by C. J. Harte
What did she feel for Teri? If she were honest, she was angry because she had begun to depend on Teri and to care about her. She was even imagining a future with her.
“Teri, you’ve disappeared twice in the six weeks since we’ve been back in the States. You’ve told my father you wanted him to help you, but you haven’t talked to him in almost a week. Michel asked when you were coming back. I can’t allow you to pop in and out of our lives. I’ve told you I needed stability. I don’t need your money. I need you.”
Mia picked up her papers on the table and closed her computer. She fought back the tears.
Teri moved closer. “What’s wrong with my giving you this house?”
“How do I know you won’t disappear again and then I get a notice we need to move because you need to use the house for business or decided to sell it?”
“I wouldn’t do that.” Teri’s voice was strained. “You don’t think much of me.”
“Just the opposite. I think too much about you. There’s no way we could’ve moved here without you. I don’t believe it was chance or fate or whatever that I got the job I did. You’ve made sure my parents have made all their medical appointments when I couldn’t. You’ve even asked me to marry you. I still don’t understand why. Surely, there must be someone you would find more acceptable.”
*
The week had been one of the most emotional ones of Teri’s life. It was nothing compared to what she was experiencing now. The only thing that had gone right was reconnecting with her brother and sister. She had to find some way to connect with Mia.
Teri looked at Mia. She was beautiful. No makeup. Her hair a damp mess. Every time she looked at her, she got this tingling feeling in her stomach. When that happened, she didn’t care about work, her father, anything, except Mia.
When Mia sat back down, Teri reached for hand. “This past week hasn’t been just about work. The reason I haven’t said anything to your father is that I wasn’t sure I would be working for Stanton.”
“What? What happened?”
“Ever since I told my parents I was going to marry you, they’ve been unrelenting. My mother actually showed up at the office with her family photo album to remind me of our heritage. My father let me know that I was a huge disappointment. Two weeks ago, he told me that I had until the end of this month to finalize the merger and get rid of you and Elaine. I refused. There’s no way I’d have Pamela Milton be a part of the merger. And until you tell me otherwise, I’m determined to marry you and be a part of Jeremy’s wedding to Elaine. I’ve not been here the last couple of days because I was trying to figure out who would take over and to make sure the Milton merger didn’t go through.”
Mia squeezed Teri’s hand. “Teri, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was my problem. I needed to fix it.”
Mia let go of her hand. “You ask me to marry you, but something this important you don’t share. You don’t know the first thing about being a friend, much less being a partner. I don’t think—”
Teri put up her hand. She was afraid Mia was going to tell her that she didn’t think they should marry. She leaned forward and wrapped her hands around Mia’s good one. “I’ve heard the lecture from my sister and brother. I’m sorry I haven’t been a better friend, especially after I promised I would. I’m trying. Please give me a chance.”
“You are trying and how many chances do you want?” At least Mia was smiling.
“As many as I can get.” Teri grinned and pulled Mia close. “As many as I can get. I love you, Mia Daniels. If you still don’t want to marry me, I’ll go away and drown myself in a bathtub of expensive Scotch.” Teri hoped she was hiding her fear behind her humor. “Please?”
“You aren’t ordering me?”
“Somewhere along the way, I’ve forgotten how to ask. You reminded me of that. Please? I’m begging.”
“What are the rules?”
“No rules unless you set them. I just want a chance. You’re important to me, and I don’t want to lose you. In fact, as of tonight, I’m off of work for the next seven to ten days.” Teri couldn’t remember the last time she had truly taken time away from work. The thought of being gone for a few days was terrifying. Yes, she had spent several days with Mia in Maine, but Mia was right. She was still able to work. The fear of losing Mia was devastating, and she would do anything to prevent it. Mia had found a place in her heart. For the first time in her life, Teri wanted a life outside work. She wanted a life with Mia.
