Gio (5th Street) (7 page)

“So, you gonna be okay being around Bianca?”

The warm feelings of joy were suddenly overrun with annoyance. “What do you mean? Of course I am.” His words were so defensive he almost expected Noah to laugh but he didn’t.

Instead, he sounded even more serious. “All I’m saying is, I know you. You already sound like this pisses you off. And I’m with you. It’s bad enough Felix does this to girls in his own league but to dick around with someone like Bianca, who you say is so sweet and probably has no idea what she’s in for, sucks. You’re a good friend and if she warms up to you at all and vice versa it’s gonna make it even harder to know his ass is just toying with her.” Noah sighed. “You’re out there for a reason, man. To get your mind clear and ready to get back to how things were before. I just hope you’re not gonna get all caught up in this shit.”

Damn it if Noah didn’t read him like a book. He was already getting caught up and he hadn’t even been there a day. But he lied. “Nah, I’ll be cool. Fuck it. She’s gotta have some idea about what she was getting herself into with him. She can’t be
that
in the dark about it. Right?”

It was wishful thinking and it only made sense that she did. But something in his gut, something in those unsuspecting eyes of hers told him she was really buying whatever crap Felix was feeding her.

“I don’t know. You tell me,” Noah said. “Does she seem stupid?”

“No!” Just like that, he was back on his feet. “Just trusting. And she’s beautiful. Why wouldn’t she believe Felix could really be feeling what he’s probably telling her he is? In fact after spending the evening with her I was beginning to think maybe he did, until I saw him on TV.”

“Well, lets not jump to conclusions. We all know what the paparazzi can be like. Remember he told us about what they did with that photo of him and that ice skater a few months ago? This could be the same shit. And who knows maybe you can talk some sense into him. Tell him not to be such a heartless ass.”

Yeah. That was easier said than done. Just because Gio could talk to Noah like this didn’t mean he did with everyone. He’d been as close to Felix as he was to Noah once upon a time. But that was years ago. Gio sighed. He hadn’t even realized how much this really bothered him until Noah brought it back up.

“I guess. But I’ll be fine. Don’t worry, I won’t stress over this crap.”

Even Gio didn’t believe his own words and he was sure neither did Noah but he was ending this now. He wanted to hang up on a happy note. “Hey, congrats again bro. I’m really,
really
happy for you guys. Give Roni a hug for me okay?”

Gio knew Noah wasn’t completely convinced about him not stressing out. And as much as he told himself it really wasn’t any of his business and his friendship with Felix should come first,
that’s
the part that was seriously beginning to bother him.

After only a few hours with Bianca, he already felt sorry for her—and annoyed as hell at Felix. No telling what a few more days and weeks around her would do to him.

The next morning Gio woke to sounds of trucks outside. He peeked out the window and sure enough the plows were going. Gio had seen Felix’s private plows on the property last night. Now he knew why he had three. The entire
long
driveway had been snowed in overnight. Gio expected the winter to be white up here. He knew that’s what Big Bear was known for but this seemed a bit much.

He showered and dressed in his favorite pair of jeans and a dark thermal. Once fully dressed he walked into the living room where Bianca stood in front of the television holding a mug in her hand. She was still in a bathrobe and her hair looked damp. When she heard his footsteps, she turned giving him a weak smile.

Gio sucked in a breath for two reasons: for starters, she’d washed off all of yesterday’s makeup giving her that innocent fresh look like back in school.
This
was the Bianca he remembered and the look brought with it even more memories. Memories of staring at her when she was reading in class, though he’d made sure she never caught him.

But she looked troubled now. From his angle, he couldn’t see what she was watching but he could guess. If they were airing the same thing he’d watched last night about Felix, that would do it. “Morning,” she said as he got closer. “Did you sleep well?”

“Like a baby.”

She smiled again just as weakly as the first time. He hated to ask but he may as well get it over with. He’d find out soon enough. “Something wrong?”

She nodded and glanced back at the TV. “The storm last night. It’s good for the local businesses but only when the tourists down below can get up here. Looks like the main highway up here is completely closed down.” The corner of her lip lifted. “Felix is finally on his way but now the airport up here is closed. He’ll have to land at the airport in Ontario then wait it out down there. It may be another day before he gets up here.” She shrugged. “The only good thing is I took the whole weekend off. I would’ve never made it out of here in time to get to the shop. Even with three plows they’re just now finishing up plowing the driveway. The shop opened a few hours ago. This is the most snow we’ve had in years. It’s a mess out there.”

Gio came around to get a better look at the television screen. The news coverage went from pictures of power lines down, car after car stuck in the snow, and then to people struggling to shovel pathways from their front door to their cars. They listened to the rest of the broadcast without saying a word as the newscaster concluded that the main highway would most likely be closed until the following day. Bianca groaned.

“She didn’t say anything about the airport.” Gio offered. “That might open up sooner.”

His phone buzzed in his pocket and Gio pulled it out. It was a text from Felix.

Just landed in Ontario. I’m sorry, man. I’m trying to get up there. I really am.

Don’t worry about it. You’ll get here when you get here
.
The accommodations in the meantime aren’t too shabby so I’m good.

“Is he telling you about today?” Bianca walked past him and into the kitchen where Amparo was preparing breakfast.

Gio looked up at her curiously. “No, what about today?”

“He said once they clear up the driveway I should take you snowboarding.” She turned and smiled at him as she poured herself more coffee. “He feels bad that he has us both hanging around waiting for him.”

Gio’s phone buzzed again and he checked the text again.

So you and Bianca snowboard today. I already talked to her. Enjoy… the snowboarding. NOTHING else ass! Don’t worry. I’ll hook you up once I’m up there. We’ll all go out if this fucking weather ever lets up!

