Page 29 of The Only Heart that Matters
Something warm and powerful.
Something that feels a whole lot like a word I’m not sure I should acknowledge, even though it’s obvious.
At the end of their dance, Mia excuses herself to change his diaper. Her mom follows her off the dance floor, and because Iam a moth to her flame, I follow, too, unable to be more than a few feet away from her.
Mia’s mom insists on changing Sawyer, so Mia hands him over. When she turns and finds me standing directly behind her, she gasps, her eyes wide with surprise. They quickly go all soft and sparkly like they do when she’s happy, and fuck if the warmth pulsating in my chest doesn’t speed up.
She’s about to say something when a blonde woman I’ve never seen before interrupts her. “Excuse me, but you’re Mia Powell, right?”
“Yes, I’m Mia.” At first, she seems as confused as I am, but then recognition dawns on her face. “Oh, you’re Hailey from the clinic, right?”
“Yes, it’s so good to see you again. You must be the husband I’ve heard so much about? Your little boy is just adorable.”
Mia stills, her face crimson red, fear setting in.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pull her against my side, basking in the sound of someone calling me her husband. Calling her mine. But I don’t linger in the glory because Mia needs a lifeline, and I’m happy to jump in and save the day. “He is pretty dang cute, isn’t he?” I ask the stranger. “How do you know the bride and groom?”
“Oh, I’m Owen’s date.”
Of course she is. I’ve been so singularly focused on the woman currently clinging to me in desperation, I hadn’t even noticed he’d brought a plus one.
“So, have you heard about the job yet?” she asks Mia.
“No, not yet. They said it won’t be until after the new year, so I should hear soon.”
“Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but I think you’ll be getting a very nice start to your new year.”
Mia’s face lights up with hope. “Really?” Her voice is full of happiness.
“I mean, it’s not up to me, but I think they knew once they met you. They can’t stop talking about what a cute little family you have. To be honest, the other interviews seem like a formality.”
“I sure hope you’re right.”
Owen saunters up and if he notices my hold on Mia, he doesn’t show it. “Excuse me, but I’d like to dance with my date, if you don’t mind?”
“She’s all yours,” I say.
My thumb rubs circles on Mia’s hip and I’d give my left nut for Hailey to ditch Owen and stay here and chat withmy wifea little longer. I’d do just about anything to keep touching her.
“It was great to see you, Mia, and nice to meet you, uh, Angus, right?”
“That’s right. Nice to meet you too, Hailey,” I reply, dreading the moment she walks away and Mia drops the facade.
Owen leads her to the middle of the room and onto the hardwood floor where they slow dance with other couples.
“Holy shit,” Mia says, putting space between us.
I miss her body against mine the instant she pulls away, but she’s panicking.
How do I know?
Her granny’s ring is getting more action than I am.
“We didn’t lie about anything. We did not confirm or deny that I was your husband,” I say, trying to calm her.
“But what if she says something to Owen?”
I look over my shoulder and chuckle when I see Owen and Hailey making out on the dance floor. “I don’t think he’s much into chit-chat.”
