Mia's Heart (The Paradise Diaries)

by Courtney Cole

  Chapter Thirteen

  I text Dante from the pier and let him know that Gavin will be dropping me off in town. But then Gavin decides to join us. So I spend the remainder of the drive wondering how weird it will be to have Quinn and Gavin in one place.

  But it turns out to not be weird at all.

  They joke back and forth like old friends and I realize that somewhere along the line, they’ve become friends since Quinn arrived in Caberra. Gavin treats me like he normally would and no one seems to notice that anything is amiss. No one would ever know that I kissed him on his boat and then took a nap in his arms.

  No one except for Reece.

  At one point, when Gavin hands me a fresh trash sack, his fingers linger over mine just a little too long. I glance up and smile at him at the same exact time that Reece looks my way. I catch her surprised expression and then her knowing grin. But she doesn’t say anything.

  Yet.

  I have a feeling that it will come later.

  For now, I enjoy watching my friends. They joke and laugh and rough-house. We’re like a little club, tightly-knit and close. I like it. And even though I don’t remember, they don’t treat me like I’m different. I like that, too.

  I look around the little park that we are cleaning and can see vast improvement over what it looked like a scant two hours ago when we arrived. The broken wood and trash has all been picked up and bagged and it once again looks like a place where children would play. It’s a good feeling to know that we did this.

  We all stand and stare at it for a minute and our five shadows stretch onto the playground, side by side. Quinn’s shadow is the tallest and mine is the smallest. The fact that he is standing next to me at the moment accentuates that fact.

  “You really are a tiny tot,” he says, only to me. His voice is low and quiet and instant warmth floods my nether regions. OhGoodLord. I’m a wanton, wanton girl. Because two hours ago, I was lying in Gavin’s lap.

  I gulp.

  “I can’t help my height,” I tell him indignantly.

  “Nope,” he drawls. “No, you can’t. I was just wondering, though, how do you fit that much temper into one tiny body, anyway?”

  I glare at him. “I don’t have a temper.”

  Everyone cracks up at this, but I don’t see the humor.

  “I don’t,” I insist. But no one listens as they gather up all of our things. My look of indignation is lost because no one is looking. I sigh.

  “We should go grab some dinner someplace,” Dante suggests. “By the time we get anywhere, it will be dinner time. Anyone up for it?”

  “I am,” Reece says, leaning up to kiss Dante’s cheek. He has a dirt smudge there and she wipes it off before she turns to me. “Mia?”

  I nod. “Sure. Just let me text my mom and let her know.”

  Everyone stares.

  “What?” I ask as I pull out my phone. “It would be rude not to let her know.”

  They stare more.

  “I must have been a horrible monster,” I mutter as I punch the text into my phone and then put it away.

  “Not a monster,” Reece tells me. “Just….different.”

  “Hmmph,” I grunt as I swing into Gavin’s Land Rover. “Where are we going to meet?” I ask.

  Dante rattles off a restaurant in town and Gavin nods. And then Quinn appears in my open door, filling it up with his large frame.

  “Do you mind if I catch a ride with you guys?” he asks. I stare at him in surprise. I had just assumed that he would ride with Dante. He grins in their direction.

  “They seem like they’d like a little alone time,” he says wryly. Reece is holding Dante’s hand, laughing up at him and my heart constricts a little bit. I have to admit…I’m a little jealous. They’re so together. They fit just right. I wonder if I was ever jealous of them before?

  But I’m saved from thinking about it because I have to move to let Quinn in. I climb in the backseat.

  “You’re way too big to fit back here,” I tell him. And it’s true. He could fit, but he wouldn’t be comfortable.

  “Thanks, tiny tot,” he tells me as he settles into the front. “But we’ve already had the conversation about how big I am. You just don’t remember it.” He grins impishly and his eyes meet mine in the mirror of his visor. I have the sudden feeling it wasn’t the size of his body that we had talked about. My heart flutters.

  “Everyone set?” Gavin asks. And his eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. His are warm and twinkly because he knows a secret. He knows how we spent the afternoon.

