Chapter Nineteen
Early Thanksgiving morning, Mia rose and went to the kitchen, hoping that doing some baking would get her mind off her nervousness. Focusing her attention on something other than the knot in her stomach had to be a good thing, right?
They’d been together for a little over a month, and now she was spending Thanksgiving with Adam’s family. His whole family. His grandmother, parents, aunts and uncles, assorted cousins, brothers, sister and some nieces and nephews. He told her it would be a crowd, maybe close to forty people, and that she should prepare herself. He made the gathering sound like a scene out of a screwball holiday comedy. Even as nervous as she was, Mia was excited.
Her family holidays tended to be very quiet affairs. She’d never had the big, noisy family gatherings. Her father was an only child and her mother said they needed “their own traditions”, so they didn’t get together with her grandparents or other family. Unfortunately, their family tradition usually meant the four of them at home, or going to a friend’s home where there were other people who lacked big, extended families. The day consisted of elegantly prepared food and quiet conversation.
No cousins. No noise.
This year, as always, her mother had opted not to be with family. Not wanting to travel on such a busy holiday, instead she was having dinner with friends from their golf club, all retirees without families in the area. People just like her mother, she thought.
Happily, Mia wasn’t facing another lonely Thanksgiving, and it certainly wouldn’t be a stuffy one. Her mother was a dignified lady, but Mia didn’t want dignified.
Adam had what Mia had always wanted: noise and chaos, people arguing, and football games on the front lawn. And she always thought holidays should have kids. Lots and lots of kids. According to Adam, there would be plenty of children there, and Mia couldn’t wait.
On the counter behind her, Mia had the ornament she’d found at the antique shop by the harbor. The Millers decorated their Christmas tree on Thanksgiving Day, and Mia knew she couldn’t go to a tree trimming without an ornament. The delicately engraved blown glass angel was so exquisite, Mia almost kept it for her own tree. Almost. But Anna Miller was an angel, so it seemed most appropriate with her.
Opening the recipe box she’d taken down from a shelf, Mia thought about desserts. Her first thought was to make dishes that were sophisticated—the kinds of desserts she’d grown up eating—things with delicate crusts and fillings. Then she thought about the little hands that would be grabbing at the sweets, and she changed her plan. She’d make one, decadent flourless chocolate cake, but the other desserts would be kid friendly—dark chocolate brownies and chocolate chip cookie bars. She’d asked and there were no nut allergies to worry about, so she pulled out a bag of walnuts to throw into half the brownies.
But first, breakfast. Holiday breakfast meant fresh cinnamon rolls. She’d made the dough and the filling the night before, so it was just a matter of putting them together.
As she rolled out the dough, Mia thought about all the things she had to be thankful for. Ben was thriving in his new home, and if Mia had ever worried about the move, those doubts were gone. He was her greatest gift. Seeing him happy and doing well was what any mother wanted for her child. He was still recovering from the broken leg, but as with most things, Ben bounced back.
Then there was her own life. Adam had affected a major change there too, and now Mia didn’t have to wonder if she would have a love story, only if this one would last. Since they’d gotten together, Adam had done everything to make Mia feel special. For a guy who hadn’t done the romance thing, he had it down pretty good, from helping her with Ben, to quiet nights at home, to romantic dates.
That brought back a memory from the past weekend. She’d had Sunday off, and Adam showed up at her door. Without any warning, he’d whisked her off to New York City. She figured he’d pulled out all the stops and sprung for a Broadway show, but to her surprise they ended up strolling through the collections and exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mia hadn’t been there since her parents took her when she was a child, but there she was, holding Adam’s hand as they looked at the collection of Impressionist paintings and enjoying a quiet afternoon.
There was nothing flashy or pretentious about the outing. He didn’t spend a lot of money or try to impress her.
They found a deli for a late lunch.
Walked around midtown for a while.
And after it turned dark and got cold, he drove them back to his house, where he made love to her.
Mia had never been happier.
A familiar bark from the yard brought her back to reality.
Rising from the table, Mia went to the back door and pushed the curtain away. There was Bubba, standing on his hind legs, his massive nose pressed to the glass. Behind him, Adam stood with two cups of coffee. He must have smelled the cinnamon buns.
She unlocked the door and smiled as he walked to her and planted a sweet kiss on her cheek.
“How are those cinnamon rolls coming along?”
Mia stepped aside and Adam and Bubba entered the kitchen. “Did you get up early and drive all the way over here for cinnamon rolls?”
He grinned and Mia felt her insides go all jittery. “Yeah, pretty much. But ahh…” Adam leaned in and kissed her lips lightly. “There is that.”
Mia stepped back from the door and hoped against hope that how she felt about him wouldn’t be completely transparent to his family. It was hard enough keeping her feelings in check under normal conditions. In the middle of a big holiday celebration, when all kinds of good family feelings were overflowing, Mia feared she’d do something to slip up and show all the people who loved him that she did too.
