I’d told Mia about the Townsend gala the night after I came back from finding Cole. She hesitated at first, but when I insisted, she agreed. I’d only ever attended a Townsend function as the head of security. It would be weird playing double duty. But all four of the Townsend wives had asked me questions about Mia, whenever they saw me. Deborah Townsend, the mother of all four brothers, even cornered me one day at the community center and asked to see a picture.
She’d batted her lashes and asked with a smile on her face, but I knew a demand when I heard one. After that, she wouldn’t let up until I told her I was bringing Mia to the gala.
“They’re all looking forward to meeting you,” I said absentmindedly.
“Really?” There was a surprise in her voice and fear.
“Why does that frighten you?” I asked, alarmed.
“It doesn’t …” She paused and, with a shake of her head, amended, “I mean, it’s just a little intimidating. I worked with the healthcare side of Townsend Industries at my old job. But I’ve never met the CEO, let alone the entire family. And this isn’t for work.”
I hated the uncertainty in her voice. Didn’t she know she was the most perfect thing in the world?
“They’re just people,” I assured, taking her by the waist.
My phone buzzed again, and I growled.
She laughed. “You have to go.”
“Tell me you’re not intimidated to meet them,” I said, ignoring my phone and her insistence that I needed to leave.
“I’m not.” When I didn’t budge, she added, “Seriously. I know they’re just people, a family. Averywealthy and powerful family.” She grinned. “I’m teasing.”
“You make friends wherever you go.” It was true. The saying ‘never met a stranger’ had to have been created with Mia in mind. She’d done it in Mexico. Whenever we went out, she would quickly strike up a conversation with someone in a line or at dinner, on a boat. Wherever.
Her sales career didn’t surprise me, given her extroverted tendencies. And when she talked about her reasons for wanting to open a coffee shop, it made total sense. She was a people person. Something entirely different than me. I tolerated most people, but I could do without them.
Except for her.
The thought swept through my mind so seamlessly that I couldn’t deny it. Mia was always the exception to my every rule.
“I’ll see you later.” I reluctantly released her. “I’ll try to be home by seven,” I said.
It fell so casually from my lips that I only realized what I said when Mia replied, “I get to move back into my place tomorrow.”
Due to a new job, Mia’s tenant decided to move out of her place a week early.
“You don’t have to leave.” The words slipped out before I had time to think about them. And when I did pause to think them over, I didn’t want to retract them.
She smirked and started to answer, but Barry came up behind us.
“Pipes look good. My guys’ll be able to have your kitchen set up in no time,” he said.
Before she could respond to him, I took her chin into mine. “We’ll talk about this tonight.” I kissed her and then turned to Barry. I gave him a short nod before I left, my phone again buzzing in my pocket.
Duty called.
CHAPTER19
Mia
I twisted this way and that as I checked myself over in the mirror. In the two weeks since renovations began on my shop, things had been hectic. I visited the café almost every day to see the progress. And when I wasn’t going over how the renovations were going, I was on the phone with coffee and food distributors and furniture retailers and shoring up a million other details.
I also started my own popup stores at local retailers and farmer’s markets to drum up excitement for my new shop. Not to mention, I had a handful of employee applications to go through for barista positions. Life was busy.
But tonight, I was preoccupied with something else entirely. Brutus was taking me out to see one of our favorite authors. After Malcolm Gladwell’s talk, we had reservations at a nearby restaurant. It would be our first night out in over a week.
Brutus’ job was more than a full-time gig. A few days earlier, he unexpectedly had to hop on a flight with Aaron Townsend to attend some business meetings with him across the country. Additionally, coordinating the security plans for the gala consumed much of his time.
