Mia Found (Starting Fires Book 3) (25 page)

Quietly, I opened the door, and its gentle squeak made him flinch. He rushed towards me, but stopped short. “Mia,” he said. “I–I didn’t think you’d want to talk to me. I wasn’t going to come, thinking you’d still want space. Do you want me to leave? I’m not trying to pressure you. We can talk about all this later if you want. I know how much of an ass I am. I’m so sorry. I thought–I thought. Ah fuck, I wasn’t thinking. Not fully. And that’s the problem isn’t it? I never think about anything. I just do. That’s good for my job, but not for us. I see that. I know that, Pretty. What can I do to make it better? Tell me. I’ll do it. I’ll do anything you want.”

Paul.

I hadn’t even said a word. How was I supposed to yell at him now? A stray tear fell from my eye and I wiped it away. I wrapped my arms around his stomach and fell into his chest. It was involuntary. I just needed to feel him close. Immediately, his arms came around me, his hands falling into my hair. Kneading it. Caressing it.

“
I don’t know what you can do,” I told him honestly and he tensed. “Give me a few days, Paul. This is all…it’s all so fast and if I’m with you everything will get muddled and I won’t be able to think straight. This is big. You’re leaving. Moving states away. I need time to decide if I can handle this.”

After a few seconds, he nodded against me. “Whatever you want. You’ll call me?”

“
Yes. I promise.”

He pulled back and kissed me softly on the lips. When he moved away, his eyes were glassy. As soon as he stepped off the porch, my brother opened the front door and stood beside me.

Eavesdropping punk.

“
He’s fucking crazy about you,” he said. “You better call him.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

I DIDN’T CALL HIM. I stayed silent, nursing my wounds and making sense of everything. We received a shipment of summer dresses at Faeries and Moonbeams
,
and Gladys insisted I buy one. According to her, it screamed out to my aura. The dress was a pretty purple with thin straps. I hadn’t even noticed it, but, apparently, my spirit had.

After I made it home, I was glad I’d let her convince me. The purple wasn’t something I’d normally purchase but the color made my dark hair pop, and the material fell lazily against my body. My mind made up, I wore complimentary eyeliner and loved the way Paul’s mouth fell open when he saw me at his front door.

“
Mia? What are you? Why are you?” He made a nervous sound in his throat and opened the fully door. “I’m sorry. Come in.” his eyes were bloodshot and his face was unshaved.

“
You aren’t dressed,” I said.

“
For…?”

“
Aren’t we having dinner at your parents’ tonight?”

“
We were but I…” His brows drew in. “I can call mom and let her know we’re coming.”

He went for his phone, but I grabbed his wrist.

“
What you did was stupid and insensitive and a fast way to end a relationship.” He opened his mouth to speak, but I brought a finger to it, shushing him. “I’m going to forgive you, because as mad as I am, I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Even if you
are
states away. This is going to be hard, but I want to try.”

His response was a crushing of lips, pulling me in so close that I could barely breathe. It was painful the way he kissed me, like he’d truly thought I was lost to him forever. I slowed him with a gentle touch of my hand.

“
I wouldn’t have let us be over,” he whispered. “I would have figured something out. My idiocy won’t come between us again.”

The promise in his eyes was hard to deny. “Call your momma and tell her we’re coming.”

“
Yes, ma’am,” he grinned.

A little over an hour later, we were in his car driving to his parents’ home. Paul had been attentive, unwilling to let me out of his sight while he got ready, almost as if he thought I’d run away again. But I wasn’t. When you loved someone, you fought for them. The circumstances of our relationship were changing, but if I wanted Paul, I could win this battle.

I’d wasted a whole week being angry and scared. Now, Paul would be gone soon. Two more weeks was all I had. After he left, I’d focus on finding a job. My lease would be up soon. If nothing came through, I’d be moving back home with my parents. The thought alone made me release a sigh. Paul mistook my frustration for something else and reached across the seat to take my hand.

“
I’m so sorry,” he said.

Not wanting him to suffer in guilt, I gave his hand a squeeze. “It’s not that.”

“
Are you nervous about meeting my parents? Don’t be. They’ll love you.”

I smiled at him. “It’s not that either. I’ll probably have to move back home soon. No jobs have come through.”

“
You won’t have to do that,” he said, squeezing my hand.

Why? Because Paul was going to foot the bill? “It’s important to my growth that I figure this out on my own. If I have to move back in, I guess…I guess I’ll have to.”

“
I know. I just…” He squirmed in his seat, loosening his tie. “I just want to make this up to you. To show you that I can be there.”

It was sweet, but not what I wanted from him. “Then be there in other ways.”

Paul huffed, not out of annoyance, more like he was stressed, confused. I wondered how his other relationships had gone. Maybe when he’d messed up in the past, all of his transgressions were swept under the rug with gifts or monetary means.

Playfully, I narrowed my eyes at him. “You aren’t going to buy your way out of this trouble, Mr. Macione,” I said.

He chuckled. “I’m not trying to buy my way out of anything. But if I can’t be there for you in person, I’d like to know I’m helping you in ways I can. Just…think about it.”

Before I could respond, we pulled up to a large house and my eyes bulged. An arch, tall and stunning, highlighted the front door. A fountain sat in the middle of the circular drive. Three cars already waited for us and I nervously stepped out. This was by far the nicest house I’d ever seen.

