Still Into You (40 page)

“You change your hairstyle more than any woman I know,” Mia said, taking satisfaction as his head whipped up from his papers. She grinned at those wonderful, hazel eyes of his wide with shock. Stepping further into the office, she made sure to close the door behind her. She definitely didn’t want anyone to overhear what she might say.

“Fuck! What are you doing here?” he exclaimed, hurriedly getting out of his chair. He rounded his desk and reached for her hand, pulling her soundly into his embrace.

Mia burrowed her head into his chest, savoring his solid strength. She inhaled, smiling as she smelled his familiar scent—the cologne she got for him on their very first Christmas together. He had been buying it ever since.

Backing away a little, her hands resting on his forearms, she raised her gaze to his sparkling eyes. The eyes that could always get her to smile as they did now. She twitched her lips before speaking.

“A lot of reasons. First, and the most important reason, to see you. Second, to ask you to the game tomorrow night if you’re not already going.”

“I was already going, but I would much rather go with you. Any other reasons?”

She smiled, knowing he was fishing to see whether she was going to see Ethan. He thought he knew her so well . . . whatever, he did and because he was such a smart-ass, she would play with him—just a bit. “Third, to see your amazing daughter.”

“That can be arranged.”

“Good!” she announced, happy for that.

“That’s it? No other reason?”

She laughed. “And fourth, get Ethan back.”

“About damn time!” he exclaimed, pulling her back into his arms.

Having his support gave her the strength to not talk herself out of this. That regardless of what happened with Ethan, she still had Luke.

She gave him a hard squeeze and voiced some fears, her words slightly muffled by his chest. “I’m so nervous, Luke. What if it’s too late?”

“Granted, it did take you a hell of a long time to get to this point, but that’s just how you do things.”

She leaned back and stuck her tongue out at him before stepping out of his embrace. He did have a point.

“Mia, it’s not too late.”

Turning her gaze to the large window behind his desk, she responded quietly. “I sure hope you’re right.”

He stood behind her and rested his chin on her shoulder. “It
is
time, sweets. I want to see my best friend happy again. Do what it takes to get him back in your life. I will support you in any way I can,” he said, kissing her cheek to emphasize his point.

With Luke by her side, she didn’t feel as uncertain as she had when she’d arrived.

She could and would do this!

Mia

Mia stood in the lobby by the front entrance, waiting for Luke. He said he would be there by seven, but of course, on the night she was going to see Ethan, he was running late. Yeah, not helpful for keeping a positive outlook.

Despite what Luke had said earlier that it wasn’t too late, that it was time, and all that mumbo jumbo, she was still nervous. She chose going to Ethan’s game first so she could see him without him knowing. Mia thought that would help with some of the nerves she had. Get the initial viewing out of her system so when she saw him face to face, she’d be more confident.

Even with that as her intent, her nerves were freaking ridiculous, her stomach a big, old knot. She rocked herself back and forth on the balls of her feet while she waited for her late best friend to arrive.

Her body did an internal “yay” when Luke’s SUV pulled up in front of the hotel. Mia stepped outside and he opened the door for her from the inside.

That’s chivalry for you,
she chuckled.
At least he opened it.

She stopped at the door and did a quick pose. “How do I look?” she asked him nervously, standing in a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a pair of brown leather boots, and a cream, chenille sweater. Her hair was in another messy ponytail—her go-to style. She was very good, almost a pro at this style. Messy came natural to her.

“You look beautiful as always. Don’t worry.”

Did he not know who he was talking to?

She hopped in the car and they were off. They weren’t far from the stadium, but traffic was a bitch. Luckily Luke had a special parking pass. Perks of working for the team. He parked the car and they made their way inside.

The rush of noise hit her like a truck. Playoff excitement at its extreme. Tonight, the Flash were up against the Colorado Mountaineers. If the Flash won, they were going to the Championship game next week here in Indianapolis. They inched and squeezed their way to their box on the lower suite level. Luke bought some beers and food on their way up to the box, and they were the only ones using it. Allie had done very well, as always. How the hell she did that, Mia could only wonder.

Luke and Mia settled down in a couple of seats on the outside of the box. She nervously picked at the bun of her hot dog while she waited for the game to begin. She hadn’t seen Ethan play in person since before they broke up. She grasped Luke’s hand in a vice grip as the announcer introduced the team, the crowd roaring. He squeezed her hand and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

“Nervous?”

“Uh, yes!” She stood to see better, and her legs felt like rubber when Ethan ran onto the field. He was magnificent in his dark blue jersey with the number three in light gray to match the gray of his tight pants. “Oh, my God!” she murmured and sat back down.

Before she knew it, the kickoff had happened and the Mountaineers had the ball. Her gaze stayed fixed on Ethan the entire time, taking in his game mannerisms. He was so focused, determined. He wanted this win and she prayed that he got it.

While watching the game, Mia chewed on her thumb in between sips of beer. The only time the nerves left her was during the fan appreciation skits during breaks in play. Besides making her laugh, they took her mind off of Ethan and the game.

During the second quarter, whoever controlled the stadium camera panned a shot near and around their luxury box and Mia saw herself briefly on the Jumbotron. She hoped no one had noticed her. She had wanted to keep a low profile and didn’t want to announce to the world that she wanted Ethan back. Not yet anyway.

Focusing her attention towards the field, Mia found Ethan and had the eeriest feeling that he had looked right at her. For a moment, she thought she’d seen recognition in his eyes.

At half-time, the Flash walked to the locker room up by thirteen. She took a deep breath and let her body relax for the next fifteen minutes. His games were always nerve-wracking events to her.

