Mia Found (Starting Fires Book 3) (4 page)

“
Well, come out with me tonight. Let’s have fun. A girl’s night.”

I knew what this meant. She wanted to get drunk, and didn’t have a driver. Normally, I would have declined, but I wanted to get out of the house. I was tired of moping. “Fine,” I said. “Where do you want to meet?”

She gave me the name of a bar and I left.

Club music pulsed through my limbs. I hated club music. Alone at the table I sipped on my ice water. Fiona and I semi-made up and then she flittered around the room. She was an obnoxious drunk. Cackling too loudly. Talking over me. Always touching the people around her. Calling me
sweetie.

At the moment she was standing off the crowded dance floor, her hands on Fontenot’s stomach. Her mouth kept finding its way to his neck or ear. Apparently, he
hadn’t
lied about them.

They’d been at it for twenty minutes, and I knew the look she was giving him—the sultry eyes, the seductive smile. But I also knew Fontenot and even though he wasn’t turning her away, his heart wasn’t in this game. He’d sleep with her, but only if no other prospects presented themselves.

A man approached my table.

“
You all alone tonight?” he yelled over the thumping bass.

“
No,” I said.

“
Let me get you a drink so you can put that water down,” he said. The strobe lights bounced off his face and I hoped they hid the miniscule grimace I gave him.

“
No thanks,” I said. “I’m sticking with water.”

“
Oh, come on,” he said. “One beer ain’t gonna hurt nothing.”

“
Really. I’m fine.” But he didn’t let up. His drunken swagger put him in my personal space and he made presumptuous statements, trying to find my angle.

“
You got a boyfriend?” he asked. I didn’t respond. My arms crossed over my chest as I leaned away from him. “Oh, so you’re shy. That’s cute.”

“
Move along, buddy,” Fontenot said, Fiona hanging on his arm.

The intoxicated man looked at Fontenot and realized my ex was much bigger than he was. Fontenot looked intimidating—his eyes narrowed, his lips set. “Yeah, whatever,” the guy said and walked off, deciding I wasn’t worth the trouble.

“
You ready to go?” Fiona asked, rubbing Fontenot’s stomach. So she was taking him home with her. If I still cared about him, this would have been a cruel thing to do. He was my ex, a man who’d thoroughly broken my heart. She knew this.

“
Sure,” I said.

The drive consisted of them making out in my back seat. To drown out their pornographic moans, I turned up the radio. At our apartment, I went in alone, leaving them to finish whatever they were doing in the car.

Minutes later, when I crawled into bed, my painting stared back at me and I sighed.

The woman was only visible from the waist down—her arm outstretched holding a man’s hand. The colors had blended over their outlines beautifully.

I heard Fiona’s cackle in the living room, and put my earbuds in. The last thing I saw before falling asleep was my canvas—Paul’s hand reaching out to hold mine.

CHAPTER FOUR

A MONTH PASSED. I was at my brother’s house, but he was working. Marlowe and I were painting their music room and it was about time. The sad, faded cream had seen better days. She’d picked a new color of sea foam green. I didn’t like it either, but didn’t want to offend her.

I was happy for Marlowe and Lucas. He was more driven with her in his life. More focused. And Marlowe…well she didn’t seem sad anymore. That was the first thing I remember thinking when I’d met her.
Why is this girl so sad?
Lucas’s love had helped her, too.

We’d painted half the room when Marlowe stepped back, examined it, and said, “I don’t like this color.”

“
Thank, god,” I said, groaning to the ceiling. “I didn’t want to say anything.”

“
Geez, Mia. Why didn’t you? It would have saved us the trouble.”

“
Because I’m not rude.”

She rolled her eyes. “Come on. Help me pick out another one.”

I followed her into the kitchen where an array of paint samples adorned the peninsula. I noticed Marlowe kept pulling out shades of red or yellow. I had another vision in mind. Brown. Deep brown. With one wall painted a bright turquoise. I put my favorite colors off to the side in case she asked my opinion.

Her phone rang while we were looking and she peeked at the display. Whoever was calling made her smile. She glanced at me and bit her lip mischievously.

“
What?” I asked.

Without answering me, she took the call, putting it on speaker. “Hey, Paul,” she said and my face reddened.

“
Hey, what are you doing?”

“
Painting one of our rooms.”