He kissed her again and held out the cup from Starbucks. “Rinaldi’s was closed, but I got you this… Caramel Brulee Latte.” Mia reached for the cup, but Adam pulled it back. “I’ll trade it for a cinnamon roll.”
Games. It was always a game with him. He was such a guy.
“Oh, I guess,” she said.
Triumphant, Adam smiled and when he offered it again, Mia wrapped her hand around the cup. This time her fingers lightly brushed against his and heat curled deep in her belly. God, what he did to her. She could jump him right then and there.
“It’ll be a few more minutes.”
He nodded, grinning because he knew she was having dirty thoughts, and sat at the kitchen table. Mia gave herself a quick look. At least she’d showered the night before, because she wasn’t exactly painting a pretty picture in her old plaid pajama pants and T-shirt. But Adam didn’t seem to care. He liked her the way she was, and Mia mentally pinched herself. She had this wonderful person in her life, someone who was a great influence on Ben, and had given her more romance in two months than she ever thought she’d have in her life. He was her friend. He was her lover.
He was everything she’d ever wanted. Watching him pet the dog, there was no doubt.
“Have you decided what you’re making for today?” he asked.
“A really great cake, and then I decided to keep it simple. Cookie bars and brownies. I’m sure your grandma will have plenty of fancy desserts.”
Adam nodded. “The kids will love you for it.”
“How many kids?”
The dog had laid his big head in Adam’s lap. Running his hand over Bubba’s head, Adam gave her the rundown. “A ton. My brother Doug has three kids, all girls. Nine, seven, and four. My cousin Rob has a five-year-old girl and his wife is pregnant. The girls are gonna love you.” He smiled. “My cousin Mark and his wife have four. A boy who’s around Ben’s age, twin girls who are eight, and a two-year-old boy. I think my cousins Cathy and Linda will be there too. They have eight kids between them, ranging from a newborn to a really snotty thirteen-year-old girl.”
Mia laughed. “She’s thirteen. ‘Snotty’ is a job requirement.”
He nodded. “I shouldn’t be too judgmental; her dad’s been out to sea for the past ten months. He’s a Navy pilot.”
“Having gone through that, she has her reasons. Deployments are hard on everyone.”
The timer let Mia know the cinnamon rolls were done. Adam was right at her side when she pulled them out of the oven.
Grabbing a spatula, she transferred the mass of steaming, gooey rolls from the pan to a plate and threw the tool into the sink. Adam’s hand reached out, ready to pick one off the plate, but Mia slapped it back.
“They’re too warm and I still have to ice them.”
“Fine.” He turned around and leaned his back into the counter while he watched her work. Mia had gotten used to having Adam in her kitchen. She’d pretty much gotten used to him, period. “Ben still sleeping?”
“Mmm hmm.” There was something on his mind, though. This visit wasn’t just about cinnamon rolls or stolen kisses; Adam had something to tell her. His face was tense, his eyes worried. Inside, panic welled up, but she had to ask. “Are you going to keep stewing about whatever it is that’s bugging you, or are you going to tell me?”
Blowing out a breath, he looked at her and grinned. “Man, you really are inside my head, aren’t you?”
Mia felt herself smile.
Adam straightened his back, and pulled her closer, keeping hold of her free hand. “My grandmother called me late last night to let me know that a couple of old friends of mine are in town, and will be joining us for dinner.”
“Okay, that’s nice—isn’t it?”
“Yeah, Greg, he’s the agent who talked to Kelvin. He and I go way back, but umm, Pilar…”
“Pilar?” Knuckles white as she gripped the spreader, Mia took a deep breath and wondered why he felt the need to tell her about Pilar. This couldn’t be good.
“She and I were together for a long time. A couple of years and, uhhh… when I had my accident, I cut off all contact with people from my old life.”
“Including Pilar.”
“Yeah. It was the only way I could recover, but it left it kind of unresolved between us. At least from her point of view.”
“I thought you said you never had a serious relationship?” Her voice cracked. Crap. Breathe, just breathe. “That sounds pretty serious.”
“Not because I saw her as my girlfriend or anything. She was, I dunno… convenient.” Knowing how he sounded, Adam closed his eyes. “I can’t believe I said that.”
“Me either.”
“I know, and I wanted you to be prepared. She’s the type of woman who’ll think we can just pick up where we left off, because that’s how it was between us.” Adam took the spreader from her hand, placed it on the counter and turned her toward him. His hands rested on her shoulders and he leaned in to look in her eyes. “She won’t care if I’m there with you. She’ll think she has rights to me.”
“I see. So, tell me about her.”
*
“Uhh…” Adam hesitated. He’d been dreading the questions, because the answers would play into every one of Mia’s insecurities. “What do you want to know?”
“What does she do? How did you meet her?
“We met in a club VIP room in LA. She’s a model.”
“Figures.” Stepping away, Mia crossed the room. She went to the big window that faced the backyard. She was thinking. The girl was always thinking.
