Sweet Hill Homecoming (Sweet Hill 1)

And once again, Tate didn’t bother to ask her side. If the shit stained shoe fits, it must be Mia’s because Abby’s feet would never step in such a mess.

Mia grabbed her phone and her purse and walked past Tate out of her own house and slammed the door.

“Where are you going?” he called after her.

“Instead of standing here yelling about it, I’m going to fix this.”

Once again, Tatum West did a total one-eighty. This morning he was sweet and supportive but now he was taking out an issue on her that wasn’t her doing. But he had one thing right. She was the coordinator. And if she wanted the community event planning job full time, this was her problem now. Abby obviously had her own agenda and Mia would be damned if she took away those coats, or Mia’s future.

~

“Oh my gosh, he’s precious,” Mia said, leaning over a little to see Paul’s cell phone screen. A big gummy smile of a three month old baby boy stared back.

“Yeah, he’s getting big,” Paul said.

“And how’s your wife?”

“She’s great. Been doing a lot of designs from home and managing things really well.”

“That’s amazing. She’s superwoman to tackle all that.” Mia threaded her fingers on the table. “I really appreciate you meeting me here. This was the closest middle point between Sweet Hill and Seattle.”

When Paul agreed to meet today, she had texted Kyle to make sure he could find a ride home after practice today.

“I’m happy to, Mia. You said it was pretty important. After all the saving you’ve done for me I hope I can repay you.”

Mia smiled. “Saving” Paul had become a fairly regular habit, at least every time he had to take a meeting with potential clients at Mia’s club. It never ceased to amaze her how a lot of men conducted business there. And when potential clients wanted to go to the club and

see the fun side of Seattle, Paul had no choice but to take the meeting wherever they wanted. At least he was able to pitch them his and his wife’s business plan.

The man loved his wife and that was obvious. Plus, a couple years of securing investors led to a very prominent fashion line his wife, Tara, designed. Paul handled all the back end of the business, allowing his wife the time to design their new lines.

“Not me, but people in my home town. Every year we collect coats for families who can’t afford them, and this year our normal donor fell through.”

“So you have no coats?”

“Yep, no coats.” Mia smiled. “You and Tara wouldn’t happen to have any last season’s coats sitting around that need a good home?”

Paul nodded. “We do. But how many are we talking?”

“Last year they collected about two hundred. But with this winter being especially brutal, I’d like to double that.”

Paul smiled. “Of course you do. You always were one to go big or go home.”

“I really want to have a great showing,” Mia admitted.

He pulled out his tablet and started swiping. “What sizes?”

Mia perked up. “Um, anything from kids sizes to adults, both male and female.”

Paul nodded and clicked a few more things, swiped again, then smiled.

“We can donate one hundred adult coats, half mens and half womens…” another swipe, “and two hundred children and youth coats from size six-months to sixteen husky.”

Mia’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious?”

Paul put down his tablet. “Yup, and if you can give me a day or two, I can see what I can do about the other hundred. I am sure some of the other boutiques in Seattle would love to pitch in.”

“Paul!” She got up and hugged him. “Thank you so much! And thank Tara!”