew even wider at the sight of him. He wore a pair of tight black dress pants, a deep plum-colored V-neck sweater over a crisp white button-up shirt with a wide collar, and the whole ensemble was topped with a buttery Havana suit jacket and a chevron scarf knotted loosely around his neck. Jupiter radiated casual elegance, and the car only completed the picture. He approached her with all the confidence of a young man who had the world at his fingertips, and without any hesitation at all, took her face in his hands and kissed her, first on one cheek, then the other, and then— Yep, on the lips. His mouth was warm and purposeful against hers, and although he lingered just long enough for her left knee to buckle, she quickly righted herself, blushing hotly when she saw the satisfied grin on his face. She'd barely caught her breath before he'd grabbed her hand and was leading her to the passenger side door.
"I am so happy you changed your mind," he said, his voice cool and bright, apparently completely unaffected by their first kiss—something she'd refused Ricky not more than half an hour earlier, but boldly taken by Jupiter—and pulled open the car door to help her inside. Closing her in, he headed back around the hood of the vehicle and within moments, he was tucked back into his own seat behind the wheel. "So, I will take you home to get ready first, yes? Tell me where to go."
Gia felt her eyebrows rise of their own accord. She bit back the ready retort that begged to let fly—she'd tell him where to go all right—and considered the circumstances through his eyes. All she'd told him was that she'd gotten a ride to work from a friend, but because of a change in her plans, she no longer had a ride home. And because of said changed plans, she was also free to do something with him if he was still up for it. So really, he had every right to assume she'd want to go home and at least change, didn't he? He'd taken the time to spiff up a little, so of course he'd expect the same from her.
But what would she say to her grandparents if she showed up with Jupiter? They'd known about her plans for the evening with Ricky. What would they think of this suave character escorting her home? Of her? How on earth did she get herself into these situations?
Jupiter paused before pulling out onto the street. "Which way? Left or right?" He turned to look at her, a shock of curls falling forward over his forehead, his smile wide, disarming. He tapped the GPS on the dash. "You can enter the address if you like."
"Um, go left," she said as she entered her grandparents street information. A female voice greeted them before indicating the next upcoming turn. Gia would just have to pray her grandparents wouldn't ask any awkward questions. "I'll try to be quick, okay? What do you feel like eating? I'm not taking you to any Italian food places."
He whipped the car out into traffic like he'd been born behind the wheel. Gia clutched the strap of her purse tightly, surprised, but not alarmed. "It would not matter where we ate because tonight, it is all about the company." He flashed her another grin, and to Gia's embarrassment, she giggled. Not quite like a schoolgirl. No, it was more the sound of a woman realizing she was in way over her head and not sure whether to be thrilled or terrified.
"You are..." She hesitated, shaking her head as she eyed him in the glow of the streetlights passing overhead. "You are pretty dang sure of yourself, aren't you?"
Still grinning, Jupiter glanced over at her and then back at the street ahead. It suddenly occurred to her that he was awfully comfortable driving in America. How long had he been here already, and where had the car come from? Had he actually bought a new car this week? For the short amount of time he was here? Surely, there was more to his story than she thought. "Is there a reason not to be confident?" he asked. "I am a good-looking man who has his youth, a decent level of intelligence, a promising future. I am driving a fast car and I have a beautiful woman at my side for the evening."
Gia laughed again, the same conflicting feeling flooding through her. Drawn to him, almost against her will, relishing the way he so boldly went after her. No one had ever treated her the way Jupiter was, like she was someone to be sought after, fought for, pursued. Especially not Ricky, at least not until today. In his own words, her friend would wait forever... but who had forever to wait? Just being in Jupiter's presence was stimulating and intoxicating, to the point that she wasn't quite sure where his pursuit ended and her desire to be caught began. And did she want to be caught? By Jupiter Valentine?
Or did she want to be pursued by Ricky Zander the way Jupiter was pursuing her? The question gave her pause and she stilled.
"At the next intersection, make a right turn," intoned the automated GPS robot.
