Chapter 3
Lola hopped down the stairs two at a time. A rare day off. He shook his head. There would be no days off, only new orders to follow. Might as well get his coffee kickstart before heading to do the bidding of the first caller of the day. He hit the main floor. Coffee. He inhaled again. And sausage. Not bad having women around.
He paused at the sight of Mia placing dishes onto the small table where they had sat the night before. He glanced toward the coffee maker. Please let this be the normal stuff. Usually, he was the one up first and made a pot. On occasion, it had been waiting for him ready, but he didn’t know by whom. His guess now would be Mia. “Morning.”
Mia smiled and settled into a seat at the table.
“Special occasion?”
She shook her head.
“Trouble sleeping? You were up late too.”
Her shoulders bounced without her looking up.
“Looks delicious.” He began filling his plate.
Mia seemed quiet. Okay, quiet may not be the right word, but something had her distracted this morning. She had shared nothing about herself, so Lola focused on the meal.
Minutes later, he placed his fork onto the empty plate as he inched it away from himself and lifted a hip, pulling out his phone.
“Lola here . . . Bring Mia to see the baby . . . Got it.”
Before he shoved the phone back into his pocket, Mia had disappeared from the room. He smiled. These women were a trip. Amber sassed him and argued and then disappeared. Mia seemed to know when she was needed, and the instant she heard ‘baby’, her eyes came alive, and she ran out.
Lola cleared the table and turned to leave the kitchen and there she was.
Mia was already dressed in a high-neck shirt replacing the long scarf she normally wore, along with a pair of jeans. Her hands speaking excitedly as she stood in the doorway.
“Whoa,” he said, stepping toward her, catching her hands in his. “Do you have a problem going?”
He chuckled at the way her eyes grew, and her head jerked like a spasm side to side. “Slow down and let me figure it out.”
Mia pushed out a breath and glanced toward the sink of dishes, then toward him.
“Okay. The dishes can wait until we return.” He released her hands, and with a faint laugh, he flipped the light switch and walked with her toward his Jeep.
Lola had no sooner put the Jeep in park than Mia jumped to the ground. “That baby’s not going to grow up in a day. What’s the rush?” he asked, catching up to her quick stride. “Besides, I would have helped you down like the gentleman you think I am.” He grinned, and she slapped his arm without missing a step.
Ghost swung open the door with Mia passing him by and heading straight toward Maeve, settling next to her on the couch.
“Good response time,” Ghost commented, pushing the door closed.
“Too slow for her,” Lola laughed.
“Lil Bit misses seeing Mia and not being able to talk to her. Come kick your feet up while they oh and ah. Before we leave.”
Lola followed Ghost, dropping into a chair nearby. “Where we going?”
“We—” Ghost swung his hand between himself and Lola “—are not going anywhere.” He grinned, nodding toward Maeve. “I’m taking her to lunch. Just the two of us.”
Just the two of us? Lola’s chin dropped. What? Surely, he had misheard.
“What?” Maeve’s head shot up.
“You haven’t been out of this house since bringing the baby home from the hospital. We’re going to lunch,” Ghost told his old lady.
“But Mia just got here.”
Lola chanced a look at Mia. Just as he suspected. She was excited.
“She can spend all the time she wants holding and rocking while we’re gone to eat,” Ghost told her.
“You didn’t ask,” Maeve complained in her usual sassy way.
“I don’t have to ask,” Ghost reminded her. “He does what I say. You do what I say. Mia just happens to be a happy casualty of the situation.”
“I do as you say?” Maeve repeated, cutting a look of accusation toward her husband.
His only reply was a cocked head with a slight half-smile.
“Oh, fine. If I’m to be whisked away against my will, I need to look presentable. Come on, Mia, we can visit while I dress.”
Lola watched the women leave the room, Mia carrying the infant.
He turned toward Ghost, immediately turning back and dropping his gaze to the floor. The words to refuse were burning his tongue, begging to leave his mouth. Only the rules of prospecting reined them in.
