Ethan stood off to the side, watching this and realizing Mia got her stubbornness from this man … but maybe she got some of her heart from him as well, because this man didn’t look like a man who didn’t love his daughter.
“Papa,” she began, her lips twitching back and forth, still unsure of what to say.
“I was just being released as you walked in …”
“Oh … you’re okay?”
“Yes, sorry that you had to come all this way for nothing,” he said a little gruffly, gathering his papers off the bed tray. Mia wasn’t the only one hurt by the distance between them all these years, and from the step back she took, she was just realizing that. After a moment to gather her composure, she stepped towards her father.
“We’ll take you home,” she said, her voice lacking its normal lightness. The “we” redirected her father’s attention on Ethan, and he felt the assessing look. The older man’s gaze lingered on Mia’s fingers linked with his.
“This is Ethan Christopher,” Mia said and he instantly felt like he was in high school, meeting his girlfriend’s father for the first time. “Ethan, this is my father.”
Ethan held out his right hand. “Hello, Mr. Devereux.”
Despite his obvious confusion as to why Ethan was there, Mia’s father shook his hand in return, the atmosphere in the room thickening with awkwardness. Mia and her father were having a hard time speaking. So much needed to be said between them, but this definitely wasn’t the venue.
“Sir, are you free to leave?”
He nodded once.
“Okay. Let’s go then.”
Mia gave his hand a grateful squeeze. “Sounds good. Ready, Papa?”
“Just need to get my things,” he said, grabbing the plastic bag from his bed that had his belongings.
The trip to the car was filled with a ponderous silence. Mia had a death grip on his hand and burrowed into him on the elevator ride down to the lobby. When they got to the rented SUV, Mia’s father automatically went to the back.
The silence continued on the drive to her childhood home. Her father looked out the window and Mia rested her head back against the seat, her eyes closed. Part of him was concerned that she was so tired, but after what she’d told him yesterday about her relationship with her father, he also knew how much she needed to talk to him.
So, for now, he’d let her rest.
It was a good thing she’d entered in the address on the GPS otherwise they wouldn’t have gotten there as everyone was lost in their thoughts. But when it told him to turn left into an established subdivision, Mia opened her eyes and sat straighter in her seat. He could feel the apprehension rolling off her. How long had it been since she’d been home?
“Turn here,” she said, indicating the driveway to their right. It was a white, two-story, Colonial style home with six massive columns equidistantly spaced.
He turned into the half-circle driveway and pulled to a stop in front of the door. Shutting off the engine, he just waited. Mia took a deep breath then opened the car door and got out. Ethan followed suit then opened the door for her father. From his side of the vehicle, Ethan watched her. She stood with her hand on the car door frame, staring up at the impressive house. He could only imagine what was going through her head—all the memories and pain assaulting her as she regarded her childhood home.
Ethan walked around the car to her. Her mouth curved into a thankful smile before latching her hand on to his. That gesture told him so much—about the state of her nerves, her anxiety level, and her need for his support.
With the other hand, she closed the door and together, they walked up the path behind her father to the front door. Her father unlocked the door and went inside. Mia stood still. Ethan wasn’t going to push her. He would let her lead. When she moved, so would he. After a few silent moments, she took a deep exhale of breath and stepped over the threshold for the first time in years.
“Uh, Papa, could we maybe sit down?” she asked, glancing to the room to their right. The interaction between Mia and her father intrigued him. Her normal confidence was gone. She usually just did what she wanted. Here, not so much. She was hesitant, smaller. Was this how she had always acted around her father?
“Yes. If you wouldn’t mind though, I’d like to clean up and change out of these clothes before we talk.”
“Sure,” she said with a weak nod.
With a tilt of his head towards them, Mr. Devereux headed up the stairs. Mia tugged Ethan’s hand and led him into the living room. It was a formal space with multiple seating groups set up all over the large room, except in the far corner which housed a black grand piano completely covered in pictures. He was drawn to it, wanting to know more about the woman who carried his child. It pulled her to it as well, because before he knew it, they were both standing in front of the piano.
