Hidden Depths (9 page)

But that passion was wrong. Even though he'd given into it
once, Josh obviously knew it was wrong. That's why he had barely tried to
contact her since it happened. She understood that and even agreed. In fact,
she really needed to find someone else, someone safe... someone available.
Someone she had more in common with. Passion wasn't enough. Chemistry only
carried you so far and then you needed common ground. And they had none. If
there had been any real connection, other than a little physical reaction, they
would have gotten together years ago, not just one little slip when he was
stressed over his future.

And none of that mattered anyway. Gia didn't want a
relationship. Never had, never would. She just wanted to feel that kind of heat
again. Since Josh was off the table, she needed another option. So, she would
find one... come hell or high water.

She glanced back toward Aaron. Maybe she would take him up
on that offer. Just as soon as she found out why Josh had come by last night. 

Gia had just finished with her last customer of the day and
headed into the back to wash up when she heard Aaron talking much louder than
necessary from the front desk.

"Well, if it isn't the over tired, dumber than dog
shit, friend of Gia's."

Gia was just about to head back up front when she heard
Josh's rich voice answer back, "Yes, I guess so. And you must be the
muscle bound, tatted up, walking advertisement for anabolic steroids that Gia
hired to act as a guard dog. Tell me, is it true what they say about steroids
shrinking your dick? Or do they start small and all the muscles are just a way
to over compensate for the inferiority complex?"

Just as Gia came running around the corner, fearing for
Josh's safety, she heard Aaron laughing. Not a pity laugh for the poor chump he
was about to kill, but an actual, full on laugh.

"So, I see you're a little quicker with the repartee
when you're not dead on your feet. Still not too bright, though. I could still
kill you."

"Maybe, but I'm stronger than I look. And I'm
fast." Now Josh was laughing. He stuck his hand out to Aaron, "Hi,
I'm Josh Taylor. I'm a long time friend of Gia's. I was hoping to see her
today, is she around?"

"Now see, if you had tried that last night I might have
told you she was at the gym."

"I'm sorry, did you say gym? Gia... at a..."

Gia had been standing there staring at the two men. She had
no idea what was said last night, but it must not have gone well based on the
greeting she'd just witnessed. Clearing her throat, she stepped forward,
effectively ending their conversation before Josh could ask about the gym. Or
manage to say something that actually pissed Aaron off. Better to keep things
cheerful and amused before Aaron decided to get insulted and kill Josh after
all. Although she wasn't entirely sure why she even cared.

"Josh," she said by way of greeting. "I heard
you came by last night. Is there something I can help you with?"

If Josh was surprised by her cool demeanor he didn't show
it. All that lawyerly training had served him well.

"Yes, there is. I would like to take you to dinner
tonight. I've been out of town for the last couple weeks and we need to
talk."

She tried to process the information that he had been gone,
finally deciding it didn't really matter. Phones worked pretty much anywhere in
the world these days. They definitely worked anywhere he might have been on
business. Unless of course he was traveling for pleasure not business, in which
case it might have been a little awkward to call with Deb sitting beside him.

"What do we need to talk about that would involve
dinner? We can talk here. There are obviously no customers right now and we're
getting ready to close for the night anyway."

Apparently thinking that was a hint, Aaron walked by Josh to
lock the front door and turn off the signs, then grabbed his backpack like he
was planning to leave. He turned and said, "Goodnight" and walked
towards the back.

Josh said, "Goodnight," at the same time Gia
called out, "No, Aaron, you don't need to go."

She glared at Josh then turned back to Aaron. "Really,
you can stay. I can't imagine this will take all that long, then we can go over
the new designs you've made."

Looking a little unsure, Aaron leaned against the table at
the far back to wait this out.

Gia turned back to Josh. "Say whatever it is you came
to say, please."

He glanced back at Aaron, mumbling under his breath, then
shrugged and started talking. "I wanted to apologize for not calling. And
to explain. My father decided that as punishment I should go to Australia
earlier than planned. I've been there for the last two weeks. With the time
difference, by the time I was done working, it was the middle of the night
here. I really am sorry, Gia. I did try to call before I left."

