Mia wasn’t sure how to respond. Freya was Grace’s mum, but equally to Mia she’d been less than friendly. And damn it, there was the bite of jealousy too, the knowledge that Freya was the one woman Luke had really cared about. The woman he’d loved enough to ask to marry him. ‘I’m sure she realised that later.’
‘Maybe. I guess I always thought Mum and Dad would end up together at some point. She’s never really dated anyone else and I know Dad’s had girlfriends but none that he’s ever introduced me to.’ She slid Mia a sidelong glance. ‘Until now.’
Mia’s heart thumped, her brain frazzled by the two seemingly opposing statements. If Grace believed they might get back together, were Luke and Freya closer than she’d thought? But did that matter, because of all the women Luke had dated, she was the only one he’d wanted to meet his daughter.
Thankfully she didn’t need a reply because Luke and his entourage were heading back. Caitlin had her hands in his hair, tugging, spewing out words that didn’t all make sense. Luke was replying though, clearly uncaring of the way his hair was being pulled, and her parents were laughing.
‘Did you find some ducks?’ Dave asked, reaching up to lift Caitlin off Luke’s shoulders. Quite a task considering Luke was a fair bit taller than Dave. And Caitlin clearly wasn’t ready to come down yet.
‘What do you reckon, Squirt?’ Luke tucked her under the chin, the motion enough to grab her attention and stop the tantrum that had been about to blow. ‘How many ducks did you see?’
She held out her fingers. ‘One, two, three, four…’ She pulled out her other hand and grinned. ‘Ten ducks.’
He chuckled. ‘Exactly. More ducks than an England score sheet.’ He lifted his eyes to Mia’s, laughter creasing them at the edges. ‘That’s a cricket joke, in case you missed it.’
God, this man with his sexy, twinkling eyes. Was he really hers, or was he only on loan? ‘That’s a sexist remark, in case you missed it.’
‘Didn’t mean it to be.’ He gazed at her, his expression both amused and, she thought with another heart bump, adoring. ‘It’s just, you once told me City were better than United, so I wasn’t sure whether you understood sport enough to get the joke.’
Everyone laughed and the connection between her and Luke was broken, yet as they cleared up Mia felt a bubble of happiness. It had only been three months, yet she felt settled up here. As if she’d never lived anywhere else. The only small dent to that happiness was the worry that Luke was the cause of it. When he decided he’d had enough of dating the nerdy Smurfette, where did it leave her?
Chapter Thirty-One
Luke watched the man enter the bar, his gaze skimming over the faces of the customers, clearly looking for someone.
There was something about him – was it was the way his eyes constantly shifted? The fancy leather jacket that looked too designer, too pretentious in a Manchester bar, even on a Saturday night? Luke couldn’t put his finger on what it was, but he felt a prick of unease.
Hell, maybe he was being paranoid. His life was going so bloody perfectly right now, perhaps too perfectly. His mind was making things up to disrupt it.
He exhaled, turning away from the fair-haired stranger. Nope, he wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of how he was feeling right now. He had a bar that was starting to pick up, a daughter who was settled in college and starting her A Levels. And a girlfriend he’d seen four times already this week, but who’d still promised to drop by later.
A girlfriend he couldn’t ever imagine not being with.
Next to him, Mateo groaned. ‘For God’s sake lose the dopey expression. It’s making me ill.’
Luke grinned. ‘Jealousy isn’t pretty.’
‘Neither is bragging,’ Mateo grumbled. ‘Still don’t know why she chose you over me. I thought she was smarter than that.’
‘She’s far too smart for either of us.’ Luke let the words drift round his mind but where he’d usually feel a bite of inferiority, now it was more of a nibble. Mia saw things in him others didn’t. She admired how he’d brought up Grace, and how he ran the bar. Hell, she even thought he was a genius at making cocktails.
‘Excuse me.’
He was shaken out of his happy buzz by a posh-sounding voice in a southern accent. When he turned he found himself face to face with the guy in the posh leather jacket.
‘What can I get you?’
The man shook his head. ‘Thanks, but I’m not here for a drink. I’m looking for someone. Female, blonde and blue eyes, about five foot three. Might have coloured streaks in her hair.’
