24. Ian
Chapter 24
Ian
L ast night, while I laid in bed with Mia, just holding her while she cried and then slept, I realized a few things.
Number one is that I rushed her. I should never have kissed her last night. Even though I couldn’t help myself, I should have at least tried. Realizing Mia’s heart is bigger than anyone I’ve ever met, it felt like the tipping point for me, and so I kissed her.
Number two is, and this one scares me, is that she may not feel the same way as I do. Even though I’m not really sure how I’m feeling, I know I want to be with her night and day and cannot, for the life of me, stop thinking about her. Is this love? I don’t know and if it is, I’m not too sure I’m ready to admit it. Even to myself.
Number three, and the irony is not lost on me, is that we haven’t even had a date. We’re engaged to be married. Even though that’s fake, we still don’t really know each other. I mean, I know a lot of things about Mia, but I don’t know her . Not like I want to. I want to know if she prefers the sunrise or the sunset, has she ever wanted to go some place she’s never thought she’d be able to go, what kinds of movies make her laugh, and so much more.
I want to be the person she tells all her secrets to and knows that they are safe with me.
I want to tell her all of my secrets, too.
Number four, and this one is a biggie, is that I’m scared shitless she’s going to just walk away. Other than the money, there’s absolutely no reason she would want to stay. She can just decide one morning that this isn’t for her, pack up her stuff, and just drive off and start her life over. She’s done it once already, just a few weeks ago. Hell, they delivered her stuff from her apartment this morning and all of it was still in boxes. She could have one foot out the door and I wouldn’t even know it.
So, as I held her close last night and watched her sleep, I created a plan. A plan to date my fiancé and see where this goes. To see if I can convince her not to go, not to leave me, when this is all over.
And I’ve never, in my entire life, felt so vulnerable as I do right now.
This morning when I got up and finally convinced myself to get out of bed, even though I didn’t want to let Mia go, I rearranged my entire day so that I could get some stuff done for Mia before she woke up. One of those things was putting the money in her bank account.
Another was working with the property manager at one of my properties to secure Mia a prime location for Magical Moments and now Mia’s Corner. There happens to be two vacant spaces next to each other, so the property manager is working to connect the spaces and will have it ready for Mia to move in the week after the Fourth of July.
My jeweler arrived early and brought me the ring and it’s perfect. I can’t wait to give it to Mia, but I will wait until later and give it to her before the interview with the Today Show this afternoon. My jeweler also gave me some guards in case the ring is too big or too small. Once she tries it on, he’ll size it to her finger if she needs it.
After seeing Mia’s drawings last night of her logo for both Magical Moments and Mia’s Corner, I had an idea that I hope Mia doesn’t hate. I sent the drawings to Mrs. Wilcox first thing this morning, and she had business cards made up and sent them over.
Am I trying too hard? Maybe, but I don’t know how else to operate. It’s just how I am.
After Mia and I talked and agreed to a first date tonight for dessert once my family leaves, I had to get back to work before the interview, which starts in an hour. I’ve been on this video conference call for a lot longer than I anticipated, and I’ve had enough of the bickering and excuses.
“Enough!” I say to the entire room as I slam my hand down on my desk. “Eric, you’re the manager of the west coast division of Gallo Enterprises and as such, I expect you to handle issues like these. At what point did you discover the contractor wasn’t meeting the deadlines?”
I watch Eric squirm before he attempts to answer me. “Well, you see Mr. Gallo…”
“No, Eric, the answer doesn’t start with those words. If you, and your entire team that is sitting at that table, cannot get this project back on track by the end of this month, I will be out there to finish the project myself as I look for a new team. Does everyone understand?”
I see a bunch of nodding heads.
“Good. You have three days.” I click the disconnect button.
“Ouch. Glad I’m not the hired help.” Brinna says as she walks into my home office.
I wave at the chair she sits in. “Please, come on in and make yourself at home, Brinna.” I say with as much sarcasm as I can muster.
“Thank you. I will.” She throws back just as much sarcasm as she pulls out her notebook.
It’s not her fault I’ve got idiots running the Seattle offices, so I check my temper. “Sorry. Good help is hard to find unless you’re micromanaging them, apparently. At least that’s what I’m discovering. What’s up?”
“I just want to go over the talking points before the interview. Is Mia around?”
“Yeah, she’s upstairs working. I’m sure the questions will be fine. If they’re not, I’ll just stop the interview.” I shrug my shoulders. “Easy.”
She laughs, “I know, but does Mia know not to answer if she’s feeling uncomfortable?”
“She will. Don’t worry about her.” Brinna looks at me and I can tell she wants to ask me something. “Out with it. What else?”
She takes a deep breath before she starts, “Look, I don’t mean to offend you.”
“Yes, you do, but you don’t care. What is it?”
She looks up at the ceiling and then blurts it out, “Is this an actual relationship, Ian? I mean, are you two really dating, getting married, or is this some stunt to kill that eligible bachelor thing your mom did? I need to know because I’ve got to think of my reputation and if this is a fake thing... whatever your reasons, which may be valid ones, I just can’t be a part of it. I hope you understand why I asked. The interviewer is going to ask, too. Just so you know.”
Brinna is the best in the business and it’s great that she lives in Hibiscus Harbor as it makes it easy for us to do business together. I pay her a lot of money to do what she does and sometimes she needs to ask the hard questions. This one, although, sucks.
“Why would you ask me this, Brinna?”
“You know why. Over the last five years that we’ve been working together, not once have I seen you date anyone seriously. Now, suddenly you’re engaged, and no one’s ever even heard of her, not to mention that just last month your own mother told the world you are available. It looks suspicious, Ian. Very suspicious.”
I watch Brinna stand and walk across the room with her hands on her hips. “Look Ian, if this is just a stunt, I can get you both through the interview, but then I’m out.”
I keep playing with my pen, spinning it in circles on my desk, trying to decide how much to tell Brinna. “It’s not a stunt.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure, Brinna. It’s not a stunt. I’m marrying that woman upstairs,” I point to the ceiling of my office, “and that’s final. Don’t ask me again. Got it?”
“Is she pregnant?”
“What?”
“Is she pregnant? It’s a simple question Ian and one that I won’t be the only person to ask you today. Is. She. Pregnant?”
“No. Mia’s not pregnant. No, this isn’t some stunt. Mia and I are getting married. Period. Got it?” I stand, kicking my chair out from behind me in frustration.
“Then you’re going to need a ring. Do you have one because I didn’t see one on her hand yesterday when I was here? And you bet your bottom dollar the interviewer from the Today Show will notice as well.”
“Mia has a ring. She just wasn’t wearing it yesterday.”
“Good.”
“Good.” I repeat back to her.
“These are the types of questions you and Mia are going to be asked today. It’s what everyone’s talking about online.”
“I don’t care what everyone is talking about.”
“Well, you should, Ian, because it’s not just your reputation on the line. Your business and everything that you and your brother and parents have built over the last fifteen years are at stake here.”
“How does my brother factor into any of this?”
“Your brother is also a billionaire and the owner of a company called Gallo Construction, in case you have forgotten, even though you each have your own businesses, what he does affects you and vice versa. Don’t bring him down with you.”
“He won’t.” Mia says as she stands in the doorway. Neither Brinna nor I saw her walk in during our heated argument.
“Mia.” I walk over to her, and she takes my hand and kisses me on the cheek. I don’t know if it’s for Brinna’s sake or if she really wanted to kiss me, but I’ll take it.