Chapter 9
CHAPTER
NINE
MIA
There was no mistaking who had been staring at her from the doorway.
Not only did those eyes haunt her dreams but she saw a variation of them every day in her classroom on the most adorable boy that ever was.
Mia wouldn’t have believed it unless she’d seen it herself.
The one house that seemed habitable of the handful she’d toured was his home.
Granted, maybe Hot Lifeguard didn’t live there. It could have been that he was just visiting. But why was he in the bedroom if he was visiting?
Then again, why was he in the bedroom if he lived there? Wouldn’t he want to meet his new potential roommate?
Mia’s stomach turned, and she couldn’t tell if the sensation was pleasant or not so pleasant.
“So what you think?” Tutu asked as they came to the conclusion of Mia’s home tour. The kind woman had insisted Mia call her Tutu, and honestly it had been easy to do so. She had a calming demeanor much like Mia’s own grandmother had once had.
Mia wasn’t sure how to respond. Before she’d seen those eyes, the answer would have been easy.
But now that she’d seen them? Mia now remembered that Tutu had told Mia over the phone that it was just her and her grandson who lived in the home.
And since Tutu shared the eyes that ran in their family, Mia knew Koa was Tutu’s grandson.
But was he the grandson that lived there?
She had to tell Tutu no. Even if he didn’t live there, he’d be by often, judging by the fact he was there right then. And that would be bad enough. But if he lived there?
Admittedly, she was no longer too upset with the way he’d mocked her behind her back.
She had been a silly tourist that day, and he hadn’t said anything worse than the truth.
She did have every right to be offended.
It was true that he shouldn’t have kicked her when she was down by telling his buddies the story about how she almost drowned and then blaming it on her idiocy, but in the end he’d been factual.
And Mia realized she was more embarrassed about the negative light that true story painted her in more than anything else.
So if she didn’t move in it wouldn’t be because she thought Koa was a bad guy or had done the unforgivable.
Would she be this forgiving if Koa hadn’t been so kind to Angel and if he wasn’t the uncle to her favorite student?
She wasn’t sure. But that didn’t matter. Because he had looked out for Angel and he was K.J.’s uncle.
So living there wouldn’t be too uncomfortable, right? They could pretend they hadn’t met until the day he’d come into her classroom.
No, that wouldn’t quite work since people had seen her at Puka’s and then had seen him run out after her.
Mia sighed. In the end, none of her debating mattered.
Because she had to make this work. She needed a place to live in the next two days and this was her only viable option.
Even if she was ninety-nine percent certain that Koa was the grandson who lived with Tutu and Mia moving in meant living with a man who thought her the most idiotic person to ever grace the planet.
But that was better than her alternative—moving back to Washington.
She couldn’t go back there. Not when her ex had made it clear he’d never leave her alone after she left him. Her only peace of mind came from the ocean between them.
“This place is perfect. I’d be happy to sign a lease right now,” Mia found herself saying to Tutu, knowing she was offering to sign immediately so that she had no way to back out. Or more importantly, so there was no way for Koa to undo what his grandmother had promised.
“If you really need one my grandson can do ‘em,” Tutu said as she waved a hand, telling Mia that wasn’t the kind of thing she dealt with. “But if you good, I’m good.”
Mia paused, remembering how taking her last landlord at his word had bitten her in the behind.
But she had a feeling Tutu’s word was the kind of bond one could rely on.
And how could she pass up the monthly rent?
Since she was just renting a spare room with attached bath instead of an entire apartment, it was much more affordable than the other place. That was a relief.
She drew in a deep breath, knowing she might be making a mistake, but she didn’t want to offend her new landlord, especially since they’d be sharing a home.
“I’m good,” Mia said excitedly, realizing she’d finally found a home. “I’d love to start moving my stuff in today if that’s alright with you.”
Tutu’s giant grin was answer enough. At least one person in the home would be happy to see her coming.
The other….
Mia couldn’t think about him.
“For shua. But you gotta let my grandson help you, kay,” Tutu said, walking toward the room down the hall and the person Mia had hoped to avoid for at least the first few days she lived there.
“Oh, there’s no need.” Mia tried to sound gracious instead of panicked.
“Yes, there is.” Tutu’s answer left no room for argument. What was Mia supposed to say to that?