At least thirty pictures, all in different yet complementary frames, covered the closed lid of the piano. He studied them, all of her, and got his very first glimpse of a young Mia. She was absolutely adorable with her unruly curls cascading down her back, her big brown eyes, and her smile that went on forever.
He wanted all these pictures and was very tempted to get out his phone and photograph every single one of them, especially those of her as a baby. He secretly hoped their children all looked like her.
“Look at you! I particularly like the pigtails on you,” he teased.
To which she replied with a sharp elbow to his ribs. He rubbed the tender spot before kissing her forehead. “Thanks for bringing me. It means the world to me to be here with you.”
Her gaze rose to meet his and she grinned. “You don’t understand … thank you. I don’t think I could do this without your support.”
“Any time, suga,” he said. His finger traced the smooth curve of the piano. “So, this is where you learned to create your magic?”
She chuckled softly, her eyes traveling to the front of the piano where her smile faded away. “Yeah. I spent a lot of time in here.”
He knew she was being intentionally vague and wanted to know why and was going to push, but just then her father returned, freshly showered and in a similar outfit as before. Mr. Devereux took a seat in a chair, leaving the sofa for the two of them.
“Ethan, congratulations on the championship,” her father spoke, bridging the awkward atmosphere.
Whoa. Ethan was surprised that, one, her father knew who he was, and two, that he knew enough to know about the championship. And if he knew about the championship, he’d probably seen him practically molest his daughter on national television.
Shit.
Ethan cleared his throat and replied. “Thank you, sir. It was a season I’ll always remember.”
The win was nice, but when he thought about that season, all he could picture was Mia in that L.A. restaurant, seeing her for the first time in years, or looking up at the Jumbotron in Indy and seeing her face flash across it, and his favorite, her running into his arms after he’d won the championship.
“A magnificent season,” Mia added, the look of pride on her face making his cock swell and his pants slightly uncomfortable.
“Thank you, suga,” he said smiling warmly at her.
And the smile she gave him in return shone with her love and he was pretty sure her father saw it too.
“Mia,” her father said, dragging their attention back to the room. “You wanted to talk …”
Nodding her head, she let out a long, shaky breath. Ethan felt a tremor on the sofa and glanced down—her leg was bouncing up and down at a furious pace. Placing a calming hand on her knee, he stilled the nervous leg.
“Papa,” she began then said nothing more for a few long, drawn out moments while she formulated what to say. “I missed you.”
Her spoken words were a physical punch to the gut for her dad. His tanned face paled. Ethan didn’t know the older man’s exact thoughts but he knew regret anywhere.
“I missed you too,” he finally said.
�
��No, Papa,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t think you understand. I’ve missed you for twenty-four years.”
Hell. She just threw down the gauntlet. She was going for it all.
Quickly swiping at her eyes, she leveled them on her dad, letting him see the pain she’d carried all these years.
Ethan lifted his eyes from Mia to gauge her father’s reaction to her words. His face was drawn in painfully, tears sitting unshed in his eyes, as he rubbed his chest with the flat of his hand.
“I’m sorry, ma fille. I’ve made many mistakes in regards to you.”
“Saying that doesn’t make it go away, Papa. Twenty-four years of wishing things were different. Twenty-four years of coping with it because they weren’t. Twenty-four years of making mistakes because of all of this,” she said, her wavering voice filled with her uncontained anger. These words she had needed to say to her father for years finally spilled out of her.
When Mr. Devereux rose from his chair and started for them, the grip Mia had on Ethan’s hand tightened, her posture rigid. But when her father sat beside his daughter, Ethan watched his lover transform into that little girl who’d lost her mother and had needed her father to tell her it would be okay, to tell her that she was wanted. Loved.
