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“Delaney,” Aunt Faye chided. “Books-A-Plenty is not our enemy.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. It just has a better ring to it than ‘traitorous fellow independent bookstore.’” She winked at Brooklyn. “So, which was it, Mi?”
Mia turned back, grimacing. “For being a jerk. Only, I wasn’t expecting it, and tonight I was probably the one acting like a jerk.”
“Sounds like maybe youshouldgive him a call.” Del waggled her brows. “You know, to make things right and convince him to come here for a signing instead of B-A-P.”
Call him? Oh heck no. The last thing Mia needed in this crazy busy holiday season was extra drama in her life. Besides, handsome as ever or not, Alex Wellington could never be her Prince Charming.
“No thanks. I mean, I already agreed to forgive him.” Wasn’t that why he stopped by? To clear his conscience? “And as much as I’d love to, I don’t think it’d be right to steal Books-A-Plenty’s main act.”
Aunt Faye paused her price tag work. “Forgive me for asking, but what exactly happened all those years ago that could possibly still be haunting him? Please tell me he didn’t—”
“No,” Mia said, quick to push that thought from their minds. “Alex never did anything inappropriate. In fact, we got along great when we first met.”
Memories long forgotten of that first year in college washed over her. Her nervousness at being away from home for the first time. The thrill of freedom that distance had brought. The homesickness. The excitement.
The boys.
Oh, what a fool she’d been for going steady with Greg when she headed out that fall—campus was so full of relationship opportunities. But she’d fallen hard for him back in high school, and he for her. By the end of summer after her graduation, they were sharing dreams of a future together. Maybe he’d planted those seeds because he’d already had a year away at school and had seen what all was out there. She’d been so trusting and naïve back then. At times, she still was—a character flaw she’d been working to correct after finding Greg in an upstairs closet with his office assistant during an open house three years ago.
I really hope the future buyer had their carpets cleaned before moving in.
She shook her head, refocusing on Alex. Well, the pre-jerk version of him, anyway. “We met at a volunteer function the end of my first semester. He tagged along with Drew Owens; Robyn came with me. The four of us hit it off and spent a good deal of time together second semester. We’d have study sessions or go grab pizza and a movie. Robyn and Drew were soon dating; everyone knew I was already seeing Greg.
“Then Alex got a call from his mom just before spring break, saying his grandmother was gravely ill. He paled and dropped onto a nearby bench. I tried consoling him, even pulled him into a hug, trying to give him a little boost of strength. He’d clung to me for a moment, then mumbled a thanks and strode off. The next time I saw him, everything had changed.”
“Maybe you embarrassed him,” Brooklyn said with a shrug.
Not as much as he embarrassed me.“I’m not sure.”
“Did you try to talk to him?” Aunt Faye asked. “Ask him what was going on?”
“Yeah. I had to practically jog to catch up with him after class. Even then, he wouldn’t look at me or acknowledge my presence until I stepped in front of him. At first, I just wanted to make sure he was doing okay and offered to lend an ear because I’d been through something similar losing Mom. But he went off, furious that I dared to suggest I knew what he was going through.”
The memory continued to play out in her mind.
“But I care about you, Alex.”
“Really? Did it ever occur to you that maybe you care a little too much?”
She’d recoiled, confused by the look of betrayal in his eyes. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You don’t know anything, Mia. My mistake for thinking some silly, small-town girl ever could.”
Even now, that comment still hurt. All she was trying to do was be kind—what was so horrible about that?
“Seriously?” Brooklyn asked, bringing Mia back to the here and now. “What a jerk.”
Del’s eyes narrowed. “Agreed. Please tell me you told him off.”
“Well, at first, I was shocked. And embarrassed. When his buddies started snickering, I said, ‘My mistake for thinking some rich, city kid actually had a heart,’ and hurried off to my dorm room.”
“Let me guess,” Aunt Faye said. “He didn’t chase after you.”
“Nope. Didn’t talk to me again the rest of the semester, either. Needless to say, I was glad to transfer to Grace College after my first year and not risk any more awkward encounters.”
Like tonight.
