19. Mia
19
MIA
I arrive at the Blue Lagoon Restaurant, my mind still buzzing with irritation from the latest incident with Theo’s contractors. The place is cozy and the windows all along the left side of the restaurant offer a beach view. I spot Theo already seated at a table near the window, and I work to control the anxiety that fills me as I approach his table. The last thing I want is to mess up this meeting.
…or make a scene. Yeah, I definitely don’t want that.
Theo stands up as I approach, pulling out my chair for me. “Glad you could make it.” He sounds sincere, but I wonder. With his dark hair and eyes, it’s so hard to read what he’s actually thinking. He’s like the definition of tall, dark, and handsome .
I roll my eyes at myself for even allowing that thought to cross my mind. This is a “business” dinner. I need to keep myself focused on that.
“Thanks,” I reply, sitting down and placing my bag on the floor next to me. The waiter comes over to take our drink orders, and we both opt for water. Once he leaves, there’s a brief, awkward silence as we both try to find the right way to start the conversation.
I want to jump to accusations again, but I don’t have the same anger fueling me as I did yesterday. The contractors have used at least half the bricks they brought. Probably by tomorrow at this time, the bricks will be gone completely.
But I also need to talk to Theo about boundaries. Maybe I need to put a fence up, but that’s a cost I haven’t anticipated.
Theo finally breaks the ice. “So, how’s the renovation going at your place?”
I stare out the window without really seeing anything as I answer. “It’s going well. I’ve managed to get a lot done over the past few weeks. The garden’s finally starting to look like it used to. I just need to finish up some painting inside and get some new furniture and…” I stop myself partway into the list.
Theo doesn’t need to know all the details of the work I’m facing. It’s overwhelming for me, and it’s the project I’ve always dreamed of.
His voice sounds sincere. “That’s great. I honestly just go with rocks because it’s a lot easier to maintain than a garden, but then again, I’m going for a more self-sufficient property while you’re going to be staying at yours and taking care of your guests yourself.”
I can’t tell if he’s being snobbish or just stating facts. I cut my eyes at him, trying to read his face. But Theo just strokes his chin and watches me unabashedly.
“My grandmother took a lot of pride in the place, especially the garden. I want to do it justice as I restore it. Yes, it’s about making money, but it’s also about…” I lose my train of thought as I realize I won’t see my grandmother again. It’s been a few months since she passed, but sometimes, it just hits me.
I look down and try to will my tears into dryness so Theo won’t see me cry.
He doesn’t seem to notice how I’m fighting back tears. “I’m sure you will. You’re putting in a lot of hard work. It’s bound to pay off. That’s the difference between what we’re doing. You’re creating something personal. I’m creating something bigger and…”
“Better?” I supply, raising an eyebrow.
Theo smiles. “I wasn’t going to say that.”
“What were you going to say then?”
“I was just going to…not say anything. That’s how my mother would have said I should deal with the situation.”
I roll my eyes, but Theo has managed to make me smile again. The sad thoughts of my Grandma Mary are gone.
Theo switches the subject abruptly to the weather, and I wonder if this was really why he brought me to dinner—to talk about the weather. When is he going to bring up the real reason we’re here?
“…and that’s why I love May so much. By the time June and July hit, it’s too muggy to do much of anything. The beach is nice for an evening stroll, but I’m not about to sit out there and roast.”
“That’s not what I remember,” I tell him, thinking about when we were teenagers. We couldn’t really go on dates because neither one of us could drive, but we had our bikes. We would meet up at the beach and walk and walk and walk. I wondered how long it would take us to get to the end of the beach, but we never did.
“What do you remember?” Theo asks, leaning a little closer.
I get a whiff of his cologne, and it hits me hard. It makes me want him, and that’s not something I can feel. I avert my eyes, trying not to think about how handsome he is.
“I remember you…always wanting to be tan. You didn’t care about roasting then.”
“Well, I was also young and stupid. I do care about getting burned now.”
“Oh, is that why you always take your shirt off when you’re working outside at the resort?”
“So, you’ve noticed?” Theo asks in a way that makes my cheeks grow hot. Of course, I’ve noticed . How could I not?
He’s like a Greek god. I want to run my fingers down his chest again. The time we touched in my living room wasn’t enough. I want more of him.
When I don’t answer, Theo lets the question go. “So, what’s the next big project on your list? What else do you need to do to get the bed and breakfast ready?”
“I’m planning to revamp the old sunroom. It’s been neglected for years, and it needs a lot of work.”
Theo raises an eyebrow. “The sunroom, huh? That’s a big project. What do you need to do?”
“Pretty much everything. The windows need a good cleaning, and I think I’m going to put some of that rolling, sunshade paper so it doesn’t get too heated in there in the summer. The flooring is a mess, but I may just need to cover that with a good rug.”
“That sounds like a lot of work. Maybe I could help you out with that. I’ve got some experience with renovations, you know.”
I look at him skeptically. “Help me out? What’s the catch?”
He holds up his hands like a policeman is pointing an arm at him. “No catch. Just trying to be neighborly.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Neighborly, huh? That’s a new one. I wasn’t sure you knew the definition of the word.”
Theo grins, and for a moment, I see a glimpse of the boy I used to know. “Seriously, Mia. I’d be happy to help. We could get it done a lot faster if we work together. Plus, it’s fun to work with you .”
