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She Will Be Loved

Chapter 48: Hope

By Love Ink

Angela's heart skipped a beat when she pulled into the driveway after a long day of work and saw Juice's Dyna parked in there. He was home. Finally. She parked beside the bike, aware of Jax pulling in beside her. Slowly, she opened the car door and stood staring at the motorcycle for a long moment before glancing over at the front door.

"You gonna go in anytime soon?" Jax asked from behind her, and she knew he was smirking without even looking at him.

She hesitated slightly, playing with her keys. It'd been weeks since she'd seen him, and she'd missed him. She just didn't know what to do. What to say. After what Jax had said about Juice wanting her that first night she got back, about that stupid set up to make her jealous, her brain was all mixed up. Did Juice still feel that way? Did he still want her? "Y-yeah," she stammered, shifting a bit. She turned to look at him. "What do I do?"

Jax shrugged a shoulder. "Beats me."

"Helpful," she muttered, closing the car door behind her. She took in a deep breath and headed towards the door, expecting Jax to follow her. He didn't move though.

" 'm stayin' out here. Once you know he's home for sure, let me know, and I'll leave you two alone," he said, giving her a wink.

Angela wanted to smack that stupid smirk right off his stupid face. "You're the worst," she muttered before inhaling deeply. She was going to take things slow, easy, as if nothing had changed because, to Juice, nothing had changed. He didn't even know she and Esai weren't together anymore. She stopped dead in her tracts as the realization hit her. "He doesn't know."

"What?"

"He doesn't know about me and E."

"Well, shit," Jax said on a chuckle. "That'll be a surprise."

Angela nodded, feeling nervous for no reason. "It's gonna be fine, right? I'll be fine."

"Think you're thinkin' too much. Go with your gut."

"That what you would do, Teller?"

Jax shrugged a shoulder. "Nah. I'd make my move. A big one. If it was my girl, I'd kiss the crap outta her," he explained with a wide smile. "But my advice doesn't seem to work too well for you guys."

"Ain't that the truth" she muttered, sighing softly. "Okay. I'm good. Just gonna go in there and act normal."

"Have fun with that," Jax replied around the cigarette he'd just put in his mouth. He lit it and exhaled a long plume of smoke. "Good luck."

She flipped him off with a scowl and headed inside. "Hello?" she called out, closing the door behind her and setting her purse of the couch. She headed back towards his room just at the same time his door opened. She stopped in her tracks when he walked out of the room with a towel around his waist.

"Angel! Hey!" he exclaimed, a huge grin on his face.

"Hey you!" she replied, surprised when he pulled her in for a hug. He was fresh out of the shower, and his skin was still warm and soft. She wished she could touch more of it, feel its heat against her own bare skin. The thought alone made her blush. He let her go, and she immediately missed the feel of his arms around her. "Welcome home! When did you get here?"

"Not too long ago," he said, his hand on the towel as though he was making sure it stayed up. "Where were you?"

"Oh. I was at work," she explained, scratching at the back of her neck. Angela did her best to keep her eyes on his face, though she found her gaze flitting to his chest every so often. This was not the first time she had seen him shirtless, but he still had the same effect on her. She still wanted to trace the tattoo under his pec with her tongue, taste his skin. She realized he'd asked her another question, but she'd been so distracted with her lustful thoughts, she hadn't heard him. "I um...sorry, what?"

Juice's grin widened, and she wondered if he could sense what she was thinking. His head tilted to the side as he regarded her with curiosity in his eyes. "Do you have a shadow?"

"Yeah. Jax is outside," she said, gesturing over her shoulder. "Or he was. Said he was going to wait to make sure you were home 'fore he left."

He seemed to tense at this, his brows drawing together in concern. "Jax is following you now? Thought that was Koz's job. Why is he doin' it?"

Was that jealousy she detected in his tone? "They take turns now," she explained with a shrug, slightly amused. Her eyes swept over his body again, her cheeks growing hot. She needed to get out of there, or she was going to end up doing exactly what Jax had suggested and throwing herself at him. "But I should go relieve him of his duties, so he can go celebrate being free."

