Saving the Billionaire

9. Coffee in Car

At Jace question, I went quiet. He was very kind with the offer. Also, I did not have any option other than to stay at his place. There were so many things going on in my head that I needed answers.

Why did that owner go crazy when he saw Jace? When we were arguing, I tried to ask him, but instead, he started yelling at me. It was fishy since the day before I could sense that something was going on.

Was Jace hiding something? Your Alice asked not to mention about me working for their family. Why would she say that? I tried to ignore it, but after the incident without hotel owner things got more intense and challenging to avoid.

I was nervous about asking Jace in case it offends him somehow. That's the last thing I wanted now that I was going to be staying at his place. Why was he so mysterious?

In the morning, he justified and apologised but did not say anything about that man in the wheelchair. It was not my place to ask personal questions, but if I was going to be living there, I needed to know a few things.

With that thought in my mind, I was ready to ask Jace a few questions about his family. I peeked at him as he was busy adjusting my luggage gauge in the back of the car while I stood beside the car mirror.

"Let's go" He inhaled sharply shutting the door and striding towards the front door.

I nodded my head and slid inside the car, shutting the door. Taking a deep breath, I turned towards him.

"Uhh...J-Mr Pisano can I ask you something if you don't mind?" He adjusted the front mirror, staring at me through it before softly bobbing his head.

I didn't know where to start to be honest. What if he shuts me off? I was going to live in that mansion for a while, so if things get awkward between us, I would never be able to face him.

"Now that I'm going to be staying in your place for a while...I was hoping to ask you about the other members of your family. I just don't want to embarrass myself again like I did yesterday." I chuckled lamely, rubbing my face. When I noticed no expression on his face at that, I quickly added, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, I am just curious."

He turned on the engine of the car, and it was quiet for a few seconds—only the sound of a car roaring to life.

"It's alright. You need to know if you are going to stay with us for a while" He met my eyes. I sucked a sharp breath at that because I wasn't expecting him to be understanding.

"It's just four of us in the mansion. My sister, Alice, who you already met. There's Alex, he's my older brother but you won't see him much because he's always busy with work." Jace coughed, turning the wheel around and avoiding my eyes.

Who's the fourth one? I thought digging my teeth into the lower lip. Maybe he would finally talk about the guy in the wheelchair I saw the night before.

"And our father. He...You saw him last night. I was going to tell you about it, but I didn't think it was important. Ms Clark" He pointedly stared at me through the rear view mirror.

I shook my head, "I didn't want to put you in a spot. But these are the basic questions we ask in a first meeting. It's helpful while designing the rooms accordingly."

Jace hummed, "Oh, I had no idea, but you don't have to worry about that."

I quirked my brow at him, "Umm...why, do you say that?"

"Because no lives on the east side. It's just an empty building."

I felt my mouth dry at that, and I stared at him without blinking. So he called me from New York to design an empty building. The one where no one ever lived.

"You mean ever? No one lived there?"

Jace shook his head, a sigh escaping his lips, "No, I mean now no one lives there but before it used to be our childhood home. My siblings and I grew up in that very old building so you can understand why we want it to be renovated."

My eyes grew fond at that. Our firm did get this kind of sites all the time, but I never invested myself in those. It's always scary because you'll mess up something and the clients get disappointed. I didn't want to do that with Jace. My breathing grew rapid at the thought of that. It was his childhood home, something close to him, so I have to be very cautious about it. No wonder he was ready to pay so much money to get it renovated.

"I do. I think it's beautiful that you are getting it renovated. I wish I could do that to my childhood home too."

His lips turned up, "Really? Where did you grow up Ms Clark?"

"In Jersey. My mom and I used to live in this cute apartment by the shore. I loved it because I was always on the beach, watching the sunset, making sandcastles. Those were my favourite things to do."

A soft sigh left my lips at the memory. It was my favourite place by far. We had to move out because my mom got a transfer to New York. As she was barely making rent, she decided to sell the place.

"That sounds fun."

"It was. But we had to move away, and I'm stuck in New York" I made a face.

He softly chuckled, "You sound like you don't like New York very much."

I leaned back in my seat and stared at the side of his face, "I actually don't. If I got the chance to move back to Jersey and start over, I would do it in a heartbeat."

"Because of the beach?"

"Of course! I mean what's not to like. The smell of the sea, sand sticking to your toes, the cold air and hot corn on the cob."

"Sounds like a dream."

I was hoping for him to laugh it off at how silly I was. After all, I was a girl living in the big apple with everything. While talking to him, I realised how much I told him. A stranger. More like a client, but I steer away from sharing personal stories because people back in New York are uptight and always impatient.

"It is" I let out a sigh, staring out of the window. Just then my eyes fell on the small coffee stall we passed by earlier. My mouth watered. They had the best coffee according to the locals' reviews.

"Mr Pisano...can you please stop by the side?"

His eyes widened as he stared at me, "Is everything alright?"

I nodded my head, pointing towards the coffee stall, "I need to get a coffee. They have one of the best ones according to the reviews I read online. Please"

"Oh," He sighed but turned his car around and parked in the corner.

"I'll be back in a minute," I said and stepped out of the car.

My mouth parted in shock as I stepped in. They had so many varieties of coffee beans powder arranged neatly on the shelves that I was confused. I looked over my shoulder and noticed that Jace was sitting all alone in the car, tapping at the wheel. I couldn't let him wait longer.

"Salve, come posso aiutarla?" (Hello! How can I help you?)

I pointed at the screen with coffee icon because they also sold confectionery.

"Ciao. Can I get two coffees?"

"Si signora! Che sapore vuoi?" The cashier smiled at me warmly, and I opened and closed my mouth. What did he ask? I had no idea.

"Cosa?"

The cashier smiled, changing the screen, "Flavour. Which one?"

I blushed. This is what I get for trying to fit in. I started at the Italian words and let out a sigh. How was I supposed to know which is what? My eyes shifted towards the board, and an idea popped into my head.

"Just give me two specials on the board."

He gave me a thumbs-up, and I stepped back as he mixed the beans in the machine. There were only two tables in the stall, and they were occupied. That's why I decided to stand and watch him make the coffee.

I paid for the coffee and carried the cups out of the stall. Jace stared at me with wide eyes as I slid inside the car.

"Isn't that too much coffee Ms Clark?"

I giggled, "The other ones for you."

He turned around, his eyes wide, "Oh...you didn't have to do that."

"Please it's just a coffee. You are letting me stay in your house. Consider it as a thank you gift."

He stared at the cup for a while before nodding his head, "Thank you."

I saw a smile on his face as he sipped the coffee, and it felt nice. Like I achieved something.

***