Mia gave a drowsy sigh and lay her head on his shoulder. After dinner, they’d spent some time going for a walk with Chloe and ended up back at his house on the front porch. He’d surprised her by showing off his new lounger that comfortably held the both of them. The bright-red cushions and dark-brown wicker were visually pleasing. She’d been noticing a few new items showing up in his bungalow in the past few weeks: A large, tropical pitcher he filled with water and fresh cucumbers and mint because he knew it was her favorite. Carved wood wind chimes that danced in the breeze, the beautiful sound drifting to his open bedroom during the night. An extra large bamboo pillow that mysteriously showed up when she’d confessed they were her favorite type to help her sleep.
She remembered the first time she entered the bungalow and found everything Spartan. Oh yes, there was basic furniture and appliances and a large bed, but nothing adorned the walls, and there was no sense of the person living there. It was as if Ethan were just a visitor.
Now, she loved the framed photos of his family that were propped up on the coffee tables, the canvas painting of horses running on the wall, and the floral wreath Ophelia had bought him for the front door. There was now a sense of home and permanency that hadn’t been there before.
And little by little, she was becoming a part of that scene. Belonging to him and his home more and more each day.
Mia tried not to analyze it too deeply, but it was getting harder. Because as each day slowly unfurled with him, her feelings were growing deeper.
If only she knew it was the same for him.
“I wanted to talk to you about something that happened at the diner today,” he said, his fingers lazily stroking her hair.
She gripped her wine glass and twisted slightly to look up at him. “Is Bea questioning our new marketing plan?”
“No, she’s enamored of you, just like the rest of the town. This is about Chloe. Seems Bea mentioned there was a group of four teens that ran out on the check and was causing trouble at her place. She described one of the girls as having purple hair and blue eyes.”
Dread pooled in her gut. “Wait—you said there were four? The friends I saw her with had two guys and a girl. The girl had hot-pink hair. The boys had buzzed-cut hair, dark eyes, kind of looked alike. Definitely older. Both looked a bit smarmy to me.”
“Ah, crap. Yeah, that’s exactly who Bea described. It must be Chloe and her friends. Unfortunately, it’s looking like they may have vandalized the barn, too.”
Mia groaned, half closing her eyes with anguish. “No, it can’t be! She’d never do anything to hurt the farm; she loves it here. What is going on? I think these kids are forcing her to do things she’s not comfortable with.”
“Me too. I’ve spent most of the summer with her. I can’t reconcile her acting out like that.”
“It makes more sense now. I remember when I suggested eating at the diner, she freaked out. And at the cupcake festival, when I mentioned Bea’s name. I wonder how long this has been going on. But graffiti and broken windows? Ethan, I just don’t know.”
“You gonna call Lake?”
She bit her lip. God knows, she had no right to keep this knowledge from Chloe’s father. He was owed the truth. But she wanted to talk to Chloe first. Just so she could hear her direct response. “I will. But first I want to tell her what we found out.”
“Good plan. Let me know if you need any help. I can talk to her, too.”
“Thanks.” She leaned into his warm strength, breathing in the comforting scent of cotton and man. “You’re different from what I expected, horse man.”
“Yeah? How so?”
“Besides my original assumption that you were an asshole?”
He laughed, tickling her slightly under the ribs. “Yeah, beyond that. Is it my expert prowess in bed you doubted?”
“I plead the Fifth.”
“I’ll make you talk about my abilities later.” His lips lifted in a half smirk. “Loudly.”
A shiver of excitement shot down her spine. She tried to refocus. “I thought you were cold. I never expected you’d care about Chloe or help broken horses or own such a big heart.”
His features softened, and those blue eyes warmed as his gaze delved deep. The familiar connection between them tightened, buzzed, sang. “You’re gonna get rewarded for that comment.”
She smiled, snuggling closer. “Oh goody.”
“You’re not the only who got surprised. The moment you walked up to my place, I figured you were a rich, snobby, stuck-up city girl who looked down on anyone who dared to live in a small town.”
“Oh.” She ducked her head so he couldn’t spot her emotions. Why did the words sting? Of course, she knew he’d made his own silly conjectures from their first meeting. Still, Mia never meant to put out such an aura. Her insecurities flared up. Did he still believe that? Was he just enjoying the physical pleasure of a female warming his bed for the summer with no respect for who she was?
“Mia.” His dark, commanding voice washed over her. His thumb tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Let me finish. After one additional conversation with you, I was already reeling from my asshole assumptions. Besides being drop-dead gorgeous, you were funny, wicked smart, and didn’t take any crap from me. I’ve never felt challenged before.” The truth shimmered from his being, from his words and his gaze and his touch. “I’ve never felt this damn happy being with a woman before. Understand?”
