He must have done a lot of thinking last night to develop this plan, because he wasn’t just arranging things so he and Mia could be together, he was really thinking about Mia’s wants and needs.
Everything inside her softened, emotions whipped up, and her eyes stung. “You know, this whole jersey idea really isn’t mine. Sarah started it—”
“Because there is a demand,” Rafe said.
“I really don’t know anything about the business end of this. I just design—”
“I can help you with all the business, sweetie,” Joe offered. “You should at least show the designs to Silver. We can just take it from there. Make it casual. All you need are your sketches and a few photos. I’m sure the girls would love to pose for you.”
“Pictures are already all over the Internet,” Tate said. “You should take a look. There are all kinds of comments from people asking where they got the tops, wanting them for themselves. You should do this, Mia.”
Holy shit. She couldn’t remember the last time all three of these men were focused on her. On her life. On advancing her career. Mia was overwhelmed. Aside from that, selling her jersey designs was so out of her current realm of possibility, the thought added more stress. She was having a hard enough time getting her brain around the move to California and working in freaking Hollywood. Taking this leap into selling her designs was another world she knew nothing about and wouldn’t have time for with her new job. Then there was Rafe and this crazy revelation that he wanted time with her.
A girl could only take so many learning curves at once.
“It’s settled.” Joe clapped and swung an arm around Mia’s shoulders. “You and I will fly out together. We’ll talk business on the flight and catch up with the boys at the hotel.”
She should probably be more excited about the business opportunity, but her mind was on Rafe.
Rafe and a hotel.
Rafe and a hotel, and what an absolutely delicious thought that was.
Only… Yeah. Reality.
“Thanks for thinking of me, guys. I’d love to watch you play and check out LA, but I can’t. My budget’s already stretched tight with the move. I can’t do another plane ticket and hotel right now—”
“I’ll take care of it.” All three men said it at the same time. When they looked at each other, Mia laughed. Her face heated, and she pressed her hands to her cheeks. Rafe might be right about Mia being fiercely independent, but she was also grateful for all their generosity.
Rafe was the first to look back at her. “We all obviously want you there. Let LA burn to the ground for a change, Mia.”
Tate gave him a look. “Huh?”
Rafe shook his head. “Something we were talking about earlier.”
Oh Lord. The thought of three days and two nights with Rafe… Of course it wouldn’t be just Rafe. And with Tate and Joe and the Rough Riders so close, there would be a lot of sneaking around, but she couldn’t deny the excitement and hope this little revelation had created—for her relationship with Rafe, to smooth things over with Tate…
Nerves whipped up in her
belly, and she pressed a hand to her stomach.
Tate laughed. “That’s her nervous tell. She’s gonna do it.”
Rafe smiled and nodded at Mia, and his expression was filled with a sort of intimate pride. “I’ll make the call.”
12
Rafe stopped at Mia’s hotel room door, blew out a breath, pulled at the cuffs of his shirtsleeves, and knocked. He let his eyes drift to the ceiling, set his feet, clasped one hand over the other. Then took another breath. And let it out slowly.
I’m going to be good.
This is about her business.
This is an important meeting.
The fun stuff can come later.
His teeth clenched, and his eyes closed. God, he wanted the fun stuff now. He hadn’t felt Mia in days, and he swore he was going to go insane.