Book 1
Gia Salvatore does not like to feel tied down. Tired of answering to her controlling father, she ran away the night of her high school graduation and moved in with a secret older boyfriend, glad to cut ties with her toxic family.
But four...
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"I'm so sorry," Gia cried, instantly remorseful for her mistake.
She forgot for a moment her rush to get to work and went to the dog to coddle him. Dino's tongue flopped out and his tail thumped softly in approval. Gia took that as a sign of his forgiveness.
She nearly tripped in the bathroom over Robert's discarded clothes from his night on the town and she kicked herself for commending him for showering.
She splashed water on her face and quickly brushed her teeth knowing she would have to wake Robert and ask him for a ride.
Gia had a license, but no car. Her father, when trying to teach her how to drive, had only succeeded in giving her permanent anxiety behind the wheel, constantly stressing the responsibility that entailed with operating a motor vehicle. Her fears only worsened when she caused an accident only a week after passing her driver's test.
"Robert," she says hurrying into their bedroom, now searching the dresser drawers for a clean work uniform. She slammed a few closed, checking to see if the sound stirred Robert from his sleep but he doesn't budge, mouth open and drool puddling around his cheek.
After getting dressed, she moved towards the bed, Dino's tail thumping loudly as she approached. She realized in her absence, he had jumped onto her side of the bed and was curled up behind Robert, watching her scuttle around.
Dino wasn't allowed on the bed but Gia didn't have time to wrestle with him. She ignored the indicrestion and shook Robert by his shoulder, urging him awake.
"I need you to drive me to work, baby," she said, pushing harder as a snore escaped from him.
"Robert!" She yells his name and Dino whines from her tone.
Robert's body seems to react to this and he pushed himself up and over so that he was now curled up next to Dino with his back to Gia.
"I'm already late" she cries, panic gripping her. She could call out last minute, she reasoned but Miles, her boss at Neighbor's Grocery, would spite her later for it.
"Take my car," Robert says, mouth shoved against the pillow.
"Your car?" she gulped, wishing she had misheard him.
Robert loved his classic Camaro, more than he cared for himself sometimes. He took it to the car wash every other weekend and to get detailed once a month. He would even have a passenger remove their shoes if he suspected their soles might ruin his mats.
She tried to think of a single excuse for Robert to get up and drive her but she knew he'd be in no state to drive. He was probably still drunk from the night before, judging by the way he slept. So Gia buckled, rushing around the apartment to find Robert's keys.
They were not on the decorative key hook she had purchased for them nor were they underneath the end table by their apartment door, where they sometimes fell. Gia turned around their tiny living room, trying to guess their location.
