‘That’s one of the ladies in my life sorted.’ Luke stood in the bedroom doorway, Pickles resting snug against his chest, the rabbit’s blissful expression surely that of every woman who’d ever had the fortune to be cuddled up against him. ‘How’s the one without floppy ears and a twitchy nose doing?’
One of the ladies … it’s a joke, get over yourself. If she really wanted to give this a go with Luke, she’d have to. She gave him a bright smile. ‘Dressed and ready. Thanks for the coffee. I’ll see you soon?’
‘I hope so.’ He looked like he wanted to say something more, but then clearly thought better of it. They walked together to his door, where he planted a soft kiss on her lips, Pickles making Mia laugh as her whiskers tickled her chin. ‘I’m working most of the weekend.’ Another feather-light kiss. ‘Any chance I can persuade you to sit on a bar stool and let me stare at you all evening?’
Her parents were coming down. Her sister. This was the time to tell him. Yet Mia hesitated. Was she ready for him to meet them? Her sister, okay, but parents seemed like a huge step, for both of them. Her, because she’d introduced too many guys to her mum and dad who’d later turned out to be duffers. Yes, her parents loved her. No, they didn’t judge. It didn’t stop Mia feeling like a failure, though. Elle had found the jackpot with boyfriend number one, and while Mia was still trying to find a man who wouldn’t turn out to be an utter prick, her sister had provided their parents with two gorgeous grandchildren.
The next man Mia introduced to them, she wanted it to be The One.
Besides, Luke hadn’t been in a relationship since he was eighteen, so he’d surely freak out at the thought of meeting her family. ‘I’m not sure what I’m doing yet.’ It sounded weak, like she was fobbing him off. The flash of hurt that crossed his face told her that’s how he saw it, too, so she reached up to kiss him. ‘I’ll drop in if I get the chance.’
As she walked down the corridor, still arguing with herself over whether she should have mentioned her parents’ visit, she heard a click, and the door of the neighbouring flat opened.
Immaculate Woman stepped out, living up to her name in a smart deep green suit teamed with high heels, her long brown hair neatly coiled into a bun. Mia, blue-striped sex hair, wearing yesterday’s jeans and T-shirt, tried not to feel inferior.
‘Well hello.’ Freya gave her a cool smile.
Mia couldn’t deny the woman was extremely attractive with almond-shaped hazel eyes and killer cheekbones. That smile though? Yeah, Mia reckoned she could also be a hard-nosed bitch if she didn’t like you. ‘Morning.’
The other woman’s gaze skimmed over Mia’s geek T-shirt before resting back on Mia’s face. ‘It’s Mia, isn’t it? I guess if you’re coming out of Luke’s flat at nine in the morning, you must be his latest.’
Okay, she’d been right. Freya was a bitch. ‘And you must be Grace’s mum.’
Freya lifted a dark brow. ‘He’s told you about us then?’
‘Why wouldn’t he? He’s very proud of his daughter.’ Mia smirked to herself. Apparently she could do bitch too, given the right incentive.
Freya gave her a cool look. ‘Most of his relationships don’t last long enough to discuss more than whose bed to use and how many condoms are needed.’
Ouch, there was bitch, and mega bitch. ‘Well, it’s been … interesting talking to you.’ Mia faked a smile. ‘I must dash, I’ve got to replenish my condom stocks.’
Head held high, she walked towards the stairs. Then scampered down them as fast as her trainers could take her. It didn’t seem to matter how many times she told herself not to take any notice of the bitch’s words, she felt rattled. Enough that when she came to Naomi’s café, she pushed open the door and went inside.
Naomi greeted her with her usual wide smile, though it slipped when she saw Mia’s expression. ‘Hey girl, what’s got into you?’
‘Freya,’ she blurted without thinking.
Understanding dawned on Naomi’s face. ‘You mean the Freya who’s mum to Grace.’
Mia shook herself. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. Truth is, she didn’t say anything new. I just wasn’t prepared for her.’ She gave Naomi a considering look. ‘And how come you know who Freya is?’
Naomi chuckled. ‘Damn girl, I’m the café owner, the daytime equivalent of the bartender. I see everyone, talk to everyone and they talk to me.’
