by Alexia Praks
He must have noticed me looking at him, and he put down his fork. “Stop daydreaming and eat your dinner.”
I chuckled. “I haven’t lost my touch, have I? It looks like you still enjoy my cooking.”
“Your cooking is the best, Mia,” he said and then devoured another forkful of spaghetti.
I nodded and returned my attention to my own meal, a smile playing across my face.
“So when are you due back for work?” Andy asked suddenly, his eyes on his plate.
I licked my lips and said, “In a week.”
“Have you told Mr. Maxwell yet?” he asked. “I mean, he needs to know, right? I mean… how is everything going to work out?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “And I haven’t told him about my job. I guess we’ll work something out.”
Andy nodded. “I guess so.” Though he looked doubtful.
A bit later, when I was just finishing the last of my spaghetti, my phone dinged, informing me I had a message. Knowing it was probably James again, perhaps telling me he wouldn’t be coming back at all tonight, I didn’t want to pick up right away. Then another ding came, which was followed by another and then another consecutively.
Andy raised his brows in curiosity as he eyed my phone. “Sounds like you’ve got some messages. Aren’t you going to check them?”
I hesitated for a moment, because really, I didn’t want to read whatever it was James was messaging me. It’d be a disappointment, and it’d only depress me further. The thought of not seeing his face tonight made my heart ache in loneliness. It would be the fifth night in a row I hadn’t seen him.
Since that hot, wild sex we’d had four nights prior, when James had nearly driven me to the brink of insanity with an earth-shattering orgasm, he had been so busy I hadn’t been able to get a glimpse of him at all. Routinely, he’d leave even before I could get up to say, “Have a nice day at work.” And of course, he wouldn’t return until well after I’d fallen asleep. Some nights, I didn’t think he’d even come back at all, because the bed still felt cold and untouched when I woke the next morning.
When another ding came, implying there was another message, I grew curious. It wasn’t like James to text me so many times at once. The only person who did that was Aria.
Thinking back, she’d always enthusiastically messaged me after we had exchanged phone numbers. Then, of course, there were the pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. Mostly they were of her toys, the food she ate, and her friends and dogs, Alfie and Sammy. The two canines I’d met when I first ventured into James’s life, thinking he was actually a middle-aged man and Aria his granddaughter.
Now I thought how silly I’d been to assume that. Although, I had to admit I’d always thought rich, powerful men were in their fifties or older. But of course, I’d been wrong. There was James, for example, who was nowhere near middle-aged. And of course, Matt and William.
Another ding shouted at me, urging me to quickly pick up. And I did, snapping the phone into my hands and scanning through the message application.
Flicking through, I found my assumption was spot on, as the messages were all from Aria. A bright smile flashed across my face instantly, and I chuckled.
“Aww… it’s Aria,” I said in delight. Not to mention relief. Emotion swept through me like the waves of a calming ocean. It wasn’t James. I had to repeat that to myself. It isn’t James. That meant he might be back early tonight, and I might get to see him after all. I hoped I wouldn’t receive his messages within the next couple hours before heading off to bed. Because then it was a given he’d definitely be back before midnight.
In the messages, Aria told me what she was having for dinner in her short, childlike words. It was a beef burger, and it was delicious. Then there were some pictures attached with the messages. I chuckled when I saw the half-eaten homemade burger. It looked delicious indeed. The one below that was of Aria doing a thumbs-up, and she had a big grin on her face as she posed right next to the burger. The next one was of Alfie and Sammy having their pieces of burgers as well.
I laughed. The pictures were so cute. They were so sweet—Aria and the dogs. Gosh, I wondered if I’d get diabetes from the constant exposure to such a cute, sweet child.
“What is it?” Andy asked curiously.
I leaned over and showed him the photos Aria sent.
Andy glanced through them and asked, “Mr. Maxwell’s daughter?”
I nodded. “Aria. Isn’t she cute?”
Andy laughed. “Yeah. She is. Well?”
“Well, what?” I asked.
