Chapter Twenty-Four

Mia

“Hey,” I said, walking to where my mom was waiting for me by a fountain on the edge of the park.

“You look nice,” she commented.

“Thank you.”

“Are you ready?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yep. I’m glad I get to mix work with pleasure.”

She giggled. “I don’t know how you consider going to fashion shows work at all. You’re actually getting paid to do this?” she asked.

I shrugged. “It’s research. This designer is relatively new. Helga loves to find the next best thing. She trusts me to be honest and fair. Some columnists are just rude and obnoxious and won’t give the newcomers a shot. So, she sends me.”

My mom smiled, a proud look on her face. “Good. I’m glad you can be fair. Now, let’s hurry up so we get good seats.”

I laughed. “Mom, I was invited to the show. Our seats are in the front row. No one will be taking them.”

“Oh, I forgot I was with fashion royalty. Lead the way, please.”

I chuckled as we walked into the park, following the signs that pointed us in the direction of the outdoor fashion show. I was quickly recognized by the young designer, who personally escorted us to our seats.

“She was nice,” my mom commented.

I nodded. “Yes, she was. I hope her stuff is good.”

“Me too. I brought my credit card.”

“You know you have to order the stuff, right? We can’t take anything home,” I told her.

“I know, I know. I’ve been to a show before.”

I laughed at her irritation. Thankfully, the show got off to a quick start. I was thoroughly impressed by what I saw, and I even ordered one of the dresses. My mother ended up ordering two, much to the young designer’s delight.

“Want to grab some lunch?” I asked her as we casually strolled out of the park.

“Of course.”

We were waiting for our meals to be served when she finally broached the subject I knew she’d been dying to discuss. “Have you talked to him yet?” she asked.

I knew exactly who she was talking about. “Yes.”

“And? Did you work things out? Are you friends again?”

I smiled. “Yes. I’m going to go see him.”

My mother’s eyes widened as she burst into laughter. “I knew it! I knew you two were right for each other. You’ve always had undeniable chemistry.”

“I don’t know about any of that. He left me his apartment key before he left that morning. I can’t believe he did, because I was pretty awful to him.”

“I can believe it. He loves you.”

“Mom, he doesn’t. We are not even close to any of that,” I said, shaking my head in denial. “He just doesn’t want to get old and be alone.”

She winked. “If you say so.”

“I’m going to go out there. I’ve only been a couple times, and it will be nice to see the California sun.”

She giggled. “And the California hunk. I’ve always wanted to retire to California. If you move out there, I’ll have the perfect reason to do just that.”

“No, no, no. I’m not thinking about moving. I’m visiting.”

She smiled and nodded. “You do what feels right. Don’t let me or your job stop you from finding true happiness. If he is what makes you happy, you go to him. You can get a job anywhere, and I’m portable. I can visit. Or, seriously, retiring to a warm beach really does sound appealing.”

“Mom, you love the city. So do I.”

“Los Angeles isn’t exactly a one-horse town, dear.”

I sighed. “I know, but it’s not the same.”

“It isn’t supposed to be.”

We chatted about what outfits I would take on my trip and about her business. She was considering opening a second store, which surprised me. I had never truly understood how in demand her boutique was. I was happy for her. She deserved every bit of happiness and success after what she had lived through. I knew she took none of it for granted.

“Let’s get you something fun for your trip. I feel like shopping,” my mom announced when we were through with lunch.

I laughed. “Mom, you’ve seen my closet. I have plenty of clothes.”

She shook her head. “No, you have New York clothes. You need California clothes. It’s going to be much warmer. You need to get a spray tan as well. And some new underthings,” she said with a wink.

“Mom!”

“Oh, please. I’m not that old. You deserve some fun in your life. I’m not judging you. Brad is a good man. You can let go with him. Relax and have some fun!”

Somehow, I let her talk me into shopping for a new wardrobe for my trip out west. She claimed my clothes were too fancy for a laid-back vacation on the beach. She did have a point. I didn’t get to the beach all that often and tended to keep it business casual when I did. She helped me pick out a few pieces of lingerie that she insisted were classy and sexy. I didn’t mention the little number I had already sent him. My mother didn’t need all the details of my sex life. Some things were better left alone.

By the time I got home that evening, I was bubbling with excitement. I pulled out all my new outfits and headed for my closet to look for the right shoes and accessories. When my phone started to chime incessantly, I put away the clothes and sat down to focus on texting with Brad. That night, my dreams were of Brad, like every night.

