Chapter 23

  Van felt disappointed and stupid. How could she have hoped that Jake would still be here after Karl had told her he was worried? A part of her believed that he cares for her even just a little but another part of her concluded that he probably wished she'd burn in hell and stay out of his life.

  The resolve she'd thought she was finally building crumbled like a brick wall, her heart clenched in pain and tears welled up in her eyes.

  ''What did I do wrong?'' she muttered to no one in particular. ''Why did I have to fall in love with him?'' 

  All her life she'd been in constant pain and heart ache but she had been taught to be strong, she always bounced back in the face of adversity, she's tried to be the happy kid she'd once been, now though, she wasn't sure she'd be able to overcome this because it hurt so much to even breathe.

  But she was willing to try. What was the use of admitting to someone you love them if they'll only laugh in your face?

She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice, she told herself and she was going to wrench Jake Calloway out of her heart. With that final resolve she dozed off.

  The next morning, working at the coffee shop was just the same–boring and uneventful– 

She missed Rella so much this past few days she'd been gone and she couldn't help but worry about how her friend was holding up being married to someone who's in love with her sister, if only things were a little bit different and the two of them had met each other before Stefan and Cindy, they would've made a nice couple, she smiled wryly at the thought.

It was a nice morning though even though it shouldn't be at all because one, there were little or no customers and two…surprise! Surprise! Her gaze landed on Jake who had just walked in and just like that, the idea of a nice morning sunk deep into the pit of her stomach like a stale paella. The first she was okay with because it meant a lot of free time for her but this…a lot of heartache.

  A wild flutter began in her stomach when she realised he was making his way up to her. Everything about him screamed danger but he was gorgeous as hell with his mussed up hair and bedroom eyes. He was wearing a black jacket over a blue shirt and washed up jeans.

  ''What are you doing here?'' she frowned at him.

He appraised her from top to bottom for a few moment before he dropped without preamble.

  ''I want you to stay away from Josh Hamilton.'' Van stared at him in bewilderment unable to believe his nerve.

  ''Again with that? Go away Jake I don't want to see you and because of that, you're not having coffee here.'' She told him matter-of-factly and turned away from him but he grabbed her wrist, halting her.

  ''Van listen to me please,'' it was the please that got her to look him dead in the eye. ''I don't trust that guy, he'll only use you.''

  ''Like the way you did?'' she told him pointedly snatching her hand from his hold. Her hand burned from where he'd held her. He looked away, a pained look in his eyes. ''Go away Calloway before I call someone to make you.''

  His cell phone rang at that moment; he fished it out of his pants pocket peering down at the screen before he punched receive. ''Yes… Yeah sure I'll be right there.'' He turned to her after ending the call, ''Um…that was–''

  ''I don't care who it is.''

  ''Okay. I uh,'' he fumbled uncomcomfortably. Was she seeing clearly, Jake Calloway nervous? Well that's a first. ''I'll be back in a while.'' He said.

  ''Don't bother.'' Van told him. 

  They stared at each other intensely, with Van determined to not be the first to look away. She succeeded of course because Jake broke eye contact first and made to leave only to come face to face with Josh Hamilton. The two men sized each other and Jake had begun to have second thoughts about leaving, but he had to, it was important. When his eyes met hers once again, they were cold and emotionless.

  She would never understand him for the life of her; who the hell does he think he is?

  She turned away from him

  ''Van please wait.'' Josh called after Jake had left.

  ''Stay away from me Hamilton.''

  ''Did he tell you to say that?''

She turned on him in barely surpressed fury, 

  ''Look here you idiot, Jake is no one to tell me who I can or cannot be friends with. I don't know what you two have against each other but I'm telling you to leave me out of it.''

  ''Believe me I would love nothing more than that, but that's not why i've come here.''

  ''What then?'' she faced him placing her hands on her waist.

  ''I'm here to ask for your forgiveness.'' He said seriously.

Van rolled her eyes, ''you're three years late.''

  ''I know, but the guilt is killing me and I want to make things right, please give me another chance.'' She eyed him suspiciously, before he added quickly, ''as a friend of course.''

  ''I don't trust you.''

  ''I know. But give me a chance to change that.''

  Van ignored him but he was persistent and she equally refused to cave in.

  He grabbed a spare apron, shed his expensive jacket and watch, and then rolled up his sleeves to his elbows to assist her in serving customers. At first he had made a mess of everything but he quickly got the hang of it and he looked like he was enjoying himself.

  Van took advantage of that and made him mop the floor and rearrange the tables and chairs by closing hour and of course the idiot as she'd thought, had failed to see the idea of her trying to frustrate him into leaving.

  ''Oh he's so cute, I wish my boyfriend would do that for me.'' Monica the new girl gushed and practically swooned.

  Van snorted and raised a brow at Josh's grin clearly having heard the remark. ''Monica,'' she called sweetly, her eyes never leaving Josh. ''I think you should go home now.''

  ''Are you sure but we're not fin–''

  ''I'm sure Josh wouldn't mind–'' She quickly cut on her, ''–right?'' she smiled at him sweetly.

  ''Of course not,'' was his succinct reply to which Van smirked. 

  ''Alright, I'll…see you tomorrow then.'' She giggled and batted her eyes at Josh who smiled pleasantly causing her to blush.

Van rolled her eyes at him. Once a flirt, always a flirt.

  ''So did I earn some points?'' he asked after he dropped her off.

  ''Keep dreaming buddy.''

  ''I will if that's what it'll take for you to forgive me." He sighed. ''Van you have to believe me when I say I'm sorry.''

She shook her head. ''Sorry doesn't change what you did.''

  ''I know and that's why I won't stop trying.'' He smiled, ''I had fun being a barista for a day.''

  ''Don't get too excited cause I might make you regret you ever said that.''