Leo by Mia Sheridan Page B

have told me you have a girlfriend. You didn't. It's done. Walk away."  With that I turn around. The bus is coming.
    "Gwen is not my girlfriend, Evie. I hope you'd think more of me than that after the time we've spent together."
    Okay, girlfriend, fuck buddy, whatever.   I'm just really not up for this. "Jake, again, walk away."
    "I'm not gonna do that, Evie," he says quietly from behind me.
    And now I'm just angry. I'm so damned tired, and just angry . I've spent the day cleaning up after slobs who think they can be just as disgusting as they please because someone lower than them will be there to wipe up their mess and I am just so. Damned. Tired. Just the fact that Jake Madsen ever darkened my doorway suddenly has me seething. I was doing FINE! And now here he is in his stupid Beemer , in his stupid suit with his stupid girlfriend/fuck buddy, whatever, in her $1400 shoes! And what the hell does he want from me exactly? Because the thing is, I'm done wondering. I'm done with Jake Madsen.
    I stand up and get right up in his face, because suddenly I am furious . "Clue in, Jake," I hiss, "You don't know me. You think you do, but you don't . You think you know what type of person I am, but you have no idea. And so, you don't get to do this. You don't get to interrupt my life over and over again and then think that I will be grateful to you for gracing my life with your very presence. After last night, I think it's perfectly clear that there is no reason for you to be here. So I am asking you again if we can have this conversation another time like never ?"
    I try to whirl around, but I'm caught up short because Jake grabs my hand and tugs. I have no choice but to whirl right back around to him and when I do, there is instant and extreme intensity in his eyes. He pulls me right up close to him and grinds out, mostly to himself, "It wasn't my intention to do this on a street corner, but this stubborn girl is gonna make me." Then he sighs and I'm staring at him with wide eyes because, frankly, what else can I do without making a huge scene. And did I mention that I'm tired?
    He continues. "You think I don't know you, Evie? I'll tell you what I know about you. That week I was following you, I know that you took the goddamned BUS to an old man's house to drop off cookies."
    I'm momentarily stunned and I shake my head in confusion. "Mr Cooper?" I furrow my brow. "He lived next to the house where I lived for four years. He was always nice to me. He's widowed. Lonely. He really likes my chocolate chip cookies."
    "It's a two hour round trip bus ride, Evie." He says gently.
    I take a deep breath. "Jake, I'm sure there's a point here but - "
    "That guy across the hall was going to kill me before he let me even think about so much as making you uncomfortable."
    "Maurice?" I say, and now my face is all scrunched up because I am just plain confused. "He's a really protective guy."
    "Like the guy last night who practically melted me with the angry lasers coming out of his eyes after he thought I disrespected you in public?" Jake asks, again gently.
    "Landon?" I say. "He's one of my best friends, he - "
    "Evie, I think you're failing to grasp what I'm saying to you and so I'm going to spell it out for you here, baby."
    Baby? Did he just call me baby?
    "You say 'please' and 'thank you' to everyone, Evie. You almost bumped into a cocker spaniel being walked by his owner and when you ducked around him, you said, 'excuse me.' You said 'excuse me' to a dog, Evie. And I bet you didn't even think twice about that. And that's because your manners are so deeply ingrained in you, that that is second nature. And given what I know about your past, I'm gonna guess that no one fucking taught you that. That that is just all Evie."
    I'm speechless, staring at him stunned because I am just literally at a loss for words.
    "What I know about you, is that people who are lucky enough to have your trust and your friendship, it is clear that they would have your