The Billionaire's Matchmaker(51)

Mia laughed. “I can just hear her saying that. Maybe she and your dad will move out to San Diego now that they’re both retired.”

“Nah. As much as she complains about the wind and cold, Chicago is home. Her roots are here.”

Mia nodded. “I can understand that.”

He took a bite of pizza, washed it down with a drink of beer, all the while considering the implications of the invitation he wanted to extend. “I’m having dinner with her and Dad tomorrow night to make up for missing the party. You could come. I know my mom would love to see you.”

“I would love to see her, too.”

“So?”

“Okay.”

“Yeah? Terrific. I’ll pick you up around four. That will give us time to visit for a little while before we eat.”

“I’d like that.”

They finished eating as evening fell. It was a pleasant night to be outside. The play of the fading light over her face was mesmerizing.

“God, you’re beautiful.”

He half expected her to deny the compliment. In the year they’d dated, she’d never learned to accept them gracefully. Instead, he swore her eyes turned bright as she replied, “You make me feel beautiful, Gid.”

The thud he felt was his heart. He’d patched it up as best he could since Christmas, but he doubted it would ever mend completely. Especially now.





Chapter Six



It wasn’t wise, but Gid stayed the night, and the next night after they returned from dinner with his parents. And he stayed the night after that as well. He never planned on doing so, but he wasn’t able to resist Mia, especially when she smiled. She seemed more open, more generous with her feelings. Or maybe he just needed to believe that something fundamental about her and their relationship had changed.

Meanwhile, he felt the ominous press of time as it ticked down to the day of his departure.


Two weeks after he’d stayed that first night, he woke to feel the familiar weight of her arm curved over his chest. Her breathing was deep and even. He levered up on one elbow and studied her. In the meager light that made it through the gap in the curtains, her face looked relaxed, peaceful. Was she happy too? More than anything, he wanted that for her. Hell, he wanted that for both of them.

At the moment, however, he wasn’t sure what he was feeling besides apprehensive. As much as Mia preferred not to think about the future as it pertained to a relationship, Gid needed to know where they were heading. Not only because of the immediacy of his situation, but because that was the way he was wired. She stirred and her eyelids flickered a moment before opening fully.

“Morning,” she said. She smiled up at him.

At the base of the bed, Charlie perked up his ears and his tail began to wag. Marney and Dell still hadn’t come to claim him.

“She’s talking to me,” Gid told the dog before returning his attention to Mia. “Good morning.”

“I thought you said you couldn’t stay last night. Something about having business first thing this morning.”

“Yeah, but every time I tried to leave, you threw an arm or leg over me.”

“I did not.”

He glanced meaningfully at her arm.

“Oh.” She laughed. “You’re not fooling me. You wanted to stay.”

“Yeah. I did.” He kissed her forehead. “I don’t like skulking out of here in the dark. It’s bad enough in the morning. Your neighbors are starting to talk, by the way. They think we’re back together.”

“Busybodies.”

Gid banished humor from his tone when he asked, “Are we, Mia?”

“Gid—”

She started to rise. He pressed her back onto the pillow with an urgent kiss.

“Are we?” he asked again. “After the last time, I told myself I wasn’t going to push, but I need to know.”

“You’re moving to California, Gid.”

He inhaled deeply, feeling the way a skydiver must as he prepared to fling himself out of a plane. Would his chute open this time?

“And if I weren’t?” he asked quietly.

“What do you mean?” Her expression had turned wary. He needed to believe that was a good sign.

“Just answer the question. If I weren’t going to California, if I were staying here in Chandler’s Cove, would we be back together?”

“But you are leaving,” she persisted. “Your house, the veterinary clinic, they’re both for sale, Gid. And you’ve accepted the job. You start in less than two months.”

This time, when Mia tried to get up, he let her. She pulled her legs up under her chin and wrapped her arms around them. The gesture was protective. The dark hair that fell around her shoulders curtained her face from view. She was shutting down, closing herself off. Meanwhile, he was in a free-fall with the ground rising up fast to meet him.

With impact seeming inevitable, he said, “Actually, my house is sold.”

Her head jerked around at that, the curtain of hair parted to reveal a pair of wide eyes. “What?”

“A couple made an offer for the full asking price less closing costs.”

“When did this happen?”

“They saw the house last week but made the offer yesterday. My real estate agent called while I was on my way over.” Gid’s meeting this morning was to sign the purchase agreement.