ELEVEN
Luke
I finish the grout on the feature wall, thinking the whole time about Mia’s phone call with Oliver. I hope Mia isn’t mad at me for butting in and saying what I said. Not that I would do anything differently if I could do it again. There’s no way I could have stood there listening to her second guessing herself, knowing he was trying to gaslight her without saying something. Her reactions to me tell me this is a woman who hasn’t been told often enough how beautiful and sexy she is. How desirable she is.
Oliver is an idiot because he might have missed his opportunity .
I promise myself again I won’t make the same mistake.
After the phone call, Mia disappeared and she hasn’t been back upstairs since she got home. Packing up my gear, I head downstairs and find her in the kitchen, with an easel set up in the only well-lit spot in the house. Her hair is pushed back from her face with a rainbow knitted headband, and she’s wearing a pair of old jeans and a large T-shirt covered in splotches of paint. She’s concentrating on the canvas, but when I come past she looks up. “Hey, what time is it?”
I glance at my phone. “Four. I was just about to wrap it up, just thought I should say bye.”
“You’re going already?”
I hesitate. She’ll probably turn me down, but I have to try. Time to begin my plan to win Mia Sinclair. The long game. Part one is simple: meet the family.
“Yeah, but I was thinking, it’s nothing fancy, but my brother is an amazing cook and he’s making family dinner tonight. Would you like to come along?”
“Oh!” Her eyes widen and there’s that smile I was hoping for. “That sounds lovely, actually. Are you sure they won’t mind?”
“Not at all.” They’ll give me hell. I never bring girls home. No one has ever felt right. I’ll have to make sure my brothers know not to say anything stupid. The last thing I want to do is freak Mia out by coming on too strong. If I was recovering from a shock like she’s just had and all alone away from home, I wouldn’t want to be all alone like this.
“Then I’d love to. Thank you. What can I bring?”
“Nothing. Just yourself. I’ve got to take a shower and get changed, but I’ll swing past in an hour to pick you up? ”
“Oh, That’s OK. I can drive.”
“Uh uh. No way. I’ll pick you up.”
She grins. “Well, in that case, I’ll see you at five. Thanks.”
I wave her goodbye and hop in my truck feeling like I’m riding the biggest wave I’ve ever caught. In the last twenty-four hours I’ve done things to Mia I’ve been dreaming of for the last ten years and now she’s coming to Sunday dinner. She’s going to love Mum and Dad. Everyone loves them. My mum could cheer up Eeyore. And Noah’s cooking is amazing. His attitude, not so much, but hopefully he can keep his mouth shut for a few hours. Now all I need to do is make sure I treat her like a princess and pray Noah and Jack don’t fuck this up for me.
When I get home, I pull out my phone and shoot a message to my brothers.
Luke: I’m bringing a friend to family dinner tonight. Don’t be morons OK?
Jack: Friend as in girl friend?
Noah: No way. Lukey’s going to be a monk his whole life. I bet he’s still a virgin. He’s too hung up on that stuck up Sydney chick to actually get a date.
Luke: Mia isn’t stuck up. For once in your life could you do me a favour and just try to be nice, Noah?
Jack: LOL you’re assuming he even knows how
I get back to Mia’s place at four fifty-five on the dot. When I ring the doorbell, she answers almost immediately. I can’t help wondering if she’s been anticipating this as much as I have. One good thing about being around Mia is I haven’t spent all day worried about Dad. In fact, I spent it thinking of other things I could convince Mia to do with me while she’s here in Kraken Cove.
There’s a beautiful walk out to the old lighthouse around Emerald Point. I wonder if she’d go with me next weekend. Unless she’s gone home by then. My heart swoops into my boots when I realise I don’t actually know how much time I’ve got. Not beyond the week she’s taken off. I’ve gotta make every day count. Grab every opportunity, so she knows just how good I’d treat her.
Mia hands me a bottle of wine in a gift bag while she turns to fiddle with the key in the lock. It sticks a little and she has to jiggle it up and down to get the door to lock. I frown. “I’ll replace that for you tomorrow. Maybe I should do the whole door?”
She nods. “Yeah, I’d like that. I’d love to replace these window panels as well with something decorative. Maybe a stained glass pattern. Oliver would hate it, but you know what? I just don’t care anymore.”
