As he chopped his ingredients, the small, familiar voice in his head whispered its doubts. Perhaps Ross was reading the whole situation wrong. Or maybe starting something with Mia was a mistake. What exactly did he think was going to happen here? It was clear whatever this was had no future.
But when did he become the type of guy who worried about things like futures? He had come to accept that his day-to-day existence would continue the same as it always did with little change. To consider a future meant to have hope, and Ross wasn’t gullible enough to get sucked into that type of optimism again. Instead, he’d stick with his one-day-at-a-time approach. He used his knife to slide his chopped vegetables into his skillet and pushed his doubts away.
He had nearly finished cooking when she arrived.
“It smells delicious,” Mia said as she entered his kitchen. “Wait a minute. Did you really make something, or are you heating takeout? This kitchen is way too clean.”
“I clean as I go. You should try it.”
“Smartass.” She leaned to peek into the cast iron skillet. “What is it?”
“Paella. Have you had it before? I grew up eating it with chicken and sausage but decided to spring for some prawns tonight.”
“Oh, come on, Rosso. I already like you too much. I have to leave someday, and I don’t want to be crying. You don’t even have a recipe card out.”
“Reading just slows me down. I cook by taste, and this was Grandpa’s favorite, so I’ve made it a lot. Just enjoy dinner and accept that you’re going to be crying.” He couldn’t stop the grin from taking over his face, his doubts becoming quieter at Mia’s admission that she liked him.
She ambled to the refrigerator. “Is this him?” She studied the photos posted on the refrigerator door. It was covered with images, but she focused on one in particular. It featured his grandfather, Ross, and Luna sitting on a hay bale at Placerville’s harvest festival. Victor’s arms were around each grandchild, and all three shared matching happy smiles.
“Yes,” Ross said as he focused on stirring their dinner. “With Lulu and me. I think I was about ten there.”
“And you with Hermes, back when he spent more time awake than asleep.” Mia pointed to another picture and froze. “And—” she took a closer look. “You play the guitar? Dammit, Ross. Do me a favor and hold something back. I don’t want it to look like I get swept off my feet so easily.”
“Then you’ll be happy to know I only play a little and I can’t read music. Grandpa was definitely better at it than me.”
“I’m sorry I never got to meet your grandpa. He sounded amazing. Was there anything he could do thatwasn’tbetter than you?”
He eyed her with amusement. “I’m sure there’s something.”
She arched an eyebrow. “I guess I have to stick around until I discover what that is.”
With dinner done, he scooped large portions into bowls, and they took it to the small, wooden dining room table with mismatched chairs. Mia blew on a forkful of rice before slipping it into her mouth. He tried not to watch her, concentrating on eating his own dinner. His eyes may have slid to her once or twice in anticipation of her reaction.
“Ross?”
He met her gaze. It seemed as though Mia was attempting to appear serious but failing. The corners of her lips ticked upward.
“I know you don’t trust compliments, and you think I’m just a people-pleaser, so I’ll try and say this in a way that might make it easier for you to accept.” She paused as if organizing her thoughts. “I hate…that you’re a good cook.”
He returned his eyes to the food, careful to temper his own expression but feeling pleased. “You like it then?”
“Good lord. If someone cooked this for me for the rest of my life, I would die happy.” Her smile stretched across her face as she said it. She leaned on the tabletop. “I’m definitely falling in love—with the dish, not with you. You’re just okay, and I bet your grandpa made it better than you. See? I’m not getting swept off my feet.”
He chuckled at her comment. Talking with Mia, whether about good things or bad, was never dull, and he was coming to enjoy their conversations more and more. Ross wanted to be guarded, but he already knew it was too late. He missed having someone to talk to, and Mia kept surprising him.
She leaned her head against her palm as she continued eating her dinner. “What happened after?”
“After what?”
“After you left high school.”
He pushed his fork around the edge of his bowl. “Well, I went through a period of not wanting to do anything and getting into small-time trouble with friends. Grandpa finally got to the end of his rope and threatened to kick me out, which was terrifying. His health had started to go downhill, and this was even more terrifying. When he had his first stroke it was sort of a wake-up call. Someone needed to help him and make sure Lulu was taken care of. He had already started to teach me the jewelry business, but it was then that I took it seriously. And I learned that I was good at it and I liked it.”
Ross rubbed a palm across his jaw, feeling the tiny prickles of facial hair against his hand. “I knew if something happened to him and I wasn’t prepared, the business would be gone, and we would have nothing. I decided to go back to school. Lulu pushed me to go to an adult literacy program, and it was there that the mystery into my reading issues was solved. After that, I went through the process of getting my GED.”
“And the reason you insist your cousin owns the business is?”
“Because she does. We thought if we ever had to go to the bank for help, it would be better if it was a person who didn’t have a record for stealing.”
