“Can what?” Jared stuck his head into the room and looked back and forth at them. “What are we betting money on?”
“Nothing,” Gina said.
“That Gina can have her very own happily ever after.”
“With that cop?”
“No,” Gina said at the same time Nat said, “Yes.”
“Helpful,” he said. “Well, if you’re asking my opinion…”
“I’m not,” Gina said.
“I’d put my money on yes.”
Gina’s gaze shot to his. “Really?”
“Um. Yeah. Did you see the way he looked at you? I’ve never looked at a woman like that. That man has it for you, bad.”
“He could have fooled me. I mean, after what happened with Tony and everything…”
“Gina,” Jared said, coming in to squat in front of her. “The man showed up to deal with a domestic disturbance and finds the woman he loves having a brawl in the middle of the street with her ex-boyfriend and then finds out that the naked girl in the food truck is his baby sister. Did you really expect him to react well to all that?”
Gina frowned. “I guess not.”
He threw up his hands in a see gesture and stood back up.
“You guys didn’t even give it a chance after that, did you? You had a fight over it, as I’d totally expect because hell, who wouldn’t be upset walking up to that? And instead of letting things cool off, you two jumped the gun and broke it off. And my guess is you’re the one who initiated that, weren’t you?”
Gina looked back down, unable to meet his gaze. “Maybe.”
“Maybe nothing. You made up your mind and wouldn’t hear anything to the contrary.”
Her lips twitched at that. “Maybe.”
“So…maybe the guy deserves another chance.”
Gina sighed. “Maybe he does. Or maybe that is too many maybes to deal with.”
Jared shrugged. “Or maybe you love him and are too afraid to do something about it.”
Gina’s gaze met his. Held it. “Yeah. Maybe.”
“You going to let a little fear stop you?”
“Stop me from what?”
“Being happy for once in your life.”
Her lips twitched. “You’re a pain in my ass, Crew.”
He shrugged again. “It’s what I do best. So?”
Gina took a deep breath, her heart pounding. “What if it’s too late? What if he doesn’t feel the same?”
“Only one way to find out.”
“True. And I guess it’d be a shame to waste this dress. I did buy it for him, after all.” She straightened.
Jared clapped once and held a hand out to help Gina up. “So, what’s the plan? You going to go get your man?”
Gina frowned. “I’m not sure I can. Not that I don’t want to,” she said, heading off Jared’s and Nat’s protests. “He’s got his ball tonight. You have to have an invitation or ticket or something to get in, and even I’m not ballsy enough to crash a party full of cops.”
Jared frowned. “You might have a point.”
“But I do know where he lives. Maybe I can make a little post-party visit. And hope he doesn’t throw me out.”
Nat pulled her in for a hug. “He won’t.”
“He might. I wasn’t exactly at my most charming last time I saw him.” She took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “But I guess it’s better to know, than wonder for the rest of my life. Right?”
Jared wrapped an arm around her waist. “Have a little faith, Gene. He’d be crazy not to want you.”
Gina laid her head on Jared’s chest. “Faith, huh?” She laughed. “Not exactly my strong suit. But I’ll see what I can do.”
Chapter Nineteen
Rick opened the door for Jenny, and she slid inside. “You look beautiful,” he said before closing the door and getting in the driver’s side. “Thanks for being my date.”
“No problem. Though I guess it doesn’t say much about my social life that I was available at the last minute on a Friday night.”
Rick chuckled. “Well, I’m glad, anyway. It’s no fun going to these things alone.”
“Or with your sister, I imagine. Why aren’t you going with Gina?”
Rick gritted his teeth and pulled out of the driveway. “It’s complicated.”
“You know, usually when people say it’s complicated, it’s really not that complicated.”
“Yeah, well, this time it is.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.”
Jenny sighed and watched the scenery going past her window. But she was “not-speaking” very loudly. Rick could almost hear the cogs turning in that head of hers. “Say what you want to say before you explode.”