His pulse kicked but Luke worked hard to keep his expression bland. ‘We get a lot of women through this door, many of them short with blonde hair. Have you got a name for her?’
‘Mia Abbott.’
Okay then. ‘Is she a friend of yours?’
‘You could say that. We used to date, but then we lost touch when she moved up here.’
Luke reached for another glass to dry so he had something to do with his hands. ‘You can’t just give her a call?’ And yes, he was aware of the irony of that statement, given he was pretty sure the lowlife was Mia’s ex, Pete.
‘I lost her number.’
At least you had it once. Luke shrugged off the bitterness and instead directed his anger at the man in front of him. He was the reason Mia was now scared to trust people – trust him – with her new number. ‘But you know where she lives?’
The man looked uncomfortable. ‘I used to know, obviously. I mean, I used to almost live there, but I don’t have her new address, no. I only know she must come to this bar because she liked it on Facebook.’
Shit. Looks like Sandy’s social media campaign had had an unintended consequence. And if this guy was as tenacious as Mia had implied, he was going to keep coming back until he saw her here.
Not going to happen.
‘What’s your name?’
‘Pete. Pete Michaels.’
Luke nodded, wiping a non-existent mark on the glass while he fought the desire to reach across the bar and grab the guy by the lapels of his fancy jacket. ‘Well then Pete, you’re right, Mia does come to this bar.’ He stared straight into Pete’s light-coloured eyes. ‘She’s my girlfriend.’
Pete blinked, rocking back on his heels. ‘Oh, right.’ Luke watched as he visibly swallowed. ‘Congratulations.’
Luke inclined his head but kept quiet.
‘I don’t suppose you could tell me where she lives now though? Just so I can say hi.’ He lifted his shoulders. ‘You know, for old time’s sake?’
And how galling, how humiliating, that this prick hadn’t just once been Mia’s ex, he’d slept with her in her house, in her bed, called her on her phone. Whereas Luke hadn’t been able to do any of that, despite how close he’d felt to her since meeting her family. ‘You think Mia would want to see you land on her doorstep?’
Ha, that got the bastard flinching. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Well I do.’ Signalling to Mateo that he was going to be a minute, Luke brusquely told Pete to follow him. When they entered the office, he shut the door and stood nose to nose with him. ‘Mia came up here to escape you, you snivelling bastard, so you’d be about as welcome on her doormat as a dog turd.’
Pete stepped backwards. ‘Whoa, no need to be aggressive. I only wanted to say hello to her.’
Luke took another step forward, needing to impress on Pete his superior height, his bulk. The uselessness of a slick leather jacket when it came to a show of brawn. ‘If she’d wanted to hear from you, she’d not have changed her phone number.’ He lowered his voice, letting his anger show. Anger at the git for upsetting Mia, hurting her so much she was now wary of letting Luke in. ‘Think you’re a big man, do you, harassing a woman?’
‘I didn’t harass her.’ Luke noticed Pete was no longer able to look him in the eye.
‘Maybe in your mind you didn’t, but let me make it plain. Try to see her again, try to contact her, and you’ll know exactly how it feel
s to be hounded, to be fearful. To be scared of what the other person might do to you.’ He felt a dart of satisfaction when he saw the fear enter Pete’s eyes. ‘Are we clear?’
Pete opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came. Then he coughed and tried again. ‘We’re clear.’
As Luke watched Mia’s ex walk out of the bar a few moments later, he wondered what Mia had ever seen in the guy. Then he realised he should be wondering what she saw in him, because Pete, with his trappings of wealth, his cultured accent, his air of entitlement, was one hell of a long way from a guy who spent his days working in a bar.
Mia rolled her shoulders and looked at her watch. Nine o’clock – time to hit the bar. She’d promised Luke she’d head over there once she’d written her target 3,000 words for the day. She could have done more, but she’d woken in his bed this morning and not wanted to leave. It was only when he’d headed to work that she’d finally made it back to her flat. Heat flashed through her as she remembered how they’d spent the time. Yep, totally worth it.
