“I was captain for sure.”
“I should have known you’d be the type who wanted to be called Captain.”
Mia’s jaw drops. “Hey, it was the title the school used, I didn’t pick it. What were you, the arrogant type who leaned into being president?”
I swear I get a hit of dopamine from the pure readiness to argue shown all over her face. Sliding my phone out of my pocket, I pull up my list of things I didn’t want to forget to talk about for the party then hand it over to her. “Here, why don’t you take point on these?”
Mia’s shoulders relax as she grabs my phone. “I didn’t expect you to be the debate club type.”
“I’m not,” I clip, then try to soften my tone a bit. “Wasn’t exactly my favorite place. Preferred the red dirt and baseballs to arguing over topics. The experience comes in handy at times, though. I’m usually the go-to guy for press conferences, and sometimes I get to use it with business owners to prove a point.”
Mia looks up at me with a smalltskbefore writing down a few things on her own notepad.
I hoped the hint of a Callie ramble was a good enough recovery. I didn’t intend to come off rude, but I’d rather not go into that history. I took a few punches to the ribs then got signed up for four different clubs by my father in order to overrun my time so I couldn’t make baseball practice.
I live to spite that man so much that I did every school club he put me in to the best of my ability, then put everything else into baseball.
Mia’s eyes look me over cautiously. “Maybe Jensen’s teddy bear comment is true after all.”
I let out my breath.Her what?“I’m sorry, teddy bear?”
She looks back at my phone then shrugs. “When she said you were wanting to plan this party, I said you seemed super serious. Which I still stand by, by the way, but Jensen said you have this teddy bear side to you, too.”
“Mia, I’m dead serious when I say this, I’m going to need you to tell Beck she said that next time he comes in.”
Mia shakes her head. “I knew you were too serious. There’s no need to add dying to the mix.”
Hell, this is fun. That feeling of wanting to punch Beck has shifted into wanting to thank him. I can’t say for what yet, but there’s this feeling of gratitude sitting in my chest, and not just with Beck, but every man who’s struck out with the woman sitting across from me.
“I think you misplaced my seriousness. I can take things very seriously and like things done a certain way?—”
“But you’re also a teddy bear that wants to plan a limitless party for his sister.”
I know she’s teasing me, but I’m still liking it.
“You could say it’s a bit of making things up to her—” I meet Mia’s curious eyes as the mood takes a bit of a shift. “Can’t say I was always there for her when she needed me.”
Mia’s head tilts with a smirk. “I’ve waited on Callie several times, Adam. Something tells me she’s not one to require a knight in shining armor. Even if she has one now.”
I hear her, I do, but she doesn’t know what we went through. “Also doesn’t mean she didn’t deserve one. Plus, Jensen assured me you were the best person to help run this. So, here we are.”
Mia picks up her pen with this smile on her face. “Well, she’s not wrong.”
“Seems that way to me.”
Her eyes lock on to mine. “Hold on to that thought, we’re just getting started.”
I couldn’t agree more. Shuffling in my seat, I cross an ankle over my knee and hold out a hand for her to kick us off.
I can physically see the shift from this flirty, playful Mia back to this powerful woman, completely in control of everything around her.
“Here’s what I’m thinking. Since you’re renting the whole place for a large number of people—we don’t want it to feel like two different parties.”
“Agreed. Both bars need to be open so they don’t get overwhelmed.”
“Not a problem. Do you want a specific drink menu or full open bar?”
“Drink menu. Callie loves specialties and wine, but Will doesn’t drink so we’ll need nonalcoholic options, too.”