She was trying to wrap her head around what he was saying,
when a thought occurred to her. Punishment? Did his parents somehow find out
about their little 'indiscretion' and send him away before she could do any
real damage? "Punishment for what?"

Josh looked confused by her question. "For Deb."

"Your parents found out about us?"

"No, Deb and I told them the engagement was off and Dad
decided I should just leave the next morning."

"Wait, what? Your engagement is off? When? Why? Oh my
God, is this because of what happened with us? Does Deb know? That was just a
mistake, Josh. You're all stressed about this wedding, feeling nervous about
the future, and nipple rings seemed like a welcome break from that, but that's
all it was. A stupid, foolish, one time mistake!"

"You didn't know about me and Deb? Haven't you talked
to anyone in the last couple weeks? How is that possible? Deb knows I kissed
you, but that's all. And that isn't why we broke up. It just... wait... a one
time mistake? Seriously? That's what you think that was?"

"Well, yeah. What would you call it? It's not like we
have a future or anything. We have nothing in common, we don't get along, and
you wanna talk punishment? Just imagine the business trips Daddy would send you
on if you ever brought me home."

"I thought it was... more. I thought there was
something there."

"Yeah, I could tell. One phone call in three weeks
really makes a girl feel special. "She shrugged, trying to appear more
casual than she felt. One little orgasm didn't deserve this much stress.
"Go home, Josh. It was just a stupid mistake. Hormones run amok. Go call
Deb and patch things up with her. You guys belong together."

She turned and walked past Aaron and back to her office,
shutting the door behind her. A few minutes later she heard the bell ring over
the front door and the lock click back into place.

When Aaron knocked on her door, Gia expected questions.
Instead he simply said, "Let me walk you to your car."

She wished again that she could feel some spark for him. He
was not only gorgeous, but an incredibly nice guy. She gave him a soft smile
and followed him out. 

Chapter 11

It had been six days and he still hadn't been able to get
Gia to talk to him. He had tried calling, even swung by the shop again. She was
always busy and she was dodging his calls. He still hadn't come up with any
sort of a plan to change the status quo. Not in six days.     

Six long, painful, frustrating days.

He swung again, feeling his bare fist connect with the bag.
And again, this time there was a little sting of pain as his knuckles opened
up. He welcomed it, hitting again and again, harder with each swing. He'd known
he'd made a mistake by not calling her, he just hadn't known how big of a
mistake it had really been. He should have stopped by before going to the
airport, made more of an effort to see her. Called her immediately, or at the
very least the next day. Instead he had waited until he'd had a chance to talk
to Deb.

He'd simply fucked up. And he still had no idea how to fix
it.

So he swung again, and again, welcoming the pain and the
sweat, the burning in his arms as he beat at the heavy bag. Maybe if he was
tired enough, hurting enough physically, he would forget about her. At least
for a night.

After another two and a half hours, he was physically
exhausted, lying on the mat in his basement staring at the ceiling. Between the
heavy bag, the free weights and the ten miles he'd logged on the treadmill, he
was bruised, sore and almost too tired to get back up the stairs. When he heard
his phone ring, he gave thought to ignoring it. Only the thought that it could,
possibly, be Gia had him reaching for the cell phone.

Answering without looking at the caller ID he barked out,
"'Lo" by way of a greeting.

"I'm sure I taught you the proper way to answer a phone
when you were a child, dear, and that is not it."

"I apologize. Hello, Mother. What can I do for
you?"

"Mmmmm. Better, if a bit sarcastic. You can come to
dinner tonight. Your father and I wish to see you outside of work."

"Not tonight, Mom. I just finished working out and I'm
sweaty and exhausted. I'm in no mood to be suitable company for anyone."

"Yes, well, that is what we wish to talk with you about.
Since you and Deborah separated, you haven't really seemed yourself. We feel
that you and she should reconsider this split."

