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Chapter 27
Andre
Ten days. It had been ten strenuous days since he’d been with Mia. It wasn’t even just the sex he missed, but her presence and conversation. She had stopped running in the morning. She’d turned him away day after day. The distance between them was widening. His chest ached, like a weight had settled on top of it, getting heavier by the day.
Something was wrong. He ran a hand over his head and let out a frustrated sigh. What could it be?
Panic stole his breath. Could Mia be pregnant? Did she think he’d be angry? Was she not going to keep it? Maybe she didn’t need space, but she was just waiting for him to tell her he wanted more. God, he’d been blind. He needed to tell her. The thought of having to live life without her made him sick.
Shit, he loved her!
He’d thought he knew what love was, but he’d been wrong. Nothing compared to how he felt about Mia.
Pressing down on the gas, he sped home from work. Her studio was almost done, Tom was back to work, and everything was right on track. It was time he and Mia were too.
He pulled into her driveway, next to a gray Mercedes with California plates. He walked over to Mia’s with a treat from Remy’s café. When he got to the door, he took a deep breath and knocked. Soft steps padded towards him before her silhouette came into view. She opened it and his heart raced. Mia’s eyes flashed to his, seeming hesitant. Her hair was pulled back into a sloppy bun, and she had bags under her eyes. She looked exhausted.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asked.
Mia nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She didn’t budge from the door.
Ask me in.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
She sighed and rubbed her hand over her face. “I have a headache, so maybe some other time.”
“Okay. Sure. Do you need anything?”
Her eyes flashed with some unnamed emotion before she looked away, squeezing the flesh between her eyes over her nose. “I’m good.”
Andre held out the bag of pastries. “For when you feel better.”
The corner of her lip quirked just the tiniest bit before it was gone so fast he wondered if he’d imagined it.
“Thank you, for everything.”
Why did it feel like she meant a lot more than scones? “See you later.”
“Bye,” she said before closing the door.
He turned around and walked over to his house, the weight still bearing down on his shoulders. He needed a shower. He ran up the stairs and to his room where he tore off his clothes.
Movement from the window caught his attention. Pulling back the curtain, he could see more clearly. A dark-haired man sat on Mia’s back porch right next to her. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. His fists clenched. Was she sleeping with him? No. She wouldn’t be with someone else. They’d agreed to be exclusive. A whisper of doubt crept into his mind. Would she lie to him? Was this Mia’s way of saying it was over?
Fuck.
He went to the bathroom and switched the shower on. Stepping into the water, he didn’t even bother to wait until it was warm. Mia wouldn’t betray him like that. But what is that guy doing there if she has a headache? She was from California, so maybe he was just a friend visiting. So, why wouldn’t she say that?
After giving himself a quick scrub, he shut it off. He dried and hurriedly pulled on a shirt and a clean pair of jeans, not bothering with boxers. Slipping a pair of sliders on, he walked back to Mia’s, unsure of what he would be walking into. But he needed some answers.
He knocked and waited.
Mia opened the door just enough to peek her head out. “Andre?”
“I know you said you were busy, but I need to talk to you about something. Can I come in?”
She hesitated, looking over her shoulder and then back to him while biting her lip. She still doesn’t fully trust me. What could he do to help her? He’d shown her the most scarred pieces of himself, laying it all bare. Why couldn’t she do the same?
