She nodded and sat back. “It’s going to be so damn awkward. I don’t know what I’m going to say. But she sounded like she wanted to talk, so I’m going to give it a try. See if Mason’s being a dick to her.”
“You know she won’t say anything,” I said, wiping down the counter with a wet rag.
She sighed. “I know, but it’s worth a shot.”
CHAPTER10
MIA
The two guys were back at the bar, pushing their glasses across the counter and asking for another. It took everything in me not to roll my eyes as I grabbed the glasses and poured them another glass of whiskey.
“You sure we can’t get your numbers?” the blond asked, leaning over the bar. “We’re working down in the city on the towers.”
Serena scoffed, totally unimpressed. “And?”
“Thought we could hang out sometime—”
“Mia,” someone called from behind them, walking toward me.
I smiled and thanked the heavens that it was Michael, loosening his tie and taking a seat next to Serena. He nodded to the two guys as if he knew them.
Serena nudged Michael. “Your girl is getting hit on by some jackasses.”
“Your girl?” one of them asked, backing up and shaking his head. “Sorry, sir. Didn’t know she was your girlfriend.” They mumbled another few words to him. “We’ll see you in the office.”
When they walked back to their seats, I raised a brow at Michael. “You know them?”
“Interns,” he said. “They work under one of my coworkers.”
Serena sipped on her drink and snorted. “They think they’re big shots.”
Michael grabbed my hand, eyes on me. “How was your day?”
I broke out into a grin, my heart feeling warm.
Serena raised one of her brows and smirked, mouthing to me,I’m so fucking happy for you.
As I was about to answer, Sal walked out of the back room, gaze immediately on Michael and me. “I didn’t think it was true that you two were together,” he said, and I couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or not. Unlike usual, his expression was unreadable.
Michael smiled at me, a dimple forming on his right cheek, eyes relaxing. If I wasn’t used to that look by now, I’d probably melt in a puddle from it.
Sal leaned in real close to both of us, laying a hand on each of our shoulders. “Please, God, don’t tell me that this has been going on for years now.”
This was the second time today that I’d heard that we’d been together for years. And while I wanted to wonder where the rumor had started, I didn’t have a doubt in my mind that it was Linda, out to make Michael look bad in front of the entire city. I knew she’d do anything to try to redeem herself.
After she and Michael had gotten a divorce, Michael had succeeded in every part of his life. And Linda had fallen into a pit of drugs, disease-ridden men, and alcohol. Or maybe … that was how she always was.
“Only a few months,” Michael said, brows furrowing together. He looked from me to Serena to Sal, confusion evident on his face. “Who’d you hear that from?”
“Well,” Sal said, scratching the back of his head.
He lifted his eyes to the door behind Michael, and mine followed. Linda walked into the bar.
“Someone is telling everyone in town that Mia broke up your family.”
Michael tensed and clenched his jaw. “Fucking Linda,” he said through gritted teeth. He shook his head and glanced down at his lap, not even having seen her yet.
When her eyes met mine, her lips curled into a nasty snarl. I gulped.