Juice didn't look too pleased with that, but he nodded anyway. "Yeah. I'll...I'll go get changed," he said, taking a step back into the room.

Angela nodded, heading back outside to where Jax was waiting for her. He raised his eyebrows. "So?" he asked, sitting back on his bike a bit. "Did you lay one on him?"

"No. We had a normal conversation, asshole. You can leave now."

Jax's grin widened as he tossed the cigarette on the ground, stubbing it out beneath his boot. "All right, all right. I know when I'm not wanted. Give Juice a big ole kiss for me," he said, laughing when she flipped him off. He returned the favor before starting up his bike. "See ya later," he shouted over the roar of the engine.

She waved to him and turned back inside, laughing to herself. She wondered what Juice would do if she did kiss him. Maybe he'd kiss her back...but what if he didn't? She didn't think she could handle that kind of rejection, not when she was just starting to feel comfortable with herself again.

Juice was just walking into the living room when she came back in, a big smile on his face. "Do you...do you need to go back to work?"

"Not today," she said with a little smile as she sat down on the couch. "Maybe we can...go to dinner or somethin'?"

"Hap said your Aunt wanted us to go over there. Said she was going to cook something special for us," he explained, sitting down beside her.

"Sounds good. 'm sure she'll love havin' all her boys back in one place."

"Yeah," he said on a chuckle. "You gonna invite Jax?"

Angela met his gaze, fighting the urge to smirk; he was jealous. "Yeah, no. I leave the invites to Hap for the most part," she told him. She'd never invite a Son to dinner at their family's house without Hap's approval. It was Happy's safe place, the one place he could let his guard down. He didn't let just anyone in there for dinner. "You were an exception."

That made him smile in triumph, which in turn, made her heart skip a beat. "Yeah? Why's that?"

" 'cause I care about you, goof," she replied honestly. "Knew you'd be safe there."

He looked down, and she saw the faintest blush color his cheeks. "Yeah, thanks again for that. Don't think I could ever make it up to you."

"You killed a guy for me. Think we're even."

Juice frowned a little. "I'd kill a million guys for you, Angel. Anytime. I...I care about you too, y'know? You're my best friend."

Best friend, he'd said. The words definitely hurt; maybe Jax had been wrong. Maybe he didn't have feelings for her anymore. She hid a grimace with a smile. "You're my best friend too," she replied, fidgeting with her necklace. "I um...How was the run?"

"Way too long," he said, groaning as he tilted his head against the back of the couch. "Washington was rainy as hell and Oregon wasn't much better. Got to know Quinn a bit, though. Didn't realize you had another body guard."

She laughed, nodding emphatically. "Just the three. Hap, Quinn, and Koz."

"The scariest fuckers. Did Raj know 'em? 'sides the time he came here, that is."

"Yeah, actually. He met them a couple times when they'd visit in New York," she said with a small smile. Raj standing next to Quinn had been hilarious. They had all gotten along pretty well, though. "They gave me shit about him for weeks. Called him a square. Couldn't believe I was with him. "

Juice smiled sadly. "Compared to Esai, he must've looked like a saint."

"Raj was a saint," Angela replied, still getting used to talking about him past tense. "I don't get why he put up with me."

He scowled at her. "Don't do that."

"What?"

"Put yourself down and put him on a pedestal. He was a great guy, yeah, but he wasn't a saint. Remember all the times he dipped out on you. Cancelled things without taking your feelings into account," he reminded her, messing with one of his big rings. "I know. I had to go to those stupid musicals when he bailed, remember? Saw the one where everyone was dyin', and then the guy with the mask and the chandelier, and then the one where everyone was miserable. And that one was like five hours long. The only good one was with the killer hookers in prison."