I grin and open the door of my truck, offering her my hand to help her up into the high seat. She’s wearing a long floaty sort of sun dress with thin straps and buttons all down the front that make me think of undoing each one slowly. She must be cold. I’m wearing my good flannelette shirt over a clean white T-shirt and my best jeans. I probably should have told her not to worry about dressing up for dinner.
Can’t say I’m sorry about it, though. She looks amazing .
I hurry around to the back of the truck and pull out my denim jacket from the backseat. “Here, you want to borrow this? You’ll get cold with no jumper.”
“Aw, thanks.” She puts the jacket over her lap and I shut the door, trying hard to suppress the grin tugging at the corners of my mouth.
Everything about this feels so right. I want Mia in my truck every weekend. I want her at all the Wilson family dinners from now on. I want her to be a Wilson...
I’m getting carried away again.
When we pull up at The Snapper, Mia looks around at me. “I thought you said it was just a family dinner. Nothing fancy! If I’d known we were going to a restaurant, I would have dressed up.”
I blink at her. “This isn’t dressed up?”
She shakes her head. “No way. I don’t even have any makeup on.”
I shake my head. “You don’t need it. Trust me. You look beautiful. Besides, it’ll only be us in the restaurant. It’s not officially open.”
She relaxes a little. “Well, OK. If you say so.”
We get out and she stops at the front, looking up at the main building of the bed and breakfast. The reception faces the street and the building looks a little outdated. It was Kraken Cove’s first motel other than the rooms above the pub on the main street, and it’s showing its age. The rear of the main building extends back onto the pier. Most people don’t know, but my parents also had an access hatch and a ladder built so they could secretly sleep underwater, all the while making it look as if we were everyday residents of Kraken Cove .
There’s a covered walkway from the front doors. My mum hung fairy lights along the awning years ago and it’s a part of my fond childhood memories walking along here in the dark to have our big celebration dinners in the restaurant on special occasions. Birthdays and Christmas lunches, and Noah’s engagement party. They were all held here. Even after we officially closed the restaurant for guests. Tall windows overlook the water. We’re right on the inlet and because the Inlet Views is right on the pier, the restaurant feels almost like a boat, like you’re floating on the water, particularly at night when the stars from the sky swim in the dark water as well and the soft sounds of the ocean lull you into feeling like you’re being rocked on the waves.
It’s just getting dark now and as we walk under the roof, the lights flick on as if the place was waiting to welcome us.
“Your family owns the Inlet Views?”
I nod.
“I’ve always loved this place. It’s beautiful.” My jacket is tucked around her, the sleeves rolled up several times to keep from hanging over her hands. She pulls it tighter and I’m struck with the desire to put my arm around her and hug her close to keep her warm. I don’t think I should, though. So, I shove my hands in my pockets and smile. “Yeah. It is. Needs a bit of a facelift, though.” I point to where the paint is chipping around the windowsills.
Mia shrugs. “Just has a bit of character. I know you’ll do a great job if you do it, but don’t do too much, OK? There’s such a thing as natural beauty.”
I give her a wink, thinking of my words to her before about not needing to wear makeup. “Oh, I know. ”
It might be my imagination, but in the dim light, her cheeks colour. I curse Oliver all over again for not telling her a hundred times a day how beautiful she is. There’s no way my girl would be blushing at a pathetic little non-compliment like that. Nah. She’d be so used to me telling her that would feel like nothing.
I open the door and usher her inside and I think for a horrifying moment I might have made a mistake. As soon as she sees Mia, Mum’s eyes light up like all her Christmases have come at once. Behind Mia’s back, I make a slicing gesture at my throat, lift my brows, and mouth “Don’t!” Ignoring me, my family all leap to their feet. All except Noah, who is nowhere to be seen. Still in the kitchen, I’m guessing.
Thank fuck for small mercies.
“Luke!” Mum comes over, arms spread wide. “I didn’t know it was that kind of dinner. Have you got something to tell us?”
A little awkward laugh escapes me. I wish it was that kind of dinner. But I’ll take what I can get. I shake my head. “No, no. Mum this is Mia. I’m working on the Bambara Street place for her. She’s staying for a little while, and I thought it’d be nice for her to have some company rather than sitting up in that big place all by herself tonight.”
Mia holds out her hand to Mum who ignores it and pulls her into a big hug instead. “Mia!” Mum gives me a look that says she knows exactly who Mia is and I wonder which of my asshole brothers told her that little tidbit. I can hardly blame them, I guess. Mum has a way of getting stuff out of you.
