"So maybe I don't know what your favorite meal is, maybe I don't even know your birthday. But what I do know is beautiful, and Evie, what I do know lets me know that I want to know more."
He stops now and we stare into each other's eyes in the middle of the sidewalk, at a public bus stop, and for all I know, we are both standing on the moon.
"Um, Jake," I say.
"What, Evie?"
"I missed my bus. I'm gonna need a ride."
He looks at me for a minute and then his gorgeous face breaks into a big grin.
Oh, wow.
We don't say another word as he leads me to his car. He opens the passenger door and deposits me inside his car.
Jake walks around and slides into his seat, all smooth grace.
We pull out and Jake looks over at me and says, "I want you to listen to me about last night."
I bite the inside of my cheek, realize I'm doing it, stop and glance nervously over at him as he continues.
"Gwen's father is the CFO of my father's company. And when I say 'my father's company,' I really mean to say 'my company,' because that's what it is now, but that's a transition my brain is still working on."
He's silent for a second and then, "Anyway, I've known Gwen and her father for a long time and over the years Gwen and I have spent some time together here and there, although I always made it clear to her that I wasn't interested in anything more than what we had, and what we had was very little. Gwen made it clear that she was interested in more, and Gwen was raised to believe that she is entitled to what she wants and that eventually, if she whines enough, she'll get it.
"When I moved here, I tried to be a friend to her because, despite the fact that Gwen is a superficial bitch, I treated her disrespectfully over the years and in part that was because a side benefit of screwing Gwen was screwing my father, who was embarrassed at my treatment of a colleague's daughter." He is silent for a second, frowning slightly and I wonder what he's thinking but I remain quiet.
"I had arranged the event last night with Gwen months ago and I couldn't get out of it. It's a cause that is important to me and I didn't think it was any real skin off my teeth to bring Gwen as I'd planned. Three seconds in and I realized that I was mistaken on that front and that was even before I saw you there."
I don't want to feel satisfaction at this but I do. God, I do. But then I frown.
"Gwen made it sound like things were very current with you," I say, staring straight ahead.
"That's because Gwen saw the way I looked at you, she saw your beauty, and Gwen did what she thought would work to keep you away from me.
"I know that Gwen made you feel less-than because that is what Gwen does best, but, Evie, you could be wearing a gunny sack, rolling around in mud, and you would have more class in your little pinky than Gwen has in her whole designer-clad body. And Gwen knows that. And she hates that. And that is why she went out of her way to make you feel that way.
"It was killing me not to bust into that kitchen and pin you down and explain the situation to you, but you were working and I wasn't gonna make things worse for you."
I think back to what it felt like after Gwen walked out of that bathroom, how humiliated I was. I think about how Jake had made me proud of how hard I work to take care of myself but in that moment, I felt full of shame not only for what I did, but for who I was. And that searing shame is the same feeling that I lived with for most of my childhood. Then I look down at my Hilton uniform and my well worn shoes and I look around the luxurious inside of Jake’s car.
"Jake," I start. "I might not be - "
But Jake pulls into a parking space in front of my building, turns off the car and I get the full beauty of him as he turns to me, "No, Evie. Whatever you're about to say, consider whether it goes in direct contrast to everything I've just said to you in the past half an hour and if it does, just throw it out, okay?"
I stare at him for a minute and then close my mouth and say, "Okay."
He grins at me again and says, "Good answer."
Then he's around the car, letting me out and he says, "I'm picking you up at six thirty tonight and I'm making you dinner. Do you eat steak?"
"Yes," I whisper.
"Do you work tomorrow?"
"No, day off."
He walks me to my outside door and because I'm standing there staring at him, not moving, he takes my keys out of my hand and opens the door and then gives me a little push inside. Then as he's closing the door behind him, he says, "See you tonight. And, Evie, pack an overnight bag."
"What! - " I sputter, but he's already gone.
CHAPTER 13
I walk inside my apartment still spinning. How did this day take such a 180 degree turn since this morning? How is it this man, in such a short period of time, has succeeded in taking complete charge of every situation? My nerves threaten but I shut them down. I trust him. I want this.
I smile and hug myself after I've closed the door behind me.
By six, I'm showered, shaved, and moisturized to within an inch of my life. I am wearing my best jeans, a fitted, chocolate brown sweater, with a deep v-neck that is tasteful, yet still shows plenty of cleavage and my high heeled brown boots.
My hair is straightened and falling down my back, subtle makeup.
I've packed a small overnight bag with the essential bathroom items and a clean outfit to come home in tomorrow. But I had no idea what to pack to sleep in so I just threw in an extra pair of panties and the only decent nightie I own since I sleep mostly in t-shirts and zipped it closed before I lost my nerve and took off to help fight the Mexican drug war, which sounded a whole lot less scary than spending the night with Jake Madsen.
Before I completely start melting down, I call Landon and as soon as he answers with "Fancy Face!" I blurt out, "I'm spending the night with Jake."