Mia ducked her head a little. “Thanks.” Her gaze went to where her younger siblings were and she sighed. “I need to go. I need to get Dempsey and Constance into bed for mama.”
“A'right. Thanks for dancin' wit' me, Mia.” He reluctantly let her go and watched her as she got the two youngest members of her family and ushered them off to their home. He made a mental note to try and make some time to sit down with his papa and ask him about the way he was feeling every time Mia was around.
Chapter Six
Gage
Why was it every time he tried to talk to his papa, the man was too busy to listen? Sometimes Gage wondered if he was just saying it to get out of giving fatherly advice. Almost a month had passed since Caine had become Alpha and already there were changes. Repairs were rapidly being made to the cottages that were in dire need, yards were no longer overgrown with weeds, and moods were lighter. Spotting his father he zeroed in on him. “Papa, I need to talk to you for just a minute.”
Landry Delacroix was a busy man these days. He'd opened a diner in town and it was doing well. Too bad neither of his boys were interested in helping him with it. “You can talk to me while I head to da dock. I've gotta get to da diner. What's on your mind?”
“Business is really pickin' up, isn't it? Sorry I'm so busy wit' school and sports to help out.”
“It's a'right, you got your own tings you want to do. What's on your mind, boy?”
“Oh, yeah. It's Mia Lafluer. I can't stop tinkin' about her. She makes me crazy sometimes.”
“Sounds like you got yourself a crush. Is dat why you keep jumpin' from girl to girl? Got a ting for Mia but don't know how to tell her?”
“We're just friends, papa. We grew up together. She probably tinks of me like a brother.”
“You won't know unless you ask. Talk to her, boy. Find out what she's feelin'.”
“Thanks, papa. Maybe I will. Hey, this weekend I'll come help at the diner.” Football season was finally over, they'd just had their last game, so he had some free time now.
“I'd appreciate dat.” Landry nodded at his son, climbed into the pirogue he used to get back and forth, and headed into New Orleans.
“Now I just need to get Mia alone.” Prom was coming up. Maybe he could ask her to go with him. Yeah, he liked that idea. He liked it a lot. With the decision made he went in search of her. When he approached her house he nodded at her mother who was sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair. “Afternoon, Mrs. Lafluer. Is Mia home?”
“Afternoon, Gage. No, she said she needed to get away for a little bit. Took her paints wit' her.”
“I know where she is. Thanks.” He paused for a moment. “How are you feelin'? Da babe givin' you trouble?”
“You're a good boy to be worried, Gage. I'm fine, but I tink dis is it for me. I'm done havin' babies after dis.”
“You're important, Mrs. Lafluer. You're my best friend's mama. Glad you're okay. I'll see you later.” He waved and headed into the swamp to the lean-to Mia still used when she wanted to get away from everything.
Ten minutes later, Gage found himself standing outside the lean-to. His nose picked up the faint scent of paint and he knew he'd been right about where she was. He knocked on the outside of it before he ducked inside. “Hey. Been lookin' for you.”
Mia put her paintbrush down and arched a brow at him. “What for?”
Gage was suddenly nervous. What was wrong with him? He was never nervous around girls. “I, uh, wanted to ask you someting.” He took a breath then continued. “Will you go to prom wit' me?”
Mia
If someone had told her two days ago that Gage was going to ask her to be his date to his senior prom, Mia wouldn't have believed them. Still, she would have made a different choice from the one she'd already made in hopes that it was true. She hated herself in that moment because she knew the next thing to come out of her mouth was going to ruin the hope she saw in his eyes. “I'm sorry, Gage I can't. I...I'm already goin' wit' someone.”
Gage gave her a slow blink. “Who? When were you asked?”
“Cole Ambrose. He asked me two days ago.”
“Oh. I see. Well, okay den. I'll let you get back to your paintin'.”
“Gage...” Mia tried to get him to stop and talk to her but he left at a quick walk. She'd seen a flicker of...something in his eyes that puzzled her. Why had he been so hopeful that she'd go with him and why did it look like he was more angry than hurt that she was going to the prom with Cole? Since he wasn't giving her the chance to ask him, she had no way of knowing what the answer was.
She turned back to her painting but suddenly she just didn't feel it. She couldn't focus, so she put her paints away, covered the canvas to protect it from the elements, and headed back to the compound. She debated on looking for Gage, to try and talk to him, but dismissed it. He was the one who'd walked off when he found out she was going with one of his teammates. She'd waited and waited for him to notice her and just when she'd finally decided to give someone else a chance, he makes a move? What was that all about?
“You're back sooner den I thought you would be. What's wrong, sis?” Jules was sitting on the porch working on some homework for his criminal justice course he was taking. It was a college level course and it was presently kicking his ass, or so he claimed.
