‘Let me help you up,’ I say, reaching under his arm. He looks annoyed, like he doesn’t want my help, but he lets me lift him up to standing.
‘It’s that damn hip of mine,’ he grumbles. ‘I think that damn surgery made it worse.’
‘Walter, watch your language.’
‘It can take awhile to heal after joint surgery,’ I say, keeping hold of him as he slowly makes his way to the door. ‘I tore my shoulder the summer before college. It took the whole next year to heal. Lost my baseball scholarship.’
‘You were good enough to get a scholarship?’ Walter asks, sounding impressed.
‘I was.’ I smile at him. ‘But then I hurt my shoulder and it ended my chances of playing again.’
‘You play in a rec league,’ Mia says, walking ahead of us with her mom.
‘Well, yeah. I meant college ball.’
‘That’s a shame,’ Walter says, holding onto my arm as he walks. Mia said he hates using his cane so tries to go without it, but after falling just now, I think he wants some extra support.
Mia keeps looking back at me and smiling as I help her dad.I know she’s had it with me, but I hope she at least knows I’m a nice guy. I only treated her the way I did because I was stupid, and afraid. Nick’s right. I was afraid of getting close to her so I pushed her away.
We go to dinner and I feel like Mia and I are a couple again. But it’s all for show. We’re back to our fake engagement routine, except this time Mia isn’t being as affectionate. She’s not holding my hand or touching my arm or sitting as close to me as she did last weekend.
As we’re finishing our meals, a guy stops at our table.
‘Mia,’ he says, smiling at her. ‘How have you been?’
‘Kurt. Hey.’ She clears her throat. ‘I’ve been good. How about you?’
‘Same. Just busy with work. Hey, I was thinking of you the other day. They’re having a concert in the park next weekend. I was wondering if you’d want to go with me.’
What the hell? Does this guy not notice me sitting here? Does he think I’m her brother?
‘Mia won’t be here next weekend,’ Harriott says before Mia can answer. ‘And she’s engaged, so perhaps you could find some other girl to go with.’
‘Engaged?’ He laughs. ‘Is this a joke?’
‘Kurt, these are my parents,’ Mia says. ‘And we were just about to leave so—’
‘You’re not really engaged, are you?’ he says. ‘You couldn’t be. We were going to go out like a month ago. Hey, sorry I couldn’t make it that night. I—’
‘A month ago?’ Harriott looks at Mia. ‘You were going out with this boy a month ago?’
‘No. Mom, it’s not what you think. We’re just friends.’
‘You leave my daughter alone,’ Walter says to the guy. ‘She’s engaged to Jason and they’re having a child soon.’
The guy rears back. ‘Wait—what?’ He looks at Mia. ‘You’re pregnant?’
‘She is.’ I put my arm around Mia. ‘And we’re trying to have some family time here so if you could just .?.?.’
‘Yeah, whatever.’ He turns and walks away.
Mia looks at her parents and forces out a smile. ‘Well, should we go?’
‘What about dessert?’ Walter asks.
‘I have ice cream at home,’ Mia says, hurrying to get up. She wants to get out of here after that awkward encounter with Kurt. Who is that guy and how did she meet him? Was she really going to date him? How many guys has she dated since that night we spent together?
I feel on edge, my pulse going faster, as I think about Mia with other guys. I know she’s not mine. I know I have no right to be jealous, but I am. I don’t even like thinking about her with someone else. When Kurt came over here and flirted with her, I wanted to punch him. I almost did, but I knew Mia’s parents wouldn’t be too pleased with that.