“
Wow…” I mused, eyeing the mansion before me.

“
I know,” Paul said, shaking his head. “My father likes to…
impress.
” He leaned in to whisper in my ear. “Between you and me, this is way too expensive for him. I’d know. I’m his accountant.”

“
Still,” I said. “It’s amazing.”

Paul smiled. “Oh, he’ll love you.”

Taking my hand, he led me to the front door. It flung open before we made it to the landing. His Uncle Tony stood with his back to us, yelling at someone. “It is in my car,” he said. “What do you think I am doing right now?” He threw his hand towards the voice and walked outside, his eyes lighting up when he saw us. “Mia!” His arms stretched out and he ignored Paul completely as he wrapped them around me. “My sister told me you would be here tonight. So good of you and Paul to join us for this celebration.”

Confused by his statement, my head tilted. What celebration?

“
Uh,” Paul said. “What do you mean?”

Tony gave Paul a hug. “Your mother is so happy you are here. She would hate for this bad blood between you and your brother to continue.”

“
Is he here?” Paul asked, shaking out of Tony’s embrace. “No one told me that.”

“
Paul…Are you crazy? Why would he not be at his own rehearsal dinner?”

I pulled my lips into my mouth. Paul stared at his uncle, trying to make sense of what he’d just been told.

“
Rick’s wedding is tomorrow?”

“
Yes,” Tony said. “Why do you think you are here?”

Paul didn’t answer and looked to his feet. His stance was aggressive, angry. Hoping I could calm him, I touched his waist and slowly stepped into him.

“
We don’t have to stay,” I whispered. In fact, I didn’t want to. It’d been a whole week since we were alone and since he’d be leaving soon, I’d rather be with him—relishing the last days we had, not celebrating his brother and Marjorie’s nuptials.

He was contemplating it, trying to figure out what he wanted to do when the front door opened and Marjorie appeared on the steps. Even though she tried to look surprised, I saw it—she’d known he was out here.

“
Paul,” she said, approaching us with a practiced smile. My hand clutched Paul tighter. I wasn’t sure why. Either because I felt protective of him or insecure in her presence. I didn’t know. Tony left us to retrieve something from his car and Marjorie’s eyes landed on me. They were trying to tell me something.
Does she want me to leave, too?
She was insane if she thought I was leaving Paul alone with her.

Realizing I wasn’t going anywhere, she turned back to Paul. “Thank you for coming,” she said.

“
I didn’t know it was your rehearsal dinner.” His mouth was set in a thin line, his eyes guarded.

“
Stay,” she said, her long neck stretching towards him. “Please.” Paul didn’t respond, still too wound up. “For me,” she added.

Her eyes darted to me for only a second, but it was long enough for her to see the frown that covered my face.
For me?
Who the hell did she think she was?

Paul wrapped an arm around my waist. “Just for a few minutes,” he said. “And only because I want Mia to meet Momma.”

“
Right,” Marjorie said, smiling, as if it was her womanly charm that had convinced him. My brow furrowed as we followed her inside.

“
Mrs. Macione,” Marjorie said, “look who I convinced to stay.”

I had a vivid fantasy of walking over to her and pulling her perfectly styled hair out. Instead, I smiled brightly at Paul’s mother. She was short with black curly hair that clung to her head. Her skin was a pretty caramel and her eyes a dark black. When she saw me, her smile stretched wide.

“
Mia? This is the Mia I have heard so much about? Oh, come here.” Her arms opened, and I stepped into her hug. She patted my back too hard and the air left my lungs.

“
Nice to meet you,” I said, my words strained.

She pulled back, taking extra time to analyze my face. “You are so beautiful,” she said. “I am happy that my Paul is happy. Finally he has found a good woman.”

Marjorie, who was still hovering in the background, bit her lip and looked away. After everything she’d done, I couldn’t understand how she was able to be in the same room as Paul.

“
Thank you,” I said to Paul’s mother. “He makes me happy, too.” She watched us with motherly love as Paul put his arm around me. “I’m sorry. What should I call you?” I asked her.

“
Lucy,” she said and I laughed.

“
Really? My middle name is Lucille.”

“
Paul loves Lucy’s,” she said smiling at him.

Paul chuckled and gave her a hug of his own. “We need to talk,” he whispered to her.

“
Later,” she said. “Have fun tonight. You have a pretty woman on your arm and people who love you all around. Enjoy yourself.”

She hurried away before he could say more. “She thinks I’m going to complain about this ambush,” he said. “But I haven’t had the chance to tell her I’m leaving. I was…preoccupied this week.”

“
With what?”

“
Wallowing in my grief. If you hadn’t taken me back, I was just going to leave. I wasn’t going to tell anyone. Which was melodramatic and I’ve never been melodramatic. I’m practical. Controlled. What have you done to me?”

We stood in his parents’ living room. It was awkward at first, but as his family members approached him I saw Paul’s shoulders lift. It was obvious he hadn’t had much contact with them over the last year.

His father was a reserved man. Quiet. Not shy. He exuded confidence. His stare bled through your skin. He really looked at you, like he was trying to weed out all your deepest, darkest secrets. My hand trembled when he took mine, and I prayed he wouldn’t notice.