  OhGoodLord. How do I get myself into these situations?

  I have two gorgeous guys staring at me covertly from the front seat, both with hidden meanings and expressions in their eyes.

  So I do what any normal girl would do.

  I stare at my hands.

  The entire way to the restaurant.

  It seems to take forever, but we’re actually there in twenty minutes. Trust me, though, twenty minutes is a long time to stare at your hands. By the time we get there, I am painfully aware that I need a manicure.

  We pile out and I walk between Quinn and Gavin as we meet Dante and Reece at the door.

  Because Dante is the Prime Minister’s son, we don’t have to wait for a table. We are immediately shown to the best table in the house, actually. It’s situated in front of huge windows overlooking the sea. It’s a beautiful view.

  Or it would be if it didn’t offer such a clear view of the city, showcasing the damage from the earthquake. Staring at it is unsettling. Surrounded by the serenity of Giliberti House, it is easy to be removed from the devastation that the quake caused. Not so here. It is readily apparent.

  There is rubble everywhere, although streets have been cleared. Trees are down and some power lines too, which means that some people are still without power. It’s the worst earthquake this country has seen in years and years.

  “Wow,” Reece breathes as she takes it in. “We don’t have earthquakes where I’m from. Kansas has tornadoes, but not hurricanes or earthquakes. I didn’t know what to expect when we arrived here. But it’s even worse than I thought it would be.”

  Dante nods solemnly. “We’re just happy that power has been restored to almost everyone. It’s amazing how we take things like water or power for granted and we can be reminded so quickly of how lucky we are.”

  He’s right and everyone at the table is quiet for a minute, probably reflecting on that very thing. No one at the table, other than me, was really affected by the quake. Their homes are intact, they didn’t even lose power and certainly no one else lost their memories. But I’m really happy about that. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

  We order and then chat while we wait for our food. I find that I am famished. And I am slightly fidgety. I’m seated between Gavin and Reece and across from Quinn. Every once in a while, Quinn catches my eye. His gaze is sparkling and mischievous at all times. It’s like he is just waiting for something to amuse him.

  Every time he stares at me, my cheeks catch on fire.

  And Reece notices this, too. She stares at me once, in confusion and then in realization. Not long after, she excuses herself to go to the bathroom.

  And then pauses.

  “Mia, do you need to go?” From the way she is staring at me, I decide that I’d better go whether I need to or not. I hurry after her and when we reach the bathroom, she turns to me.

  “What are you doing?” she demands. “I can see the tension between you and Quinn. And I saw you flirting with Gavin. Seriously flirting, not his usual BS flirting. I’m not trying to interfere, but Mia, you’re supposed to be relaxing so that your memory can come back. I don’t think that adding complications to your life is exactly what your doctor meant.”

  Reece means business. Her cheeks are flushed and I think she’s ready to stamp her foot or something.

  “Calm down,” I tell her. “It’s not what you think. Or maybe it is. I don’t know. I’m so confused. All I know is tha
t they’re both sexy as hell. And I like them both for different reasons.”

  “You never used to like Gavin in that way,” she tells me. “Seriously, you didn’t. I always wondered why, because he’s cute and funny, but you never did. You said it was because you’ve seen him in diapers.”

  I stare at her.

  “Well, see, that’s the thing. I don’t remember seeing him in diapers now, so that’s no longer a problem. To me, he’s a brand new guy who is sexy as hell and twice as funny. I don’t remember anything. All I know is that he makes me feel safe. And trust me, right now I really need that.”

  Reece nods. “I can see where that would be important to you right now. But what about Quinn?”

  I smile at the mere thought of Quinn.

  “He’s sexy as hell, too,” I tell her. “What girl wouldn’t be interested in him?”

  Reece smiles now, knowingly.

  “That’s true,” she admits. “Everyone loves Quinn. Back home, he can’t go anywhere without getting a girl’s phone number shoved into his pocket.”

  “Hometown football hero?” I guess. There’s just something about him that screams that.

