“If you aren’t ready for something truly beautiful in your life, then you might wanna guard your heart. You’re seeing Mia in her low, and when she finally shakes the mud off, you won’t even know you’re hers until it’s too late. She’s that true beauty inside and out that captures you in the best way. If you’re not ready for that, man, make a plan to get out of Dodge because you’re only going to hurt yourself and her. She doesn’t know it, but she wears her heart on her sleeve, a complete open book. You won’t be able to stop falling in love with her.”
That he didn’t have to worry about.
“Love is not for me, so no worries there. But I see the beauty you’re talking about. It’s right under the surface, dying to escape.”
He nodded, his eyes narrowing, trying to figure me out.
“Were you two romantically involved?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No. I tried in the beginning, but we were meant to be friends. Hardest part was watching her with her husband. He was a real dick.”
A common denominator I was beginning to see had been a problem here and with her ex. Everyone hated the ex.
“She’s gonna be okay.” I tried to comfort him.
He didn’t need to worry about me or her. She would come out of this brighter than before.
“I know that. She’s a force to be reckoned with. You’ll see.” He winked and then held his hand out just as Mia marched back up the stairs into the gazebo with a scowl present on her face.
“Fire up the plane?” he asked.
She nodded. “Fire up the plane. I’ll be ready in an hour. Sorry, Logan. I’m apparently needed in New York for a few days. I, um … you’re welcome to come with if you think that’s necessary, but I’m going to be pretty busy, cleaning up a mess. Not sure how this is gonna work.”
I held up my hand to stop her from rambling some more. “All good. Just keep communicating with me. Text, call, e-mail whenever you’re feeling happy or pissed off. I’m your BFF, remember?”
“Right. Okay. Thanks for the session, and I will keep in touch.” She turned and stomped back into the building to get ready for her flight.
I’d text her in a few hours to check in and remind her to control what she could and let go of what she couldn’t. Either way, this time not being face-to-face was going to work. She was a busy woman, and that required us to adapt.
Instead of heading home, I decided now was as good a time as any to free my mind and enjoy the beach.
My shirt was gone, ditched in the sand with my shoes, and then I was in the salty waves. Soaking up the moment and digesting Jay’s warning to me. I already was crossing some mental boundaries when it came to Mia. As long as we kept things professional, it would go smoothly, and we could part ways at the end of the six weeks nicely.
As I waded in the water, a nagging thought in my mind told me my life was going to get a lot more complicated than evenings spent swimming in the ocean.
I let those thoughts go with the waves as they crashed into me. Not willing myself to stress over something that might not even come to pass.
