To his disbelief, it was Mia who opened the door, and the words out of her mouth were, “Mandy?”
“Nope,” he said with relief. Mia was safe; she wasn’t frozen somewhere. Then relief turned to anger. “Where have you been?”
“I’ve been waiting for Mandy. Nobody can find her,” Mia explained, her eyes darting behind him in case Mandy was in the hallway as well.
“She’s not the only one. Why didn’t you answer my texts?” He pushed into the dark apartment.
“I was waiting for Mandy,” She waved at the room behind her.
“There isn’t enough extra time in waiting to tell me you’re alive?” he questioned as he rubbed his hands together to warm them up.
“I can’t let you distract me. I let her down. I wasn’t there when she needed me.” Mia sat heavily on the kitchen chair as tears started to fall.
“How am I a distraction?” he asked in confusion.
“Because I was supposed to keep an eye on her, check on her, but I was too busy with you. Wasting my time with you.” She buried her face in her hands .
“Wasting your time?” he asked in disbelief. Had she really said that? The happiest time of his life had been a waste of her time?
“Just leave, Rafferty.” She dropped her hands and glared at him.
“What?” He had finally found her, and she was sending him away.
“Just leave. Go to your blonde and leave me alone.” She waved at the door, dismissing him.
“What blonde? What are you talking about?” He had lost the focus of this entire conversation.
She just glared at him, “Everybody knows you’re dating a blonde from Norden.”
“I am not.” He defended himself from the rumors that even he had heard. But Mia should know better since he had been spending all his time with her. Every moment he wasn’t working, he was with her.
“Liar,” she hissed at him, not being rational.
“I haven’t dated anyone since we got married. Hell, even months before that.” Rafferty told her the truth. Hell, not since this time last year, when he decided he wanted Mia and that he needed to stop wasting time on women who don’t mean anything to him.
“Bull,” she barked and turned her back on him.
“You’re the one who has been dating, Mia, not me!” he yelled, because he was still pissed about her going on that date.
His words rang though the room as her phone went off in her hand.
She looked at the screen and immediately answered the call. “Mandy, where are you? I’ve been trying to call, and you don’t answer …” He couldn’t hear what Mandy said on the other end of the call, but Mia’s face showed lines of concern. “Mandy, really. I’m not taking that for an answer. I’m calling your mom.” Mia turned away from Rafferty.
Again, Mia was silent as her cousin spoke on the other end.
“Okay. I’ll try.” Mia’s voice was calmer than before.
Maybe her concern for Mandy had equaled his concern for Mia. And now that Mandy had been found, Mia will relax.
Mia listened for a few more seconds, then dropped the phone from her ear. Turning back to him, she stated calmly. “I have to organize a group phone call now. I’d like you to leave and stay away from me. Enjoy your blonde.”
With her words, she rushed out of the apartment, only taking a moment to grab her jacket. Watching her leave, he stood there, stunned. Had she said that? Couldn’t she see this rumor for what it was?
Turning off the TV she had left on in her haste to leave, he followed her down the stairs and across the street. Today, she was quick, and he couldn’t catch her before she went up the stairs to Ruth and Anderson’s apartment.
Cursing, he turned and went to his pickup and took off. Driving the short few blocks to his place, he wondered why she was willing to believe he was cheating on her, even when he was with her every minute.
What was it going to take to get her to trust him? How could a rumor be enough to kick him out of her life without letting him defend himself? Why couldn’t she see that he was madly in love with her? And had been for a long time.