“Aren’t you going to send her pictures of our dinner, too?”
Gosh, I hadn’t thought about that. Suddenly, I was excited by his suggestion. Usually, I’d just reply to tell her the pictures looked awesome, but I’d never sent pictures of my own to her before. Now was as good a time as any, I thought and nodded in enthusiasm.
I typed in some texts, telling her the meal looked mouth-watering and she and the dogs were so cute. Then I attached a few pictures of my spaghetti Bolognese.
Within seconds after the message was sent, I received a reply of a hungry, drooling emoticon. I laughed. Curious, Andy leaned over to sneak a peek. When he saw the emoticon, he laughed, too.
It was then the phone rang, which made both Andy and me jump. On the screen was Aria’s name, implying she was the one calling.
I quickly picked up and said, “Hi, Aria, sweetie. Your dinner looks delicious.”
On the other end of the line, Aria giggled. “Yours looks delicious, too. When is Daddy bringing you over? I wanna eat spaghetti Bolognese with you. Did you made it yourself?”
I chuckled. “Yes, I did, with my brother’s help.”
“You have a brother?” she asked.
I nodded as I replied, “Yep. He’s right here with me. His name is Andy, and he said you look cute.”
At this point, I could imagine Aria blushing and grinning widely. “Really?” she asked, giggling with pleasure.
Seeing I would be taking a while talking with Aria, Andy took away my empty plate and wine glass. He started cleaning up the kitchen in his slow, awkward, injured way while Aria and I conversed, recounting our uneventful day to each other. Actually, it was more like Aria did the talking while I did the listening.
She told me about school, her friends, and what she had learned. Not to mention what she’d had for breakfast and lunch today, too: some cereal with milk and fruit and a sandwich. She found them boring and wished she’d have something more exciting tomorrow. Then she told me about how she, Alfie, and Sammy had played hide-and-seek and that they’d sneaked into James’s room and slept in his bed.
I laughed at this point because I could just imagine little Aria and the dogs doing just that, wriggling around and destroying James’s perfectly made bed.
Gosh, Aria was indeed an enthusiastic child. Finally, she paused for breath and then asked what I’d done today. Hence, I told her about my afternoon tea with Savanah and that we had some delicious cake with coffee, of which I promised to send her a few pictures once we hung up. Then just before I was about to tell her good night, she said, “Did you know I lost my phone today?”
“You lost your phone?” I asked.
“Uh-huh… I couldn’t find it before I went to school. I mean, I’m always good, you know, at not using my phone while we have class ‘cause we aren’t allowed to play with the phone in class ‘cause that’s like naughty. But I couldn’t find it this morning, my phone Daddy bought for me… So I got so worried… But then just before dinner, me and Sammy and Alfie were playing in Daddy’s room, and that’s when I found it. I found my phone… It was in Daddy’s room…
“Oh, actually, I lied. I didn’t find it. Sammy did. He barked so loud while I was in Daddy’s bed ‘cause I missed him, and I sleep in his bed on the weekend ‘cause I’m allowed to. So I got curious ‘cause Sammy was barking so loud, and I followed him and found him in Daddy’s closet, and then I found my phone in there… But I don’
t remember going in there…”
Suddenly, I heard her voice break as if she were very upset about it. She continued. “I didn’t get to talk to Daddy… I missed his call… We were supposed to talk after school…”
“Oh, honey, it’s all right,” I said, trying to soothe her. “He’ll call you again tomorrow, and you’ll get to talk to him.”
At this point, I heard Aria sniffling, and instantly, I felt my heart ache for her. “Aria, sweetheart, are you all right?” I asked. “I’m here for you.”
There was a bit of a pause, and I was concerned. A moment later, Aria’s voice came through, low and croaking. “I want Daddy to come home…” she said quietly. “I miss him… I want Daddy to bring you home…”
At this point, I felt my heart crush within my chest. Poor Aria. She was so young, and her dad was always so busy with work. I knew in my gut James’s jet-setting lifestyle wasn’t beneficial for his daughter’s growth and well-being. And what about her mother?
