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“Oh, um, Mrs. Gonzalez, she lives next door,” she pointed to the wall and I gave her a curt nod in understanding. “Well, she normally watches Miles when I work in the evenings but she has to have surgery and is going to stay with her sister while she recovers. Maybe Liz’s parents can watch him, although I hate to ask.” She gnawed on her lower lip, saying the last part to herself more than me.
“I can watch him.”
Mia wasn’t good at hiding her feelings, it was clear that she was surprised and doubtful at my offer. “Um, I’m not sure. You aren’t too busy?”
“Mia,” I closed the distance between us, pulling her hair over her shoulder so that I could wrap it around my fingers. “I’ve spent every night since I first saw you at that damn bar keeping an eye on you. Does it seem like I’m too busy to help you out? That I wouldn’t crawl over broken glass just to make your life a little easier?”
Her breathing sped up, that tempting bit of cleavage brushing against me with her inhalations. “Besides,” I continued, not giving her enough time to answer. “Miles is fun to hang out with. I’ll come to the restaurant tomorrow and keep him company while you work.”
“Okay,” Mia whispered, lashes fluttering as she blinked rapidly. I liked knowing I’d solved another problem for her. It felt similar to when I’d fixed the sink and the fridge, but better. I may not be able to keep her but I could help ease her burdens. Both of theirs. Because I wasn’t lying when I said I liked Miles. He fell under my protection just as much as Mia did.
“Thank you for dinner,” I lowered my lips to her cheek, letting the warmth of her smooth skin seep into me. “Goodnight, angel. Lock the door behind me and don’t forget the slider, too.”
I didn’t want to remind her about the back door, but it was for the best. The darkness rolled inside of me, angry that I was preventing him from coming back when they were asleep. And that’s exactly why I needed to do it.
* * *
MIA
I lay in bed turning my locket over in my fingers and thinking about what Gage had told me.
It was a heartbreaking story and I couldn’t believe how similar our backgrounds were. Not that he knew mine. I’d spent the years since Miles was born avoiding the topic altogether. Yet, as I lay here in the dark unable to sleep, I found myself wanting to confide in him, to share what I’d kept hidden all these years.
Deep in my soul, I knew that I could trust him, that he wouldn’t break my confidence. But it wasn’t just my secret to tell, Miles was getting older and though it wasn’t often, he did ask about his father, about grandparents, aunts, uncles. It was getting harder to lie to him and I knew the day was coming that we’d have to sit down and discuss it.
Maybe…maybe I wouldn’t have to have that conversation alone. If things worked out with Gage, he could be there to support both of us. The thought was nice after years of parenting solo.
I was tired, exhausted from having no one to lean on when the hard days came. Ninety percent of the time I had no idea what I was doing and having someone to support and comfort me sounded amazing. Turning on my side I stared at the window, the curtains were closed but I could feel his presence out there. When I finally drifted off to sleep, my hand wrapped tight around my necklace, I asked for direction from the one person who’d always been there for me, knowing I wouldn’t get an answer.
17
MIA
The bar was busy, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off my favorite table.
Miles was devouring a hamburger, something I’d never been able to convince him to try before tonight. When he’d found out that Gage was having one, he’d immediately asked for the same. I’d lost track of how many times I’d heard my son’s laughter from across the room. Even Gage had chuckled a time or two, their happiness bringing a smile to my face.
It had been like this for a week. Mrs. Gonzalez’s surgery had gone well, I checked on her every day while she was recovering at her sister’s. Gage would pick us up each night and drive us to the restaurant, keeping an eye on Miles while I worked. Then he’d drive us home and leave me standing alone in my living room with a chaste kiss on the cheek.
I’d never been so horny in my life. He was amazing, stepping in when I truly needed help and that was an aphrodisiac to my neglected lady parts. I knew he was still interested, which made his resistance even more frustrating. He’d openly stare at my legs, my breasts, I’d even caught him watching my ass when I walked away from the table. He didn’t try to hide when he’d adjust the huge bulge in his pants as he walked out my door each night.
“How do you tell a man that you want to take things to the next level?” I asked Liz while we waited for Bear to fill our drink orders.
“What level are we talking here? Dating, marriage or bump your parts against mine until I see stars?”
“Jesus, Liz. I don’t want to hear this shit.” Bear dropped two pint glasses onto Liz’s tray and moved as far away from us as possible. A feminine giggle followed his retreat and I leaned forward to see Jo sitting on a barstool behind Liz and snorting into her water glass.
Liz twisted to look over her shoulder, “Hey, Jo! Hop in on this conversation. Mia wants to know how to handle that sexy but terrifying piece of man meat over there and I’ve got to deliver these drinks.” I felt my entire body heat with embarrassment.
“You don’t have to,” I said quickly. “Liz has no secrets, even when they aren’t her own to tell.” I laughed nervously, trying to find a way out of this situation she’d left me in.
“I’ve got time,” Jo scooted onto the barstool next to where I was standing, bringing her water with her. “And for the record, I’m an excellent secret keeper. For instance, I’ve never told another soul about what Winnie did the first day of middle school.”
“What did she do?”
“Ah, ah, ah” she waggled her finger at me. “Nice try. Lay your problems on me, Red. Maybe I can help.”
Chewing on my lip, my eyes drifted to where Gage and Miles were bent over the table, heads close together as Gage read to my son from a Pokémon book. I needed help figuring out how to seduce a Marine with a squishy, soft inside and I wasn’t about to refuse it from someone who was offering.
