5. Mia
Mia
I have it typed out. Did it the moment he walked out of my office an hour ago, actually.
All I need to do is hit send, but for some reason I haven’t.
Why does it feel so scary to hit send? I wanted to take him up on the date when he offered, but something in my brain started panicking that it was too real.
I invited him to come here to try those drinks on a whim.
The sole idea of getting to talk to him had me sending that message yesterday without a second thought.
Granted, the thought of it being for the party completely justified it in my head, even though deep down it was just an excuse to see if talking to him was just as enjoyable as the last time.
Spoiler alert: it was. What’s one date? There’s a reason I’ve worked this job for so long, shadowing every position in preparation.
I’ve worked so hard to make sure I can stand on my own outside my father’s shadow.
The second-guessing feelings I have over Jensen leaving aside—I know I’m running this place just as efficiently as any man, if not better.
I’ve turned down countless men asking for dates because of my career aspirations. Anyone that I did say yes to was one Adam so easily called out—the ones who can’t handle my confidence. The ones with a guaranteed stamp of a good time and no future.
Then Adam Reyer emails me about a party, and suddenly I’m not wanting to turn him down. It gives me this gut feeling of the right person, right time—which has to be where this scared-as-hell feeling is coming from.
I’ve mapped out so much of my life in order for it to lead me right here.
But now it just feels like loose plans…the typical find a man, have a family when timing is right for both of us.
I hadn’t expected to find someone I liked right off the bat.
I halfway thought I’d still be using the career excuse for dates for a while, but boy, does that excuse sound extremely stupid for turning down Adam.
“Mia, do you have a minute?” Jensen’s voice pulls me from my thoughts and I quickly lock my phone, setting it to the side.
“For you, always,” I say, grateful for the distraction.
Jensen leans back in her chair. “So, how was your meeting with Adam?”
Dammit, so much for that.
“Fine.” I keep all my reactions in check. Calm. Completely unfazed by the hot baseball player that I really want to see tonight. “I think the nonalcoholic drinks will be a good addition—”
“Cut the shit, Mia. You know that’s not what I was asking.” This snarky smile comes to her face.
Oh, how the tables have turned.
“I don’t recall you being very forthcoming when I was snooping about you and Beck.”
“Ah, so there is a you and Adam for me to snoop about. Just what I was hoping for.”
“No, no, I meant—” I can feel my face turning bright red. My word, this man has me all messed up. “He’s nice to talk to, okay? It’s no big deal.”
Jensen tilts her head with this smirk that says it all. “Huh, so funny, that’s exactly what Adam said last night when I caught him texting you.”
And she’s got me. “He said what?”
Jensen’s smirk only grows. “Well, after nearly turning the same shade of red you are right now, he tried brushing you two texting off as ‘not a big deal.’”
Not entirely sure why hearing the wording stings a bit, imagining Adam being the one saying it, but it is true. “Well, there you go,” I say, hoping that’s the end of it.
“Now, he said that last night, but showed up this morning smelling amazing with fixed hair and a trimmed face. Mia, all of those men live in ball caps—he was trying to impress you.”
I let out a breath. He definitely did.
For a second, I debate talking to Jensen about going on the date tonight with Adam, but instead I opt for a taste of her own medicine and give her a shrug.
Jensen stands up, mumbling some Spanish under her breath, before tossing her hands up. “Fine, suit yourself. Something tells me I’ll get similar hints as to how it’s going as I gave you.”
I snort. “Don’t expect to see a hickey on my neck anytime soon.”
Jensen lets out a laugh, pausing at the doorway. “We’ll see about that.”
Shaking my head, I look at the spreadsheet on my desktop for a total of two seconds before pulling my phone back out.
It’s not a big deal, right? He said that himself. We could go and find out that we’re actually better as friends. We could have possibly played up this chemistry…here in my office…Christ, that’s not it.
I stare at the unsent message. This is ridiculous. I’ve never once gotten this worked up over a man. With a deep breath, I hit send.