“Lovely to meet you,” Mum goes on. “I’ve always loved the Bambara Street place. I hope you’re not planning to cut down any of those beautiful gum trees in the backyard. Some of those must be older than me.”
Mia seems startled by the hug at first, but when Mum pulls back, she’s smiling. “Oh, not at all. I love the trees. In fact, Luke’s working on a wooden dressing for the facade that I think is going to look amazing when it’s done. Like the house sort of blends into the trees.”
Mum gives an approving nod. I can tell Mia and her are going to get on. They’ll talk plants, old houses, and art.
Mia holds out the bottle she brought. “I brought this. I wasn’t sure what you’d all like, but my dad is a real connoisseur and he keeps a cellar even at the holiday house. I love this one. It’s a favourite of mine.”
“Thank you, love. Why don’t you and Luke take a seat and I’ll get some glasses. I’m sure whatever you’ve chosen is wonderful.”
Just then, Noah comes out of the kitchen fully shifted, six plates balanced easily on various tentacles.
Mum looks around in horror at me. “Oh Lukey, we didn’t know anyone would be joining us.”
I glare at Noah over her head. “Noah knew.”
He gives me a defiant shrug. “Yeah. So? Is it a problem?” Shifting his defiant gaze to Mia he stares as if waiting for a response.
To her credit she handles it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Oh, are you talking about the fact that you’re shifted? God, I don’t mind. Looks like it would be way easier to cook that way.”
“It is.” Noah sets down the plates of barramundi in lemon butter sauce and we’re all distracted for a moment from his prickly behaviour. As he passes me mine, though, he mutters, “What did you bring her for, Luke?”
A jerk of his head at Mia probably makes it obvious what we’re talking about. She’s answering a question from Mum about her painting and I’d much rather listen to her answer. Under my breath I hiss at Noah, “Leave it.”
“I won’t leave it. I know how you feel about her, Luke. I don’t know what you think is going to happen, but a girl like that won’t accept us for who we are. She’ll run back to Sydney and—”
“Not now, Noah.” The conversation around the table has gone quiet. I’d like to tell him Mia’s not like Charlotte. I know what I’m getting myself into, and I’m not going to end up jilted like he did. I can’t though. It’s still too raw for him. Four years on and he’s still not over her, no matter what he tries to tell everyone.
Mum frowns at us. “I hope you two aren’t arguing. I thought you’d be on your best behaviour, Luke, since you’ve finally brought someone home.”
Dad’s eyes widen, and he gives Mia a long look. “Are you—”
“No, Dad.” I shake my head. “Look, Mia’s a friend, OK? Relax.”
Mia’s pretty cheeks are lit up with a blush that makes her look even more adorable than usual. I wonder what she’s thinking. I hope she’s not horrified at the suggestion she’s dating me. I blunder on. “Now, would everyone please just act normal? ”
The others start talking again. Noah picks up the bottle of wine Mia brought and a low whistle from him makes me turn. “What is it?”
“Brokenwood Wines. Where’d you get this? Not from any bottle shop around here.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
Mia blushes harder. “Oh it’s just something I had in the cellar. I wasn’t sure if it would go with dinner, but I hope everyone will have some.”
Noah pours himself a large glass and grins. “You don’t have to tell me twice.” He raises his glass and I can’t tell if he’s still mocking her or being serious. The others pass around the wine and Noah leans close beside me.
“You’re out of your depth, brother. She’s a rich girl through and through. You should give up now before it’s too late.”
I stare at the empty bottle of wine on the table, wondering if he’s right. “How much does that stuff cost?”
He leans closer. “This is a 2001. It’s got to be two hundred a bottle or more.”
I nearly choke on my fish. I’m a bloody fool. She brings a two hundred dollar bottle of wine to a casual family dinner? Why didn’t I listen to Jack ten years ago when he told me girls like Mia don’t go for fish like me? All I could think about was how sweet she felt in my arms and when I’d get to see her again. I was so determined to apologize and explain and make it up to her. But the next day, I looked for her and couldn’t find her. When I went up to the Bambara Street place, they’d packed up and left, and I never saw her again.
Fuck. I’m so stupid .
I thought she was angry that I ran off on her. Maybe she just never cared in the first place. Maybe I was only ever a summer fling to her.
I can’t believe I thought I had a chance with Mia Sinclair.