“Koa,” Tutu said as she knocked on the door to what Mia assumed was Koa’s bedroom. The bedroom right across the hall from her own new bedroom.
The door opened tentatively, and even though Mia knew whom to expect, her stomach plummeted when the all-too-handsome man appeared in the doorway.
“This is our new renter, Mia,” Tutu introduced Mia to the man who towered over both of them. Had he always been that tall?
Mia held her breath, wondering if Koa was going to tell Tutu that they were already acquainted. That there was no way he was going to live with the woman he’d called a “dumb tourist.”
Koa turned to Mia, his face devoid of expression. He was literally the opposite of those people who wore their feelings on their face.
“Mia,” Koa said, his tone pleasant. “Nice to meet you.”
Mia met the man’s hazel gaze, her questions plentiful.
Wasn’t he going to tell his grandma no way?
Mia knew renters were quite easy to come by on the island, it was much harder to find a rental.
They could get someone else. But instead, it seemed like he was giving her a chance.
The ‘nice to meet’ you sounded like an opportunity to start again.
And she liked that idea. Yes, he’d been in the wrong for what he’d said at Puka’s, but she hadn’t been the brightest, jumping into water she had no business swimming in.
It would have been nice to get an apology, but then again, when were men willing to apologize?
She knew her ex hadn’t been. And moreover, her ex would have never given her a chance to start over.
Something she now desperately wanted since she was going to live across the hall from this man.
Mia met Koa’s outstretched hand, his calloused fingers sliding across hers. Mia refused to acknowledge the twittering of her heart at his touch.
You’ve shaken the hand of good-looking men before, Mia.
Her mind scolded as she pulled away and said, “Nice to meet you too.”
“Koa, I was just telling Mia that I like you help her move,” Tutu said.
“But it’s okay if you’re busy. I only have like two suitcases and a few things I bought since I got to Maui.
I’m sure I can get everything here in two trips in my car,” Mia said, hoping Koa would take the out.
It was one thing to try to start over so that living together wouldn’t be so awkward.
It was another for him to actually help her move in.
Oh, my goodness. She was going to be living with Koa.
“But that means we can probably get it all in one trip if we take my truck,” Koa responded with a small smile. He was offering another olive branch.
Mia found herself nodding her acceptance of it even as she couldn’t believe what was happening. Just minutes before, she had nowhere to live. Now she was moving in with a sweet old lady and Koa.
But Mia had had roommates before. This shouldn’t be any different…right?
Taking in Koa’s buff arms and shoulders, she knew he was all too capable of moving in Mia’s things. And she remembered the way he’d carried her in his arms at the beach…. She knew she was lying to herself if she didn’t admit that everything was different about this roommate.
Suck it up, Mia. This is the only option of a place to live on Maui. And don’t ruin it by starting to crush on the gorgeous guy across the hall. Besides, he still thinks you’re a dumb tourist.
It was those last words that had Mia sobering up from her moment of weakness.
Koa started toward the front of the house and Mia followed.
“Thank you,” Mia called back to Tutu.
When she turned forward once more, she saw that Koa stood at the front door, holding open the screen door for her.
And he was a gentleman? She worked on keeping her knees steady.
He thinks you’re a dumb tourist.
Mia chanted her new mantra in her mind as she followed Koa to his truck. Where he held her door open once more.
Was the man trying to kill her?
“Thank you for helping me move,” Mia said as she skirted around Koa, doing her best not to touch him.
If a handshake could make her tremble, what would other parts of their bodies touching do to her? Better to play it safe.
“No worries,” Koa said as he closed the door and jogged around the car to his seat. He started the truck but didn’t immediately pull out of the driveway. “Before we get on the road, I need to apologize.”
Mia’s mouth went dry. No, he needed to not apologize. That was the only thing she was holding onto. The only way she was keeping her distance. If he took back what he said at Puka’s…
“I’m so sorry for the way I spoke about you. I’m not sure why I told the story I did at Puka’s.”
Mia held her breath.
“I usually don’t talk about work since it’s my job to…” he paused.
“Save people?” Mia offered because although she didn’t know the man well, she was beginning to think he was the type of man who didn’t like bragging. And saving lives sounded like bragging, even if it was the truth.