Pick me up 7.
Much to my relief three little dots pop up immediately.
Thank goodness, I can breathe again.
You get ONE date, Reyer.
That’s all I need.
With quick touch-ups from my emergency kit, I finish off with a rosy gloss to my lips right at 6:45.
Our dinner rush is officially in full swing, and while I prepped our managers tonight that I was leaving, I’m hoping I can slip out with no questions from a certain bartender.
Not that I want to hide Adam…with his size and looks, that’d be next to impossible, but seeing if we even make it to a second date will need to come first. The probability of me finding something to be turned off by Adam tonight isn’t zero. Odds feel very low, but still.
Grabbing my coat, I lock my office and head to the front, knowing I have four minutes to get to the sidewalk before Adam walks into the bar.
In reality, that would be more than enough time, but I might have made myself too much of a hands-on owner because I get stopped not once… not twice…but four times.
Truthfully, I love it. I like being the reliable head of this ship, but tonight I redirect them all to their completely capable managers.
I did indeed have to verbally say that out loud earlier in my office before telling them I was leaving. I wholeheartedly believe it, but also I feel like no one can do a job quite like I can.
But it’s a part of being a good boss, right? Letting go sometimes?
Again, all a big pep talk in the mirror.
The moment my feet step out onto the sidewalk, I check my phone to see the time go from 6:49 to 6:50. And just as I anticipated, I find Adam walking up to me with that damn adorable smile on his face.
Holy hell.
You know what’s more attractive than a tall muscular man with a seemingly great personality? One with all that and a sense of style. Adam’s wearing brown corduroy pants with a cream sweater and a dark green cargo jacket.
“Bailing on our date already, Mia?” Adam asks with a teasing tone as he walks up to my right.
A cool breeze blows from behind him, and while I could blame that on the chill that runs through me, it carried the scent of whatever cologne he’s wearing with it. I couldn’t tell you a single hint of what it is, but it smells so good.
Pulling at the sides of my coat, I tie the belt off. “If I wanted to do that, I would have left five minutes ago.”
This sexy grin tugs at his mouth. He takes a small step closer. “I’m not as predictable as you think. Let me show you just how unserious I can be.”
“Well, by all means, lead the way.”
When we get to his car, he is ever the gentleman, opening my door first. When he gets to the driver’s side, he doesn’t put anything into his GPS or give me any hints of what he’s got planned. He simply gives me a wink then pulls out onto the street.
“So, where are you taking me exactly? Should I be worried?”
Adam chuckles then turns at the next red light. “We’re not far. If it wasn’t so cold, we probably could’ve walked.”
Hmm, my brain starts to go block by block surrounding Winedown. I know there’s another bar down the road that Jensen sometimes talks about going to with the guys that has pool tables, but it’s the other direction, so that can’t be it.
“Are you trying to figure it out?” he asks as we go down another block.
“Yes,” I respond without hesitation. “I’ve lived in Boston my whole life. Not to mention made myself deeply familiar with every competing restaurant in a five-mile radius.”
Adam chuckles softly as he takes another turn. “I don’t doubt that for a second, but I’m not taking you to a restaurant, Mia.”
“I don’t mean to sound like a brat, but you think a date with no food is going to end well? You have a sister—I know you know a hangry girl and the damage we can cause.”
“Never said there wouldn’t be food there.” He tilts his head to me for a second, giving me this sexy smirk before looking back at the road, then turning into a parking lot.
I read the sign: Nostalgia Parkade: Bowling, Roller Rink, and Arcade.
“No fucking way,” I mutter.
“I pegged you as the competitive type. Am I right?”
This time, I don’t hold back my excitement. “You’re going to regret ever asking me out, All-star.”
“I highly doubt that, sweetness.”
I grit my teeth. “You know…what happened to Captain? Let’s go back to that.”
“Not how that works,” Adam says, getting out of his car then rounding the side to open my door.
“That’s what you think.” I take his hand as I step out of his car. “I have a way of getting exactly what I want.”