  Reece nods. “Pretty much. And back home, Friday night football games are huge. The whole town turns out. Everyone loves Quinn. And the likeable thing about him is that he isn’t very conceited about it. He’s just a normal guy who happens to be gorgeous. He’s always been that way. It’s probably why I used to be totally in love with him.”

  She grins now. And I have to smile, too. Oh, to be her. Going from being in love with Quinn to Dante. Rough life. I mention as much to her and she grins again. Every time she smiles, her eyes sparkle. I like it. She’s ornery-sweet, not ornery-bad ass like I’m told that I am. Maybe it’s why we get along. We’re opposites.

  “Dante is the one for me,” she shrugs. “For the longest time, I thought it was Quinn. But one look at Dante pretty much changed that. You were here when it happened. You just don’t remember it.”

  I sigh.

  “What are you going to do?” she asks me now. She glances in the mirror and messes with her blonde hair, pushing one tendril behind her ear. “I’ve never seen Gavin actually serious about someone. I’ve seen him with a lot of girls, but they were never girls he would like to keep. You’re different. You have to know that.”

  I sigh again. Because I think I do know that. I know it from the tender tone he had in his voice on his boat. I know it from the soft expression he has in his eyes when he looks at me. I know it from his smile. And I know that I never, ever want to hurt him.

  “I don’t know what to do,” I admit. “I really don’t.”

  Reece turns to me.

  “I think you should just wait it out,” she tells me wisely. “Go on with life and deal with things as they come. Maybe you should just hang out with both of them and see what happens. I think that’s what I would do.”

  My shoulders slump. I can’t help it. I’m not good at waiting. Hence my hatred for the words soon and eventually. Reece wraps an arm around them, bolstering me up.

  “It’s going to be fine,” she announces. “Seriously. You’re an amazing, funny, sweet person. Everything will work out for you.”

  I raise an eyebrow.

  “Sweet? You’re the first person who has described me in that way.”

  She giggles. “You are sweet. It’s deep down because you try to hide it. But you are a sweet person, Mia. And those of us who know you, know that.”

  “Then you’re the only ones who matter,” I tell her stoically. “The ones who know me, I mean.”

  “Exactly,” she nods. “We’re the only ones who matter. Family doesn’t have to mean blood, Mi. We’re your family. And even though your parents give you a hard time, they love you, too. They just don’t understand you.”

  I nod. And there is a hard lump that has swelled in my throat and I don’t even know why. Reece hugs me again.

  “Wanna go back out?”

  I nod, not trusting my voice.

  And when we walk out to the table, I am surprised to find Elena draped over Quinn’s arm. Her voice is stickily sweet and her boobs are pressed against him.

  Instant rage rushes through me, hot and red, but I tamper it down.

  Quinn doesn’t belong to me.

  He’s not mine.

  But my heart doesn’t seem to realize that.

  Elena glances up and sees me, then sees Reece. Her expression changes drastically as she locks eyes with Reece. She turns into an ice-bitch directly in front of my eyes.

  “Hey, farm girl,” Elena says coolly. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”

  I start to interrupt, but Reece speaks first. “And I didn’t expect to find you draped across my table.”

  Elena smiles, her gaze tunneled on Reece. “I’m not. I’m draped across your ex-boyfriend. Jealous?”

  She glances my way now and I feel frozen in place. This isn’t the girl who I spoke with in the hospital. But if I’m honest, I knew that she had this potential for bitchiness. I could sense it. And now she seems poised to strike, like a snake.

  Dante breaks in, though, his voice calm yet cool.

  “Leni,” he says warningly. I glance at him and he is staring at her, waiting. Expectant. He knows her. He has known her for a long time, so he is patient. Elena looks from him, to Reece, to me.

  And then she smiles.

  “Hi, Mia,” she says, her voice sweet now. “It’s good to see you. Would you like to come sit at our table?” She motions to her table, which is crowded with a bunch of other girls our age. They are snickering as they watch this exchange. And I realize that there is no place I’d rather be less.