“I don’t know how you’re managing work, your folks, Michel, and taking care of the house. You won’t let me hire a housekeeper. And you’re still doing most things one-handed.” Teri pointed to the new shorter splint. “Maybe, if I hang around for a while, I’ll figure it out.”
Mia looked down at her arm. She looked tired. When she looked up, tears glistened in her eyes. Teri wanted to hold her and put a protective wall around her. She knew that wasn’t possible, but if there was some way to make life easier, she would do anything to make it happen.
“I don’t know what to say.” Mia wiped the tears from her eyes. “I don’t think I could take anymore disappointments. You promised to spend time with me in August and you spent most of that time working. When you weren’t working, we were arguing. I honestly don’t think I can handle you disappointing me again. You have no idea how much I missed you this week. I begin to trust you and you disappear.”
Mia moved across the room. “I can’t do this.” Her words were swallowed by sobs.
Every fiber of her being screamed for Teri to walk away. Her heart pulled her forward. She stopped Mia and pulled her into an embrace. The tears flowed until Teri felt a wet place on her chest over her heart. Her body was absorbing some of Mia’s pain and she felt the ache. “I’m so sorry. Mia, I never knew. I could make excuses, but that’s all it would be. Please, sweetheart, forgive me.”
Mia’s reddened eyes looked up in surprise. “What did you say?”
“I asked you to forgive me.”
“Before that. You called me sweetheart.”
Teri couldn’t remember what she said. For the first time in a long time, her heart was speaking without her head to filter. “That’s the way I think of you. My heart has been empty for a long time. All I’ve needed to do was make decisions. That doesn’t require emotions. Until you and now you’re everything I want.”
Mia pulled away. “I need to blow my nose.” She didn’t look at Teri. She walked back into the kitchen and grabbed some tissues. She finally sat at the table. Teri sat next to her. “One more try, Teri.” Her sigh was more a sign of resignation.
Teri’s heart was breaking. Jeremy and Bren were right. Mia was strong, but she was also vulnerable. Words were sticking in her throat. “Mia, I’m so sorry. You deserve to be special. I’m so sorry. If I could do it over, I would do things very differently.” She needed Mia to believe her.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Mia was mentally, physically, and emotionally tired. She needed sleep. She was struggling to cope with everything going on in her life. All she wanted right now was to be taken care of, even if for one day.
She also desperately needed to be held. Teri’s arms felt so good. There were so many reasons not to trust Teri, but right now, she needed physical comfort more. She needed someone else to be in charge. She needed someone else to say things are going to be all right, even if they weren’t.
“Apology accepted.” Mia hesitated. Her emotional needs were greater than her clear thinking self. “Would you mind staying here tonight and just hold me?” She put her hand out and prayed Teri would just say yes and not expect more.
“Absolutely.” Teri took her hand and led Mia to the bedroom. “Let me go to my room and change and I’ll be right back.” She started to leave then stopped. “Promise.”
Teri’s smile lifted some of the load bearing down on Mia. Maybe this can work. She put on her blue nightgown and crawled into bed. She would shower in the morning. She
had just gotten comfortable when the door opened and Teri came in.
“I guess I took my sleepwear to be cleaned. This is all I could find.” Teri was standing in the middle of the room wearing the black-and-white checked shirt they had gotten in Maine.
“Well, you’ll be ready for an early morning drive. Or almost ready.” Mia finally smiled. Teri’s bare legs were in sharp contrast to the checked shirt. They were long and attractive. Mia briefly wondered how Teri had managed to remain single. This line of thought was not productive. She pulled the covers back. “Let’s get some sleep.”
Teri got into bed and pulled Mia close. Mia closed her eyes and rested her head on Teri’s shoulder. Mia felt safe. The heat from Teri’s body was both distracting and comforting. Mia’s only thoughts were of how good this felt. She relaxed and felt sleep claiming her.
*
Mia stretched and looked at the clock. It was six thirty. She had slept much later than usual. Sometime during the night, Michel had crawled in bed next to her. Mia was more content than she had been in a long time. She turned and found Teri with her head propped up on one arm. “How long have you been awake?”
