What in the hell had just happened to me? I was officially a pathetic loser, sitting here like a lovesick dork mooning over the popular head cheerleader.
In high school, I had dated the goddamn head cheerleader.
The waitress brought our drinks, temporarily blocking my view of Mia and her new friend and all I could do was sit and stew as she took our order. When she finally left I was able to get another good look at him.
“I’ve never seen him before. Have you? Do you know him?”
“No, but he looks a little younger than us.”
Dragging my gaze away from the happy couple, I gave Luke a withering look. “Are you saying I’m too old for Mia? Because I’m not that much older.”
“I’m not saying anything. I’m just making an observation.”
Mia stood and walked toward the ladies’ room. This was my chance. I hopped up from chair but my brother was just as quick, grabbing my wrist before I could follow her.
“Don’t do it. Just don’t. It won’t end well.”
“I have to talk to her.”
“She’s here with someone else.”
“I can see that, asshole. I just need a minute to convince her to talk to me again.”
Luke dropped his hand from my arm. “And if you can’t?”
“Failure isn’t an option.”
My brother sighed and sadly shook his head. “Failure is always an option. Mia’s upset and rightly so. Maybe you should give her some space.”
I would have but I couldn’t now. What if she fell for that guy over there?
“I’m only going to talk to her. I won’t make a scene.”
“This is a bad idea. You’re not thinking straight.”
That much was true and I couldn’t argue his point. But every nerve and cell in my body was screaming at me to follow her, talk to her. Get her back in my life. I wanted to take back all the crap I’d said that day. I did want to try with her. More than anything.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
Luke didn’t try and stop me again and I strode confidently towards the restrooms in the back of the restaurant. I might look like I had my shit together but inside I was a mess. I needed her to listen to me and give me another chance.
But there was a little voice in the back of my head whispering that I didn’t deserve it.
* * *
Mia
Gib was short for Gibson James and he was a nice guy. A contractor by trade, he was the middle child of a big, loud family that included three brothers, one sister, and two yellow labs that belonged to his father but all of the kids spoiled. His mother, adored by her husband and children, had passed away a few years ago after a long battle with breast cancer. It had been especially hard on the youngest child Sara and now that sister was getting married, feeling the loss of her mother a great deal. They’d all vowed to pitch in as much as possible so that Sara would have family to help her.
I was having a great time, too. The coffeehouse had been packed so we’d ended up at the barbecue place that I loved. Turned out, he loved it too, so we’d ordered an appetizer to split and a couple of coffees. He was smart, charming, handsome, and funny. Everything a girl could want in a guy.
And there was absolutely no chemistry between us. None. Zip. Nada.
I wanted to be attracted to him but I wasn’t. Not in that way.
The waitress refilled our coffees before heading to another table. I poured in a little more cream and sugar, the spoon clanging against the sides of the cup.
“You said back at the bakery that you’d had a bad week. I don’t mean to be nosy but what happened?”
I’d already told him a version of my life story after he’d told his. We’d had similar upbringings and our parents didn’t even live that far from each other. We’d even gone to high school together, him a year behind me, but I didn’t remember him nor did he remember me. After comparing schedules and teachers, I didn’t think we’d shared any classes together but he remembered the prom where the theme was Moon Dance and that football game where we’d beaten our crosstown rival and rushed the field.
“Romance issues.”
Gib nodded knowingly. “Ah, I see. Love is a bitch sometimes.”
“It sure is. I’d really rather not talk about it if you don’t mind. The fact is I’m all talked out about it. I just need to move on.”
“That’s not always easy. What’s your plan to do that?”
I’d never been the type to play games with a guy and I wasn’t going to start today. Shelby’s book was far from my mind. “Well, I thought I’d go out on a limb and accept a coffee invitation from a strange man I met in a bakery.”
“Hey, I’m not strange,” he protested but he was smiling the whole time. “At least not in obvious ways. I suppose it is pretty brave to accept a coffee date with a guy you don’t know from Adam. I’m harmless, though.”
“You’ve said that before.”
Our gazes locked for a moment and then we both laughed. The entire situation was funny. I was stupid about men most of the time but I could see that he wasn’t feeling it either.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m having fun but I don’t expect you to ask me out again.”
“What makes you think–”
Shaking my head, I waved away his false protests. “You don’t have to be polite.”
He seemed at a loss for words and then heaved a heavy sigh. “You’re a very beautiful and sweet woman, Mia.”
“But you’re not interested at all.”
Raising his brows, he tried to craft an answer that wasn’t blunt but then gave up. “I– No. No, I’m not. And I’m sorry because I’m the one that asked you out.”
“It’s okay.” I sipped at the hot coffee, letting it settle my sugar-laden stomach. The garlic toast we’d munched on had helped quite a bit, too. Real food was good. “You’re a terrific guy and I should be attracted to you but…”
His blue eyes twinkled. Good, he had healthy self-esteem. “You’re not.”