Mia screwed up her face. ‘Freya’s a customer?’
‘Occasionally she comes inside.’ Again Naomi laughed. ‘Usually she toddles right on by on those killer heels.’ Naomi gave her a sympathetic look. ‘From what I hear, the woman is obsessed with her career and has no time for anyone else, male or female. I wouldn’t take any notice of her.’
‘I won’t. Next time I’ll be on my guard.’ After checking nobody was behind her, Mia leaned in and whispered, ‘How did it go with Stan? Did you have a good night?’
‘You mean after you’d ditched us to go and sit at the bar and flirt with the owner?’
‘I’m not having that. You were itching for me to get lost.’
Naomi’s dark eyes twinkled. ‘Let’s just say Stan’s dry humour appeals, and he’s a real gentleman. Walked me back to my place after we left.’
‘And?’
Naomi hooted with laughter. ‘Our generation doesn’t rush things, not like you young things. We take our time, savour the journey, rather than being focused on reaching the destination.’ She gave Mia an appraising look. ‘Seems to me you reached your destination, judging by the way you’re wearing the same clothes I saw you in last night. Question is, do you get off now, or do you stay on board and see where it takes you next?’
Mia opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. ‘Café owner and philosopher, huh?’
Naomi winked. ‘More like nosey old woman.’
Mia laughed. ‘You’re not old.’
Again Naomi’s rich laughter filled the café. ‘Neatly done. I’ll not expect an answer to that question, but maybe you can answer this instead. Did you have a good time last night?’
Mia willed herself not to blush. ‘I did indeed, thank you.’ Dear God. Next she’d be saying, I bid you good day. She caught the glint in Naomi’s eye and burst out laughing. ‘Crap, Naomi, I don’t know what to say. It’s all a bit … new. We’ve been mates for a while, but now we’ve crossed a line and I’m still trying to work out how I feel, you know?’
‘I do know.’ Mia had the feeling Naomi was in a similar place with Stan. ‘My advice, don’t think too hard, it ties a person up in knots.’ She patted her chest. ‘The heart is usually the best guide.’
‘Not in my experience.’ Yet for the first time, Mia questioned whether she’d ever actually been in love. For all the pain the likes of Pete et al. had caused her, she’d never experienced with them what she’d felt last night. Or this morning. A sensation of being out of control, like jumping from a plane and falling through the sky; exhilarating, yet terrifying. Desperately hoping for a working parachute to slow the fall, and a soft landing.
‘You’re thinking again.’ Naomi gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘I recommend one of my lattes, a calorie-laden Danish, and something to distract you.’
Mia took her advice. Back at her flat she sipped on her coffee, attacked the Danish and phoned Elle with the latest update.
‘Bloody hell, you had sex?’ There was a pause, and Mia had to stifle a giggle when she heard Dave in the background yelling at Elle. ‘Oops, apparently Caitlin’s just asked what sex is and who’s had it.’
‘Jeeze, thanks sis. Way to make me the slutty aunt.’
‘Yeah, well forgive me for the screech. Last I heard, you slept in Luke’s bed but only cuddled, which I still can’t believe if he’s as hot as you say he is.’
Mia sighed. ‘He is.’
‘Right, but if I remember correctly, you gave His Hotness the cold-shoulder for a while because some bitch let herself into his flat the following morning. Then you found out bitch-face was his first
love and they have a daughter together, which you were pissed he hadn’t told you about. Though you did say you were going to forgive him because he said some stuff about you being important to him and looking nice first thing in the morning. Have I got that right so far?’
Mia rubbed a hand across her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. ‘Sort of, but you’ve missed out some key bits that I’m too knackered to go through right now.’
Elle’s voice softened. ‘Key bits like the fact you’re falling for this man who got a girl pregnant at eighteen and has played fast and loose ever since?’
Mia’s voice cracked. ‘Yeah, bits exactly like that.’
‘So clearly you did forgive him.’ Elle paused. ‘Am I allowed to ask how the sex was, you know, purely from a sisterly concern point of view and in no way related to the fact that I can’t remember why we bothered with it, considering the potential sleep-shattering, life-upending consequences.’
