“Alright,” Alexander replied at last. “I’ll come to pick you up early tomorrow morning.”
“Mhm,” Mia murmured, ending the call.
She remained standing there, staring at the empty table, the phone still clenched in her hand. Unease settled heavily in her chest. After a moment, she checked the time, then slowly stood up.
By evening, Ellie, Sawyer, and Liana had returned home, but Mia felt restless. Alexander’s words replayed in her mind over and over.
‘I’m missing you.’
Each repetition weighed heavier than the last.
Unable to sit still any longer, she made her decision.
She went back to Alexander’s house.
When she arrived, the place was quiet. The lights were dim. He wasn’t home yet. She changed into comfortable clothes and waited in the living room, sitting on the couch with her hands folded in her lap. Time dragged on. Minutes blurred into hours. Eventually, a dull ache settled into her back.
She stood, climbed the stairs slowly, and lay down on the bed. The familiar scent of the room surrounded her. Exhaustion crept in quickly, and she fell asleep without realizing it.
It was very late when Alexander finally came home.
His body felt heavy with fatigue, his movements sluggish. Reaching the bedroom, Alexander shrugged off his jacket and let it fall onto the chair by the window. He loosened his tie absentmindedly, fingers tugging at the knot as fatigue finally caught up to him. A slow breath escaped his lips as he rubbed his eyes, the day weighing heavily on his shoulders.
Then his gaze lifted toward the bed.
He froze.
Mia was lying there, facing him. Her hands were tucked beneath her head, hair spilling softly across the pillow. Her breathing was slow and even, her expression peaceful—so unguarded it stole the air from his lungs.
Shock flashed across his face, sharp and fleeting.
Then it melted into something warmer. Brighter.
Happiness surged through him so suddenly it left his chest tight.
He moved without thinking, crossing the room in two strides before dropping to his knees beside the bed. His hand lifted hesitantly, as if afraid she might vanish, before gently brushing her cheek. Her skin was warm beneath his fingers. He let his touch linger, thumb tracing a barely-there curve along her face.
At the sensation, Mia stirred.
Her lashes fluttered, eyes unfocused as they slowly opened. Still half-asleep, she looked at him.
“Mr. Graves?” she murmured, her voice soft and thick with sleep.
The sound of it nearly undid him.
“You came back already?” Alexander asked quietly. His voice was fragile, gentle, betraying the way his heart was hammering in his chest. Surprise and affection flickered unmistakably in his eyes. “When did you come back? Why didn’t you call me? I would have come home earlier.”
Mia blinked a few times before her gaze cleared. Recognition softened her expression, and she shifted slightly on the bed.
“I was waiting for you at home,” she said gently. “I didn’t realize you’d be late. I thought you had a lot of work.”
“I didn’t,” he said at once, almost too quickly. “You weren’t home, so I didn’t want to come back early. I planned to pick you up in the morning.” His voice softened even further. “If you had told me, I would’ve come sooner.”
The tenderness in his tone made her heart flutter.
Mia’s lips curved into a small, sleepy smile. Her eyes were still heavy as she whispered, “It’s alright… I’m already here.”
Alexander leaned closer, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face. His knuckles grazed her temple. His voice turned warm. “Do you want to have dinner?”
