“Did she know?”
I inhaled a breath. “She knew it wasn’t good.”
Mia laid her head on my chest, and I gave her a soft kiss on her head. So soft, so she didn’t feel it, but I knew I’d given it.
She pulled back and looked up at me. “You were with her?”
“Until she went to surgery.”
She gave me a wan smile. “I’m glad you were there. That someone who cared for her was there.”
I waited for her to blame me like Eli did, but instead, she rested her head on my chest again and simply swayed with me to the music.
“Get your fucking hands off my sister,” Eli’s voice echoed through the bar.
Instead of releasing her, I gripped her tighter and moved her back, away from Eli’s menacing advance on us.
“Eli!” Mia stepped away from me.
“You keep your perverted hands off her,” he said, giving me a shove.
I held my hands up in surrender. The last thing I needed in the local newspaper was my being in a bar brawl. Eli’s store could probably benefit from that type of publicity, but my boss wouldn’t like it. Then again, maybe it was Eli’s goal to get me fired. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out why he was so angry. I didn’t fuck her and then leave her. I loved her. And it was over four years ago. Okay, so maybe we’d never be friends again, but the intensity of his dislike for me seemed beyond what was normal. I wished I could figure out what was going on with him.
4
Mia
“Eli, knock it off,” I said, coming around in front of Nick. “What is wrong with you?”
“You’re supposed to be home with Dad,” he said pointing a finger at me.
“No, I told you since this was my first day, I was coming here with some colleagues.”
“You’re letting him touch you.”
“God, Eli, what’s your problem? Nick is a colleague and old friend. And over there,” I said jabbing my finger toward the table of people, “Are more colleagues. Are you going to attack them too?”
There was one thing I never had to worry about in L.A., and that was small town gossip. Yes, it was nice to come home to a place where people knew me, until my brother made a scene.
I couldn’t decide, though, if I welcomed his intrusion or not. Dancing with Nick had been nice. Too nice. He felt manlier than I remembered. Stronger. Broader. He was still sweet and kind, and I meant what I said in that I was glad he was there with my mom since my dad and brother hadn’t gotten to the hospital in time. But swaying to the music with him brought back memories I’d worked four years to push away. Memories of him holding and caressing me. Of feeling like I was the center of the world. Or at least his world. But that was then and this was now. Now we were old friends. Work colleagues.
Still, Eli had some nerve. “You know I’m a grown woman, right? I was a grown up four years ago when I was with Nick. What is your problem?”
Eli leaned closer to me, and I felt Nick crowd in like he was ready to get between me and Eli. Eli was acting over the top, but I didn’t think he was dangerous, so I put a hand out to stop Nick.
“You’re here to help with Dad. Not party. This isn’t L.A. where you can spend your nights out.”
I stared at Eli, wondering what the hell was up with him. “You don’t know my life here or in L.A. I told you and Dad that I was stopping by here. And yes, I’m here for Dad. Not you. If you think you can boss me around, you’re going to have a very difficult time of it.”
I turned to Nick. “I’m going to head out. Thank you for the dance.”
He nodded, his green eyes narrowed at Eli.
“I’ll leave this numbnut to you,” I said to Nick, and then headed to the table. “Sorry people, I’ve got to run.”
“What’s up with Eli?” Candace asked.
“I don’t know.” I picked up my purse. “See you at work tomorrow.”