  I shake my head. “No, thanks. I’m fine here.”

  Elena narrows her green eyes. “Are you sure about that? It might be better for you over there.”

  My temper snaps to life.

  “How so?” I answer, my own green eyes narrowing. Elena smiles wolfishly.

  “You’re the one who said you wanted to be friends,” she reminded me. “I told my girls that and they didn’t believe me. If you don’t sit with us, they’ll think I was lying.”

  I can feel the incredulous gazes of everyone at the table. All of them are trained on my face, all of them are waiting for me to speak.

  I swallow.

  “Elena, I’m happy to try and be your friend. But I won’t be manipulated or used as a pawn. Ever. So, right now, I’m going to stay here and eat my dinner.”

  I stare into her eyes and she stares into mine.

  And then she smiles, relenting.

  “Okay,” she says casually. As though it is no big deal at all, as if she is used to people turning her down. “If you change your mind, though, we’re over there.”

  She slides her slender hand along Quinn’s shoulders as she leaves and I want to break it. She smiles down at him.

  “Call me,” she tells him.

  I see a piece of paper in his hand and I have to assume it is her number.

  My blood boils and I think my vision blurs for a second.

  “See you later, D!” she calls to Dante over her shoulder.

  Elena is barely gone for a second before Reece marches over to Quinn and yanks the paper from his hand. She tosses it into the burning candle in the center of the table. We all watch it burn.

  “Not in this lifetime, Quinn,” Reece says. “She’s an utter bitch. You don’t need that.”

  Quinn grins, lazy and slow. “Thanks for looking out for me, Reecie,” he says. He looks amused. But his words stir something in me. And I freeze.

  “Reecie Piecie,” I murmur. I am stunned because it triggers something in my brain. Something familiar.

  Reece stares at me. “Yes,” she says excitedly. “Everyone calls me that. Do you remember?”

  And for a second, I do. I see flashes of Reece and me. We’re on the water, snorkeling, I think. She’s screaming, then laughing. The sun is shining on the water and Dante is there. We’re floating an
d it is peaceful and quiet and I can see why I loved the water. In my head, Reece grabs my hand and the three of us are floating in a circle.

  And then the memory stops. I can’t remember anything else.

  But I have this piece now, this fragment of my past.

  And that’s something.

  I nod.

  “I remembered something,” I tell them. I sit down and share it. Dante grins.

  “I remember that day,” he announces. “You were teaching Reece to snorkel. And I pretended to be a shark and scared the crap out of her.”

  Reece smacks at him now. “I’m still not over that!” she sniffs. “You were a jerk.”

  “But you love me anyway,” Dante tells her, rubbing at his arm. She smiles up at him.

  “That’s because you’re not normally a jerk,” she clarifies. Dante is still rubbing his arm.

  Gavin looks at me. “Was that all you remembered?”

  And I think he’s really asking, Do you remember anything about me?

  I nod. “That’s all. But I think it’s good. A memory came back. So that means that they aren’t all gone forever. Maybe the rest will come back too.”

  And while everyone else seems encouraged, Gavin seems a little pensive. And I think I know why. He’s afraid that if I remember how I felt about him before, I’m not going to feel the same about him as I do right now.

  And that’s a very valid concern.

  I’m worried about the same thing, even while Quinn is staring at me from across the table with such a stormy dark expression. The sexual tension between him and I practically crackles and I want to leap over the table into his arms.

  And then Gavin casually lays his arm over the back of my chair and his thumb rubs circles lightly on my shoulder. I glance into his eyes and I find such kindness there, such pure friendship amidst the sparkling dark depths and I gulp.

  I don’t know what, or who, I want.

  I am a mess of utter, swirling confusion.

  At this point, I honestly don’t know if I want my old memories back or if I wish they’d stay gone forever.

  As I look around the table, at the laughing and friendly faces of my friends, I’m beginning to realize that my life is pretty good right now. I might not know what I want, but I’m pretty sure that I don’t want anything to change.