“I know, Mia. I can only hope by discussing this that it can be the seed to fix us,” he said, reaching for her hand before he continued. “I have not been the best father to you, and for that, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I let that event so long ago rule my life.”
“So did I.”
Though she was hurting, Ethan smiled internally at her words. Acceptance. She wasn’t running anymore. He was proud of her.
“Your mother did a number on the both of us, ma fille,” her father said, tenderly pushing back a stray strand of hair from her face.
“That she did, Papa.”
“You most of all.”
Ethan couldn’t see her face, but he could hear her breathing quicken as she fought her tears.
“Oh, my sweet girl, come here,” her father said, opening his arms to her. She didn’t hesitate, years of longing making that pretty much impossible, Ethan supposed. Her father’s arms folded around her, providing long needed comfort and love. He smoothed his daughter’s hair along her back as he rocked her gently side to side. Ethan imagined this a recurrent scene earlier in her young life. A father comforting his baby girl. He crooned, his voice soft against her head.
“Je suis désolée,” her father repeated over and over, and, “Ma belle fille.”
Ethan sat back. He didn’t feel awkward being there, even though he had no idea what Mia’s father kept saying. He felt like Mia’s tears had cleansed them all. Well … almost.
Mia backed out of the embrace, her cheeks flushed, her eyes puffy, but a grin played with her lips. “I’m sorry, but I have to use the restroom. Excuse me,” she said, looking first at her father then at Ethan. She paused on Ethan a bit longer and he watched her smile grow. Then she hurried out of the room to relieve her pregnant bladder.
Oh man! Her father didn’t know she’s pregnant! He looked over at her dad and his heart started to hammer. I knocked up this man’s daughter!
“When were you planning on leaving?” Mr. Devereux asked him.
They had packed all the stuff they had brought to Malibu and could honestly stay however long Mia wanted.
“We had no specific plans,” he answered.
“Well, I’d like for you to stay for a bit.”
“I’m sure Mia wouldn’t object.”
“I wouldn’t object to what?” she asked, walking back into the room. She had fixed her face while in the bathroom, and in doing so, much of her make-up was removed, giving her an au naturel look.
“I was just going to the car,” Ethan said, standing up and making his way to her. Mia and her father needed to get some words out. There was a lot she needed to tell him. Maybe if he was out of the way for a bit, they could speak freely. “I was going to get the bags.”
“Oh,” she said simply.
“That’s okay?” he asked her quietly.
She smiled in answer. “Yes. We can stay in my old bedroom.”
He chuckled as he headed out to the car for their bags. He grabbed her purse first and then the five bags from the trunk. Yes. Five bags for just a week.
Diva, he thought with a smile.
Placing the luggage on the floor near the staircase, he returned to the living room. Mia was still standing where he’d left her and he wondered if they had spoken at all. She turned and held out her hand to him. He took it and she led him back to the sofa with her father.
“So, Papa, I have some news to share.”
“You’re back together with Ethan?” he said with a wink. Ah, that’s her sense of humor. Ethan loved this, seeing her with her father, piecing together bits and pieces that made up Mia.
“Well, yeah, but there’s more.”
Her father’s classy-as-fuck eyebrows quirked up.
“And, uh, you’re going to be a grandfather.”
Surprise! They both waited for her father to say something.
“You’re pregnant?” he finally said, awe in his voice.
“Yes, Papa,” she answered and the waterworks started again. Pregnant Mia was apparently very emotional. Her rollercoaster emotions of the last few weeks made so much sense now.
“Well, this is something to celebrate!” he said, reaching over to Ethan and putting a hand on his shoulder.
Ethan smiled and shook what would hopefully be his future father-in-law’s hand. He needed to talk to him about that. Mr. Devereux then turned towards his daughter and hugged her. She clung to her father—a huge grin on her face as she locked eyes with Ethan.
“Thank you for bringing me this joy today. A grandpa. I can’t believe it! And at my age.”
