Reputation's Play (Book 1)

Ch. 15 Drink It Like Water

@desirenanyanzi this one is for you!!! 

Chapter 15 Drink it like water

As the days went by, Gia grew more and more restless to see Daniel. Since the night in her townhouse, Daniel hadn't tried to contact her. She had begun to fear he left New York when Isabella had called her to ask if it would be okay with Gia if Daniel was invited to the club opening on Saturday.

"Dino wanted me to ask and make sure you would be okay?" Isabella had said on the phone. "Daniel said he would be fine."

"Oh," Gia bit down the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smiling. "He's still in New York?"

"Yeah, he's here right now," Isabella said. "They're in the other room."

"I'll be fine," Gia cleared her throat.

"We probably won't even see the boys too much," Isabella laughed. "They'll probably talking business outside or something stupid shit like that."

"Probably," Gia said.

Knowing she would definitely be seeing Daniel on Saturday made Gia impatient. She was awkward and clumsy all day at her internship, embarrassing herself with the constant daydreaming. If her boss hadn't known Luca, Gia was sure she would have been asked to leave.

When Gia arrived home Friday, her excitement was doubled when she spotted the roses on the table at the foyer.

"They were delivered this afternoon for you," Jessica, the housekeeper, said as she dusted the family portrait by the stairs.

"Thank you," Gia slipped the card out and read the words.

You still owe me a dinner date.

"Jess?" Gia looked up at the middle aged woman.

"Yes?"

"Is Carla home yet?" Gia had to make sure her flowers stayed a secret.

"No, not yet," Jessica said.

"Don't tell her about the flowers, okay?" Gia smiled.

"Uh...okay," Jessica nodded in confusion. "Sure."

"Thank you," Gia said as she took off her heels and picked them off the floor.

With her flowers and shoes in hand, Gia ran up the stairs to her room and kicked the door shut. She walked over to the window and held the flowers in front of her before clicking a photo of herself. Only her eyes were visible behind the roses with just the slightest hint of a smile on her face. Gia placed the flowers down before sending the photo to Daniel.

Thank you for the flowers. She wrote.

Gia waited with her phone in her hand for a reply. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she traced her finger over the soft petals and scrolled up and down the messages. When Daniel didn't reply, she took another photo of the roses and sent it to Daisy.

He sent me flowers, Gia typed.

That's the bare minimum he can do, Daisy sent back with a silly emoji. But they are beautiful.

Aren't they? Gia brought the roses to her nose and inhaled their scent.

She was on cloud nine the whole evening. Her flowers kept her occupied long enough to not even notice that Daniel still hadn't responded to her text. But by morning, Gia's good mood had faded. She sat on her bed staring at the photo of herself with the roses, regretting ever sending it to Daniel.