Chapter Forty-One
Logan
Mia was all giggles and spoke in a mixture of Italian and English when she was drunk.
Throughout our story time of how my friends and I’d met back in college, Mia just kept the drinks coming, immensely enjoying herself and our tale-telling.
All three of us had met in college. Tate was on the football team. Callum was the perfect student during the day and an underground fighter at night to pay for school. Tate, with his everlasting confidence, decided to pick a fight with Cal. It didn’t end well, and I happened to be there at the bar, drinking with a potential date when it went down. For some reason, I took pity on both of them and snuck them out of the bar and into my truck before the cops showed up and arrested them.
After that, they sort of found me and never left. A truce had been formed when I helped them, and Tate had apologized for picking a fight. We’d been close ever since.
Tate and I even fought others a few times to help Callum out when he was really in need of money for doctor bills and shit. We were brothers, no matter what our DNA said.
And those brothers were head over heels for Mia. Both of them told me that she was the one for me, that she was ten times the woman Katherine was, and that I needed to make it real with Mia.
Even Tink gave me a look that echoed their words.
Mia was a hit with my family.
I didn’t know how I felt about that. I mean, I’d brought her here, but I hadn’t been prepared for her to fit right in like she belonged there. Joking with the boys and impressing Tink, who was not the type that impressed easily. Then, there was all that talk of marriage. Been there, didn’t want to do it ever again.
Katherine wasn’t a cheater or anything. She’d just had this vision in her head, a fantasy really of what life was going to be like and what her spouse was going to be like. She complained constantly when I dressed down in casual wear instead of business attire. She hated riding in the Jeep, preferring her Lexus sedan and all the luxury she could get her hands on. I wasn’t that guy. I tried for her though. To make my wife happy, I wore the outfits and played the part, and in the end, I was just tired. She wasn’t in love with me. She was in love with a made-up version of me that I was an idiot enough to try to become for her. Neither Tate nor Callum liked her. They thought she was hot and tolerated her. It was when she demanded I give them up that I had enough. The right woman for me would never ask that I give up friends who were like true family to me. I realized that we weren’t really in love with each other and that I could never make her happy.
She became a real bitch after that. She woke up every morning, trying to make my life a living hell, and then tried to take everything I had and leave me a broken man. Thankfully, I’d survived. All of them helped, Tink especially. I’d become stronger through the process, and I was who I was. If I ever found the right woman, she would love me for the version I was right now. Sandals, Jeep, and all.
I looked briefly at the woman who was half-hanging out of the Jeep with her arms spread wide, like she was flying, as we drove slowly around the hotel driveway to the back. She wanted to go in the service area, so people didn’t see her drunk. I understood, so to the rear of the hotel we went while Mia played Titanic from the passenger seat.
There was a brief moment when Callum had mentioned that I should marry her or he would that I saw those images run though my head like a movie reel.
Mia as my wife, doing wild things together, both inside the bedroom and out. Going to her family’s Sunday dinners as actually part of the family and not the guest. Although I wasn’t sure there was much of a difference when I thought about it.
But what happened when the six weeks between us was over, and I wasn’t technically her life coach anymore? Of course, I’d still help her when she had those bad moments, as should any spouse. But was the bar set too high because of what I did, the part in her life I’d played?
We pulled up to the back entrance to park, and as soon as I cut the engine, Mia was climbing over the door like some monkey. Oh Lord. I quickly rushed out and helped her get out the way she was determined to go.
“I had a great time tonight, Logan. Your friends are so much fun. I mean, we should do this every night.” She leaned in to kiss me but missed and kissed my cheek instead.
I simply laughed, knowing damn well Mia was going to be regretting drinking so much come morning light. This version of Mia was cute. You just smiled and chuckled, watching her be as free as she came. Kinda like watching those baby panda videos on the internet. It just brightened your day.
“It was a fun night.” Taking pity on her and her poor attempt at walking upright, I scooped her up and carried her through the back halls. Using her key card, we went up to her penthouse.
“You’re like a knight in shining armor, minus the armor. So handsome and smart and funny. And you’ve got that mind-reading thing going for you, too.” Her hands came up to pet my face, scratching my trimmed beard with every caress.
So cute. I wanted to keep her, shove her tiny-sized body in my pocket to bring home with me.
“I really didn’t stand a chance, not falling in love with you. You’ve got all that and a sexy six-y pack-y thing with that V thing that points to your cock thing, ya know.”
I opened her door and walked us back to her bedroom before gently lowering her on the bed we’d just fucked in hours ago. My mind paused from all thought, so I wouldn’t begin thinking about what she’d said before talking about my abs.
“Do you need anything, sweetheart?” I asked, leaning down to kiss her cheek.
“I don’t think so. I’ll shower in the morning and brush my dragon’s breath. You could stay though if you want. It’s late.” She was looking up at me, a vulnerable request on her part, suggesting I could stay the night.
I wanted to. I wanted to lie next to her and wake up beside her. But I couldn’t. Not right now.
“I’ll see you in the morning, Mia.” I kissed her again and left the room, making sure she had water and something for the headache in the morning waiting for her on the counter when she woke up. I heard her snores from the living room before leaving the apartment.
I didn’t let myself think about her words until I was home, dirty clothes in the washer and cleaned from a shower.
Then, I had nothing else but to let Mia’s declaration of sorts settle in.
Sweet and utterly beautiful Mia was falling in love with me.
And I was determined never to fall in love again, to keep things less complicated.
My life had just gotten complicated as hell now.
Fuck, I was screwed.
