“Mia?” he called out, mostly to see what she’d do.
“Yeah?” She whipped her head around to look at him.
“Sorry I criticized your parenting. It was an asshole thing to do.”
When her smile came, it felt like the air had gotten ten degrees hotter. It filled her face, making her look younger, softer.
A hundred questions rushed into his mind. Was she married? How old was she? Did she really live in this huge old house? And did she find him as sexy as he found her?
Without thinking, he glanced at her left hand. There was no ring there. Interesting.
“Goodbye, Cam,” she said, walking back up the steps to her house, her hips swinging in a distracting way.
“Goodbye, Mia.” He grinned to himself and turned away.
Chapter Four
Mia slammed the front door behind her – a necessary gesture even when she was in a good mood, thanks to the way the wood always got stuck on the frame.
Had Mr. Gorgeous with the designer jeans and cocky smile really just told her it would cost ten thousand dollars to repair his car? She closed her eyes and swallowed down a scream, but instead of blackness she could see him there.
Tall, muscled body. Cropped dark hair. A half grin that made her insides turn into stupid, messy goo. She turned and pressed her eye to the peephole and saw him walking down the path and turn onto the sidewalk. Damn, even from the back he was impressive. Through the black fabric of his t-shirt, his muscles had been obvious. He must work out all the time.
But it had been his eyes that had made her look twice. Hazel with little flecks of green. He’d looked at her like he was trying to work her out, and failing.
Damn if she hadn’t liked it.
Just a bit.
Pressing her lips together, she stomped toward the kitchen, clearing her throat as she walked through the door.
Michael was standing at the window, his hand on Josh’s shoulder as they both turned to look at her.
“Mom!” Josh said excitedly. “Do you know who that was?”
“His name’s Cam Hartson.”
Josh’s eyes widened and he looked up at Mikey. “She does know,” he said, his voice almost reverent.
“I know because he told me,” she said, her voice clipped. “But that doesn’t matter, because right now I need you to sit down at the table and tell me exactly what happened and why I’m about to get a repair bill for ten thousand dollars.”
Ten thousand dollars she didn’t have. She rubbed her palms against her eyes and sighed.
“We were playing ball. Mikey got into the freshman team and wanted to practice,” Josh said, his voice small. “So I was throwing and he was catching. And I kind of threw it wonky.”
“It wasn’t his fault. It was mine.” Michael pulled out a chair and pointed at it, directing Josh to sit, then he’d sat down in the one next to it. “I was the one that suggested we play in the road.”
“You were playing in the road?” Mia’s voice rose up an octave. “Why the hell would you do that? You could’ve gotten hurt. That car could have run you over.”
“It was the first car we saw in an hour. There aren’t any cars around here, Mom. There aren’t many people either.” Michael shook his head. “I’m sorry. We should have gone to the park or something.”
Mia slumped down in one of the plastic chairs and leaned her forehead on her hands. “You got on the team?” she asked. She’d just come home from a shift at the Moonlight Bar when she’d heard the shouting from the front of the house. Michael had left her a note telling her that he and Josh were fine and had gone out to practice.
“Yeah.” Michael nodded. “They want me to play for the freshman team for a month, but if I’m good enough I might make JV.” His voice lifted with excitement.
A tumult of emotions rushed through her. Happiness that something had actually gone right for her son. Sadness that it had been marred by this damn stupid incident. And complete panic at how she was going to find ten thousand dollars.
She looked up at them. Michael and Josh were staring at her, their eyes wide. “We didn’t mean for it to happen,” Josh said, his lip trembling. “That man was so angry.”