I consider his offer. “I’ll think about it,” I finally say. But I can’t ignore the flirtatious tone in his voice. I caught the way he was saying it, the way he was biting his lip and looking at me. Maybe he’s remembering what happened last time we tried working together. I get a flash of Theo pushing himself inside me, and my face flushes.
“Great! You let me know when you want to start, and I’ll be there.”
“Don’t you have your own project to work on?”
“I do, but I don’t have to be as hands-on with it as I am.”
I shrug non-committedly, but I know I want to take him up on his offer. Not only would it make the work go faster, but it would also make it more fun.
As the evening progresses, we start to relax and enjoy each other’s company. I feel like I could talk to Theo about almost anything, even though I don’t admit that to him. Our talk turns to things that happened between us before.
“Do you remember that time we tried to build a treehouse in your backyard?” Theo asks, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
I laugh, nodding. “How could I forget? We were so convinced we could do it, but we ended up with a pile of wood and nails and no idea what we were doing. You broke that one piece of wood almost as soon as you tested it out.”
Theo chuckles. “Yeah, but it was fun. We spent the whole summer trying to figure it out. And when we finally gave up, I admitted why I wanted a treehouse anyway.”
My cheeks burn because that moment is pressed indelibly in my mind. Theo leaned forward and told me he just wanted us to have a private space where we could do whatever we wanted.
The implication had been clear, and I blushed and flirtatiously pushed away his advances. But secretly, I had wanted him, too.
“Things seemed so much simpler back then,” I comment, even though I realize that the strange way we related and got along was really not that different from how it is today.
“They did,” Theo says, leaning back in his chair. “It’s funny how things change, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I say, glancing at him. “It is.”
There’s a moment of silence, and I find myself studying Theo’s face. He looks different now—more mature, more serious—but there’s still a hint of the boy I used to know. I wonder what it would be like if we could go back to those simpler times, before everything got so complicated. Before houses and profits were thrown into the mix.
Theo clears his throat, breaking the silence. “You know, Mia, I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. About your grandmother’s inheritance and how this house is like her legacy.”
“Oh?” I say, raising an eyebrow.
Theo shifts in his chair and looks decidedly uncomfortable. “I get it. I really do. I know how much that place means to you.”
I nod, my anger from earlier starting to fade. “Thank you, Theo. That means a lot to me.”
“I just want us to find a way to make this work. I don’t want to be the bad guy here.”
“I know, and I don’t want to be the one standing in the way of your dreams, either. But I just need you to respect that I’m not selling, no matter what. I’m not willing to give up my dream for you and your partner to have yours.”
Theo reaches across the table to take my hand. “I promise I’ll drop it.”
“And never bring it up again?”
“Never again.”
Theo’s brown eyes meet mine, and I see the sincerity in them. I look down at our joined hands to avoid his gaze, feeling a spark of something I haven’t felt in a long time. Maybe there’s hope for us after all.
As the waiter brings our food, the conversation shifts to lighter topics. We talk about our favorite movies, places we’ve traveled, and our dreams for the future. It’s easy to forget the annoyance I just felt toward Theo, and I start to see a side of Theo that I haven’t seen in years.
“So, where’s the best place you’ve ever traveled?” I ask, taking a bite of my pasta.
“Honestly? I think it’s right here. There’s something about this place that’s always felt like home to me. It’s why I started investing in property here instead of somewhere else.”
I feel a warmth spread through my chest at his words. “Yeah, I know what you mean. There’s something special about Oak Island. It drew me back after I left years ago.”
“I think that’s why we both care so much about what happens here.”
My eyes catch on Theo’s, and I feel my breath in my throat, like I can’t breathe for a moment. I want to reach for Theo again, feel his skin against mine. But I don’t. I control myself, because I know if I start falling for Theo again, I’m just going to get hurt.
I imagine us in a relationship years down the road and him still trying to convince me to let my grandmother’s house be bulldozed so they can expand the resort.
Still, I have to admit as we finish our meal that Theo’s not so bad. Maybe we could find a way to make this work.
I keep glancing at him and seeing the ways our eyes catch. It makes me breathless. All it would take is an invitation from my part. I could invite him back to my place. He would follow me in his car, and I’d let him in the front door.
He would start kissing me with his savory, dinner-tainted breath and press me against the wall. I start to feel hot imagining it, but I don’t want to stop.
Next, he would undo my jeans and push them to the ground. His fingers would play over my skin, his fingers pushing into the folds of my pussy so that I start screaming his name. Then, he would step back and get naked for me, letting me see every part of him. I know he would be hard. He would press his erection into me, and I’d…
“What are you thinking about?” Theo cuts in.
I know my cheeks are red, and I wonder if he can really read my thoughts.
“I was just thinking about what needs to get done…when I get home.” I lick my lips and know I’m not going to invite him over. I have to be smart, and having sex with Theo… again…would not be smart. Right?
The waiter brings the check. Theo insists on paying, and I don’t argue. As we stand up to leave, he looks at me with a serious expression.
“Mia, I really do want to find a way to work together. You let me know if you need my help in that sunroom.”
“I’d like that.” The words slip out of my mouth without me realizing that they’re coming. “Sure. You can come over on Saturday, and we’ll get started then.”
Theo smiles, and for the first time in a long time, I feel a glimmer of hope. Not only did our “business” dinner feel positive, but I’m also excited to spend more time with Theo on Saturday.
I want to get to know him better. And, I tell myself, spending time with him doesn’t mean anything physical will happen, but I like the possibility of it hovering in the air.