“I’d love to read your mind about now,” Ghost chuckled.
Lola shook his head, biting his tongue. “No, you wouldn’t.”
That brought a full-out laugh from Ghost that Lola should have expected but failed to. “Talk about killing more than one bird. You just knocked another one from the sky.” Ghost stood, jerking his head for Lola to follow. “Come on, I’ll give you the crash course.”
Lola’s jaw ached from the pressure of holding in the rebuttal as he pushed to his feet and followed Ghost into the kitchen. Forcing those feelings away, he intently listened about feeding and burping, changing diapers, and sleeping.
“Don’t worry. Mia will keep my child happy until I return, which in turn will keep you breathing another day,” Ghost assured him with a smirk.
***
It was early afternoon when Lola and Mia returned home to Angel Haven. And he was certain of three things. First, he was positive if not for Maeve insisting to get back to her baby, Ghost would have drawn out their lunch date into a dinner date. Second, he never wanted to babysit again. Again? Well, maybe he didn’t actually do the babysitting this time. Mia did. And she loved it. He was merely a bystander. But he knew without a doubt, he did not want to be responsible for all the things he witnessed Mia doing today. And that was the third thing. He was thankful for Mia. She jumped in like a pro and saved his ass.
Lola tightened the screws on the new switch plate he had replaced in the kitchen. He had remembered Maeve complaining that the light was not working properly and when they returned from Ghost’s, he decided to take care of it. It was nothing major, just as he had suspected. The light fixture was sound, so he investigated the switch, finding a loose wire. With a crack in the plate, he replaced it.
With nothing else in need of repair in the kitchen, he followed the faint hum of voices to find Amber and Ruby sat in the formal dining room with books spread over one end of the table. “Need anything else fixed?” he asked from the door.
Amber jerked her head toward him scrunching her face. “I don’t know,” she snapped.
“Ruby?” he asked, turning his attention toward Nova’s old lady.
“Not that I can recall. But then I rarely leave the first floor,” she told him.
“No problem.” He walked around the room taking note of outlets and switches and anything that caught his eye that could possibly need maintenance. Without a word, he strolled to the next room and the next of the main floor, ending up in the office. The place was immaculate and well maintained.
He headed for the stairs. Recalling the second floor held only bedrooms. There should be no problems here unless it is in one of the girls’ room, and they haven’t complained. On to the next level. As he stepped into the wide-open space of the third floor, he paused to take in the view. Nearly the entire floor was one room. A mirrored wall to the right hosted a bar anchored to it, one like he had only seen in movies that dancers used. Rolled yoga mats stood on end in a basket in one corner. Gym equipment filled a spot near the back wall. Straight across from where he stood were a couple tables with shelves lining the wall past them. It appeared to be a craft area or artist workspace with easels and canvases leaning against the wall.
Turning to the wall next to him, he spotted ropes attached to hooks. He eased closer. They were braided together in an unusual manner. Ah, a photo pinned to the wall. He leaned in. DIY macramé hanging chair directions. He glanced back toward the creation in progress. Impressive.
Turning toward the only wall displaying doors, he walked to the one in the corner nearest the landing. He eased it open and examined the half bath. Everything in it seemed to be in working order. Moving to the door positioned midway of that same wall, he admired the old movie posters, framed and hanging on either side of the door. Pushing it open, he flipped the lights on and found himself in a mini movie theater. He smiled to himself. Nice. He strolled past the rows of cushioned seats to a divider sectioning off a small part behind the viewing area. He ran a hand over the projector standing in the center of the sectioned off room. Two stride and he was face to face with stacks of round metal containers, each labeled with various movie titles. London was right when she said this place had it all.
He turned away and headed for the tall black cloth draped over an object as tall as him. He lifted the cloth and chuckled, dropping it back into place. Every movie theater needs a popcorn machine.
Pulling the door closed, and turning to leave, he was stopped in his tracks. Across the room, Mia was dragging a stool to what he now knew to be swing chairs in progress.