With a deep sigh he tried hard to keep silent, Josh waited a
beat, then two, before answering. "Mom, we told you weeks ago. Things with
Deb and I have been over for a long time. We just made it official. There is no
split, no separation... we're through. I realize that's not what you wish to
hear, but it is final."

"If that were true, I hardly think you would be as
distressed as you seem to be, Joshua Taylor. You should really
reconsider."

"No, Mom. I'm not going to reconsider." He debated
briefly whether to tell her there was someone else, then decided there was
really nothing to tell. As of right now Gia wanted nothing to do with him. It
was just as well to let them think this was all because of Deb. "Look, I
have to go. You and Dad have a good evening."

Without waiting for her to even say goodbye, Josh hung up.
He was certain he would catch hell for that tomorrow morning at work. Fanny
Taylor was never anything less than courteous. Manners, she believed, could
make even the largest disagreements a more peaceful affair. Josh had always
thought his mother was certain she could stop a war if everyone just used
proper manners.

When his phone rang again, he figured she was calling back
to chastise him tonight rather than wait until morning. This time he answered
with, "I'm sorry I was rude."

He heard Blake laughing on the other end. "Well, okay.
Although you haven't been rude yet. Just say you'll join us tomorrow night and
I'll let it slide."

"Tomorrow night where? And who's 'us'?"

"The Tavern, of course and everybody. At least, I think
so. Kelly, Scott, Shannon, Dev, and I'm pretty sure Deb will be there too. Is
that going to be a problem?"

"You know it won't, Blake." Blake had hesitated
before running down the list of names, so Josh already knew the answer, but he
asked anyway. "What about Gia?"

On a long sigh, Blake answered, "I honestly don't know.
No one said her name specifically, but I'd be surprised if she weren't at least
invited. Unless... did you tell Deb about the kiss? Is that why you guys broke
up?"

"Damn, Deb is being really tight-lipped about this
isn't she? She really didn't say anything to anyone while I was out of town?"

"Not about that. Not to me, anyway. But you seem a
little more... upset, than she does. We're all kind of thinkin' she dumped you.
Although nobody else has a clue as to why."

Josh laughed, a little self pityingly, but it was the best
he could manage. "She didn't dump me, she knows about the kiss, and I'm
not upset about Deb."

"Uh huh... then why are you being an ass?"

Josh scrubbed his hand up his face and into his hair.
"My mom called, just before you did, asking me the same question.
Although, not in quite those words."

Blake laughed, long and loud. "Yeah, somehow I don't
see Mrs. Taylor calling you an ass."

"No, but she thinks I should get back with Deb. That it
was a mistake for us to 'separate' as she calls it."

"Well.... was it?"

"No. It was absolutely the right choice."

"So then, the ass-ish behavior is because of Gia?"

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"So, then come tomorrow night. If she's there, it will
give you a chance to fix whatever you screwed up."

Josh knew there was more to it than that. If Gia was there,
and if she would talk to him, there still wasn't much that could be said or
done in a bar surrounded by music and people. Especially since one of those
people was his ex-fiancée and her best friend. Figuring that he would at least
get a chance to see her, Josh finally answered, "Yeah. I'll be
there."

Josh walked into the bar, waited a second for his eyes to
adjust to the dim lighting, then headed to the table where the group was
sitting. He had swung by the house and changed, rather than coming directly
from work, so he was comfortable in a pair of old jeans, a T-shirt and some
slip on Birks he had just bought. Since this was not the norm for him, he was
expecting some smart ass comments.

He walked over to the table, waved 'hi' to the girls, shook
hands with the guys, and when he reached Deb, he leaned down and kissed her
cheek in greeting.

Deb smiled softly as she said, "It's nice to see you,
Josh."

He was pretty sure he was the only one that heard the gentle
emphasis she placed on the word 'you'. He was hoping to use this evening not
just to make some headway with Gia, but also to show their little group of
friends that he and Deb really were still friendly, that they had parted on
good terms. Maybe then everyone would quit walking on eggshells when it came to
group events. These people had all been friends for far too long to cause any
rifts over a completely amicable break up.