AllFreeNovel
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Fall is my favorite season.This morning, as my steps crunch over dry leaves on the sidewalk on my way to my new art gallery, I snuggle into my softest cashmere scarf and sip my delicious sugar-filled coffee. The air is crisp, the trees are a riot of color, and I get to wear ankle boots and layers of cute clothes. What else could a girl want?
Happiness warms me from within. Life couldn’t be better right now.
Then I see Mia’s face.
She hasn’t spotted me yet, so I get a few seconds to observe her peering through the windows of her own barbershop, eyes narrowed, gigantic purse clutched in both hands. Her shoulders are tense and her knuckles are white, and I can already tell that Something Happened.
“Hey, neighbor.”
She jumps, a hand flying to her chest. “Oh. Georgia. Hi.”
“Is everything okay? You look stressed.”
“Everything is a disaster. I’m beyond stressed.” She closes her eyes. “I sound like Bailey. I’m sorry; everything’s fine. I’m just being dramatic.”
Hmm. I haven’t known Mia for very long, but she’s not someone I’d call dramatic. Time to get my CIA on and probe her for information. “How was your date last night? I’m sensing you didn’t get lucky.”
Mia’s face darkens. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Definitely didn’t get lucky, then.” I tap my lip with my index finger. “What was his issue? Was he not attractive? Did he give you weird, creepy vibes? Did he talk about his mother the entire time?” I wrinkle my nose. “I once had a guy call his motherduringthe date so he could tell her how it was going. He literally recapped our entire conversation with me sitting right across from him. It was horrifying.”
Mia lets out a little chuckle, then shakes her head. “Georgia—” She stops herself, smoothing a hand over her head and tucking a few flyaways back into her ponytail. Her eyes dart to the barbershop then back to me. “My date wasDes.”
If she’d told me her date was with the President, I couldn’t have been more shocked. We stare at each other for a minute. I blink. She blinks. Then I lean in and say, “The guy from the app?” Why am I whispering? Why is my heart thumping?
Mia nods, cheeks flushing. Her jaw clenches and fire sparks in her gaze. “And he knew it was me.”
I slap a hand across my mouth. “No.”
“Yes.”
“Holy crap. Is he still alive? Did you stab him with the stem of a wine glass after smashing it over his head?”
Her lips tremble, wanting to smile, but her eyes are glassy. “Where were you last night? I could have used the inspiration.” Mia’s voice is wry, but there’s an edge of hurt around the edges. “No. I…basically just went home.”
Basically. I wonder what that means, exactly.
I nod to my gallery. “You have time to chat about it for a few minutes? I could call the girls, see if they’re free.”
Mia sighs and shakes her head. “I have a full day of bookings today,” she says. “Which I should be happy about, but really it’s just making me more tense. Maybe this is for the best. I really don’t have time to date.”
“I’ll come by in an hour or so with a coffee from Four Cups,” I tell her. I hesitate, then say, “And I won’t tell the girls if you don’t want me to.”
She meets my gaze with stormy blue eyes and dips her chin in a slight nod. “Thanks. I need a bit of time to think.”
“Okay.”
Mia smiles, then seems to gather her courage to finally enter her barbershop. I take a quick peek inside, but there’s no evidence of our large (lying bastard of a) landlord anywhere in sight.
“Whatcha doin’ there, Sweet Peach?”
I jump at the sound of my husband’s voice. His hands slide over my hips, and he presses a kiss to the back of my neck.
Even within the confines of my own mind, calling Sebastian my husband sends little trickles of warmth and happiness buzzing through my body. It took twenty-five years, but I finally feel like I’ve found my way home—to him.
“Or should I call you Peeping Tom?”
Laughing, I spin in his arms. “Quiet, you.”