Angela laughed at his descriptions of the popular musicals. It wasn't often that Raj skipped out on their monthly Broadway show, but when he had, she'd managed to convince Juice to go with her. She knew he hated them, but he went for her. He'd lean in close to her and make sarcastic comments. Groan every time a new song started. She'd pretend to be annoyed, but she secretly enjoyed it. She found herself having to stifle her laughter many a time during a serious moment. "Goof!" she exclaimed, shaking her head at him. "You had fun too!"

"Had fun goin' to Junior's after for a big slice a cheesecake after."

Her mouth practically watered at the memory of the cheesecake at the famous restaurant. "God, I miss that cheesecake, and that coffee," she said with a groan.

Juice grinned at her, and again, she felt butterflies. "Amazing, right? Wonder if we can find somethin' like it here."

"Think we'd have to get out of Charming. Probably somewhere in San Francisco," she said on a sigh. "But I don't think we have time to go all the way out there before dinner."

"Probably not tonight," he agreed on a frown. "I meant what I said, though. Raj wasn't a saint, and I think puttin' him on a pedestal isn't going to help you heal. No one is perfect. He was a good guy, a great guy, and I don't want to talk bad about the dead, but he wasn't a saint, and he wasn't perfect. Don't forget that."

Angela played with the lotus charm around her neck as she let his words sink in. He was right, of course. Raj was a great guy, but he was also selfish and self-centered. He wanted everything done his way without thinking about what anyone else thought. He'd made plans for them without even asking her what she wanted. Had tried to make excuses when she pushed back against him. And she just let him. Because she loved him, and he loved her. She'd been so focused on the good times, she hadn't thought of the bad. "Yeah," she agreed on a breath.

His face softened a little, and to her surprise, he reached for her hand, squeezing it lovingly. "I'm...I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or...taint your memory of him, but...I saw how hurt you were when he skipped out on things. You tried your best to cover it up, but...I saw it," he said, his light brown eyes earnest and kind. "You deserve better than him. Better than Esai."

She smiled at him and sighed. "Thanks."

He nodded, letting go of her hand and getting to his feet with a groan. "We should head to your Aunt's place. Apparently, she needs help with some stuff around the house."

Angela groaned at the idea of going to her Ma and Aunt's place to do chores. "Ugh. Chores?"

He chuckled, getting to his feet and holding his hand out to her. "C'mon, Angel. At least we'll get good food outta it."

Reluctantly, she put her hand in his. "Let's go then. Torture time."

"Yup." Juice pulled her up, a little too forcefully, making her stumble into his chest. His arm wrapped around her waist as she looked up at him. His face was close to hers, too close. She glanced down at his lips, and the sudden urge to close the space between them came on strong.

And then his phone rang. He let her go, stepping away from her with an awkward laugh, his cheeks a little pinker than usual. Grabbing his phone, he flipped it open and cursed. "Hap. Probably wondering where we are," he said, shrugging. "Get your keys and we'll head out."

She swallowed hard, raking a hand through her hair as she tried to remember where her keys were. "Keys. Right," she breathed, not bothering to listen to his phone call. The idea of almost kissing him had her mind reeling, and she found it hard to focus on something so stupid as where her keys were.

"Ready?" Juice asked, nodding to her and holding out his hand.

What was he holding out his hand for? Was he asking to hold her hand? She stared at him for a moment before realizing he was gesturing for her keys. "Oh. Did you...did you want to drive?" she asked awkwardly. What the hell was wrong with her? Why the hell would she think he wanted her hold his hand to walk out the door?

"Yeah. Been ridin' for weeks. Need a bit of a break," he explained, scratching at the back of his neck with a bashful smile.

Angela's cheeks grow hot with the idea he was saddle-sore. Dirty thoughts passed through her mind, and she did her best to push them out of the gutter. "Oh. Right. Go for it," she said, handing him her keys. She followed him out the door, letting out a long breath as she got into the passenger seat of her car. He started up the car with a quick turn of his wrist, and she couldn't help but notice the way his muscles moved under his shirt as he did so. She swallowed hard; clearly, it'd been way too long since she'd gotten laid. She had to get a hold of herself, or she was going to be in trouble.