As they talked, I gazed at her phone longingly. His warm, steady voice seeped into my senses. Gosh, this crush was miserable. The way I ached for him was becoming pathetic.

“
When are you leaving?” Marlowe asked him, and I realized I hadn’t even been listening to their conversation.

“
In just a few days. That’s why I called. Do you think you could watch my dog while I’m gone?”

“
Oh,” she said. “Well…your dog is huge. I don’t think Lucas would like that very much.”

He sighed. “I understand. I’m having a hard time finding someone and I don’t trust those kennels.”

My eyes went big and to get Marlowe’s attention, I flailed my arms around wildly.
Me,
I mouthed.
What about me?

“
Uh, how about Mia?” she said.

“
Mia?” Paul said followed by silence. I crossed my fingers. “I, uh, I don’t know…I wouldn’t want to trouble her.”

I don’t mind,
I mouthed.

“
She wouldn’t mind,” Marlowe said with a grin, getting a kick out of this.

Paul made a noncommittal sound, unconvinced.

“
Here,” Marlowe said. “She’s sitting right next to me. Ask her.”

My eyebrows shot up and my stomach knotted as she handed me the phone. I took it off speaker and put it to my ear. “Hey, Paul,” I said.

“
Hey, Mia,” he said with a soft chuckle.

“
Hey,” I said again, laughing nervously.

“
You really wouldn’t mind?”

“
Not at all. When would you need me?”

“
I’m leaving on Wednesday and will be back late Saturday night.”

That was two days from now. “I can do that,” I said.

“
Thank you. This helps tremendously.”

“
You’re welcome,” I said.

Finally, a whole year after we met, he asked for my number. With my cheeks burning from a powerful smile, I gave it to him.

“
I’ll have to drop him off Tuesday night. Is that okay?”

“
It’s fine. Totally fine.”

“
Okay. See you then.” He was smiling, too. I heard it in his voice. Maybe he was excited to see me again.

“
See you,” I said.

When I handed the phone back to Marlowe, I let out a mirthful sigh, and then, unable to contain it, brought a fist in and said, “Yesss!”

“
You’re welcome,” she said, finding my excitement amusing.

She grabbed the colors I’d chosen. “I like these,” she said. “Let’s go to the store.”

By Tuesday, I’d thoroughly cleaned my apartment, scrubbing every room. Even though I’d warned Fiona, I knew she’d gripe the entire time the dog was here, pretending
he
was the reason our place was a mess instead of admitting the truth—she was a slob.

At seven that night, I was standing in my living room waiting for the knock on my door. Paul had texted me ten minutes ago to tell me he was on his way. I kept looking down at myself, making sure I was presentable. Shorts and a white top. The shirt had a wide neck and hung off one of my shoulders. I was fussing with my hair, putting it over my shoulders, and then behind my shoulders, and then up in a ponytail.

I was looking in one of our mirrors, holding it up, trying to see if I liked it when he knocked. Giddy, I pranced over to the door and opened it. Paul’s eyebrows shot up when he saw me. “Hey, uh, hey,” he said. “Wow. I mean…you look pretty.”

“
Thank you,” I said, leaning into the frame. I let myself enjoy the sight of Paul standing at my door, but then realized he didn’t have a dog with him. “Where’s your dog?”

“
In the car,” he said. “I wanted to make sure we had a space for his kennel before I brought him up.”

“
Oh, okay. Come in.”

He stepped into my living room and frowned. “Mia…”

“
What’s wrong?”

“
This is really small.”

“
I know,” I said. “But it’s not so bad. It’s plenty of room for me.”

“
My dog is as big as your love seat.” He was frustrated, taking a hand to his hair while he thought about his options.

“
We can make it work,” I said. “It’s only a few days.”

“
He’d destroy everything. Do you…” He looked down to his feet, up to my eyes, and then back to his feet again. “Would you mind staying at my place?”

His place? Hell no, I didn’t mind!

“
That would be fine,” I said, unable to stop my grin. “I mean, I’d love to. I mean, yes. Yes, I can do that.”

He grabbed a pen and envelope from my end table. “Here’s my address. Take your time getting your stuff together and meet me there.”

“
Sure,” I said. “I won’t be long.”

As soon as he left, I dashed to my room and grabbed everything I’d need.
I’m going to be in his home.
I didn’t care that it was as a favor. Maybe this would open things up for more.

I left Fiona a note, and dragged my bag down to the car. Smiling, I drove away.