Luke and Mia were watching the half time festivities when Luke’s phone buzzed. He looked at it, smiled, and then excused himself.

“I’ve got to take care of this,” he said, walking inside the private box. Who was that, she wondered? Did he have a girlfriend? God, she had been so wrapped up in her own life she hadn’t even asked him. She regarded him talking on the phone and then looked down at her ring-less finger and sighed, feeling very much alone.

What’s the point of it all if she didn’t get to share it with the person she loved more than anything? God, she needed this to work out. Mia hoped after she told Ethan all the stuff she never had that he would still want her. That she could have that happily-ever-after she’d pushed away all those years ago.

“Want anything? I’m going to get another beer,” he yelled from the box.

“Sure. Get me the same as you.”

Mia decided to check her messages on her phone while she waited for Luke to return instead of letting herself dwell on something that she had no control over right now. Marty had replied back to her text and then there was one from Allie. She texted Allie first.

Allie

March 4, 2011 840 PM

Nice seats?

How did you score these? Great seats. No one with us.

It cost you.

Do I even want to know?

No. Might want to reconsider that new movie script.

Ouch.

Enjoying yourself?

No—this is torture. He looks like a god. I’m a nervous wreck.

Remember your outcome. It’ll all be worth it.

:) I know. Thanks for everything. See you Saturday night.

Allie was right, of course. When was she ever wrong? Never. She closed out of that text and scrolled down to Marty’s.

Marty

March 4, 2011 850 PM

You’re meeting us in LA?

Yes. I’m taking a detour. ;)

You nervous about the contract negotiations?

Only if you are. I told you what I wanted.

I’m not nervous. I’m pretty sure we’ll get what we want and more.

You’re pretty confident.

I am.

What are your thoughts about the break?

Oh I’ve been ready for one of those for a couple years. It’s hard work keeping up with you. ;)

Mia dropped the phone to her lap after she re-read Marty’s last text. She’d never known he’d wanted a break. He never said anything each time she was ready to record. He was always on board. She never thought differently . . . until now.

I’m sorry :(

Don’t be. It’s been an amazing ride. We’ll take a nice, long break, and when we return, it’ll be even better.

I hope you’re right because I’m nervous.

If the label doesn’t like it, we’ll just start our own.

Maybe we should.

If we need to visit that, we will . . . when it’s time.

I know who our first artist could be.

Who?

You.

What????

I really think you should do some solo stuff. I like your voice.

No. I like what I do.

She could imagine his stern and serious face glaring at her and she decided to push it just a little further.

I’m so writing a song for you to sing on the next album. It’s already in my head.

Shut up.

<3 you, Marty.

<3 you too, brat. See you in LA.

As half-time ended, Luke returned to the suite with the beers and two huge pretzels.

“Mmm. That looks so good,” Mia said as he handed her a beer and pretzel. She broke off a piece and took a bite, savoring the saltiness, as she watched Colorado kick off to start the second half. The Flash’s kickoff returner fumbled it on the five yard line but luckily recovered it before being tackled by about half of Colorado’s team.

The first play for the Flash was a three-yard run to give Ethan a little more room to move.

On the next play, she saw the wide receivers break to run and knew it would be a pass, but so did the defensive line. They blitzed and knocked Ethan hard to the ground.

Mia gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “Goddamn it,” she muttered anxiously as Ethan got up gingerly. She looked at the score board. The Flash were ahead by thirteen. A nice lead but she knew Ethan wanted more.

With the next snap, she knew they would go with the same play. This time ending with a twenty-nine-yard pass! Mia got up and cheered. When she sat back down, Luke bumped her shoulder to get her attention.

“So, I read on the Internet that you had a show in Chicago last week.”

“I did, like a welcome back show. We hadn’t had a show like that in a long while. Small and intimate. The crowd was great!”

“I would have liked to have seen that,” he said wistfully.

Mia scrunched up her nose. She should have thought to invite him. Bad best friend. “I’m sorry. I should have told you about it. I’ve not been the best friend you deserve lately. I’ve been so focused on me the past few years . . .”

“Hey, wait one minute. I never meant anything like that, okay?” he regarded her. “I mean it. You will always be my best friend. Always. Got it?”

She nodded with a slight, wavering smile, thankful that she had him. He gave her Kaitlyn, one of the constant joys in her life. But even better, he gave her him—his friendship. They’d gone many years in a weird limbo—the whole friends with benefits thing—afraid that if they ended that their relationship would end. But it didn’t. It had only grown stronger, to the point that she had the
best
best friend in the world. One who would and had supported her through it all, even when she didn’t expect it, even when she didn’t deserve it, even when she pushed him away.

She took a sip of her beer, trying to get a handle on her emotions. Luke was her family.

Family.

She wanted that with Ethan. Hell, she wanted it all with him.

Shifting her focus to him in the center of the huddle, he clapped his hands once and the offense got into position. The center snapped it to Ethan, who kept it and ran the ball in for a touchdown. Mia cringed when he was tackled hard by two of the linebackers.

She fucking hated this damn game.

“Tortured yet?” Luke asked.

“Far beyond tortured, if there is such a thing,” she replied, taking another long drink of her beer.

Before Mia knew it, the two-minute warning came around with the Flash up by ten, with possession of the ball plus two timeouts. They let the clock wind down with Ethan taking a couple of knees.

And that was that! The Flash won the game! Next stop, the Championship game next week. The crowd’s cheering was insane. They were so excited. So damn happy. And so was Mia. She had never really been a part of this before. In 2008, when he won the championship, she was bitter because of what was going on with their relationship. She wouldn’t let that melancholy infiltrate the high she had from her happiness for him.