Juice couldn't help but smile as he pulled into the driveway of Elena's house. He loved going there. Loved the warm, welcome feeling of the house and the people inside of it. Glancing over at Angela, he noticed she was smiling as well, but there was an amused glint in her eyes as she looked at him. "What?" he asked, trying to hide his smile. "I'm just...happy to be home and excited for a home cooked meal. Haven't had one in ages."

"You mean the Croweaters didn't cook for you all?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

"Nah. Lots of take out. Greasy burgers and fries. Nothing like what your aunt makes," he said, getting out of the car.

She followed suit, walking around the nose of the car to him. What she was wearing was so simple compared to the scantily clad sweetbutts he'd been surrounded by the weeks before. Just a grey v-neck, dark jeans with rips in the knees, and flip flops. Her toenails were painted a bright purple color, and he wondered if she'd done them herself or gone to get a pedicure while he was gone. He wondered if Jax had gone with her like he had in the past. If he'd sat outside or if he'd gone inside with her. Juice usually sat outside. "Jax take you to get your nails done?"

Angela laughed and shook her head. "No, no. I did these myself. No one would deign to take me to a damn nail salon. I need to get some better colors though."

"We'll go shopping tomorrow! We'll get all the colors so I never have to sit outside a nail salon waiting for you again!" he exclaimed, only half-joking.

She smacked his arm playfully, laughing harder. "Goof!" she managed to get out through her laughter. He couldn't help but smile at her laughter; it was one of his favorite sounds. He noticed she seemed to be a lot happier than she had when he'd left. A lot more like the Angela he'd met the first time they'd literally run into each other in Central Park. There seemed to be some kind of weight lifted off her shoulders, and she laughed easier, smiled a little bigger. He wondered what had led to this change and hoped it didn't have to do with the Mayan. A part of him hoped she was so happy and light because he was home, though he didn't want to let his mind go down that path. It would only hurt him later when he found out the Mayan had surprised her with something or other to make her so happy. She grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the house. "I'm holding you to that, though."

Angela used her key to let herself into the house, stepping in before him and stopping short as she inhaled deeply. He did the same, feeling his stomach grumble at the smell of food. "Damn, that smells good," he murmured, sliding his cut off of his shoulders and hanging it on the coat rack. Elena and Graciela hated when they wore their cuts inside and while they never forced them to take the items of clothing off, they all did it to appease the older women.

They headed to the kitchen where Elena was cutting plantains, humming to the music on the radio. It was something Juice had seen Angela do often when she was baking, and the similarity made him smile. "Juancito!" Elena exclaimed, a huge smile on her face as she embraced him tightly. She kissed his cheek before patting it lightly. "How are you, mijo? You and Happy were gone for so long! And you got too skinny again! You are going to eat good tonight. Put more meat on you."

Juice caught Angela's eyeroll as she took over slicing the plantains. He had to admit, he loved Elena fussing over him, though, no matter what she said about how skinny he was. "Thanks, Lena. Looking forward to it. Can I help with anything?"

Elena's grin grew as she gestured to the dishwasher. "Set the table, will you? It will be us with Kozik and Happy. Graciela will be late tonight."

It was the same job she always gave him, but he was happy to comply, to help in some way. He could hear Angela and Elena speaking in Spanish as he started setting out the plates. He wondered what they were talking about since they were both laughing. He finished setting the table and leaned against the entryway of the kitchen, just watching them work. Angela was relaxed, happier than he'd seen her in a long time. Her hands were nimble as she cut the plantains then slid them onto the wide blade of the knife before she let them fall into the hot oil in a pan on the skillet. The oil sputtered and jumped, but she stepped back before any of it spattered on her.

"Juancito, why don't you get yourself a beer," Elena said without turning around. "Relax a bit. You've been working too hard. I was only joking about the chores."

Juice walked by them to the fridge, grabbing a cold beer. He used one of his rings to pop open the top of it, a trick Quinn had showed him in Tacoma. "I'm all right. Wasn't working that hard, anyway. Spent most of the time on the computers and updating security systems."

