When he finished, he waved me to the back. I followed him into the office. There were boxes of items with Parker Sports logos on them.
“Sorry for the mess. I’m researching logo items. What’s up?”
I remained standing, as did he. “I’m here to tell you, in advance, that I’m in love with Mia.”
He simply stared. “Okay.”
I frowned. “I’m going to ask her to give me a chance. Whether you like it or not, but this time I thought I’d least tell you.”
“Good luck.” He sat down in a chair by the desk. “She’s pissed that you left without a word.”
“I know. But if she forgives me—”
He waved a hand. “I don’t want details. If she’s happy, I’ll be happy. You hurt her, though, then we’ll have a problem.”
This was way too easy, I thought. Still, I wasn’t going to argue. “Okay then.”
“You owe my dad a trip to see an elk or something.”
“Bongo. I haven’t forgotten.”
The phone rang on his desk. “Anything else? I have a business to run.”
I nearly asked if he was hiring. Afterall I was unemployed. But I worried he’d think I wasn’t worthy, so I left him to his work.
It was late afternoon, but I figured Mia was still at work, so I went home. I took a run to deal with the mixture of anxiety and excitement sizzling through my blood. I showered, practicing what I wanted to say to her. Should I start with I love you or I’m sorry, I wondered.
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, my stubble trimmed and my hair combed back. I wore jeans and a green polo shirt that my mother said highlighted my eyes. I wanted all the help I could get to win Mia back. If I had to start with sex appeal, I would. Hopefully, she saw more to me than a good fuck.
I grabbed my keys and as I drove toward her place, I wondered if I should bring something like flowers or chocolate. In the end, I decided to bring only myself.
I parked outside her building and trotted up the steps to her front door. I rolled my shoulders. “Here goes everything, Foster.” I knocked on the door.
It took several minutes, but the door opened and my heart stalled in my chest. But it wasn’t an anxiety episode. It was love. It was poleaxed by her beautiful face, even as her eyes narrowed into sharp slits as she looked at me.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.” It hadn’t been what I wanted to lead with, but in that moment, I couldn’t hold in what my heart was feeling.
Her eyes went soft for a moment, and then, as if she didn’t want to make it easy for me, she glared again. “You’re back?”
I nodded. “I’m back. For you.”
Her breath hitched, and I gave myself points that I was reaching some romantic part of her even if she didn’t want me to.
“Can we talk?” I asked.
She opened the door. “I don’t have anything to offer you. I’ve been eating at my dad’s, so I have no food.”
“I don’t need anything,” I said as I entered. I stopped and turned to her. “Well, that’s not true. I need one thing. You.”
“Have you been reading a romance or something?” She pursed her lips and gave me a look like she wasn’t buying what I was saying. But her eyes told me I was making headway.
“I’m not trying to give you lines, Mia.” I wanted to hold her so badly, I had to shove my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching for her. “First, let me start with I’m sorry for leaving and not returning your call. I was a mess … and I just needed … out.” God, I hoped she understood.
“I understand that part. What I don’t get is why you wouldn’t contact me.”
If this thing between us was going to work, I had to be honest. “At first, I was running. Running from a town that wanted my head, but also from the torment of wanting … needing a woman I couldn’t have.”
“You quit. You could have had me then.”