Mia fixed a smile on her face even when nerves stole her enjoyment of spending time with David’s family and their good-humored teasing, the tangy scent of enchiladas filling the air of his traditional two-story house. This was the same life she remembered before their mother died. The life she longed for again. The life she could have if she would let go of the pain and demands inflicted by her father. And of course, she also had to find a man she could trust not to take over her life and smother her.
Was Ryan that man? She looked at him, her heart warming over the way he’d jumped in when nerves had her stammering answers to questions. He’d playfully tickled both of the girls, chatted easily with Penny and David while Mia sat frozen on the super comfortable sofa, unable to relax and interact.
How could she with such high stakes? Wally’s death left her alone. She didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize this potential relationship with her brother and his family.
Ryan crossed the room decorated with traditional furnishings and pale blues and whites to sit next to her.
“Relax,” he whispered as the plump sofa adjusted to his weight. “You’re a pretty terrific woman. Just be yourself, and they can’t help but love you.”
He smiled, an intimate, gentle smile, and a heavy weight lifted from her shoulders. He was the real deal. Everything he professed to be. A strong man, yet one with compassion and kindness. A man who had her best interest at heart. A man she should give in and trust.
“Aunt Mia.” Willow, David’s six-year-old daughter, came across the room and stood before Mia, ending the moment between her and Ryan.
She wore denim shorts, a T-shirt, white sneakers, and had auburn hair a shade lighter than Mia’s natural color pulled back in a ponytail. She fingered Mia’s wispy blouse sleeve. “When I grow up, I’m gonna wear pretty clothes like these every day.”
Mia offered a genuine smile. “I like to dress up too.”
Willow’s eyes widened. “Do you want to see my party dresses?”
“Willow,” David warned. “Mia’s here to visit with all of us.”
Willow’s lips turned into a pout that rated a full ten on the pouting scale.
Mia couldn’t stand to see the precious child’s disappointment. “How about we take a quick look?”
“Yay!” Willow shouted and tugged Mia from the couch.
David gave Mia a sweet smile that she remembered from their childhood while their mother was still alive.
Mia smiled back, tentative at best, but a forward step for her, and let Willow lead her up a curved staircase with solid cherry railing to a pink frilly bedroom. Willow jabbered about parties, dresses, and shoes while Mia nodded and offered affirmation when appropriate as she took in the bedroom decorated for a princess. A pink canopy bed and formal white nightstand took up one wall. A matching desk with a pink tufted chair sat on the other wall, and a cushioned seat loaded with purple and pink patterned pillows was built in under the window, books scattered on the seat.
Willow exited her closet and displayed a pair of black patent dress shoes. “Grandpa gave me these for my birthday. They even have heels like yours.”
Mia’s father. Wow. David was right. Their father did care for these little girls. Mia’s stomach ached.
She ignored it and kept a smile fixed in place, but her mind raced over the implications. Would she ever be able to think about her father without this pain or was she deluding herself? Had blaming him for the fire really ruined any chance to repair things with him?
The doorbell chimed, and Willow jumped to her feet.
“Let’s go see who’s here.” She dropped the shoes and raced out of the room, leaving Mia to follow.
Mia dragged her feet as David hadn’t said anyone else was expected for dinner, and she had no idea who it could be.
At the landing, she heard Willow shriek, “Grandpa!”
Mia stopped, her nervous butterflies returning, flying around the stress like ground glass in her stomach, and she thought she might be sick.
Male voices she recognized as her father’s and David’s drifted up the steps.
“Did she come?” her father asked.
“Yes,” David said. “But you need to know I didn’t tell her you’d be here.”
“No, son. Surprising her like this isn’t a good idea. Not a good idea at all.”
“I didn’t think she would come if she knew you’d be here,” David said.
“Keeping my visit a secret might not help matters, and this has to stop before it escalates any further. I for one don’t want another visit from law enforcement asking me if I’m involved in a crime, do you?”