"You're going to go blind staring at a screen all day," Elena chastised, shaking her head at him.

"I'll make sure to eat plenty of carrots to make up for it," Juice assured the older woman. He caught Angela trying to hide a laugh, and smiled in triumph. "How have you been, Lena?"

Elena launched into a long story about a game of Dominoes she'd played with Graciela and Maritza, who Juice came to learn was Lino's mom. Apparently, the three ladies were complaining about how they couldn't have a family dinner anymore since Happy was a Son and Lino was now a Mayan. No one mentioned that Angela was dating one. He wondered if Esai had ever had dinner there, or if he'd ever met Elena or Graciela.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Harleys. Elena stopped what she was doing and rushed to the front door to greet Koz and Happy leaving Angela shaking her head in her wake. "The princes have arrived," she joked under her breath as she spooned the plantains onto the awaiting paper towel covered plate.

"What are those?" he asked, ignoring her comment.

"Maduros," she explained, using a fork to spear one and lifting it so it was level with his mouth. "Fried plantains. Try one."

He ate it off the fork she offered, his eyes meeting hers as he did so. Her eyes were so pretty. Dark and expressive. He found himself lost in them for a moment as he ate the delicious food. "Really good, Angel," he murmured, licking his lips. Her eyes darted to his mouth and, if he wasn't mistaken, her cheeks grew just a little red. He glanced at her lips, wanting to kiss her. Right there in the middle of the kitchen. "Angel..."

"Smells good," Happy's voice came from the entry way as he entered.

Angela pulled away, and this time, her cheeks were definitely red. "Hey Hap," she greeted, setting down the fork and going to hug her cousin. Happy obliged for just a moment, kissing her cheek quickly. "How you doin'? How was the run?"

"Long," he answered curtly as he grabbed a beer from the fridge. "How're you?"

"Fine."

"How's the Mayan?"

Angela's smile faded a bit. Juice noticed her eyes darted to him nervously as she fidgeted with her ring and said, "Oh we...um...that's over. We're done."

Juice choked on his beer. Coughing and sputtering like an idiot as Koz walked in. "You all right, Juicer?" he asked, slapping him on the back.

Juice nodded, clearing his throat as he tried to gather himself. He was stunned. Angela and Esai had broken up, and she hadn't said a word to him about it. Why would she keep something like that from him? Was she afraid he'd tried to make a move on her? Did she want to keep him at bay by letting him think she was with someone? He stared at her in surprise, unsure of what to say.

Happy ignored his whole outburst, and Juice got the feeling he already knew about the break up. Kozik probably had told him. Juice frowned, why hadn't Happy said anything? They'd talked about Angela, and he hadn't thought to mention she was single?

"He hurt you?" Happy asked, setting a heavy hand on Angela's shoulder.

"N-no," she answered on a scowl. "He um...he grabbed me, and I..."

"Broke his fuckin' nose," Kozik finished with a proud grin.

Happy smirked at her, leaning in to kiss her temple again. "Good job, kid. Proud a ya."

Angela seemed to relax at his words, rolling her eyes at him. "Muscle memory. Guess all those years of practice actually paid off."

" 'course they did," Happy said on a nod as he ruffled her hair.

She swatted his hand away with a scowl. "Stop! Go sit so we can eat!"

He smirked, heading to the table with Kozik following after. Angela jabbed at the blonde's arm with a fist as he passed, and he feigned being hurt. "Don't hit our guests!" Elena scolded from behind them. "Help me serve the food, Angelita. You go sit, Juancito."

Juice went to sit at the table, his mind still preoccupied with the new knowledge of Angela's break up with Esai. His mind was on overdrive. He didn't know what to do, what to say. She was single again. Single and she hadn't even thought to tell him. Was it because she saw him as just a friend? Was that all they were ever going to be?

"Juicer! You look like you saw a ghost! You all right there?" Kozik's voice broke through his thoughts.

