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“You have your pick. Iordered one slice of everything. Ididn’t know what you’d like, and I seem to recall you enjoying a wide variety of foods this morning.” His teasing grin warmed her heart. “What can I get you?”
“Surprise me with a slice and a little salad on the side.”
Brand delivered her plate and Mia reached for the two beers sitting on the bedside table. Handing Brand one of the glass bottles, she twisted the lid off the other and took a long swallow. She could only hope it dulled the throbbing.
While she dug into her pizza, Brand walked over to the gas fireplace tucked away in the corner and flipped the switch. Blue flames leapt to life and warmth flooded the room. How had she missedthat?
“Mind if I sit with you while you eat?” he asked. “Talk a little?”
“Not at all.” She took another generous bite of pizza and patted the mattress. “After all, it is your bed.”
With her encouragement, he returned and took up far more than his fair share of the mattress. Then he arranged a few of the pillows under her bad leg to support it. Angled so he could look at her while he spoke, he rested his arm on his bent knee and leaned against the footboard.
“What made you pick the pizza slice with sundried tomatoes and black olives?” she asked, genuinely curious.
“You look like someone who would enjoy depth in her flavors. The sweet tang that comes from the sundried tomatoes. The bite of salt from the olives. Some people get hung up on the traditional and the appearance of what things ought to be. You strike me as the type who goes beyond the superficial. That meant sundried tomatoes and olives smothered in mozzarella and Romano cheese.”
She acknowledged the compliment with a smile, the analogy both unexpected and flattering. “It’s wonderful. Thank you.”
Mia allowed a companionable silence to carry them for a few moments while she finished her pizza and tackled the salad before setting her plate on the bedside table. She reclined back against the pillows behind her, facing Brand, and took another long swallow ofbeer.
Time to ask the serious questions.
Chapter8
“Tell meabout your evening with Toni. How did it go? Is she okay now?”
“I’m really sorry she reacted so…” He frowned, clearly searching for a word that would adequately describe the meltdown from earlier that afternoon. He settled for, “Badly. Really, really badly.”
Mia gave an easy shrug, grateful for the talk she’d had with Anna before Brand returned home. It helped guide her words. “Toni’s only five. Iget it. Icame here to see if I could help, Brand. Ihave no expectations of it being easy. Besides, your daughter didn’t say anything untrue. I’m not hermamma. I’m just sorry she’s in a situation where she’s experienced so much trauma in her short life. Been there, done that.”
Brand shook his head. “Sweetie, you amaze me.”
“This isn’t about me.” Still, the complement warmed her. “Seriously, how upset is she?”
“A bit. We talked about the situation over dinner. Or at least I talked and she stuck out her bottom lip and glared. She needs a bit of time to come around, especially since she thinks we’re planning to replace her with a baby because she’s broken.”
Mia straightened at that. “Oh, no. You told her that wasn’t happening, yes?”
“Of course.”
“Where did she get such a crazy idea?”
Brand sighed. “From a school friend. An issue I plan to address after the holidays. Regardless of how it came about, that’s her fear, erroneous as it is.” He shook his head. “I should have prepared her better. Iblame myself entirely for this afternoon.”
“She didn’t know you were going to the Cinderella Ball?” Mia asked gently.
“No.”
That single harsh word gave her a better understanding of the shock that must have rocked Toni’s world. Frankly, when she imagined herself in the little girl’s position, Mia had gotten off easy. Anger and tears were minor in comparison to what could have happened.
“Why, Brand?” Her soft question had him twisting his wedding ring. Did he find it an uncomfortable weight? Abitter reminder? Or by some miracle, anew beginning? She reached for him, taking his left hand in hers. “Brand?”
His gaze lifted and fixed on her, honesty mingling with pain. “I wasn’t sure I would find anyone suitable at the Cinderella Ball, and I didn’t want to get Toni’s hopes up. She’s already been through so much. Then, Imet you, and it seemed … right.”
“I hope so. Ireally do, because she’s precious, your little one,” she offered. “I’ll give her my best, Ipromise, but I’ll also tread carefully with her.” And hope like hell that Soren didn’t discover her connection to Carina.
“Thank you, Mia.”
