I shook my head in confusion. “The Board minutes?”
“Is it true that you only proposed to me because the Board forced you to?” she shot back.
Mia had thought to confirm her suspicions with the Board minutes? She was sharp. I had to tell her everything. Every single detail. Or she would never believe me and take me back.
“It’s true. They suggested I get married to improve my image.”
Mia’s lips quivered as tears slipped down her face. “I knew it!”
Dropping to my knees, I begged, “It’s not what you think. I didn’t do it because they wanted me to. I asked you to marry me because I love you. I want you regardless of what those assholes think. You’re all that I want!”
Mia held back any more tears from breaking through. “I appreciate your honesty, but…” She shook her head and exhaled sharply. “I need to think things over. This has all been too much. What I need now is time to process.”
I stood and looked her in the eye. There was nothing more I could say to change her mind. She’d have to decide herself. Quickly, I took her face in my hands. Her beautiful face.
I studied every aspect of it just in case it would be my last time to see her in person. Her full kissable lips. Her big brown eyes. Her nose that upturned just a bit.
Pressing my lips to hers, I gave her a fierce passionate kiss. If words couldn’t get her back, maybe a kiss would. I put my whole body and soul into that kiss trying to tell Mia how much I loved her.
When I withdrew, Mia looked at me with such sadness in her eyes. A sob nearly escaped from my throat. That look said good-bye.
I walk away from her house, my legs wobbly and my heart disintegrating. The only woman I’d ever loved slipped right through my fingers. If only I’d been more careful, if only I’d expressed how much I loved her, this would have never happened.
When I turned around to get into my car, Mia was no longer on the porch steps. She was long gone.
Chapter 24
Mia
Seeing Theo was not only a shock, but painful. I wanted to believe him, but my fear of being hurt again overtook anything else. He looked honesty pitiful groveling at my mom's door, but was that enough proof that he truly loved me?
When I walked back into the house, my mom sat at the kitchen table with worry etched on her face. She gave me a sympathetic look as I sat down at the table not saying a single word.
My inclination to hide in my room was useless. I knew my mom heard everything. She might as well anyway because I needed help.
What the hell was I going to do?
My mom patted the top of my hand. “You okay?”
My heart ached intensely. It felt like either way: being with Theo or not being with Theo would be a painful endeavor. Seeing him shook me to the core, I missed him so much. Wiping away a tear on my cheek, I just nodded I wasn't okay. Not at all.
Everything had fallen apart and I had no idea how to fix it.
Crossing my arms, I stifled a sob, “What do I do?”
My mom leaned in to look at me closely. “I can't tell you what to do, Mia.” My mother was a kind, wise woman. If she didn't have answers, how was I going to?
I groaned, shaking my head. “Great! You choose the one time in my life to not have an opinion!”
My mom laughed, squeezing my hand. “I can give you some useful advice.” She stood up to get me a glass of water.
Swallowing back my sobs, I said, “Anything! Please! Tell me!”
Placing the glass of water in front of me, she brushed the hair out of my face. “You need to look into your heart and decide what's best for you.”
I sipped the water, feeling utterly helpless. “That's not real advice. I need you tell me what you think. Did Theo sound genuine to you? I know you heard everything he said.”
My mom sighed, tapping the table with her fingertips. “He did sound genuine. But you know him better than I do. Maybe the Board did want him to get married, but does he seem like the type of guy that would bend to someone else's demands like that? Only you know that.”