So far, I could only surmise James was a single father. Though, I wasn’t sure if he was divorced from Aria’s mother or the woman had passed on. Because Aria had never mentioned her mother and the fact that she wasn’t staying with her while James was away, I assumed it was the latter.
“I’m sure he’ll be going home soon, honey.”
The moment that statement was uttered, I felt my heart aching in dread. It reminded me to tell James I, too, had to return to Mystic Spring, back to my home and my job. That meant I might not get to see Aria again after all. And James? I felt a twist of pain within my chest, and I wanted to groan out in agony.
“Really?” Aria asked. “He told you that?”
I bit my lip. “I’m sure he’s coming home soon, honey,” I repeated.
“Who’s coming home soon, Aria?” a voice asked from the distance.
I blinked, wondering who was asking.
“Daddy’s coming home soon,” Aria said to whomever was with her. Then I heard her giggling again. To me, she said, “I’m so excited. I’m so excited.”
I chuckled. Really, now I must ask James when he intended to return to L.A.
“Aria, it’s time for your bath. Please hang up with your friend.”
“Just another minute, Sophie?” Aria asked.
“No,” I heard Sophie say sternly. “Hang up, Aria.”
I heard Aria gave out a big sigh, and then to me, she said, “I have to go, Mia. See you soon.”
“All right, take care, sweetheart,” I replied, trying very hard to ignore the see you soon she had uttered.
A moment later, the line was dead. I put the phone on the coffee table and headed around to the kitchen to see how Andy was getting on.
He’d just finished cleaning the dishes and said, “You’ve made another friend. I’m glad for you. Although, this one is a bit young.”
I chuckled. “I don’t think age matters where friendship is concerned. Thanks for doing the dishes.”
“There wasn’t a lot,” he said. “Anyway, I’m gonna go. Feeling like I’m about to collapse all of a sudden.”
I panicked instantly. “Are you sick?”
Andy chuckled and shook his head. “You’re jumping to conclusions again. I’m just tired.”
I nodded. “Don’t overexert yourself.” I walked him to the door. “Good night, Andy.”
He waved, and once I saw him getting into the lift, I shut the door and sighed.
“Time for a bath,” I said to myself.
I lay there comfortably in the tub filled to the rim with warm water. I stared long and hard up at the ceiling, thinking about how far I’d come and the fate that led me into James’s life.
It had all started with Andy, hadn’t it? When he first decided he’d come here to the West Coast of America, searching for a better life and a better future.
I smiled at the thought. Yes, despite all the shitty, unpleasant experiences I’d been though during my young life, there were still some beautiful moments I’d enjoyed. And many of those had been with Andy, siblings supporting each other. And more recently, James, of course.
I’d been intimidated by him at first. How could I not? What with his dark, billion-dollar looks and his no-nonsense demeanor. I wasn’t used to people like him. His type used to made me want to run in the opposite direction and hide. He was both sexy and dangerous, the kind a girl like me should steer clear of. Though, I couldn’t deny the fact that, at the same time, I was overwhelmingly attracted to him. It was something I could never explain or fully understand myself. Attraction worked in mysterious ways. Why I found James so attractive and not William and Matt, though they were extremely handsome in their own rights, was beyond me.
For James, the closer I got to him, the less I was able to hold myself back and keep myself guarded. Gradually, I’d gotten so used to him, so used to being with him and having him around, in fact, that I had no idea it could be so lonely now that he wasn’t around.
I shook my head. Hadn’t I told myself to stop thinking about James tonight? Tonight was a James free night.
I chuckled at myself for being silly.
Determined not to think about the handsome billionaire, I ducked my head under the water and stayed there for a couple seconds, holding my breath. When I popped my head back out, I felt a little better. Once again, I relaxed back, and slowly, I closed my eye as a smile played about my lips.