Giddy feminine pleasure flooded her body. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Sometimes I get caught up in the past, and it’s hard for me to trust my gut. I’ve learned to doubt and question myself. When someone says they love you, cheats, and then looks you in the eye and lies, you start to get a little shaky.”
He muttered a curse. “If I could beat the shit out of those men, I would. Cheating is bad enough. Making you doubt who you are and what’s real is a fucking crime.”
A thrill curled in her belly at his primitive protectiveness. This was a man who would never hide behind lies or half truths. In a way, he was beginning to heal that cracked part of her that had never seemed to truly mend.
“Time for your reward.” He unfolded himself from the lounger, sliding her to the side, and disappeared in the house. Wheezy lifted his head in sleepy curiosity, then flopped back down with a long canine sigh. Hei Hei had retired to the chicken coop for the night, but Mia knew he’d be clucking away at five a.m., waiting for her. Who would’ve thought she’d be living in a real-life Disney movie? She had to see one soon. Chloe was always begging her to rent Moana.
Ethan returned and retook his seat, sliding her legs over his strong thighs. “Close your eyes.”
She regarded the wrapped treat, guilt and excitement warring for dominance. “Baby, I already gained seven pounds. I don’t know if I should eat sugar tonight.”
“You had a fruit shake for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and a tiny piece of salmon and broccoli for dinner.”
Her mouth fell open. “How did you know that?”
He shrugged. “I’m spying on you.”
A half laugh escaped her lips. She knew he’d respect her wishes if she said no. The man seemed to get as much pleasure with these feeding sessions, and the extra pounds around her hips actually looked good on her. Who would’ve thought indulging would be a good thing?
“Okay, but just a few bites. Not the whole thing.”
“Deal. Close your eyes.”
She obeyed. The crinkle of a wrapper hit her ears. The scent of rich chocolate and buttery goodness drifted to her nostrils. A fine tremor began to shake through her in anticipation.
“Open your mouth.”
She did, and the treat was placed on her tongue. The intense flavor of dark chocolate, sweet chewy coconut flakes, and buttery graham crust exploded in her mouth. Oh my God, there are also walnuts! She moaned, curling her fingers into his forearms, licking her lips with a mad glee she couldn’t contain. “Magic bars,” she whispered in ecstasy.
“More?”
“Yes, please.”
He fed her slowly and deliberately. She kept her eyes shut so she could focus on the full experience of the flavors. Her muscles loosened, and she slumped against him, caught in a hazy fog of heaven. “Ethan, that was so—”
His mouth covered hers, taking the kiss deep. His tongue stroked her, catching the last essence of sweetness left, and she opened up to allow him full access. She drowned in the kiss, relishing his dark male taste and the undercurrent of tenderness that shook her to the core. When he pulled away, his thumb pressed against her swollen, damp lips. “Mia?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re enough. Never doubt you’re more than enough for a man. Because if you belonged to me, I’d get on my knees in gratitude every damn night and make sure you never doubted it.”
Emotion stung her eyes, her heart. She ran her fingers over his smooth, chiseled jaw and stared into those beautiful, haunted eyes. “It’s already too late,” she whispered back, a smile curving her lips.
“What is?”
“I already belong to you.”
Mia gave him the words without pause or edits. She didn’t add the phrase for the summer. She didn’t laugh it off or try to make a breezy joke. The past few days had already told her what she’d known since the moment he’d made love to her in the stables.
She was falling in love with him.
Every moment in his presence drove the knowledge deeper into her soul. Yes, she was scared. Yes, she was wary. Yes, she was afraid he’d break her heart and ruin her for any other man. But it didn’t matter any longer. Mia had nowhere else to hide, and she was sick and tired of being cautious.
Those stinging blue eyes pierced deep and stayed. A vicious curse escaped his lips. He didn’t respond, just dragged her to him and covered his mouth with hers. But his kiss was sweet—a complete contradiction—and told her more than he could ever say.
Then they didn’t talk anymore for a long time.
“Chloe, we need to talk.”
She’d found her at the stables, mucking out the stalls. A frisky tan horse kept leaning his head in between the vats to try and bump her from behind. Her open, laughing face told Mia there was a healing going on with each day that passed. But as much as Mia would love to avoid the whole topic and hope nothing would happen again, it wouldn’t be fair to anyone to let the girl get away with a crime.
“Sure. I’m almost finished. Did my dad call again?”
“No, but he’ll want to talk to you tonight. Want to go for a walk?”
“Sounds good.” Mia waited while the girl finished cleaning the stall and grabbed a towel and a water bottle. She wiped the sweat off her brow and called out to John that she was taking a break. “Ethan showed me a really cool trail off the horse path. Beautiful view of the mountain.”
