He slid his fingers into her hair, cupping her face with his other hand, and molded his lips against hers. “Okay, Mom. Whatever you say.”
“Mom, I can’t find my toothbrush,” Josh yelled out, while Mia was putting the first load of laundry into the washer. “Mike, did you steal it?”
“What would I want with your gunky toothbrush?” Michael called out. He was leaning over his homework at the kitchen table, muttering under his breath as he tried to finish his math assignment. “Look in the front zip of your backpack.”
“Found it!”
Michael shook his head at Mia. “Kids.”
“Have you nearly finished your homework?” she asked him. “It’s almost bed time.”
“Dad let us stay up until midnight,” Michael said, giving her a sly glance.
“That’s nice.” She knew exactly what he was trying to do, and it wouldn’t work. She was still too high from her weekend with Cam to let it get to her. “I’m glad you had a good time.”
“We did,” Michael said. His expression softened. “Did you have a nice weekend, too?”
Mia swallowed, and turned her face from his. “Yeah, it was fine.”
“Maybe Dad will take us away another time, give you a break.”
“Maybe.” She smiled at him. “But I don’t need a break from you guys. I like being around you.”
Josh ran into the kitchen, wearing only his pajama bottoms. “I’m ready for bed,” he announced.
“Where’s your top?” Mia asked him, looking at the pile of laundry. No sign of a plaid t-shirt in there.
“I don’t wear it anymore. Big guys just wear bottoms. Isn’t that right, Mikey?”
“Dad told him to take it off at the hotel. It was too hot in the bedrooms.” Michael shrugged.
“You don’t have to be topless to be a big guy,” Mia said, ruffling his hair. “It’s cold in this house.”
“I’m fine,” Josh said. “I don’t feel the cold.”
Michael shook his head and turned back to his math.
“Mom, do you think you’ll find a boyfriend? Like Dad has Gemma?” Josh’s question was innocent, but at that moment it had her heart racing.
Mia closed the washer lid, grateful that they couldn’t see her expression. “What makes you ask that?”
“Dad had a talk with us. Explained that he and Gemma would be getting married. I asked him what about you, and he said you’d probably get a boyfriend.”
She feigned nonchalance. “Maybe.”
Michael glanced over at his brother and rolled his eyes. “Mom won’t date. She doesn’t have time.”
Mia ignored the pang of guilt in her chest. “If you’ve both finished sorting out my love life, I’ll take Josh up to bed. You have twenty minutes,” she warned Michael. “And then you need to jump in the shower. I can still smell the chlorine on you.”
“Had to get that last swim in.” Michael winked at her. “You know what it’s like.”
Weirdly, she did. Not that she was planning to tell him about her trip to Hilton Head. Biting down a smile, Mia followed Josh up the stairs.
“If you do get a boyfriend, I hope he likes waterparks,” Josh said, making his way to his bedroom.
Mia laughed. “I’ll make sure that’s on the top of my requirements.”
Chapter Twenty-Five