“It looks like you’ll live. How would we know how we feel if we didn’t spend some time with each other? Now we know. We’re destined to be just friends.”
Sort of like me and Josh. At this rate, I could start my own fraternity with these men that thought of me like a sister.
“A person can always use more friends.” He opened the menu that had been left on the table when the waitress was urging us to order more than garlic toast. “How about we order some lunch and as friends we can discuss the work you want done on your kitchen?”
“It’s just a small job. No one wants to do it.”
I wanted the out of date light fixtures in my kitchen changed out. I wanted new cabinets and countertops too but that wasn’t in the budget.
“I don’t mind a small job here or there. For a friend.”
I was glad I’d accepted his invitation. He was right. We could all use more friends.
“Okay, but I need to run to the ladies’ room first. If the waitress comes by can you order me the chicken plate?”
“Will do.”
Purse in hand, I headed back to the restrooms to take care of business, lingering at the mirrors to freshen my lipstick and run a brush through my hair. This day had turned out far better than I’d ever thought it would. Gib was a nice guy. I was already thinking about fixing him up with Emmy or Ashlyn. Would he agree to a blind date? Or maybe I could just invite a bunch of people over to the house for movies and pizza. They could meet casually and he could see who he had chemistry with.
Not wanting to make him wait any longer, I pushed open the door and ran right into the last person I expected to see. Shit. Shit. Shit. My heart stopped in my chest before plummeted to my feet, that sick feeling coming back with a vengeance.
Josh.
And he didn’t look happy. At all.
* * *
Josh
“We need to talk.”
Just as I’d anticipated, Mia tried to brush past me but I moved into he
r path. This was not my usual way of dealing with issues and I wasn’t a fan of these tactics but I was a desperate man on a desperate mission. Losing Mia out of my life wasn’t something I could even bear to contemplate.
“I’m done talking.”
“Clearly. I see you’ve already moved on.”
Her eyes widened and her lips firmed. I’d made her angry, which was far better than her indifference.
“You have a lot of nerve. I’ve watched you date every woman in the tri-county area through the years and not once have I ever gotten pissy about it.”
No, she hadn’t. Mia had always been nice to my girlfriends. Sadly, I couldn’t say that I was feeling too friendly about the guy waiting for her at the table.
“You’re a better person than I am,” I admitted freely. I was jealous and I hated it. “Who is he?”
“Just a man,” she sighed, rubbing at her temple. “It’s really none of your business. Now please step out of my way. I need to get back to the table.”
I was running out of time. Get to the point.
“I want to try with you.”
Her head jerked up but she wasn’t smiling with happiness. “What?”
“I said I want to try with you.”
“You said you didn’t though,” she replied, her tone dripping with suspicion. “What changed your mind?”
I’d practiced this conversation a dozen times in my head but it wasn’t going the way I thought it would. I decided to deal with her as if she was a cop that had pulled me over. Keep my answers short and to the point.
“I was scared.”
“And you aren’t now?”
“I still am but you’re worth it. I can’t lose you, Mia. You’re the most important person in my life.”
For a moment I saw her waver. I’d had her for a second but then she gathered herself and lifted her chin defiantly. “When did you decide this?”
“I wasn’t two blocks down the road after leaving your house when I knew I’d made a mistake driving away.”
I just hadn’t known why. That had taken a few conversations with my family.
“You didn’t turn around.”
“No, I didn’t. I regret that.” I took a deep breath and held it. I had to shove my hands in my jean pockets so she wouldn’t see them shake. Everything was on the line here. “I want another chance. I’ll do better this time.”
“It’s too late.”
“It can’t be. I’ve hurt you, I know that. But please let me make it up to you. Give us a try.”
I’d known Mia since she was a kid and I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. But it wasn’t her head I was worried about. Logic would dictate that she give me another chance.
No, it was her heart that was the problem.
I’d been cavalier about caring for her sensitive feelings and now was reaping the consequences of my behavior. Mia had a tender, loving heart and a giving nature. I’d taken advantage of it, not giving back nearly enough. That would all change if she’d just give me the opportunity.
“If I say I’ll think about it, will you step aside?”
“I will.”
I did as she asked, clearing the path for her. But I couldn’t stop myself from asking one more question. “How long do you need to think about it?”
“As long as it takes.”
Mia strode away leaving me standing outside the ladies’ room like a creepy stalker. I’d won the battle – sort of – but the war wasn’t going to be that easy. I’d better gird my loins because I had no doubt she wanted to kick me right in the balls.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Josh
Patience. Not my strong suit.
I really wanted to give Mia time. That had been my intention when she’d walked away from me Saturday at the barbecue joint. I was planning on giving her as much time as she needed but as the hours and days had ticked away I had become increasingly restless, unable to sleep, and generally an asshole to be around. By Wednesday at noon, Luke had packed up his briefcase and told me what I could do with the reports I was complaining about. Then he stomped out, telling me he was taking the rest of the day off. I didn’t blame him.