He shook his head to clear his mind. "I'm um...fine. Just...how come no one said anythin' about the Mayan?"

"Not our place," Happy stated, shrugging his shoulder.

Juice scowled at him. "Koz told you."

"That's different."

Kozik nodded in agreement. "We've known the kid a hell of a lot longer than you have."

"Just sayin', a heads up would've been nice," he muttered, taking another sip of her beer.

Before they could reply, Angela and Elena walked in with dishes precariously balanced on their arms. Elena set food down in front of Koz and Happy before putting her own plate down while Angela set a plate in front of Juice then moved to sit across from him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He studied her every move, trying to figure her out. She seemed a little tenser than she had before, could it be because her secret was out? All he knew was that they were in for one awkward car ride home.

"Are you going to be able to rest a few days, Juancito?" Elena asked, breaking into his thoughts. She gave a pointed look at Happy and Kozik as if they were the ones who got to decide. "He's been traveling for so long."

"He's shadowin' her," Happy answered, nodding towards Angela. "Whatever she's doin', he's doin'."

Angela threw a glare at Happy as Elena turned her sights towards her. "Angelita?"

"Ro asked if I wanted to stay the night at her place tonight, actually," she explained on a shrug. Before Koz and Hap could protest, she quickly put in, "Lino will be there. Ro's birthday is tomorrow, and she wants to go to Santa Cruz. Figured it'll be easier to leave early from here with them then truck it all the way from Charming."

Juice frowned in disappointment; he'd actually been looking forward to getting to spend some time with her, though she clearly didn't feel the same way. "Unless," Angela started, staring down at her plate. "Unless, Juice wants to stay here tonight, and he can come with us. I mean...there's no...no cuts allowed. Just gonna be my original friend group. Lino, Nessa, Ro, and...whoever Ro's dating right now. Can't remember their name. But it's up to you, Juice. Rosa said she wouldn't mind, and I did promise I'd take you to the beach."

"Oh. I um..." Juice was still trying to process what she said. A beach trip with two other couples. She wanted him to go with her. "Y-yeah! Sure! That sounds like fun. Don't really have beach clothes with me, but..."

"I'm sure there will be a store over there that you can buy beach clothes, mijo. And you have clothes here too, remember," Elena reminded him with a big grin. "Oh, it will be so fun! It's perfect weather for it too! I'll make sure to set up the couch for you to sleep, Juancito."

Juice caught Angela's eye for a moment, wondering if she really was okay with it. "You sure, Angel?"

Angela smiled in response, and he relaxed a bit. "I'm sure, goof. Think it'll be fun."

"Good fuckin' luck," Happy muttered, shaking his head. "Those three together are always trouble."

She flipped him off, which made Elena start chastising her about being a lady. Kozik and Happy started in on her as well, teasing her in the way brothers did. Angela feigned being upset, but Juice caught the corners of her mouth twitching into the smallest of smiles. Juice couldn't help but smile with her. She caught his eye and winked at him discreetly, which only made his smile grow. Maybe there was some hope that she'd give him a chance afterall.

Angela was aware of the way her aunt's eyes were laser focused on her as she washed the plates. Kozik and Happy had gone back to Charming, and Juice had been shoved outside by Elena to get some fresh air and relax. She could see him sitting outside from the kitchen window, his white t-shirt stretched tightly against his back as he leaned forward, showing off his strong shoulders. A plume of smoke rose in front of his face, and she smiled a little. "He's gonna end up falling asleep with that joint in his hand and setting the whole backyard on fire," she stated, still focused on his back.

"Esta cansado," Elena agreed with a frown. "They work him too hard." (He's tired)

"Yeah," Angela muttered, putting a plate in the drying rack. "Glad he's home, though."

She smirked, shaking her head. "I'm sure you are," she replied before moving a hand to tuck a hair behind Angela's ear. "You love him."

Angela almost dropped the plate in her hands. "Tia..."