Chapter 29
Mia
I felt warm, cozy, and at ease, as if I were floating in the ocean on a pleasant summer day. It was just like that one time when Mom, Dad, Andy, and I had gone on a weeklong holiday. Dad had managed to save up enough money to afford one, and Andy and I had been so elated we couldn’t sleep a wink the night before we were due to depart. Indeed, it had been a wonderful holiday, with our small family spending every waking moment together. The beach had been beautiful and the sea warm and inviting. So much so that I’d spent most of my time floating in the water.
Yes, it had been the one and only best holiday I’d ever had… That was until the drive back when the accident happened. When a large truck carrying goods drove straight into us on Interstate 93 on our way back to Mystic Spring.
Instantly, memories came rushing back, flooding my mind with so much terror I couldn’t escape, like always. I was left there alone and afraid, facing the wrath of my past full on.
It was so clear, as if it had only happened yesterday. Oh God! How I tried to shut away the memories of that horrendous day. But the images seemed to have a mind of their own, flashing before my eyes stubbornly and insistently like a movie where I had no remote control to pause or shut it down, to allow me a breather. More desirably, an escape.
My heart raced and my body tensed as I held myself against the onslaught of my memories, the past that could not be undone, the one moment that unwelcomingly changed my life forever.
In the car, I’d been sitting in the backseat behind Dad, who was driving. Mom was in the front passenger seat, and Andy in the back beside me, sound asleep with his head resting against the comfortable cushion. I remember staring up at the bright-blue sky as the car sped along the highway. I remembered how I admired the vastness of the space above us, of our planet, the solar system, and the universe itself, which had been the subject we’d been studying in school that year.
My young mind wondered at how beautiful the sky was, at the blue that seemed to stretch into the endless beyond. I felt as though that blue was something I wanted and desired most, but it was something I could never attain. It was something that didn’t belong to me, and I felt a little sad about that. I wanted that color to be my own, something that belonged to me alone, like a pet of sorts that I doted on and loved unconditionally.
“What are you doing?” Mom had asked, curious of me with my face so close to the window and my eyes gazing up at the sky, all sparkling.
“The sky is so blue today,” I had said. “It’s beautiful.”
Mom bent her head and looked up at the sky, too. She chuckled. �
�It is beautiful, isn’t it?” she said. “It’s Prussian blue.
“Prussian blue?” I turned to look at her in question.
She nodded. “That’s the name of that blue,” she said. “Prussian blue.”
I smiled and returned my attention to the sky, my eyes gazing at the unique color.
“Prussian blue,” I said softly. That had been the moment I decided the beautiful, fascinating color was my favorite.
Suddenly, the sound of loud honking came our way, and I tore my eyes reluctantly away from the sky. I turned my attention to Andy, who was still half asleep in his sitting position. Then I flicked my eyes to Mom. Something I saw on her face made my stomach knot in dread. She was pale and looked shocked, staring at the road ahead.
Curious, I cast my eyes in that direction, and that was when I saw it coming. The humongous truck, red and silver, heading our way at high speed from the opposite lane, followed by ear-deafening honking.
It was too much for me to bear, and I panicked. I whimpered and forcefully fluttered my eyes open, terminating the flashback of my past, forcing the memories to stop.
The moment I opened my eyes, I found myself starring at a pair of beautiful Prussian-blue eyes. I looked at them for a moment, wondering contritely if I were still back there, staring up at the sky, and that I hadn’t yet escaped my own nightmare.
No, I told myself. This was the blue of a pair of eyes, not the vastness of the sky. It is definitely not the sky. This was the present. This was now. This pair of blue eyes belonged to James.
Instantly, I sighed in relief.
James was staring back at me, too. I noted his hand was cupping my face. His touch was warm and comforting. It helped ease the tension in my body, and slowly, I came back… back to reality, back to the present, back to James.
I tried to calm down by taking deep, slow breaths. Finally, I closed my eyes for a breath of a second, just to make sure the images and horrible memories had faded back to nothingness where they were kept locked away in the deepest, darkest corner of my mind.