Gio smirked glancing up at Bianca again. “He just told me. Sounds good, but I’ve never snowboarded.” He lifted a hand to give him a second while he responded to Felix again.

Got it. And relax, you’ll be up here soon enough.

Gio knew Felix was only kidding about the
nothing else
part of his message. Normally he wouldn’t have a problem busting any of his friends’ balls. Even on something like this, but this felt different. He didn’t want to start any of that kind of talk. Not even in a playful way. So he wasn’t even touching on the comment.

He stuck his phone in his pocket and glanced up at Bianca again who was pulling another mug out of the cabinet. “You want some coffee?”

“No thanks. I’m not much for coffee. But I’ll take some orange juice if you have any.”

Amparo opened the refrigerator and pulled out a glass pitcher. “Freshly made,” she said with a smile. “Breakfast is also ready. So whenever you two are ready I can serve it.”

Gio met Bianca back at the dining table after she’d changed. Seeing her now no longer glammed up but in jeans, a soft sweater and her sneakers sent Gio right back to senior year World History class. She’d even pulled her hair back in a simple ponytail like she used to wear it back then. Gio gulped, irritated with himself, and forced himself to look away. This time Ray and Ignacio joined them for breakfast so he turned his attention to them, smiling as he took his seat.

“So really? You’ve never been snowboarding?” Bianca asked, forcing him to look back at her eyes as big and as inquisitive as ever.

Gio smiled. “Nope. The most I’ve ever done in the snow is tubing.” Incredibly, her eyes opened even wider and he was suddenly feeling nervous about snowboarding. Visions of him falling flat on his ass came to him and he was not looking forward to that. Not in front of Bianca. “Maybe snowboarding is not such a good idea.”

“Don’t be silly. I can teach you.” Her eyes were full of all kinds of excitement and as nervous as Gio was, he still couldn’t wipe the goofy smile off his face.

Amparo set his waffles down in front of him. Gio grabbed a banana from the fruit basket Amparo had set on the table earlier and sliced it over his waffles. He glanced up to see Bianca watching him. Their eyes met and she smiled. How could something as simple as a smile be so breathtaking?

“Yeah,” Ray said, setting his coffee cup down. “It’s a little tricky at first but once you get the hang of it you should be good. It’s addicting, actually.”

“You guys coming too?” Gio asked, glancing from Ray to Ignacio.

They both shook their heads immediately. “Not today,” Ray said. “We still have a lot of shoveling to do in the back. That part of the complex piles up the fastest and takes the longest to thaw out. With this storm not letting up we can’t let that go. The gym entrance will be buried shut before we know it.”

Gio frowned. “Then maybe I should stay and help, too.”

“Stop trying to get out of it, Gio,” Bianca’s smirk teased. “You’re going.”

Ignacio didn’t even try to hide his amused expression as if he agreed with Bianca’s assumption of why Gio was offering to help. “We got it, man. We use the plows, too. Piece of cake.”

After breakfast, Bianca instructed him on what he’d need to wear. Everything he needed was hanging in his closet for him. He even found a season pass to the ski lift they’d be going to in the pocket of his snow pants. With a sticky note stuck to it.

Get ready for the snow bunnies
. =)

Gio smiled remembering the conversation he’d had with Felix when Gio called him to tell him he’d decided to take him on his offer. Felix told him he was looking forward to reconnecting with his best bud.

This was an easy one to figure out. While Felix had always said he’d done some of his best sparring with Gio, Felix didn’t really need him to train. He’d won a world championship without him; why would he need him now? And he most certainly didn’t need to be paying him. Felix acted like Gio was doing
him
a favor. Clearly, it was the other way around. Gio should be paying Felix for this two-month vacation. Here he was on day two of his
job
and he’d be spending the day on the slopes with a full season pass. He knew this was just the beginning too. Judging from his living arrangements and last night’s lavish dinner, not to mention this morning’s breakfast, the next two months he’d be living high on the hog. And all because his buddy was worried about him.

He thought of the annoyance he’d felt last night with Felix then as he walked out of his room and Bianca’s bright smile greeted him. Noah’s words rang loudly in his conscience.
Let’s not jump to conclusions just yet
.

Noah was right. He shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Felix had a good heart and he wasn’t stupid. There’s no way he could be taking someone like Bianca for granted.

As Bianca approached him, still sporting her beautifully fresh no-makeup look, he breathed in a little easier. She
had
to be the girl Felix had referred to as the one he could be falling for.

Their eyes met and her cheery smile lost some of its brightness for just an instant then she was back. “Don’t worry. I promise to get you back here in one piece.”

“Who’s worried?” He laughed nervously which only made her giggle.

Great, the giggling was already starting and he hadn’t even stepped onto the snowboard.

~*~

Determined to make the best of another day of waiting for Felix, Bianca decided she’d be positive about this and try to enjoy herself. So far, Gio had been pleasant enough company, and he was certainly nice to look at. She giggled inwardly biting her lower lip and pretending the scenery out the window at that particular moment was especially interesting.

“They have beginner trails, right?”

Bianca turned back to see Gio’s nervous face, his green eyes momentarily veiled under a slow blink of long lashes. Geez, what she’d give to have lashes as heavy as his. She reached out and squeezed his arm. “Yes, they do. Don’t worry I’ll take it easy on you.” She smiled reassuringly. “Felix was the same way when he first started. Even with all the traveling he’d never really hit the slopes so he was just as nervous but after a few runs he got it.”

Gio returned the smile, nodding, but he didn’t seem completely convinced. When they reached the lift, Gio appeared even more apprehensive. His green eyes nearly went gray as he stared up at the massive mountain they’d be lifted up to.

The pensiveness Bianca had noticed on their drive there was now replaced with what could only be described as sheer panic. “We’re not going up there, are we?”