Well, he was going to get one. Dave Firestone was used to rolling over people to get his own way, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight. Even though there was a part of her insisting that she just shut up and accept that pretty, brand-new, worry-free car.
“This wasn’t part of our deal,” she argued, silencing her internal voice.
“Yeah, well, I renegotiated it on my own.” He grabbed her shoulders and yanked her in close. “You told me you’ve applied for jobs in Midland and Houston. You think I’m going to worry about you off somewhere alone in that crappy car? Not gonna happen.” Shaking his head, he let her go and turned for the barn.
“This isn’t over!” she called after him, even though she knew it was. Her car was gone. She shifted her gaze to the new beast shining in the sunlight.
Mia moved closer and did a slow walk around the simply gorgeous luxury SUV. She opened the driver’s side door and looked inside. The interior was navy blue leather and the smell… She took a deep breath and sighed it out. Mia had never in her life owned a new car. All of her cars had been new to her, but considerably aged by the time she’d gotten hold of them.
She reached out one hand and smoothed her palm over the baby-soft leather seat, and for one long second, she experienced pure avarice. What would it be like, she wondered, to drive a car and not have to worry about the engine falling out? To not have to carry a case of oil with you everywhere you went? To turn the key and have the engine fire right up without the help of prayers and desperate pleas?
Frowning, Mia forced herself to step back and close the door. Her hand might have lingered on the door handle, but who could blame her? It was beautiful. And extravagant and she absolutely couldn’t keep it. She and Dave had a deal. A signed contract. And a new car wasn’t part of it.
“Isn’t that lovely?” Alice came up behind her and Mia turned to smile a welcome.
“It is.”
“Yet you don’t look happy with it.”
“It’s great, Alice,” Mia told her with a sigh. “But I can’t keep it.”
“Why ever not?”
“It’s complicated,” Mia said, hoping the other woman would accept that and let it go.
“Mia, I know David can be impulsive. Heck, he bought me a new car just a few weeks ago and didn’t bother to tell me about it beforehand.”
“But you’re his mom.”
“And you’re his fiancée.” She laid one hand on Mia’s forearm. “Did he surprise you with this? Are you angry that he didn’t talk to you about it? Is it that you don’t like the color?”
Mia laughed. Imagine saying no to a new car because you didn’t like the color. “No, the color’s just right. And I like surprises…”
“Then why shouldn’t he buy you a car?”
“Because we’re not getting married,” she blurted. Oh, God. The words had just jumped from her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. She slapped one hand to her mouth, but it was too late. The truth was out and now Alice would hate her and Dave would be furious that she’d told his mother.
“I know.”
“What?”
Alice smiled, put her arm around Mia’s shoulder and gave her a squeeze. “Honey, I know my son better than anyone. He doesn’t go from ‘never getting married’ to ‘I’m engaged’ overnight. I knew something was up, I just didn’t know what.”
“Alice, I’m so sorry…” This wasn’t fair. She was so nice. So understanding. So…mom-like. “I didn’t want to lie to you, but I didn’t want you to hate me and I asked Dave not to tell you, so it’s not even all his fault. It’s just so complicated.”
Alice gave her another hug. “Good stories always are,” she said and started walking toward the house. “Now, why don’t we get some tea and some of Delores’s cookies and you can tell me everything.”
Too late to do anything else, Mia nodded, and allowed herself to be mothered for the very first time.
Over two pots of tea and enough cookies to make even Mia a little sick, she told Alice the whole story. When she finally wound down, she was spent. Tears still dampened her cheeks, but her breathing was easier than it had been since she’d started living a lie.
“You love my son, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Mia said, “but it doesn’t matter.”
“It’s all that matters.” Alice poured more tea for each of them and said, “David loves you, too.”