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CHAPTER8
Stone
Mia broke up with me.She never actually said the words, but ever since that day Jeremy caught us together on the beach, she hasn't answered my calls or opened the door to me—no matter how much I shout, begging her to let me in.
She's barely set foot outside the house, no doubt because I'm sitting on my porch staring over at her house like a maniac.
I can only assume Trixie is going to the bathroom on those little training pads because Mia knows she'll run over here to me as soon as she lets the dog out. Hell, I miss the little pup almost as much as I miss Mia. She's like my dog too. We're a family—Mia, Trixie, and me—or I thought we were.
The moment I jumped away from Mia and made excuses to her brother, I knew I fucked up. It felt like a sleazy thing to do, and I'm still kicking myself in the ass.
I should have pulled her closer and told him what she meant to me.I'm sure that's why she refuses to talk to me. She thinks I chose her brother over her, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Hell, I don't want to choose at all, but if I have to, I'll choose Mia. My woman. Always. Nothing compares to her.
I was so desperate to have a family that I put my relationship with Jeremy on a pedestal. Yeah, he’s like a brother to me, but I can't let that stop me from creating my own family with Mia.Jeremy is more than welcome to be a part of it. I want him to be, but if he can't deal with Mia and me being together, so be it. I need Mia like I need air to breathe. I have to make her understand that somehow.
That's why I'm sitting on my porch again, staring at her house. She has to come out sooner or later.I know her mail has been piling up, and she'll have to check it soon to see if she's gotten any correspondence from that design school. I wasn't lying to her when I said her designs were good and I believed in her. I'm not a fashion guru, but her designs are outstanding, and I could see the passion in her eyes when she talked about them.
I hope she's got the ball rolling on all that. I want her to chase her dreams and do what makes her happy.
I told her I'd fund her first fashion line. I've got enough money to make all her dreams come true if she lets me.
I sit forward in my chair like a dog perking up its ears when I see her front door finally open.
I'm already standing as Mia steps out, ready to go over there and pour my heart on the ground for her, when a fluffy ball of cinnamon comes zooming around her, fast as lightning.
"Trixie!" Mia screams as the dog comes racing across the yard to me.
Just then, I hear the squealing of tires and look to my right to see a car skidding off the road to avoid hitting another car that swerved into its lane.
My eyes flick back over to the cinnamon-colored fur ball still racing toward me. I act without thinking and run over to meet the pup, grabbing her up in my arms as I roll us out of the path of the oncoming vehicle.
I hear Mia's screams over the screeching of tires as I land on my back with an oomph.
Trixie's wet little tongue licks all over my face, and I don't know if she's saying thank you for saving her from imminent danger or if she's just happy to see me. I would guess it's the latter since she seems nothing but overjoyed. I don't think she even realizes the danger she just put herself in.
Then next moment, Mia is bending over us, tears streaming down her face as she sobs. "Oh, my God. Are you two okay?" She runs one hand all over Trixie's fur while stroking my face frantically with the other, her eyes flicking over me, checking me for injury.
"Stone," she chokes out my name.
"I'm okay, sweetheart," I promise her. "And Trixie is fine too."
I work to soothe her. She's in hysterics, and for a good reason. The driver of the vehicle gets out to check on us, relieved to see everyone is okay. He apologizes profusely for swerving into my yard, but I assure him I understand and that no harm was done. He did what he thought he had to do to avoid a collision when the other driver swerved into his lane.
Mia is still crying, her eyes red-rimmed as she holds Trixie close. She nuzzles her face into the pup's fur as if she were her child. I understand the sentiment. Trixie is like our baby. I didn't even hesitate to put myself in harm's way for that little pup, and I'd do it all over again. My heart clenches at the thought of anything happening to Mia or Trixie.
It suddenly hits me what a great mother Mia would make.
Jeremy's voice breaks into my thoughts when I hear him calling out for his sister. A car door slams and he comes rushing over. Before he reaches us, I sit up and grab the back of Mia's neck, pulling her to me for a kiss. I'm conscious her brother is watching, so I keep it PG-13 as I stake my claim on his sister.
When I pull back, Mia looks at me with wide eyes.
"I love you, Mia. I've been dying to tell you that for days, but you wouldn't come out to see me."
Tears shimmer in her eyes. "I love you too, Stone. I'm sorry. So sorry. But I didn't want to come between you and my brother."
Jeremy is gawking down at us. "What the hell is all this?" He waves a hand between Mia and me.
I stand up and pull Mia next to me, wrapping my arm around her while she holds onto her little pup. Straightening my shoulders, I look my best friend in the eye and tell him the truth that's been burning in me for weeks. "I love your sister, Jeremy, and I intend to marry her. If she'll have me, that is." I look down at Mia.
