“Aunt Liana? Ellie?” Mia asked, stepping closer, her voice still tinged with surprise. “What are you both doing here?”
“Mia!” Ellie’s face lit up. She hurried forward and wrapped her arms around her in a tight, almost crushing hug. “We came to kidnap you for dinner!”
Mia laughed, the sound soft and startled, and hugged her back, her earlier tension easing as Ellie squeezed her tight.
Liana followed more slowly, her smile warm. She pulled Mia into a gentle embrace, one hand resting briefly on her back before she stepped away.
Alexander straightened slightly and extended his hand in a polite, measured gesture. Ellie and Liana shook his hand one after another, and then Liana spoke.
“I got your office address from Sawyer,” she said, looking at Mia with a grin. “I thought you’d still be working, so I decided to surprise you and take you home for dinner.”
Her eyes shifted between the two of them, lingering just a moment longer than necessary. “Did we interrupt something? Do you already have plans?”
“No, we don’t,” Alexander replied without hesitation.
Mia’s eyes flicked toward him, her brows knitting together in faint surprise.
Alexander smiled, composed and courteous, and gestured lightly toward the limo behind him. “Would you like to ride with us?”
“Oh no,” Liana said at once, shaking her head with a small laugh. “We came in our own car. It’s parked right there.”
She pointed across the road to a sleek black Mercedes. “You and Mia can come together in your car. I wasn’t expecting to see you—I thought only Mia would be here.”
“I came to pick her up,” Alexander said easily. “Is it a problem if I join as well?”
“Of course not,” Ellie said brightly. “The more, the merrier!”
Alexander gave a brief nod. He turned to Mia, placing a light but guiding hand at the small of her back. “Go sit inside. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Then he looked at Ellie and Liana. “Let me escort you to your car.”
“It’s not necessary,” Liana said quickly.
But Alexander was already stepping off the curb. “Let’s go.”
He guided them across the road, positioning himself slightly to the side closest to traffic, his gaze sharp and alert. When they reached the Mercedes, he opened the door for them and waited, hand steady on the frame, until both women were seated safely inside before stepping back.
Mia continued to stare at Alexander’s back, stunned.
The man had always been distant and curt when it came to other people, especially when it involved leaving her alone with them. Yet now, he was escorting Liana and Ellie with calm patience, speaking to them in a polite, gentle tone like a perfect gentleman.
As they reached Liana’s car, Alexander opened the car door for them, one hand steady on the frame, speaking to them with quiet courtesy.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Mia watched him with wide, unblinking eyes, seeing him in a way she never had before. When he finally turned around, she realized she was still standing outside the limo, frozen in place, staring at him.
For a brief moment, their gazes met.
Alexander flashed her a small, quiet smile.
Her heart lurched violently, pounding so hard it made her dizzy. Something trembled deep in her chest, unfamiliar and frightening—something no one had ever stirred before.
And the worst part was that it only happened around him.
Only him.
Somewhere along the way, she had begun to understand exactly what this feeling was—and that realization frightened her more with every passing day.