As she closed the door to the flat, her phone pinged with a message from her sister.
Advance warning, Mum is muttering about inviting you and Luke down for her birthday. E xx
Mia sighed. It was great that her mum was taken with Luke – such a handsome lad, so sweet with Caitlin and so easy to talk to, not like that last one. Still, Mia was worried she seemed to be racing forward at a million miles an hour while Mia, many times burned, was desperate to take things slow. Feeling a little panicked, she fired off a quick reply to Elle:
Remind Mum of my track record for picking men. That should make her pause. M x
It was only as she pressed send that Mia realised she hadn’t picked Luke. In fact she’d tried her hardest not to. So maybe this time it really would be okay. Maybe this time she could let her heart do what it so badly longed to do, and open up to him fully.
She heard the hum from the bar as she rounded the corner. It was a mild September evening and many people were sitting outside. Mia strolled past them, waving to a few of the regulars she’d got to know over the last few months of coming here.
Speaking of regulars, Tanya was standing at the bar. She’d not spoken to her since she and Luke had started sleeping together. Crap, what did you say to your boyfriend’s most recent ex? Or maybe you didn’t say anything. Maybe you just turned around and hot-footed it out…
Mia squared her shoulders and eased into the space next to Tanya. ‘Hi.’
Tanya turned and smiled. ‘Hi yourself. We didn’t realise you were here.’
‘I’ve only just arrived.’
‘Oh, right. Are you going to come and join us?’ Tanya paused and glanced at the other end of the bar where Luke was busy shaking cocktails. ‘Or maybe you’re here for another reason.’
Shit, she really wasn’t good in these situations. ‘I’d love to come and join you guys.’ She hesitated. ‘After I’ve said hi to Luke.’
Tanya’s eyes searched hers. ‘So you and Luke really are a thing now? We watched you both at the Cocktails 4 U bash. It was obvious you couldn’t keep your eyes off each other.’
‘At the time we were only friends,’ Mia stated quietly. ‘That was the night things changed.’
Tanya nodded, eyes on the empty glasses in front of her. ‘When we broke up, Luke told me he didn’t want to see me anymore because his head was full of another woman. I thought it was Chloe.’ She turned to look at Mia. ‘Turns out it was you.’
God, this was hard. She liked Tanya, the others too. Different to her, but they’d taken her under their wing anyway. ‘I didn’t think it was me. Not then. But the more we saw each other as friends, the closer we got.’
Tanya smiled. ‘And you finally realised how hot he was, huh?’
Relieved at the easing of tension, Mia laughed. ‘I always knew he was hot, but that’s not the type I usually go for. Or the type that goes for me.’
Tanya sighed. ‘Well maybe you did it right, being mates first. I mean looks are great, and so is sex, but there has to be more if it’s really going to work.’ Her eyes drifted over to Luke. ‘I wanted it to work with him, but I always knew it wasn’t what he wanted.’
Her heart ached for the gorgeous woman who looked uncharacteristically lost right now. ‘You deserve more from a guy than just sex, Tanya.’
She gave Mia a wry smile. ‘That’s what he said, too.’ Her arm nudged Mia’s. ‘He’s a good guy, but you’re cool, too. I hope it works out for you both.’
A lump rose in Mia’s throat and she squeezed Tanya’s hand. ‘Thank you.’
The moment was broken by a well-spoken voice behind them. ‘Fancy seeing you two here.’ Mia turned sharply to find Freya. Perfectly put together Freya; hair down in glossy waves, make-up discreet, black flared trousers that showed off her slim figure and looked effortlessly classy.
Tanya was the first to speak. ‘Hi Freya. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen you here.’
‘I’ve been busy with one thing and another. Just had a hankering for my favourite cocktail tonight.’ She lifted her slender shoulders in a small shrug. ‘Only Luke seems to make it just how I like it.’
Mia didn’t want to get into a sparring game with the woman, but it was hard to forget what a bitch she’d been the last time she’d seen her. ‘He is a genius at cocktails,’ she remarked mildly.
Freya smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. ‘It seems he’s also a genius at keeping women interested. Look at us, his first, his latest and the one before her. All hoping for some attention from him.’
