Leo (A Sign of Love Novel)(10)

He sighs. "I was a screw up of a kid. I was selfish and messed up and I did everything my father hoped I wouldn't do. If it was self-destructive, I was first in line. Not exactly any parent's dream."

I give him what I hope is an understanding look, and he glances back at me, sadness in his eyes. It doesn't seem like he expects a response, and so we continue on in silence.

When we get to the front door of my building, I nudge the door open with my foot and pass through.

"There's no lock on the outside door?" Jake asks, and when I look back at him, his face is tight and there is a muscle ticking in his jaw. He looks pissed.

"Ah, no. I've called the landlord several times, but clearly, it's not his first priority. It's ok. This is a pretty safe neighborhood. No one's gonna step up and call it World's Greatest, but it's decent." I joke, trying to lighten Jake's suddenly tense mood.

Jake follows me and we walk to my apartment door.

I stop just outside as he sets the bags on the floor and looks at me expectantly. "Um, so, thanks, Jake," I say, no intention of inviting him into my tiny apartment. "It was a way more enjoyable trip than I expected it to be." I smile and continue looking at him, not moving a muscle.

Both of our heads turn as Maurice, my neighbor across the hall, a big, beefy black guy who works construction, opens his apartment door and stands there with his arms crossed, looking suspiciously at Jake. He looks like he could bench a semi, but he's really a big teddy bear. In exchange for the occasional batch of blueberry muffins (his favorite), or orange cranberry muffins (his second favorite), he looks out for me.

"Hi, Maurice," I grin. "This is Jake. I'm good. It's good, um, we're good," I say, awkwardly.

Maurice continues to look at him as if he recognizes him from a registered sex offender website as Jake takes a few steps and extends his hand, smiling. "Maurice," he says.

Maurice finally relents and shakes Jake's outstretched hand and says, "Jake."

I guess in man-speak, this means things are good until further notice.

No one says anything for a minute until I break the silence with, "Ah, thanks, Maurice. So I'll see you later?" I smile.

Maurice pauses another minute and then, "Right. I'm just inside the door here, Evie. You need me, you call, yeah?"

"Yeah, Maurice," I say softly.

Maurice closes the door to his apartment and Jake looks back at me. He glances between me and my door and finally, sighs, running his hand through his short hair again and furrowing his brow in that heart stopping way he does. "Okay, I get it. I'm not invited in. Can I at least have your phone number, Evie?"

I pause. Oh, okay, why not? I like him. He's handsome and nice and he makes me feel good in a way no one has in a really long time. Okay, if I'm truthful, maybe ever. Not since Leo… but I'm not going there. And that was eight years ago. I was a kid then. In my adult life, no one has affected me the way Jake Madsen affects me. I'm sure it's highly common in Jake World, but it is most definitely not in Evie World and it feels nice.

"Give me your phone," I say and he hands it over. I program my number in and hand it back.

He grins at me and turns to walk away, saying, "I'm done stalking you, Evie. We've just elevated our status for real."

I laugh. "You take all the fun out of everything. You know that, Jake Madsen?" But I'm smiling like a loon and as I catch his reflection in the front glass door, so is he. Oh God, Jake Madsen is going to call me. I really want Jake Madsen to call me. Damn.





CHAPTER 7


Nicole picks me up a little after five and I get in the passenger side of her small, silver Honda, a bottle of red wine and a plate of brownies in hand. Kaylee loves brownies, and I love Kaylee.

"You look all glowy," Nicole says, smiling over at me. "Using a new moisturizer or did you meet Prince Charming?"

I guess I'm silent for a beat too long before answering, "What? No. Probably just the cold air," because Nicole's mouth drops open and she sputters, "Oh my God! You totally did. You met a guy. Oh, wow. Oh, I've been waiting for this forever. Wait! Don't tell me anything yet. Mike needs to hear all the details."

"What? Nicole! Seriously! It's nothing. Actually," I frown, "What if it's nothing?"

Nicole is literally bouncing up and down in her seat and she breaks about twenty different traffic laws speeding to her house.

When she pulls into her driveway, she hops out and although she's wearing red heels that look dangerous, she runs to my side and practically pulls me from the car, plucking the bottle of wine out of my hands.

She lets us in and Kaylee immediately comes running to the door shrieking, "Aunt Evie! Aunt Evie!"

I catch her in my arms, laughing, and hug her to me. Then I pull back slightly and say seriously, "Kaylee, I didn't think it was possible. But you've gotten prettier. I'm worried about Cinderella's job security."

She's giggling. "No, Belle! I wanna be Belle!"

"Okay, then, Belle is in serious trouble." I set her down gently and say in a whisper, "I brought brownies. Eat a good dinner and I'll give you the biggest one." I wink.

"Okay, Aunt Evie," she whispers back conspiratorially. And with that she runs off to continue playing with the barbies she abandoned on the floor when I walked in the door.