“Long enough to appreciate how beautiful you are.” Teri’s hand stroked the side of Mia’s face. Mia leaned into the caress. “I can’t believe I slept this long. I woke up once and you were so damned cute and snuggled so close, I didn’t want to get up. I fell back to sleep right away.”
The look in Teri’s face left her feeling warm all over. Mia felt a lightness creeping in and a sense of hope. How long had it been since she had felt this good?
Michel stirred and his eyes slowly opened. “Mama, I had a bad dream.” Whenever it was just the two of them talking, he always spoke in French.
Mia hugged him. “You’re all right now,” she answered back in French. “Were there monsters?” Mia teased him.
His smile lit up her day. “No, Mama. I couldn’t find you and I was scared.”
Mia pulled him closer. “I’ll always find you.” She knew it was a promise she would do anything to keep even though she needed someone to find her.
“I’ll go get dressed.” Teri inched out of bed. “You two stay there. I’ll see what I can do for breakfast.”
“I think I better get breakfast.” Mia laughed at the face Teri made. “Saturday is a day off from work, and I don’t want my mom and me spending the day cleaning the kitchen.”
“Oh, ye of little faith.”
“No! Ye of little cooking talent.” Mia rubbed Michel’s head. “Go get dressed and we’ll have breakfast.” As soon as he was gone, Mia got up and grabbed her bathrobe. She reached for Teri’s hand. “Thank you for last night. It’s been a long week.”
“Thank you for letting me make it a little better. Is Michel okay?”
She explained about his dream. “Seems like this has been hard week on all of us.”
“I’m so sorry. Let me make it a better week for you. For all of you.” Before Mia could reply, Teri darted out of Mia’s bedroom. She was left wondering what Teri was up to.
Mia walked into the kitchen and started fixing breakfast. It wasn’t long before her mother was helping her pull it all together. Mia began humming.
“Honey, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard you singing. I know you’ve tried to be strong for all of us. It’s good to see you smiling.” Her mother gave her a quick hug and started making pancakes.
The atmosphere at breakfast was relaxed. Even her father was laughing. It was the best Saturday morning in at least two years. She looked at Teri. She was laughing and being silly. Mia walked behind Teri and hugged her. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“What shall we do today?” Mia asked. Several suggestions were made, but no plan had overwhelming support. Teri offered to fly them anywhere they wanted to go, but Mia’s parents didn’t want to travel far.
Mia hugged her parents. “Let’s see what Michel wants to do.”
Michel wanted to go to a movie. It was something that didn’t require much effort, and Mia’s father wasn’t exhausted when they got back to the house. The day had been so perfect, she kept waiting for Teri to answer the phone or for the Terror to return. Instead, Teri paid for the tickets, the drinks and popcorn, and bought dinner. She did everything she could to make sure Mia’s dad was comfortable and that Mia didn’t have to do anything.
Once her family was in bed, Mia wondered if Teri’s behavior would change.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Teri sat on the couch opposite from Mia. If she sat closer, she was afraid she would forget her promise to take things slowly. As much as she had enjoyed this day, she was aware of what a commitment it was to be a part of the Daniels family. Tom Daniels had less than a year. Mia’s mother would never be able to live alone. Michel was a cute little high-energy boy. Mia would have others to take care of for a long time. Teri wasn’t responsible for anyone except herself. And Stanton Enterprises. As much as she wanted Mia, she wondered how she could handle all the responsibility and work. Teri didn’t know how Mia did this day after day.
“Thank you for today,” Mia said. She picked at the pillow on her lap. “I’m sure there were more important things you could’ve been doing, but I appreciate you taking the time. My parents appreciate it, too.”
Had Mia read her mind? She hoped not. “I had a great time today.” The more time she spent with Mia, the more she realized how incredible Mia was. She spends every day juggling work and her family, and I’m exhausted after one day. “How do you find the energy each day to do all that you do? I know you’re not on drugs.”