The atmosphere became charged and while Mia quietly fumed – his latest, gee, thanks – it was Tanya who made the first riposte. ‘You must be talking about yourself, Freya. I’m only here to order some drinks.’
At that moment Luke glanced over at her. His huge smile, the sexy wink, were exactly what she needed. ‘And the advantage of being his latest,’ Mia added, ‘is I’m not hoping for attention.’ She made sure to catch Freya’s eyes. ‘I know I’m going to get it.’
Murmuring to Tanya that she’d go and find Chloe and the gang, Mia walked away, her mouth curving in a tacky, but hugely satisfying smirk.
By eleven o’clock the bar was quiet enough for Luke to come and find Mia. Taking her hand, he gently pulled her away from the girls. ‘Come with me. I’ve got something I need to talk to you about.’
‘Oh?’ she grinned. ‘Is that a euphemism for something, because if it is, I’m totally up for it.’
He cocked an eyebrow, the green in his eyes darkening. ‘Oh yeah?’ He tugged her into his office.
As soon as he’d closed the door, he pushed her against it and lowered his head. ‘God, you’re sexy.’ His eyes fell to her lips. ‘I so want to kiss the hell out of you right now.’ He heaved out a sigh. ‘But it’s going to have to wait, because I need to get back out to Mateo.’
When she looked up at him, she saw a smidgen of tension on his face. ‘What’s wrong?’
He reached for her hand. ‘Pete came into the bar earlier.’
Mia tensed, a chill running through her. ‘Pete, as in my ex?’
‘Yes. He was looking for you.’
Unbalanced, Mia wrenched her hand from his grasp. ‘How the hell did he find me here?’
‘Apparently you liked one of the posts about the bar. He put two and two together and came here.’
‘Shit, I forgot to unfriend him.’ She started to pace the small room. ‘How stupid am I? I went to the trouble of getting a new number and I didn’t think to bloody remove him from my Facebook friends.’
‘Hey, it’s okay. I don’t think he’ll trouble you again.’
Though his smile was clearly meant to reassure, there was something in Luke’s dark expression that sent a shiver across her skin. ‘What did you do?’
‘I warned him off.’
‘Jesus.’ She couldn’t believe this was happening. Not just that Pete had followed her up here, but that Luke had met him and seen with his own eyes how ap
palling her judgement had been. Worse even than that though, was that he’d felt the need to scare Pete off. It was mortifying. ‘That wasn’t for you to do. He’s my issue.’
‘Not if he’s a threat to my girlfriend.’
Anger fizzed now, alongside the embarrassment. ‘You should have asked him to wait. You knew I was coming to the bar.’
Luke’s jaw tightened, his expression hardening. ‘Sure, I could have done that. Even better, I could have phoned you to warn you he was here. Dashed up to your flat to tell you in person. But I couldn’t do either of those things, could I?’
Slowly her anger cooled, replaced by shame. What sort of girlfriend was she if she couldn’t trust the man she was sleeping with enough to give him her ruddy phone number? Her address?
The strained silence was broken by a knock on the door and Mateo’s voice came through the woodwork. ‘Need you out here, boss.’
Luke exhaled sharply and walked towards the door. Gripping the handle, he turned and gave her a sad smile. ‘Sorry, but I can’t apologise for what I said to Pete. He needed to be told, so he wouldn’t come and pester you again.’
Maybe he was right, but she’d moved here to prove she could manage by herself without her family. Without a boyfriend. Now she’d not only found herself with one, she was terrified she was becoming dependent on him. ‘I think it’s best if I go home.’ Pete being here, the altercation with Freya at the bar… Mia needed to go back and regroup.
Hurt flashed across Luke’s face. ‘If that’s what you want.’
‘It isn’t, but it’s what I think I should do.’ With a heavy heart, she pointed to her head. ‘I’ve got stuff going on in here that I need to work through.’
The ache in her chest intensified as he gave her a final searching look before walking out and closing the door behind him. Left by herself, she cursed Pete for turning up and buggering up the Saturday night she’d been looking forward to all day.
Mr Right Across the Street Page 25
