AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I didn’t have time to investigate all the drawers, so I just grabbed my yellow-striped linen dress.
Someone ironed my dress. Really? All while I slept? That’s kinda creepy.
Hopefully adding my rhinestone-encrusted flats to the dress would be nice enough for dinner. I ran my brush through my tangled hair then quickly walked down the stairs to find the dining room. I could hear muted conversations, so I quietly entered the room they were coming from.
The intricate mahogany dining table was impressive, and the heavy burgundy fabric on the upholstery reminded me of a museum. Gold-framed paintings graced the walls. A gold vase half my size filled with fresh flowers stood in the middle of the table, thankfully blocking their view of me and giving me time to catch my breath and relax.
Breathe in, breathe out….breathe in, breathe out. Time to meet the husband. I hope. Victoria never said he would be here. Hmmm.
I stepped closer to the voices, only to stop abruptly, staring in shock.
“Starbucks Hero?” I blurted out, forgetting where I was for the moment.
He froze, drink midway to his mouth. He looked like a deer in headlights, like he had no idea where he was. Then he flashed a crooked smile at me, and I traced his lips with my gaze. He was going to be trouble. I was here to meet my husband. What crazy luck to run into him twice in one day.
“Sequin Girl,” he finally said. “Did you follow me?”
I swallowed. “You think I followed you? You don’t mean…”
“I meant you found me.”
“Found you? I didn’t …”
“No, I mean…
I bit my lip. “I don’t understand.”
“No, me either.” He exhaled, stood, and walked closer. “Hello.” He smiled ear to ear, extending his hand. “I’m Parker. Nice to see you again.”
The jolt of butterflies his simple touch gave me was completely unexpected.
“Mia,” I said unable to put more words together at that moment.
“Mia.”
Hearing my name from a distance, I looked around the room and met two sets of curious eyes. We were being watched. Still, I didn’t move.
“Mia,” Victoria repeated. “I’m happy to see you made it down to dinner. Diana said you were resting, so we weren’t sure you would make it. I see you’ve also met my son Parker.”
Confusion still clouding my thoughts, I lowered myself into the nearest chair.
“Well, yes, we met in Grand Central this morning over coffee. In the most bizarre way,” he said before I could think straight to answer.
I blushed. He caught my embarrassment and coughed into his hand. From the way his eyes twinkled, I knew he was trying not to laugh. For some reason, that was all I needed to think clearer.
An older gentleman exchanged looks of amusement with Victoria.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, “I’m Mia, and you must be Mr….”
“Just call me Henry, dear,” he said. “Please, sit and tell us how you two met.”
“Yes, Mia,” Victoria said smiling. “This sounds like an amusing story.”
“Well,” I said, taking a seat where I saw an additional place setting. “You could look at it that way. I was in line at Starbucks. I remembered I needed to call my sister, and I’d tossed my cell in my bag in a hurry earlier on. I’d planned to get it out after I got my tea, but it started ringing, so I bent over to captain cook in my bag for it and my hair caught in the sequins.
“Hence, Sequin Girl,” Parker said, looking all too pleased.
“Parker was kind enough to help me get unstuck,” I said, blushing slightly. “It was so embarrassing.”