Mia was smiling when she looked at Teri. “It’s no problem. I love my family.”
“Tell me about Natalie. You told me how you met but not how you became involved.”
The look on Mia’s face spoke volumes about how she felt about Natalie. Will you ever look at me that way?
“Natalie was high energy. Trust me, I felt like a slug next to her. She had my coat cleaned and brought it back and asked me out for lunch. It was impossible to say no to her.” Mia leaned her head back against the couch. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Finally, she looked at Teri. “We went from lunch once a week to having dinner on weekends to my being her birthing coach.” Mia laughed. “She was the one who kept me calm during the process. I was so nervous. By the time Michel was six months old, we were already living together. I don’t know how it happened, but she was a force to be reckoned with.”
Mia brushed a tear away, and Teri felt as if she was intruding on a private moment. Seconds later, Mia stood. “I’m tired. Will I see you in the morning?”
Teri nodded. She felt relief and disappointment that Mia hadn’t asked her to share a bed. Sleeping with Mia was incredible. Their bodies fit so well together. Teri never thought she would want to share a bed with anyone all night, but Mia was different. She enjoyed Mia’s scent, her feel, her warmth. She felt empty when she had gotten up. At the same time, she wanted more than to hold Mia. Mia wasn’t ready.
When Mia got to her bedroom door, she turned and waved. “Good night.”
Teri waved back. “See you in the morning.”
What the hell was she doing here? She looked at her phone. There were five unanswered messages. When she logged on to her office e-mail, there were twenty-two e-mails and seven marked urgent. She had only been away from the office twenty-four hours and already she was feeling as if a part of her life was missing. Yes, she had committed to spending time with Mia and her family, but she hadn’t realized how consuming that could be. This was the best time to learn.
Teri looked down the hall to Mia’s bedroom. She wanted to devour Mia, body and soul. She also wanted to run out of there as fast as possible.
“You don’t run from anything. You fix things.” Teri couldn’t figure out what she could fix. “What the hell do I do now?”
She looked at her phone. That was something she could take care of. “Besides, everyone else is asleep. It doesn’t make any difference if every
one is sleeping.”
She walked to her room, plugged her laptop in, and got busy. These were things she could control. These were tasks that she could fix. This is what made her comfortable. Not happy but comfortable.
*
Teri looked at the clock. She had slept for three hours. She showered, dressed, and was at her computer by five. Her head of marketing for South America had sent his monthly report, and she was not happy. She needed to get down there and see what was going on. She would wait until nine and then have her assistant get her plane and pilots ready.
“Shit!” She slammed her hand on the desk. She couldn’t go to South America. She made a promise to Mia. “Why did I do that?”
Teri knew why. She was in love with Mia, and she didn’t know what to do about it. Mia came with responsibilities. Mia came with a child. Mia came with parents who depended on her.
A knock on the door disrupted her ruminations. “Come in.”
“I saw the light under the door.” Mia stood at the door, wrapped in her pale blue, fuzzy robe. Her bed hair stood out like a sexy halo. Teri felt a rush of desire. “You’re dressed. And working.” There was disappointment clearly etched in her face and in her tone of voice.
“I just thought I would catch up on some e-mails while waiting for everyone to get up.” She looked down at the screen and clicked save on an unfinished e-mail. She then turned off the machine. “How about some coffee?”
“It’s already made. Help yourself.” Mia turned and walked away.
Her first inclination was to let Mia work it off. Mia, however, had shown a resilience and determination that very few ever demonstrated around her. “Hey, wait up.”
Mia turned around and hissed. “My parents and Michel are still sleeping. Please lower your voice!” Mia grabbed her coffee cup and sat in the sunroom.
She kicked off her shoes, poured a cup of coffee, and then sat near Mia. “This is a beautiful room. When the realtor sent pictures of this place, I could imagine you sitting here with your coffee watching the sun coming up.”