"I know, I know, you're healing, and I think you are doing the right thing being alone for a little, pero I think if you know how you feel, you should let him know because he doesn't know right now, and he won't wait around forever. Just give him a sign, pobrecito. Something. That way you don't lose him over both of your stupidity." (But...poor thing)

"He doesn't like me like..."

"No, no, no," Elena exclaimed, wagging a finger into her face. "None of that. You know he loves you too. It is easier for you to deny it than accept it, I know, but the more you think like that, the farther away you push him. Give him a sign, mija. Something to tell him you're interested so he doesn't lose hope. I think you'll be happy to see you get the sign returned."

Angela sighed heavily, drying her hands on a dish towel. "What kind of sign could I possibly give him?"

"You'll figure it out, I'm sure," Elena said with a warm smile. "Inviting him to the beach with your friends was a good step. He liked that. I could tell."

"I just hope it works out. With Lee being a Mayan and Juice a Son...I just hope they can forget all the club bullshit for a sec and just relax and have fun."

She scoffed in response, shaking her head. "Those two are nice boys. They'll be fine. Little puppies, the two of them. And they both love you so they'll behave. I bet they'll be best friends after this."

Angela laughed lightly, remembering the easy way Lino and Juice had interacted at the motorcycle show. "Probably."

"You go. Go out and spend some time with him now," Elena said, pushing her towards the backyard. "Give him the sign."

With a roll of her eyes, she headed outside making sure to make noise to alert him of her presence. He turned when he heard the door close, a sleepy smile on his face that gave her butterflies. "Hey Angel."

Angela sat in the chair beside him, taking the joint he offered her. "How's it going?"

"Just enjoying the peace," he replied, gesturing to the tranquil backyard. "Clubhouses are so loud just like all the time. It's nice not to have music blasting and just chill."

"Mmm," she hummed, taking a toke and letting the smoke out smoothly. "Sorry you gotta spend your first night home here. You can take the bed if you want, I'll take the couch."

Juice shook his head stubbornly. "Not a chance. Couch is fine. Slept in worse places," he assured her. "Kinda excited for the beach trip. What's Santa Cruz like?"

"The Boardwalk is kinda like Coney Island. A little smaller, but its got the rides and the crappy food and arcade games," she explained with a small smile. "You'll love it."

He bobbed his head slowly, taking the joint back from her. "Hey um..." he scratched at his eyebrow with his thumb nervously. "Why didn't you tell me about the Mayan?"

Angela grimaced, reaching up to play with the lotus charm on her necklace. She didn't have a good answer for him. "I honestly don't know," she answered truthfully. "And I know that's a shitty answer, but that's all I got. It didn't come up organically, and I...I didn't know how to tell you without it sounding stupid."

"Not stupid," he told her with a half smile. "Think it shows how strong you are. He fucked up and you called him on it and ended it. That takes some balls."

She blushed, shifting awkwardly under his gaze. "Not that strong. I gave him a second chance to begin with."

"Doesn't matter how it started, matters how it ended. You stood up to him. Finally," he said with a smirk. "Is it weird that I'm proud of you for that? Startin' to see the old Angela who didn't take shit from anyone again. Stronger, happier, lighter like you were when we first met. I missed that girl."

A lump formed in Angela's throat at his sweet words. God, she wanted to lean over and kiss him. Instead, she took another toke. After ending things with Esai and going to the grief meetings, she really did feel like she was getting back to her old self, albeit a little older and wiser. "I missed her too."

To her surprise, for the second time that day, he reached out and set his hand on hers, squeezing it tightly. The feel of his warm skin sent a surge of electricity flowing through her. "You're gonna be okay, Angel."

Angela smiled and nodded. "Hope so," she murmured, her thumb trailing over his.

"I know so," he said, squeezing her hand again. "And I'll be here. Regardless of what Angela I get. Grumpy, happy, sleepy...the other four dwarves. I'll always be right here."

She laughed, shaking her head at him. "Goof!"

Next chapter...Juice and Angela at the beach with her old crew!

~Love Ink