“Eh, Papa … sorry to say, you’re not too young to be a grandpa.”
Ethan couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips before he covered the slip with a clearing of his throat. This woman and her one-liners.
“That I know, ma fille. I’m a few years shy of seventy.”
“Pah, that’s not old. Mémé … now she’s old.”
“Mia Isa Simone Devereux!” he scolded with a laugh. Ethan was full out laughing now and Mia was giggling uncontrollably.
“Not sorry, Papa.”
“Go to your room, young lady,” he said, his control breaking and laughing along with her.
“Yeah, that’s something I definitely don’t miss,” she said, sobering a little bit. “You ordering me to my room.”
Not two seconds after that, a big, drawn out yawn escaped from her mouth. Ethan studied her and saw the exhaustion paint her face.
“Suga, I suggest you follow your father’s order. A nap would do you good.”
“That’s a good idea, Mia. You’ve got my grandbaby in there. I want you taking care of it. And while you nap, I’ll take care of finding a place for dinner.”
“Okay, Papa. Somewhere good! I want a steak and maybe after dinner we can walk to the Dairy Store? Please?”
Her father stood up and stared at his tired daughter. “Take your nap and we will see.”
Mia rose from the sofa and stood in front of her father. She seemed so small, the top of her head at chin level. She tilted her head back and looked up at her father, then stepped forward and threw her arms around him, the force of her embrace causing him to steady himself before wrapping his arms around her shoulders, resting his chin on the crown of her head.
“I’m so glad you took this step, Mia. I just didn’t know how to reach you.”
“No one did, Papa, but we will talk about that later,” she said, lifting her head so she locked eyes with him.
“Okay, ma fille. Want to head out around six?”
“Sounds perfect,” she said, stepping away from her dad. She directed her attention at Ethan, her sleepy eyes happy … relieved.
“Let me show you my room,” she said, an
outstretched hand beckoning him. “I’ve always wanted to bring a boy to my room,” she added with a wink.
Ethan
After Mia fell asleep, Ethan left her and searched out her father. He found him in his study, sitting at his desk, flipping through a book. The older man looked up when Ethan knocked on the door.
“Come in,” he said, gesturing towards the chair in front of his desk, putting down the book.
Ethan sat down and glanced at it. It was a photo album with pictures of a very young Mia … maybe four or five years old. Hopefully he’d be able to look at it while they were here.
“Is she asleep?”
Ethan smiled an easy smile. After a little fooling around, Mia had fallen right asleep mid-kiss.
“Yes. She’s tired all the time,” he answered with a chuckle. “I’m glad she’s sleeping. She didn’t sleep at all over the last twenty-four hours, except while we were in the waiting room.”
Curiosity got the better of Ethan. He needed to know that Mia’s father was okay. After the way she acted when she’d found out that he’d been brought to the hospital, he knew that Mia may have faced her past, but she was still a fragile woman. Something to remember.
“Sir, are you okay?”
The other man let out a sigh then nodded his head, seemingly embarrassed. “Yes … I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes recently and I just got too busy with work to manage it as I should. My blood sugar dropped and I passed out…what they call a ‘diabetic coma.’ They stabilized my sugar and I’m fine now.”
“I’m glad Vivienne called Mia to tell her because that sounds pretty serious.”
“Oh it was. She heard the word ‘coma’ and panicked it seems. You know, I’ve not been sick my entire adult life—I … I had a bit of a Superman complex, thinking this would not bring me down. Well … it did, and I know I have to do much better in the future to manage it. The only good thing to come of it was bringing my daughter back to me,” he said, a smile softening his face.
Here was his opportunity, Ethan thought.
“Speaking of Mia … I wanted to ask you a question … well, not really a question … anyway, I wanted to let you know that I intend on asking Mia to marry me. I was going to do it yesterday, but I feel it actually is better this way, speaking to you first. I want Mia in my life. I don’t want to let her go again.”
Never Over You Page 2