Why hadn't Ricky ever pursued her? Sure, this week he was making a real go of it, but only because Jupiter showed up and was suddenly giving him a run for his money. What had held him back all this time, especially if what he said was true, that he'd loved her for so long?
"Are you all right?" Jupiter's quiet question interrupted her pondering. Good. She didn't want to think about Ricky right now.
"I'm fine. It's nothing. Just thinking about how the plans got changed this evening." At least there was truth in that. "You know how I told you I live with my grandparents? They're not really expecting anyone, even me, at least not until late tonight, just so you know." She figured they'd be doing what they normally did on Friday evenings—dinner around six, maybe a Netflix movie instead of a sitcom, and definitely a heaping bowl of ice cream for each of them. "You don't have to be nervous or anything because they're great people. But they do like to chat, so be warned. You'll think they're sweet old folks, but if you're not careful, they'll have dragged all your deepest darkest secrets out of you without you even knowing it."
"Ah. No one suspects the elderly, in spite of their wisdom and years of experience." Jupiter laughed. "My own grandfather was the same way. Somehow, he always knew things. There was no tricking mio nonno."
"Right? I think they should use grandparents in the CIA or FBI. They could get the dirt on anyone. All Granny G would have to do is show up with a plate of cookies and the worst criminal would buckle." She poked him in the shoulder. "So you'd better be careful."
She saw Jupiter's eyebrow arch, even in the dark. "What makes you think I have deep dark secrets, pretty lady?”
"Ha! Because," she retorted. "No one can be as perfect as you are and not be hiding something." Gia thought she heard a tiny pinging sound somewhere between her ears. Warning! Warning! Danger zone! "That didn't come out... the way... I..." Detour! Hazardous curve ahead!
After an interminable silence, Jupiter spoke, his voice like caramel syrup. "Would you prefer me to have a deep dark secret, Gia?"
"What? No!" she exclaimed, her cheeks blazing. Hopefully, it was dark enough he wouldn't be able to see. "Of course not. I don't like secrets. My family has carried a lot of them over the years," she expounded, thinking of Phoebe and the daughter she gave up for adoption almost fifteen years ago, and of course, Ricky and his secret love for her all these years. "I actually am a little tired of secrets, so if you could figure out a way to not have any, I'd really, really like that."
"No secrets, Gia. What you see is what you get. Contrary to what you seem to believe, I am not perfect, something you will quite likely discover as you get to know me better." He reached over and brushed her cheek with his knuckles, an echo of the way Ricky had earlier, and she almost flinched. He must have sensed her discomfort, because he returned his hand to the steering wheel. "I already know you are not perfect, so—"
"Excuse me?" She snapped her head around to gawk at him, her mouth open in shock. "What's that supposed to mean?" So much for smooth charm, she thought.
"Well, it is obvious you have some kind of deficiency since you have suggested I'm perfect. Only someone who is a little bit crazy would think that." He shrugged and shot her a crooked grin. "But I am willing to lower my standards for you."
"Oh, my gosh!" she gasped. She poked him again, but this time, he reached across his body with his left hand and wrapped his fingers around her wrist before she could pull away. He turned her palm up and brought it close to his mouth. But instead of kissing her, he pursed his lips and blew softly into her cupped hand. She definitely flinched. Or trembled. Or quivered. Or something entirely too inappropriate. She jerked her hand from his grasp and tucked it under her thigh, every inch of her skin tingling as though she'd just stuck her finger in a socket. "You are so smug," she said, her voice snagging on the breath she couldn't quite catch.
"Your destination is on the left."
Jupiter eased the little car into the driveway and parked. He turned in his seat to face her. "I will be on my best behavior with your grandparents. I wish to make a good impression with the people who love you the most." Then he flashed her another grin, making her chuckle self-consciously again. She was finding it really difficult to stay depressed, and although she still planned to get the night over with as soon as possible, it was no longer looking to be such a tiresome ordeal. They just had to get through the next half an hour while she got ready.