“Go and dance, Abel. I will be fine.” Mia walked off, feeling jealous. She refused to look back and see them dancing close together. They probably looked great together.
* * * *
“Why does it feel like they are staring at me?” Mia whispered to Lily and Melanie. Three women were a few feet away and Mia caught them whispering to each other and glaring at her. She had never seen them before so what was their problem? “Am I being paranoid?”
Lily frowned at the women and turned back to Mia. “Ignore them, Mia. They are Jane Lopez’s snobby friends. They could be judging our clothes or something equally stupid.”
Melanie nodded, her cheeks turning pink with anger. “I had a run in with two of them a few days ago. They were trashing the quality of clothes we carry at the store. I got fed up and told them to go shop in Paris where they would not be paying thirty dollars for a dress. More like thirty thousand.”
Mia looked down at her red dress. She thought she looked really good in it but it wasn’t fancy or expensive. She wasn’t showing yet and the red material was soft and warm and clung to her. Her black heels added to her confidence. She left her curls loose. “Oh wow. Jane did give me a snotty glance earlier when she went to dance with your brother. She called me the coffee girl.”
“My mom handpicked out Jane, but Abel doesn’t like Jane like that. He is nice to her for Mom’s sake. He does like you, Mia. I saw it in his eyes that day when you two were together in the store. That’s why I pushed you to have lunch with him,” Melanie assured her. “He looks at you with desire and real affection. He looks at Jane with impatience.”
Mia felt a tinge of hope and ignored the women staring at her. She smiled widely, wanting to flip her hair over her shoulder. “Really?”
Melanie nodded and smiled. “He needed a push but I know he really thinks a lot of you, Mia. He can be stuck in the past but be patient. He has a good heart.”
“Thanks, Melanie.” Mia picked up her fork and started eating her cake. Becky was off mingling and talking to people. Mia didn’t know anyone besides Lily and Melanie. Stacy was around but she was with her husband Jack and Mia didn’t want to intrude. Lincoln and his bride had just left the hall and were off on their honeymoon.
A fast-paced song came on and Lily looked at them. “I love this song. We all have to dance.”
Melanie didn’t give Mia a choice. She dragged her by the arm to the dance floor. Mia had a good time and found herself looking for Abel. Maybe she’d be brave enough to ask him for a slow dance. She felt disappointed when she couldn’t find him or Jane. Were they together?
Toward the end of the night, Mia found Becky and Delores cleaning up. “Can I help?” Mia asked, wanting to get to know Abel’s mother better. This would be her future baby’s grandmother.
Delores looked up with a polite smile. It wasn’t rude but it wasn’t very friendly. “That’s okay, dear. Jane is helping me and Becky, too.”
Mia’s feeling were a little hurt and she looked at Jane’s smug expression. Jane was putting the rest of the cake in a box. Mia looked away from Jane. “Have you seen Abel? I wanted to see if he could give me a ride home.”
Delores looked up as if just remembering something. “Oh yes, sorry, Mia, he had to leave. He asked Melanie to take you home. It’s been so crazy around here I forgot to tell you.”
“I ‘m ready to go, Mia.” Becky yawned. “I’ll give you a ride. The snow is falling fast and most people are clearing out anyway.”
“He just texted me. The accident he went to check out was a minor one. He was exhausted and is going home.” Jane kept her eyes on Mia as if she wanted to let Mia know she was in contact with Abel and not Mia. Mia felt her heart cave in. Every time she thought there was hope for them something reminded her it was false. Maybe fate was
trying to tell her something.
Chapter Fourteen
Reva pulled Mia to the side Monday at work. It was early in the day but the snow kept most people at home. Becky asked them to close early and go home. She had a yearly check-up with her doctor and was going home afterward. She didn’t want anyone stuck there if the weather conditions worsened. “Are the rumors true, Mia?”
Mia felt confused. So many rumors floated in and out of the shop every week. “What rumors? About Mr. Hill cheating on his wife with that young cashier at Food Mart? I have trouble believing that.”
Reva shook her head with a slight laugh. “I know that is not true. Mr. Hill adores his Helen. Jealous people like to cause trouble. I heard Jane Lopez is telling people Abel was thinking of popping the question to her until you told him you were pregnant. Now he feels sorry for you and he told Jane he had to do the right thing.”
Mia gasped and felt herself get dizzy. She hung on to the edge of the counter. “Who told you that?”
“My cousin Hannah heard people at the beauty salon talking about it.” Reva looked down at Mia, her mouth forming an O. “It’s true, isn’t it? I told Hannah she was stupid for believing it. I didn’t even know you and the sheriff were dating seriously like that. I thought it was a mild flirtation.”
“We weren’t exactly.” Mia hated that people knew in this awful way. This was not how she envisioned the news about her baby coming out. “We had sex a few times, then he ended things between us right before Thanksgiving. Now that I am pregnant we are trying to be friends, just friends. I am not trapping him into anything. He told me his mom picked Jane out as a future bride but he doesn’t feel anything for Jane. She is such a liar. I can’t believe her.”
Now Mia knew why those women were looking at her at the wedding over the weekend. Did Abel tell Jane about Mia and the baby? Did he tell Jane Mia was trying to trap him? She didn’t want to believe it, but he had not even told her he was leaving the wedding but Jane knew. Jane claimed to be in contact with him. Why would he be texting Jane if he had no interest in her? Had he lied to Mia all along?
“Oh, Mia.” Reva patted Mia’s back. “I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me? We’re friends.”
“I know. I haven’t told anyone besides my aunt and Abel of course. I suppose he told his family. I am just now getting adjusted to this huge change in my life,” Mia explained tearfully. She was angry with Jane and Abel, too. “I can’t believe he would tell Jane of all people. I trusted him.”
“Men can be clueless,” Reva told her, starting to put the dishes away so they could finish closing up. “Are you going back to New York or staying here? I vote for staying here. Jane is a jealous cow. She had always thought her shit don’t stink, but it does.”