The dreams varied but always ended up with us in his bed. I had envisioned this huge four-poster bed, and he would dominate me like he had when he had taken me to bed in my home. He was different than before in many ways, including sexually. The first time had been good, no doubt about it, but the new and improved Brad was all man. He knew what he wanted, and he demanded I give it to him. Even thinking about it made me horny. I liked the domineering Brad.

The days seemed to drag on. I had stopped texting Brad on Monday morning. It was kind of funny. He had gotten used to my nightly texts and then I’d pulled them away, just like he had to me right before he showed up at my office. I planned to surprise him. He knew I was coming but didn’t know when.

I had packed my bags last night. Now it was Tuesday, just before lunch, and I was climbing the walls.

“I thought you would have left already,” Helga said, walking into my office.

I shrugged. “I don’t fly out until tomorrow. Figured I better get in as much work as possible while I’m here.”

“You look like a caged cat. I can feel the energy vibrating off you. You’re making me antsy,” she said with a smile.

I took a deep breath. “I feel like a caged cat. I don’t know if I’m nervous or excited.”

“You’re very excited. I’m very excited for you. So is your mom.”

I nodded. “Yes, she is. I thought for sure she was going to go with me to make sure I followed through with it.”

Helga giggled. “Even I thought about doing that. This is your man, Mia. Don’t let him get away.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know if he is my man or not. I need to get to know him better. There are a lot of things standing between us and a relationship. If we aren’t one-hundred percent sure this will work, I don’t want to waste his time or mine.”

She waved a hand in the air and made a strangled sound. “Fabulous sex with a gorgeous man is not a waste of time.”

I could feel the blush spreading over my neck and face. I was not one to speak so openly of sex. It always made me a little uncomfortable, even when it was with the man I was having the sex with.

“You know what I mean. We’re both in our mid-thirties. We can’t spend a lot of time doing this back and forth, doing the maybe game. I want to know. If it’s right, I’m hoping there will be some kind of sign.”

She laughed. “I think the signs you speak of are only in fairy tales and the movies. You won’t get a lightning bolt, but I think you will just know.”

“I hope so. My biological clock is pounding in my head.”

Helga smiled. “You want children?”

I nodded. “I think so. I’ve never not wanted children; it just never happened. Now that I realize Brad could be my last chance at having a family, I feel this sense of urgency. But I don’t want that to be what drives me into his arms only to find out later we weren’t right for each other.”

“But you would have babies. That would make it worth it, right?”

I shrugged. “Maybe, but I want it all. I want the father of my children to be the love of my life. I’m probably being completely ridiculous. My mother raised me on too many fairy tales.”

She chuckled. “It’s good to have hopes and dreams. I hope he is that man, and I have a feeling he just may be—if you give him a chance.”

“Thank you, Helga. I will. I’m much more open to the idea than I was two weeks ago. Maybe a change of scenery will help me see things a bit more clearly. I had a bit of a knee-jerk reaction the first time around.”

She turned to walk out the door, then stopped and walked back into my office. “If you have to leave, I’ll understand. Don’t let me or this job hold you back. You are not obligated to work here forever. I want you to chase your happiness.”

Smiling, I thanked her again.

I tried to do some writing, but my head just wasn’t in it. All I could think about was seeing him. I smiled when I thought about the key he had left on my entryway table. When he left it, I didn’t think he expected me to actually use it. It was more of a gesture than an actual invitation to pop into his home whenever I felt like it.

Groaning aloud, I realized I wasn’t going to get any work done. I should just go home, take a long, hot bath, and pamper my skin. I wanted to look and feel good when I saw him tomorrow.

I said my good-byes as I walked out of the office. Once home, I rechecked my bag. I knew I had completely overpacked. I just wasn’t sure what to expect. Would he want to go out to a nice restaurant for dinner? Would we hang out on the beach all day? I went overboard and packed enough to last me a month. Thankfully, I was a skilled packer and could stuff a lot of clothes into a single suitcase. It was the shoes that were the problem. A girl could not get by with a single pair of shoes.

Once I stuffed as much as I could into the suitcase, I thought about Brad’s dilemma. I would kill the airline if they lost my suitcase. I decided I better be prepared and took a change of clothes and some emergency toiletries in my carry-on.

I took a bath, hoping it would help settle me down so I could get some sleep, but it was pointless. All I could think about was him. My stomach was a jumble of nerves. Would he be happy to see me? His texts said yes, but maybe he thought we were still just joking and flirting.

“Relax, Mia. If he doesn’t want you, you can go shopping on Rodeo Drive. It won’t be a completely wasted trip,” I mumbled into my pillow.