She jerked toward him throwing her palm to her chest.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She mouthed the words, “It’s okay.”
“So, you did all this?” He pointed to the hook holding a mass of knotted ropes.
She nodded, lifting her shoulders and throwing her arms wide.
“You have nothing else to do?”
Slowly, her head swung side to side. She then pointed to the rope project, put her palms together, opening them like a book, then tapped the side of her head.
He cocked his head, thinking. “Work on this or read?”
She nodded and repeated the book motion again, then tilted her head as if thinking.
“Read. Think about it. Learn.”
Excitement filled her eyes.
“Learn? Study?” he guessed. “What are you studying?”
Immediately, her hands and fingers began dancing in the air.
“Hang on.” He stopped her. “I don’t know what you’re saying.”
Her grin grew and slowly, she told him with gestures and her lips.
“I’m.” He followed intently, saying what she couldn’t. “You. You’re studying to speak. Hands.” He smiled and leaned a shoulder against the wall tucking his thumbs into his pockets. “You’re learning sign language.”
Excitement filled her eyes as she threw up both thumbs for confirmation.
“So, you haven’t always been unable to speak.” He stated his understanding rather than asked.
Biting her lips together, her smile faded although it didn’t completely disappear. As her head moved from side to side, she reached for the scarf that always hid what he imagined was a deliciously tempting neck. This, he had noticed her do often, it must be some sort of comfort thing.
“I imagine that’s hard for you. I shouldn’t ask.”
Her gentle smile and soft eyes told him she didn’t mind.
“Seeing how I know nothing of sign language, I’ll just learn to read your mind.”
One side of his mouth twitched up at the widening of her striking green eyes. Pushing from the wall, he told her, “So, be sure to control those indecent thoughts you have of me. Or I’ll have to oblige you by acting on them.” His eyes gleamed at her reaction. She didn’t look away this time. No. Her lids quickly dropped over her eyes like a shade dropping to block out the sun. That was her eyes, he thought, bright as the sun. Other than the obvious rise of her chest from a deep inhale, she sat motionless.
“I’ll leave you alone with your thoughts. You know where to find me if needed.” With that, he turned and jogged down the stairs.
Reaching the end of the stairs, voices drifted from the dining. Ruby was still helping Amber with her studies. He would let Ruby know that everything had been checked and nothing was found in need of repair. Drawing closer to the door, he realized they were still going over math problems. He stood in the doorway listening as both Ruby and Amber struggled with answers.
After a few minutes, he blurted out the answer, startling both women.
“I’m done. Just letting you know everything seems to be in good order. I’m heading out.”
“Wait!” Amber called.
“Yeah?” he answered without turning around.
“How did you know that?”
He turned back, facing her. “Know what?”
“The answer.”
“I heard you read the problem when I walked up.”
Quickly, she read the next math problem, and in seconds, he gave an answer.“How do we know you’re right?”
“Hmm. I guess you don’t.” He turned away but was stopped. Again.
“Wait. How did you figure that so fast?”
“It’s just numbers. Arrange them in your head according to what works for you.”
“What does that mean?” Amber asked, irritated.
“Associate them with something that you understand, if it helps.”
Amber twisted her face. “I don’t get it.”
“Like apples. Use apples.”
“Now, I’m really confused,” Amber complained.
He thought a moment, then spoke, knowing she would be pissed at the reference but sure she would understand. “Okay, you have x number of bikers in your club.” She narrowed her eyes, but he continued. “One group of them hit the road, that’s one circle. Another group hangs at the club, that’s the other circle. A few of them hang a while, then ride, and that’s where the circles cross over. They overlap.”
“I get it. But how does that tell me the little circle?” A touch of excitement filled her voice as well as her eyes as she listened.
“Because you know all the other numbers. Look.” He strode to the table and put it all on paper for her to see.
“I get it!”
“You’re welcome,” he said, not attempting to hide his cocky attitude. “I’m out.”