“Lead on.”
They started off in companionable silence, soon entering the shaded woods that hid them from the stinging sun. Chloe’s combat boots snapped over twigs and leaves. The sound of rushing water echoed in the air, and they began moving down a massive hill.
“There’s no bears around here, right?” Mia asked.
Chloe laughed. “No, that was the first thing I asked Ethan.”
“Great minds think alike.”
“Agreed. What did you want to talk about? Is everything okay with you and Ethan?”
Mia stared in surprise. “No, we’re fine. It doesn’t make you uncomfortable, does it, Chloe? Because I never meant for that to happen.”
“Oh no! I’m glad to see you both happy. Wish I could meet someone that makes me feel like that. The boys at college are a bit rough. Really immature. I haven’t really made a lot of friends my first semester.”
“Boys take forever to mature. You seem to be getting along with Kristen really well.”
“She’s really nice. I’m glad she’s staying for an extra week.”
Kristen had come to the inn with her parents for a two-week getaway from Michigan. The girls were the same age and seemed to hit it off immediately. Mia really liked the parents and was grateful they let Kristen spend some time with Chloe.
“Well, I actually wanted to talk to you about friends. Specifically, the ones I met a while ago. I haven’t seen them in a while.”
Chloe stumbled, then righted herself. Her whole body was stiff. “Umm, yeah, they’ve been busy.”
“You mentioned they didn’t actually attend your college, right? What do they do?”
“They work. No big deal. Why all these questions? My friends are none of your business. I don’t know why you had to get my father all freaked out over them.”
The return of her hostility told Mia everything she wanted to know. “Because your father had a right to know about the people you hang out with.”
“For his stupid campaign! That’s his main priority. He just wants me to be friends with people who fit his expectations, and I hate it.”
Mia stopped walking. “Chloe, it’s more than that. I know about the diner. I know you ran out on a bill, caused a scene in the place, and scared Bea.”
Mia waited to see if the girl would lie or try to deflect, but it was the shocked guilt on her face that told her the truth. The girl’s lower lip trembled, and she spun on her heel to look away, probably humiliated she was about to burst into tears. Mia waited, letting her take her time.
“Who told you?”
“Ethan and I figured it out from Bea’s description of the kids.”
“Oh my God, Ethan knows? He won’t want me to work for him anymore!”
“You told Ethan you had nothing to do with vandalizing his barn. But do you know how this looks now? Chloe, listen to me, please. I know I’m not your mom or your real aunt, but I feel like we’ve become friends this summer. I’m asking you to talk to me. Trust me. Maybe I can help. What happened?”
Mia watched the girl’s shoulders shake and fought the urge to go and comfort. Something needed to break loose, and Mia needed to allow it to happen. Finally, the girl turned and faced her. Anguish filled her blue eyes. “I’m so tired of the lies and trying to convince myself it was okay. It’s not okay. It’s never been okay.”
Mia nodded. “Tell me everything.”
“This semester was hard. I pressured myself to get straight As so I can prove to my dad that I picked the right college, and then that professor was brutal. I just couldn’t seem to grasp the section on molecular, and he wouldn’t give extra credit, and I freaked out. I knew if I didn’t ace the final, I’d flunk and then I’d be a failure. Then one weekend, I went to this off-campus party, and I met Theresa, Anthony, and Ben. They were talking about how easy it was to cheat, and I told them about bio, and they showed me how to make sure I get an A.”
Misery etched her features. She dragged in a breath and continued. “I got caught. The professor put me on academic probation, and I realized what an idiot I’d been. I saw them again, and when they asked me how I did, I told them. They freaked out and said they’d help me get revenge because the professor was a dick. It felt so good to have someone back me up, you know? It was like they understood how hard things were. But I told them no because I was scared.”
“You told them no because you knew it was wrong,” Mia said quietly.
“Maybe. I don’t know anything anymore.”
“What happened then?”
“I got called out of class, and I was questioned by the dean, and I was told the professor’s car was vandalized. I told the dean I didn’t do it, but I knew he didn’t believe me. He asked for witnesses, but I was alone in my room that night and didn’t go out, so I had no one to vouch for me, and I didn’t want to get Theresa or Ben or Anthony in trouble, so I didn’t say anything. I was hoping it’d go away.”
“But it didn’t?”
Chloe shook her head. “The professor decided to press charges, and I knew I was going to court. I figured I’d fight it, and Dad would help me, but then Theresa came to see me and begged me to fess up to the vandalism. She said Anthony was on probation, and she’d just gotten a decent job trying to get away from her abusive father, and if they found out what really happened, it would ruin all of them. She was crying, telling me shit about how Anthony and Ben helped her, and they were a family, and if I took the fall they’d be grateful and help me with whatever I needed. They said with my clean record, I’d get a slap on the wrist and nothing would happen. I felt bad for her, Mia. And she seemed to really need a friend.”