‘Which you wouldn’t change for a moment.’ Mia grabbed at the coffee mug and took a big swallow. ‘Best sex ever.’ Before Elle could ask any more questions, Mia changed the subject. ‘So, what’s the plan this weekend?’
‘You mean aside from me pinning you down and getting all the sex details?’ Elle began to rattle off the arrangements: their parents would stay in the Travelodge; she, Dave and the kids would take over Mia’s spare room and ‘probably the entire flat’. Unconsciously Mia’s eyes drifted to the flat opposite. Luke was stood in the window, ready to begin his workout. He waved, and as she waved back a lump settled in her throat.
He’d introduced her to his friends, to Phil. He wanted her to meet Grace, and here she was, hiding the fact that her family were coming up this weekend.
He was trying to change, to let her in so they could have a real relationship.
She, on the other hand, was putting her head in the sand and refusing to acknowledge that her heart was opening to him, whether she wanted it to or not. The more she tried to pretend otherwise, to stop him getting too close, the deeper she dug into that sand. And the more she’d end up hurting both of them.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The last few days the bar had been busier than usual. Luke wasn’t sure whether it was down to Sandy’s social media promos, Mia’s new website, the Cocktails 4 U night or a total bloody fluke. Either way, when Phil had taken Luke through the accounts this morning, he’d reckoned there’d been enough of an uplift in customers through the door this week, to give him hope the bar might just make it.
Luke wasn’t sure he could say the same about his tentative relationship with Mia. Wednesday had been a turning point, the beginning of a new phase where they still were friends, still went on dates, still enjoyed the hell out of each other’s company. But also had frequent, frigging awesome sex.
Or so he’d thought.
‘Comes to something when the accountant has to get his own bloody coffee.’ Phil wandered back into the spare room, clutching at the mug he’d had to go to such extreme lengths to acquire.
‘I made the first. If you’re greedy enough to want a second, that’s on you.’
Phil plonked himself down on the chair in front of the computer. The one with the spreadsheets they’d just been peering over. ‘It’s not greed. It’s my way of ensuring you don’t kick me out of the door before you’ve given me the rundown on you and Mia. Are you still not going on dates and not having sex?’
Bugger it. Luke rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to knead out the tension. ‘I’m not in the mood for a cross-examination of my sex life right now.’ Aware he was being stared at, Luke turned to face him. ‘What? A guy’s allowed a bit of privacy, even from his brother.’
‘First, this brother has just spent his Saturday morning supplying free accountancy advice, so the least you can do is provide salacious details in return. Second.’ A gleam entered Phil’s eyes. ‘You’ve just admitted you’re having sex.’
Luke groaned. ‘You should have been a frigging lawyer, not an accountant. But okay, we did have sex.’ He rubbed at his eyes with the base of his palm, wondering whether to admit what he was feeling. ‘I’m just not sure if it’s going to happen again.’
Phil’s eyes boggled. ‘It was that shite?’
‘No, you dumb-arse. It was the most awesome bloody sex I’ve ever had. And before you say anything, I was under the impression she thought the same. Except now I’m not sure because she didn’t turn up to the bar last night.’ And he should know because his head had popped up like a meerkat’s – Mateo’s description – every time someone had come through the door. A lot of head popping, leading to a shit-tonne of disappointment.
‘Did she say she would?’
‘She said she’d drop in if she got the chance.’ It had made him feel like a chore she’d have to cross off.
‘So? Clearly the lady has better things to do than sit in a crowded bar just so she can snag a few seconds of your precious time in between customers.’
Luke let the words sink in. Not for the first time, his brother had a valid point. ‘You’re saying I’m reading too much into it?’
‘I’m saying, you’re acting like a thirteen-year-old kid who thinks his girlfriend doesn’t like him anymore just because she didn’t sit next to him in class.’ Phil pushed his chair back, clearly making himself more comfortable. ‘You know you could always phone her. Ask her if she’s planning on coming tonight.’
Yeah, maybe he could, if he’d not bottled it on Thursday morning. Then again, maybe she’d have said no. ‘If you’d listened to a word I’ve been telling you over the last few months, you’d know I don’t have her number. Hence the messages in the window.’ He gave Phil a hard glare. ‘The ones you told me were creepy.’
