Let Your Hair Down~
Let Your Hair Down~
"Let me know if you need anything else, Angela." Hannah smiled as she set down their drinks on the table.
Angela smiled back. "Thanks, Han. I feel so honored being served by the owner of this amazing place."
She waved a hand in the air. "Oh, it's my pleasure. You're our favorite customer. Enjoy your orders!" Hannah turned around and headed back to the counter when the door opened and in came a handsome man, holding a black baby carrier basket. "Joon! This is a surprise. Ohhh… My baby!" she cooed as she picked up the little one, who was probably a little less than a year old, from the basket and held them close to her. Joon was her husband and Samantha's brother.
"I thought we should have lunch together," said Joon.
"That would be nice." She tiptoed and kissed him on the lips, and then put the baby back in the carrier. "I'll go get my bag."
A small smile formed on Angela's face, seeing the scene. Joon caught her attention and he nodded to her in greeting, waving his child's little hand at her. She returned the gesture before looking away and taking a sip of her cappuccino.
The cafe's ambiance was so cozy, that it makes you not want to leave the place. The temperature was just right, the smell of coffee beans lingered in the air, and the playlist was incredible too with a mix of indie, slow rock, soulful pop rocks, or instrumental RnB. Right now, it's an acoustic of Put Your Records On, and it made waiting for Nina enjoyable.
A chime on the door prompted the three of them to turn their heads towards it. Nina's eyes lit up, and her smile widened as she skipped towards Angela's table with her big luggage in tow. "Anj!!! It's so good to see you!" She scooped her into a big hug and they squealed and giggled, earning several headturns in their direction, but they didn't care.
"I missed you, Ninz!" Angela pulled back, scanning her best friend from head to toe while Nina dramatically turned for her as if she was a model showing off her short dress that had the two men at their table hanging their mouths open.
"Hey, boys…" Nina winked at them and they cleared their throats and straightened their spines. Rick stood up first and Trigger followed before moving to the table behind them so they could give the two friends their privacy.
While they waited for Nina's order to arrive, Nina gushed about Angela's engagement ring. "Oooh…" She sniffed, wiping a tear at the corner of her eye. "It's so beautiful! It's not super pink and it's not in-your-face-huge either. It suits you very much, Anj. Gael really knows you."
Angela twisted the ring on her finger, her eyes also turning misty at the thought of Gael becoming her husband. Last night's phone call about his first kill was both a shock and also an eye-opener. She already knew that there was blood in his hands, but knowing what he did in the past and still having her heart beat for him anyway taught her how deep her feelings were for him—and it only strengthened knowing that he trusted her with the truth.
And she didn't know why his admittance made her feel relieved instead of scared of him. But she already accepted the fact that she wasn't normal—she liked and loved what normal women should be scared of or stay away from. Or perhaps it wasn't about the actions—rather it was because of the person. Because it was Gael.
"I know… I'm so lucky," Angela said, a smile that only came out when she thought of him crossing her face.
Nina took the other's hands and squeezed them. "I'm so happy for you. You're chasing your dreams."
"Thank you, Ninz. I'll pray you'll get yours when you're ready."
"Ha!" Nina chuckled, releasing her hands and taking a sip of her latte next. "I don't know about that."
"How's William?" Angela asked, stifling a smirk.
"Still hot and too far for me."
"Harbor is just the next city. How is that far? You've once had an LDR with someone who lives in Canada."
"Ugh. He was a hot hockey player, alright? Besides, that LDR ended because it was an LDR. So Harbor is just another Canada for me."
Angela narrowed her eyes at her friend. She knew her best friend well enough to know that Nina was only making excuses for reasons unknown yet.
Just then, Nina's phone beeped and she nonchalantly read a text. Her eyes went wide and she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh, my god!"
"What's wrong?"
Nina put her phone down and swallowed audibly. "My dad just texted me. Lauretta's dead. She died in a fire in New York a couple weeks ago."
The hair on Angela's back stood on end, she froze in her seat, her hand subconsciously touching the scar. The bruises and cuts had already faded and healed enough for her to cover the remaining evidence with makeup except for the scar on her arm.
The movement caught Nina's attention and her eyes narrowed. "What happened to that?"
"Ninz… There's something I need to tell you. I've wanted to tell you but I couldn't on the phone. Promise me you won't tell anyone?"
Nina was taken aback but she was quick to respond. "Of course. You know you don't need to tell me that. I would always keep your secrets."
Angela knew that, but she still had to say it out loud—mostly for herself. "That fire… That was Gael's family's club—not the one we went to. It's The Manor—it's a nightclub chain and Giovanni took over the one in Brooklyn. Filippo and some mercenaries attacked us that night. Lauretta was also there."
Nina's jaw dropped, her stare flickering between Angela's eyes but she didn't say anything for a minute. And then she glanced at the scar again. It was about two inches long on her inner forearm. Angela had been taking care of it properly, using ointments on the first week and keeping it moisturized when it was fully closed so it looked better than it should—but it was a scar, nonetheless. "Shit. Did she do that to you?"
"I'm okay. It doesn't hurt anymore." Angela cleared her throat and kept her voice neutral. "Gael and I made it out before the fire became worse… Filippo and Lauretta…did not make it out though. I'm sorry."
Nina's brows furrowed and then she grabbed Angela's arm, stroking the skin near the scar. "I was never close to Filippo. I heard he was a prick. But Lauretta? Fuck her! She can burn to hell for all I care. If she went there to harm you all, then she deserved what happened to her. You know I hated her. She was a boyfriend-stealing bitch—remember summer after sophomore year? I'm just glad you're okay. That woman I don't care for—but you, I swear to God, I'll jump in the fire after you."
Angela's face scrunched up in tears, her entire body growing warm at her best friend's affection. She didn't deserve Nina. Her best friend was her ride or die and she would do everything for Nina too.
The two best friends caught up with each other the whole afternoon and when evening came, they decided to have dinner at a seafood restaurant near the port. While Nina went to the bathroom, Angela's phone rang and she answered as soon as she saw that it was Gael. "Hey…"
"How's my favorite writer?"
She chuckled. "I'm having a great time with Nina. We're at Crab House."
"So I've heard. You look sexy in that blue dress."
Angela instinctively looked around, even though she knew she wouldn't find him there. "Are you stalking me, Mr. De Luca?"
"Not right now." He chuckled. "Rick sent me a couple pictures of you today while you were out. I didn't ask him to, but I guess that man knew what I'm missing. It's that, or he's going to be in fucking trouble for subtly letting me know he's closer to you than I am."
That made Angela laugh and she couldn't help but tease, "He's doing his job. At least he didn't take one of me when I went swimming in the pool in my string bikini?"
The other line was silent until he damn near growled. "If he—"
"I'm kidding." She snickered. "I was actually skinny dipping."
"Angela Kylie Su," Gael warned in his low, rough, sexy voice.
"That's the last joke. I promise. Where are you?"
He sighed and she could imagine him shaking his head. "On my way to meet Gio and Seb at a strip club."
"What?!"
"It's for work." She could hear the smile in his voice. "Don't worry, baby. I'll think about you the whole time."