Finally, things made sense. “So you told her you’d confess.”
“Yeah. I went back to the dean and told him I did it, and suddenly everything went out of control. I went to court right away, and Dad said he’d handle it, but the judge didn’t care about Dad and sentenced me to community service. And now everyone thinks I’m not only a cheat but a criminal and a liar, too.”
Mia sighed. “Oh, sweetheart, what a mess. You never told your dad you didn’t vandalize the car?”
“No, I was afraid if I told him the truth, he’d force me to tell the dean who really did it.”
“What happened with these kids you thought were your friends?”
Chloe swiped at her eyes. “They were so grateful for what I did. We began hanging out, and I really liked them at first. They were fun and always treated me so nice, but then they started doing things that bothered me. Stupid stuff like picking fights with people they thought were judging them. Or stealing from stores they said had too much money. The guys smoked a lot of pot, and that’s never been my thing. I started realizing maybe I had made a big mistake, so I began telling them I was busy.”
Oh, Mia knew that feeling well. How many times had she not trusted her gut because she wanted something to work out so badly? Chloe craved a group of tight friends that made her feel safe. “What happened when they picked you up at the inn?”
“At first, it was fun. We hung out and hiked, but then later they said they wanted to go to the diner. They started acting all crazy there, making a scene, and Bea came over to say something, so they got pissed and ditched the check. It happened so fast, I didn’t know what to do. I told them I didn’t want to do that shit, but they just laughed at me. Called me a pussy.” She shook her head hard. “That’s when I said I was done. I told them I didn’t want to hang out anymore, but they kept calling, and when I finally asked them to just leave me alone, they threatened me. Said if I told anyone about the truth of the vandalism, they’d make sure I regretted it. They ended up going back to Bea’s Diner to cause more trouble, then sent me a picture with a nasty text. And a few days later, Ethan found the barn messed up. I freaked out and was afraid to tell you or Ethan the truth. I know it was them trying to scare me.” Her lower lip trembled. “I haven’t seen them, but they keep calling. I’m so screwed up, Mia. I hate myself. What am I going to do?”
Mia couldn’t hold back anymore. She reached out and took Chloe in her arms for a long hug. There were so many pitfalls growing up. Yes, the girl had made serious mistakes, but Mia also knew in her gut no one could punish her more than herself. Chloe hugged her back, and it was a while before she finally pulled away.
“They’re users, Chloe. They feel crappy inside, and the more so-called friends they pull in, it helps divert attention from their real problems. Does that make sense?”
Chloe nodded.
“Ethan’s right about one thing: you paid your dues with community service, and you weren’t even the one who did the vandalism. That’s a clean slate. As for Bea, I think the best thing to do would be to march into that diner with your head held high and apologize.”
“Do you think she’ll press charges?” she asked. Her skin looked pale with fear. “I’d be in more trouble.”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “But if you’re straight with her, she may give you a break.”
“Okay. I can do that.”
Mia squeezed her arm. “Good. The barn wasn’t your fault, but we need to let Ethan know so he can protect the property. I think you should tell him the truth, too. All of it. And if I know him at all, that will square things with him, too.”
“What about my dad? He’ll force me to leave, I know he will.”
“Do you want to stay here? Even with all the trouble that happened?” Mia asked.
“I do. I love the town and the horse farm and the college. I don’t want them to chase me away. Dad would tell me that’s the way you let the bad guys win.”
Mia smiled. “Well said. We have to tell your dad. But I can try and help convince him that you’re owed a second chance to make things right.”
“Mia, can you just wait to tell him? Please? Just a few more days. There’s only three weeks left here, and I have a feeling he may just yank me back. I want to finish what I started. That’s it. I swear, I’ll tell him everything.”
It was the determination and truth in her blue eyes that helped Mia make the decision. “I’ll give you until Friday. I can’t wait any longer, Chloe, it just wouldn’t be fair to him.”
“Okay, I can work with that.”
“Let’s finish our hike, and you can talk to Ethan. Then I’ll drive you to the diner.”
“I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
Mia laughed. “I know, sweetie. Life really sucks sometimes, especially when you’re trying to do the right thing.”
The girl turned to her, eyes filled with emotion. “Thank you, Mia. Even when I gave you a hard time, you had my back. It means a lot to me.”
Mia smiled at the girl and squeezed her hand. The birds chirped and the creek gushed and the trees bent in the breeze. Mia savored the moment with this young girl who was finding her way and giving her a trust that meant the world to her. She didn’t know how things would end, but one thing was for sure: Mia was going to fight for the girl.