Adam stubbed the toe of his sneaker against the floor. “I’m sorry. I know we were invited to Fiona’s if you’d rather, we can go there—”
“No, you should be with your family on Thanksgiving.” One eyebrow shot up. “Should I go to Fiona’s with Ben?”
Jaw tightening, he ground out a response, angry that it even had to come up. “Absolutely not.”
“Can I ask why she was invited?”
It would be so easy to lie to her, but she deserved to know what she was up against. It was the only way they could put up a good fight. “Greg called my mother to tell them he was in town, so she and Grandma invited him to dinner. He didn’t tell them Pilar was with him until yesterday.”
“Greg was the friend you were with the night you cancelled on me, right?”
Shit. “He needs a favor from me.”
Mia tried to smile, but the attempt was weak. “He wants to sign Kelvin?”
“Yeah.”
“So, he’s bringing your ex-girlfriend? Why? A gift?”
He crossed to her and Adam felt a pounding in his chest. Taking her face in his hands, his only concern was Mia. This entire day had the potential to ruin what they’d started. “She’s not like anyone you’ve ever met. I don’t want you hurt.”
Mia covered his hands with hers and came up on her toes to drop a kiss on his lips. “Then don’t let her hurt me.”
*
Running around in her bedroom four hours later, Mia had changed her clothes three times. As she looked at the most recent outfit, she finally felt like she’d gotten the look she was going for. It was festive, not too dressy and a little sexy. She hadn’t been going for sexy originally, but with the model coming, Mia was willing to give it a shot. She’d only bought the push up bra the day before. Thank God. Not that the girls needed much help, but what the hell, Adam would be happy. She liked it when she caught him looking at her, when she saw the desire in his eyes.
Mia gave herself another onceover. The shapely sweater dress was the perfect shade of spicy brown, and had a nicely scooped neckline. She wore black leather boots with very high heels, a pair of gold hoop earrings, and if she could get the damned clasp to work, a nice chunky necklace. Mia was showing off more cleavage than usual, and while she liked how she looked, thinking about Adam’s family, she wasn’t sure it was appropriate.
“Goddammit!” The clasp didn’t close right again, and Mia had to catch the necklace before it hit the floor.
As soon as she’d said it she regretted it. She never swore, and hated setting a bad example for Ben. Of course, her son was hanging around a college football team, she was sure his vocabulary was growing every day.
There were footsteps in the hallway and a tapping on her bedroom door.
“Come in.”
The door opened and Adam stepped in the room while she struggled once again with the necklace. He came to where she was standing by the dresser, and positioned himself behind her. He gazed at her in the mirror, and gently took the necklace from her hands. Without a word, he reached around, fastening the clasp. Then unexpectedly, he looped his arms around her waist and left a kiss on her neck, just near her ear. They locked eyes in the mirror, and when Adam smiled, Mia felt her heart kick into overdrive.
“You look beautiful.”
“No, I don’t. I look… fat.”
Adam’s eyes narrowed. Annoyed. “How do you figure that?”
“Look at me.” Mia looked down and wrapped her arms over his. She couldn’t remember the last time something had been this important to her. She wanted his family to like her, to accept her. Spying the swells of her breasts peeking out of the neckline, she changed her mind again. “I should change. The dress is too tight.”
“Mia, shh.” Pressing his lips to her temple, Adam held her close. “You look amazing.”
“No, I don’t. My ass is huge, my boobs are… I don’t even know…” A hitch in her breath told her it wouldn’t be long, and a lump formed in her throat. Adam turned her toward him and pulled her close. Mia pressed her face into his sweater taking comfort in his warmth. “I’m sorry. I’m a mess, and now your ex-girlfriend will be there, and she’s famous and gorgeous and sophisticated and I’m a… I’m a nobody.”
Adam leaned away and looked down into Mia’s eyes. “You will never be a nobody. Fame doesn’t make you important, Mia, substance does. I learned that the hard way.” One of his hands came up and he stroked her hair away from her face. “You’re one of the best people I know. You’ve made a life for yourself and Ben, you make a difference in the lives of the students, you’re incredibly talented, and I’ve learned how to be a better person because of you.” He kissed her forehead. “Don’t judge yourself against a woman like Pilar. There’s nothing beneath the surface. No depth. She’s beautiful, sure, but even in that department, she has nothing on you.”
“How can you say that? She’s a lingerie model, and I’m a librarian!”
“Honey, I might regret saying this, but I’ve seen you both naked. Trust me, you win.” He raised an eyebrow and grinned at her. “Fix your make-up, but don’t you dare change the dress. I love the dress.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“I will give you one tip about my family. It gets embarrassing, but they like to sing. They love music. My grandmother has three pianos in the house.”
“Really?”
“After dinner, prepare to be recruited. You could be the new accompanist for Christmas carols while we trim the tree.”
“You’re sure?” She sniffed and smiled because she knew the answer.
Adam grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. “I’m more than willing to give it up so you can show off.”
Mia laughed and hugged him close one more time. Three months ago, she didn’t know she could feel this way about another person. Now she couldn’t imagine ever losing it.