Which is how I found myself standing outside Mia’s classroom door that afternoon waiting for her last class to dismiss. This wasn’t the smartest idea but lately I’d been doing all sorts of questionable things and couldn’t seem to stop myself.
The bell rang and the students zipped out of the classroom looking elated that the school day was over. A few gave me the onceover but they were in too big of a hurry to linger long, which meant I was able to slip into her room as soon as the last one left. Mia was stacking folders and shoving them into her gigantic backpack and I was struck immediately by how beautiful she looked.
She’d pulled her fiery red hair into a braid but a few strands had escaped and were caressing her rosy cheeks. Her lipstick had worn off but her lips were still full and inviting. That now familiar feeling in my chest was making itself known again but I was getting used to it. The only problem was now it was accompanied by panic and fear that I might not be able to persuade Mia to give me a second chance.
“Hi.”
Pausing, she took a deep breath before giving me her attention. I couldn’t tell if she was angry or happy to see me. Maybe neither. “Hi.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry about this time?”
“About not giving you more time. I meant to.”
She shoved a few more folders into the backpack. “I don’t have much time. I’m the sponsor for the debate team and they meet in ten minutes.”
That panicked feeling reared its ugly head again, this time in my gut sending acid up into my throat. At this rate, I was going to be a medical mess within the month.
“Then I’ll make this short. I miss you, Mia. You have no idea how much.”
She took her time answering but my heart felt lighter when she said, “I miss you, too.”
“That’s–”
She held up her hand. “But…that’s only natural and expected. It doesn’t mean that I should start spending time with you again.”
In my world it did.
“I know I’ve fucked this up, but I swear I want to try with you, Mia. Only you.” I paused, not sure laying it all on the line was a good idea but then I realized that my dignity wasn’t exactly firmly intact. I didn’t want to look back on this moment and not have given it my all. “You’re the one. I’ve been comparing every woman to you for years, only I didn’t want to admit it. That’s why I could never be serious with anyone else. It’s been you all this time, and I’m sorry that it took me so long to admit it.”
This was her chance to stomp on my heart just as I’d done to her not too long ago. It was like waiting for the executioner’s ax to fall. Would she? Could she? Had I killed any love she’d ever had for me with my careless actions?
“That’s hard for me to believe.”
“I know,” I replied, relieved she hadn’t thrown my feelings back in my face. “I’m asking for the chance to prove it to you.”
“I gave you a chance.” Her voice was soft and a little wobbly. Her gaze was turned away but I was sure that if I could see her face I’d see tears shining in those moss green eyes. “That night at the party I gave you a chance and you didn’t want it.”
“I’m an idiot.” I took several steps forward and to my surprise she didn’t move away. I was close enough now that I could smell her perfume, a combination of citrus and florals. Light and fresh, just like her. “I’m stupid and I know there’s no good reason for you to give me a chance. But I’m asking anyway.”
It must have been the right thing to say and do because she finally looked at me, confusion written across her expressive features.
“I don’t know what to do,” she confessed. “I don’t think I should give you another chance but I can’t stop from wanting to.”
“You won’t regret it,” I said urgently, daring to place
my hand over hers where it sat on the desk. “You said you deserved better. I can do that. Let me show you how it could be between us.”
My heart was beating so fast in my chest I thought it might jump out of my body and dash around the room, but surprisingly it stayed exactly where it was while I waited for the verdict.
And waited. It seemed like the whole world went silent while I stood there.
Finally, her little chin rose up and her eyes narrowed. “I’ll give you a chance.”
Opening my mouth to speak, she stopped me by shaking her head.
“Don’t get too excited here. I’ll give you another chance, but in the meantime we won’t be exclusive. And we won’t be having sex right away either, so you can put that out of your mind. If you’re okay with that, then fine…we’ll try.”
It sounded like half-ass trying to me but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Hopefully once she saw how serious I was about this she wouldn’t be going out with any other guys. I was planning to make Mia’s life so wonderful she wouldn’t even bother with another man.
And hopefully we’d be having sex, too. This time in a nice comfortable bed and not in the front seat of my car.
“I agree to your terms. Thank you.”
“You may not be thanking me later.”
No time like the present to step up and be a decent boyfriend. “Can I help you with all of this? I can carry that for you.”
“No, I have it.” Mia reached for one more folder and a few of the papers drifted to the tile floor. “Crap. I really need to get going.”
Quickly kneeling to retrieve her documents, a single paper caught my eye as I handed it over. “Is this your resume? Are you looking for another job?”
“Maybe. The school has a program where I can switch with a teacher overseas. They come here and I go there. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”
What the fuck? I’d never heard her say a single word about it. That panicked feeling was coming back again.
Tempt Him Page 15
