gesture, but Myra smiled.
“You remind me of Madison, my great-niece.”
“And that’s a good thing, right?”
Myra inclined her head. “She’s a handful, but yes.”
Mia felt Myra wavering even more and smiled. “I also noticed that you have a sign advertising an apartment for rent upstairs.” She slipped her diamond bracelet off her wrist and extended her hand toward Myra. “This is real and worth several thousand dollars. I don’t have cash yet, but it can be a deposit on the rent.”
“Oh, sweetie . . .” When Myra looked down at Mia’s outstretched hand and then glanced over to Bella, Mia held her breath. Bella shrugged but didn’t put forth any argument.
“Do you want me to go and get Jessica?” Bella offered.
“No, she went home to take a nap with baby Ben.” Myra nibbled on the inside of her lip for a second and then nodded. “Okay, Mia, I’ll hire you on a trial basis, keeping you off of the official payroll. You have free room and board and three meals a day. Keep your tips for spending money and saving toward your car repairs. Sound fair enough?”
“Excellent!” She was hired! Well, unofficially, but still . . . she didn’t have to go running home to Daddy. Mia felt like jumping for joy.
“But,” Myra warned while pointing a finger at her, “the moment I sniff any kind of trouble following you, I’ll toss you out on your pretty little ear. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Mia nodded her head rapidly and shoved her hand forward. “Deal!”
After shaking her hand firmly, Myra smiled. “Okay, let’s take you upstairs to your new home away from wherever . . .”
Mia smiled back and felt a surge of excitement. “Thanks so much. I won’t let you down. I promise.”
Myra gave her a level look. “Well, girlie, I don’t know what you’re into, but you have a firm handshake and looked me in the eye, and believe it or not that tells me a lot. I’ve always been a good judge of character, and I believe you. Now, let me show you around and we’ll go to Fred’s and get whatever you need out of your car. And you best get a good night’s sleep, because there’s nothing easy about the restaurant business. You’re going to work your tail off. You ready for that?”
“I’m ready,” Mia said with a brisk nod as she followed Myra over to the steps. Oddly enough, she wanted to call her father and let him know that she already had gainful employment and a roof over her head, but then a lump formed in her throat. Her father was the first person she always turned to, but instead she swallowed hard and inhaled a deep breath. She wondered if he was worried about her and felt another stab of guilt but then shrugged it off. After all, he was the catalyst for her leaving.
Let him worry,
she thought with a stubborn lift of her chin, but the lump in her throat remained.
4
Tough Love
“O H, BOY . . .” MITCH MONROE TILTED BACK IN HIS LEATHER chair and stared out the picture window overlooking his kidney-shaped pool. Sunshine glinted cheerfully off the water, but for the past two days nothing could bring a smile to his face, not even talking to lovely Nicolina Diamante, who had brought passion and fun back into a life that had been consumed with work. Mitch ran a hand down his face and sighed. Just hearing Nicolina’s sultry voice had him longing to have her in his arms, but after nearly a year of planning, she had officially moved to Cricket Creek to open her jewelry store. Mitch had used his silent partnership in the Cricket Creek Cougars baseball complex as an excuse to visit the quaint river town, but it was really seeing Nicolina that had him heading to Kentucky so frequently. He also gave her some retail-related advice, though not only was she creatively talented but she had a sharp business sense as well. He enjoyed their lively conversations about the store opening, and he loved having her beside him in his bed. Mitch wanted their relationship to move forward even
“You remind me of Madison, my great-niece.”
“And that’s a good thing, right?”
Myra inclined her head. “She’s a handful, but yes.”
Mia felt Myra wavering even more and smiled. “I also noticed that you have a sign advertising an apartment for rent upstairs.” She slipped her diamond bracelet off her wrist and extended her hand toward Myra. “This is real and worth several thousand dollars. I don’t have cash yet, but it can be a deposit on the rent.”
“Oh, sweetie . . .” When Myra looked down at Mia’s outstretched hand and then glanced over to Bella, Mia held her breath. Bella shrugged but didn’t put forth any argument.
“Do you want me to go and get Jessica?” Bella offered.
“No, she went home to take a nap with baby Ben.” Myra nibbled on the inside of her lip for a second and then nodded. “Okay, Mia, I’ll hire you on a trial basis, keeping you off of the official payroll. You have free room and board and three meals a day. Keep your tips for spending money and saving toward your car repairs. Sound fair enough?”
“Excellent!” She was hired! Well, unofficially, but still . . . she didn’t have to go running home to Daddy. Mia felt like jumping for joy.
“But,” Myra warned while pointing a finger at her, “the moment I sniff any kind of trouble following you, I’ll toss you out on your pretty little ear. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Mia nodded her head rapidly and shoved her hand forward. “Deal!”
After shaking her hand firmly, Myra smiled. “Okay, let’s take you upstairs to your new home away from wherever . . .”
Mia smiled back and felt a surge of excitement. “Thanks so much. I won’t let you down. I promise.”
Myra gave her a level look. “Well, girlie, I don’t know what you’re into, but you have a firm handshake and looked me in the eye, and believe it or not that tells me a lot. I’ve always been a good judge of character, and I believe you. Now, let me show you around and we’ll go to Fred’s and get whatever you need out of your car. And you best get a good night’s sleep, because there’s nothing easy about the restaurant business. You’re going to work your tail off. You ready for that?”
“I’m ready,” Mia said with a brisk nod as she followed Myra over to the steps. Oddly enough, she wanted to call her father and let him know that she already had gainful employment and a roof over her head, but then a lump formed in her throat. Her father was the first person she always turned to, but instead she swallowed hard and inhaled a deep breath. She wondered if he was worried about her and felt another stab of guilt but then shrugged it off. After all, he was the catalyst for her leaving.
Let him worry,
she thought with a stubborn lift of her chin, but the lump in her throat remained.
4
Tough Love
“O H, BOY . . .” MITCH MONROE TILTED BACK IN HIS LEATHER chair and stared out the picture window overlooking his kidney-shaped pool. Sunshine glinted cheerfully off the water, but for the past two days nothing could bring a smile to his face, not even talking to lovely Nicolina Diamante, who had brought passion and fun back into a life that had been consumed with work. Mitch ran a hand down his face and sighed. Just hearing Nicolina’s sultry voice had him longing to have her in his arms, but after nearly a year of planning, she had officially moved to Cricket Creek to open her jewelry store. Mitch had used his silent partnership in the Cricket Creek Cougars baseball complex as an excuse to visit the quaint river town, but it was really seeing Nicolina that had him heading to Kentucky so frequently. He also gave her some retail-related advice, though not only was she creatively talented but she had a sharp business sense as well. He enjoyed their lively conversations about the store opening, and he loved having her beside him in his bed. Mitch wanted their relationship to move forward even
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