‘Ah.’ Phil looked at him pensively. ‘I kind of assumed after all this time, you’d have it by now.’
He knew Phil didn’t mean it to sound mean, but it pricked nonetheless. ‘She was burnt by her last boyfriend so she’s only given her new number out to key friends and family.’ People she could trust. Hence the reason he’d bottled asking. He could bitch and get frustrated all he liked, but considering her track record with men, and his track record with women, he could also understand why she hadn’t trusted him with it yet. Didn’t stop it hurting like a bugger though.
The way Phil winced, the fact he didn’t respond with a smart-arse wise-crack, said it all.
Luke was back at the bar by two, where Bill and Sandy were taking care of the Saturday lunch session. Sandy caught his eye and walked over.
‘Hey boss, you didn’t tell me Mia’s family were up this weekend.’ He blinked and knew his poker face had failed him yet again when her expression turned from mildly irritated, to sympathetic. ‘Ah, you didn’t know, huh?’
‘Just because Mia and I are friends it doesn’t mean we have to tell each other everything that’s going on in our lives,’ he retorted far too defensively.
‘Is that the same way friends don’t need to tell each other things like the fact they have a sixteen-year-old daughter, and an ex living next door to them?’
‘She knows that. Now,’ he added, uncomfortably aware that when it came to discussing family with Mia, he wasn’t totally blameless.
‘Good. Has she met Grace yet?’
‘No. But she will.’
Sandy narrowed her eyes. ‘And now I can see why you’re looking so upset. Mia’s becoming really important to you, isn’t she? Which is why it hurts that she’s not suggested you meet her family when you’re ready for her to meet yours.’
He could lie, but what was the point? Sandy knew him too well. ‘I’m a bit pissed, yes. I think I get why she’s not ready, that she’s still wary of me, of us, but yeah, it stings.’
He started to walk into the bar but Sandy put a hand on his arm. ‘Hold up, where are you going?’
‘To work?’
‘Even though I happen to know Mia is with her family in Naomi’s right now?’ When he grimaced, Sandy shook her head. ‘Mia’s sister has
two kids, dumb-wit. A baby and a really cute three-year-old. The bar isn’t exactly a suitable place for them to have lunch, is it?’
‘Fine, thanks for letting me know.’ He was still smarting from it all. If Mia had told him her family were coming up, he could have met them for lunch, damn it.
Sandy moved to stand in front of him, blocking his path. ‘Are you really turning into that guy? The one who gives up?’
‘I’m not giving up. I’m respecting Mia’s wishes. If she’d wanted me to meet them, she’d have said.’ And ouch, there came another punch to his gut. He was the guy women had fun with. Not the one they introduced to their parents and settled down with.
‘Maybe it wasn’t a question of whether she wanted you to meet them, but whether she thought it was too soon.’ Sandy stared at him, a glint of challenge in her expression. ‘Why don’t you go and prove her wrong? Prove that you can meet up with your friend’s family without it having to be all weird.’
He wanted to sulk a bit more, to ignore Sandy and her unwanted advice, but it was damn hard to when she was looking at him all cocky and know-it-all. ‘You know I could never resist a dare,’ he muttered, dragging a hand through his hair. Shit, could he really do this? Walk casually into Naomi’s and meet Mia’s family, as if it wasn’t a big deal, when meeting the important people in her life was huge?
Sandy grinned triumphantly. ‘Okay then. I officially dare you to walk into Naomi’s and meet Mia’s family.’
Luke swore. Then turned round and headed towards the café.
Yet again, Mia watched her sister’s eyes drift towards the door of the café.
‘Stop it,’ she hissed under her breath, not wanting to attract the attention of her parents, who were happily playing a game of hide the teaspoon with Caitlin while Dave paced up and down outside, trying to get a grumpy Jacob to sleep.
Elle frowned at her. ‘Stop what?’
‘Looking at the door, waiting for Luke to come in. I told you, he won’t.’
Mr Right Across the Street: The perfect escape for lockdown and from one flat to another share in the most feel good romantic comedy of 2021! (The Kathryn Freeman Romcom Collection, Book 4) Page 23
