Worth Fighting For (Hope Harbor Book 4)
Page 16
If Gigi was here for her approval, Mia was keen to give it. Anything to make Ryan happy after what he’d done for her. “You have a lot to do with that. I haven’t seen him this chilled out in ages.”
The older woman blushed.
“While you’re here, Gigi, I wonder, can we talk business? I was going to approach you anyway but time has gotten away from me. I wondered if you’d be interested in displaying any of your paintings in the shop? I’d like to sell them and use them in my renovations too, of course. You don’t have to say yes. I know you have an agent in New York who sells your work so please don’t feel pressured to deal with me if you don’t want to.”
Gigi held a hand to her throat. “Well, that’s very kind of you. Are you sure you want to display them? They’re not exactly cheap and that’s one reason I didn’t say yes when you first mentioned it. I’d hate to put that pressure on you.”
Mia put down her mug and perched on a stool. “I actually had a thought about that too. Remember how I asked you if you’d ever thought of putting any of your work to print? I’d like to discuss that now if you don’t mind. Limited edition, of course. They’d sell much easier because of the price point but still, I have customers who’d be more than willing to spend big money to own one of your originals.”
Gigi accepted the cup Mia held out. “Thank you. I hadn’t thought of that until you mentioned it over dinner that night. It’s certainly worth thinking about. Perhaps I should chat more to Atticus and Ryan about it. Possibly run it past my agent too. See what the best way to go about it would be.” She sipped her coffee. “I like talking to you, Mia. You have some wonderful ideas.”
That was praise she was willing to take. Especially from such a well-known artist. “Thanks. Come downstairs and have a look at some of my favorite pieces. Bring your coffee. I was just unpacking when you arrived.”
Together they headed back down to the store and Mia pulled out some of the one off designs she’d purchased from an Italian glass blower. She held up a hanging piece and took it into the light near the window to show it off at its best. The colors floated over the wall as it moved in the sunlight.
“What do you think?”
Gigi stepped closer. “That is superb. I love it.”
Mia smiled. It’d been a big risk spending so much money on these designs but she thought they’d still sell regardless of price to the right person. “Thanks. I’m trying to get a good mix of styles and prices to suit everyone’s budget. Not always an easy thing to do, but I’m sure it’ll work out.”
“I’m sure it will. Things have a way of doing that. And often for the better too.”
“You think so? I was quite shocked when Ryan said he was quitting and moving here, but I didn’t blame him in the least. More than anything, I think I was more concerned that he would miss the city.”
“But he doesn’t.”
“No. It would seem that he’s found his feet, and I’m glad.”
Gigi held her coffee and wandered around the room. “It can be a shock after living in a city, but once you find your groove, Hope Island a wonderful place to be. Just like when I came to the island—I’m sure you know the story. When his wife passed, poor Atticus was left with four toddlers and newborn twins, so I rushed over here to help him raise the children. What a time that was. So much grief, so much pain to deal with, and little children who had no idea what was going on. But we all worked it out.”
“You seem to be very settled here. You don’t miss living in New York at all?” Mia put down the glass piece on her recycled table that she’d earmarked for the shop register.
“Not in the slightest. We have the children and I wouldn’t change that for the world.”
“You don’t regret not having your own family? Getting married?”
“No, I don’t. As far as I’m concerned, they’re all my children too. I may not’ve given birth to them, but that makes no difference. I held them when they cried, patched them up when they skinned their knees, and corrected them when they misbehaved. I still do, as much as they might not like it. I did everything their mother would’ve done except carry and give birth to them.” She smiled. “No, I’ve never regretted a thing.”
* * *
Matt was busy doing his accounts when he heard a knock on the back door.
“Matt, are you in here?” Mia’s voice drifted up the stairs to the attic.
“Up here.” He pushed away his books and made his way downstairs. “Everything okay?”
She peered up at him as he came down toward her. “Maybe. Yes. No. I don’t know.”
His heart pounded. “What’s wrong?” He reached for her as soon as he was close. “Tell me.”
“I’m an idiot.”
He grinned and shook his head. “I need more than that to go on. Why, what’ve you done?” He put his arm around her and walked her into the kitchen. “Sit down and tell me.”
She moved in his arms. “No. I need to say this and get it off my chest.” Mia paused, took a breath and started. “I had a visit from your aunt today. She made me see how silly I’ve been.”
“Really? How so?”
“We were talking about how Ryan is settling in well and I hope to do the same. You know, fit in with the islanders and make a life.” She dropped her lashes down. “She told me about how she raised you and your brothers and sister. How she didn’t mind not having her own life and it got me to thinking.”
“Hmm, don’t stop there.” He was intrigued. Could this be a turning point for their relationship?
She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “You were right about there being other ways. I just couldn’t see it. Maybe I didn’t want to. I don’t know.”
“Oh, Mia. There’s always more than one way to deal with things. Does that mean you want to try us?” He held his breath, hope fluttering in his chest like a butterfly trying to break free from its cocoon.
She frowned. “That depends on a couple of things. Do you still want children?”
“If we can, yes, but I’m in no hurry.”
“April said something that made me think too. Drew didn’t care if they had a child or not. He was happy with Leo and Tilly.”
“He is. He adores them. We all do. If this is you worrying about me having children of my own, don’t. I don’t care if we adopt, foster or use another method. IVF is so incredible these days. The leaps and bounds they’ve made in the last ten years are fantastic.”
“You’d consider that?”
“Of course I would. I’d try anything you wanted. You could carry a child using a donor egg if you wanted to. It’s getting easier and easier to screen for birth defects and genetic anomalies too, so we have options, Mia. Lots of options. All I ask is that you give us a chance and the baby can come later if that’s how it works out. If it doesn’t, I’ll still have you.”
“You say the sweetest things.”
He kissed her forehead. “You’re the most important thing to me. Don’t ever forget that, okay?” Matt wrapped her in his arms.
“I can’t believe I almost blew it for us. What an idiot I was for trying to keep us as just friends.”
He laughed, relief at finally getting his girl giving him a heady feeling. “Sweetheart, anything you want in life is worth fighting for, but we all have our own way of doing things. I wasn’t about to push you into something you weren’t sure of. You had to come around in your own time.”
Mia threaded her arms around his neck. “You’re the sweetest man on the planet, Matt Hope. I love you so much.”
“Love you more.” Matt dropped his lips to hers.
The End
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