Chapter Fifteen: Taking It To The Next Level
Numbers
My admiration for Mia had risen to new heights. She was not only hardworking, intelligent and sexy as all get out, but she was trying to take care of her ailing mother as well. The full package. I wanted to lift the strain for her.
I backed off her for a couple of days to let her absorb my offer. What she didn’t know was that I had plans for us. I wanted her to be part of my life. I’d been single for a while and over the years, I’d built a nice little nest egg for myself. I had more than enough to help Mia.
I’d asked her to come to the house, so we could talk about how to break down her payments for the nursing home she wanted to put her mother in.
I felt like a nervous puppy while I waited for her to get to my place. I cleaned and fumbled around. She was breaking down all my defenses and it was strange. A new feeling for me, but I intended to ride it out. My door was open to let some fresh air run through the house and my screen door was locked. A soft rattling of the screen made me jump out of my insecure thoughts.
“Hellllooo,” a sweet melodic voice rang out.
I made out Mia’s silhouette through the screen door and unlatched it, letting her in.
“Good morning.” She held two coffees in a carry tray, with a brown paper bag peeking out of her purse, smelling distinctly like bacon. “I come bearing gifts.”
“I can see that. Here, let me take those coffees off your hands.” I scooped up the carry tray.
She slowly moved inside, blowing her hair out of her face. “Thank you. Wow. Your place is so clean all the time. Is this normal, or do you clean because I’m here?”
“Ahhhh, I’m pretty clean. I might clean a little extra because you’re here. Shhh!” I joked, putting my index finger to my lips.
“You’re putting me to shame,” she mumbled in irritation as she dropped her purse from her shoulder, looking frazzled. Beads of sweat were on her forehead and she looked like she’d been rushing.
“You okay?”
“Whew, I’m fine. I’ve just been talking to the nursing home for my mother. We think we found one we both like.”
“That’s good news. Now don’t stress about the next part. That’s what we’re here to work on.”
Her face changed and distraction showed in her pretty emerald eyes.
I saw something… An unwillingness in her.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s not the best idea. I don’t like owing people money.”
“You don’t have to owe me. This isn’t a loan situation. I’m giving it to you, and this is important to me. I can help. Tell me what’s bugging you about it,” I prodded gently.
She sat down at the kitchen table with her purse, her hair put up and off her face today. She looked even more youthful than normal with her rosy cheeks and pale shimmering lipstick.
“It’s a little uncomfortable for me, I’m just adjusting I guess. I’m not sure if I’m going to take the offer, but I will hear you out, I hope that’s okay,” she asked timidly. The normally fiercely independent woman was gone today, replaced with a more reluctant one.
I reached over to the first drawer in the kitchen and pulled out my glasses case. I put them on and came back to the kitchen table with a notepad. By the time I broke everything down for her, I was sure she would come to the conclusion that it was a good idea to take what I was offering. I rolled up my sleeves and sat down next to her. Even sitting shoulder to shoulder was hard. All I wanted to do was kiss her worries away. I figured if I worked through the figures with her, it would have a similar effect.
“You keep your glasses in the kitchen drawer?” A snort came from her lips.
I tugged her ear affectionately. “Yes, I do. One of my many quirks, is that all right with you? You’re teasing me now?”
She stifled a giggle at my expense. “No. Unexpected.”
“I’m in here all the time and I kept losing them in my bedroom, so I decided to try this method and so far, it’s working.” I smiled at her as I picked up her fingers, rubbing them with my thumb.
Lacing them together with mine, she pulled back and patted the back of her ponytail. “Good strategy.” Her shimmery lips formed a small smile, but not the high-watt beam she usually gave me.
I clicked my pen to start things off. “By the way, what is your mother’s name? We’ve spoken about her so much I feel like I know her.”
This did make her smile. “Nin, and my father’s name is Francis,” she stated.