Abel turned toward the door hoping her date was here and would take him off of his hands. Instead, he saw Mia enter with another taller blonde woman around her age. He remembered Mia telling him she was going to pick up Becky’s niece from the airport. Mia turned and made eyes contact with him. Her blue eyes landed on Jane and her hands clinging to his arm. Damn, this was awkward as hell. What if Mia made a scene and caused people to gossip about him being caught between two women? Jane would definitely milk it if it made the spotlight shine on her. He waited with his breath held in. Mia pointed to a booth by the other side of the restaurant away from him. Her friend nodded, unaware of anything going on. Abel watched Mia walk away. He should feel happy about it, knowing she had the right to feel hurt. Although they had not even talked about being exclusive, he had spent the last week with her making love to her. Part of him was a little miffed she had not come over to stake a claim. How crazy was that? Women made you crazy. Did he really want to get seriously involved with another woman? Hadn’t he learned his lesson? Keep things casual, Ramirez, he cha
nted in his head over and over.
Chapter Eight
Mia and Gwen sat on the porch of her small cottage. The night air was cool but they both had jackets on and enjoyed the weather. Thanksgiving was in a week. Mia couldn’t believe how fast time went by here. They had planned a simple Thanksgiving dinner for the three of them. Mia was just happy to have Gwen here. She missed her so much.
“It’s way too quiet, Mia,” Gwen complained, looking at the night sky. “How do you stand it? No sirens, no traffic. Ugh.”
Mia laughed. “I couldn’t sleep at first but now I enjoy it. I like going to the store and recognizing the girl behind the cash register and having her call me by name. This town grows on you.”
Mia felt Gwen’s eyes on her and she knew she shocked her friend. Mia was the city girl who claimed she’d never leave New York. “I was hoping you’d think about coming home with me, Mia.”
Mia’s heart felt conflicted. The first person to enter her head was Abel. She had been so hurt by seeing him with another woman at the restaurant earlier. She had plastered a smile on her face and enjoyed her dinner with Gwen. Was she ready to give up on him? Jessy had mentioned he had been hurt a few years ago without going into many details. Jessy told her to be patient. Was Abel worth it? Getting hurt was no picnic. Frank had been unable to stay faithful. Was it Mia or just men?
Gwen broke the silence. “Your silence is making me scared.”
Mia sighed loudly. “Part of me does want to go home, although I am afraid it is too soon. What if I run into Frank and he starts his crap all over again? I was slowly going crazy with that situation.”
“I can see that, but I get the feeling there is more to this?” Gwen asked.
“I met a man and I like him a lot,” Mia said softly. It felt good to say it out loud. “I know the timing is bad. I tried to resist what I felt but it was impossible. I am not sure what he feels besides lust, Gwen. It’s all so confusing.”
Gwen sat forward, her eyes going wide with shock. “Who is he? You shocked me but this sounds interesting.”
Mia told Gwen how she almost got mugged at the bar and that was how she met the sheriff, Abel Ramirez. She finished how they had a physical relationship, and thought maybe they had something special until tonight. Seeing him with an elegantly dressed woman made Mia realize that was exactly the type of wife a town sheriff might need. Not one with a stalker and no family.
“He was there at the pizza place?” Gwen gasped. “You should have pointed him out. I would have marched you up to the table and demanded an explanation. Only an ass would date two women at the same time and not be honest about it.”
“That’s why I didn’t say anything.” Mia rolled her eyes. “Maybe I was being naïve again. I thought Frank loved me, too. Maybe I am just clueless when it comes to men and who they are. You got lucky with Mitch.”
“Mitch is great, but our relationship isn’t perfect, Mia.” Gwen startled Mia with her explanation. “He can be controlling and it pisses me off so I rebel and we argue. Then we calm down and talk it out. We compromise. That is why we have been together for two years. It’s hard work at times and I feel like giving up, but then I remember how much I love the idiot.”
“But he doesn’t hit you or cheat on you,” Mia said sadly, thinking of Frank, and now Abel and the brunette beauty sitting next to him. “I’ve haven’t been dating Abel for long and he is already going out with someone else. She clung to him and he sat there just soaking in her adoration. I’m better off on my own. I must be lacking something.”
“Bullshit, Mia. Call him and demand to know who the hell he was with. I don’t care if he is a sheriff. You deserve better than that shit.” Gwen pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket and handed it to Mia, looking upset. “Call him.”
Mia pushed the phone away and looked at her friend with horror. “No way. I figured I’d just avoid him from now on and concentrate on work. Becky is letting me do some of the boo keeping so I am in the office a lot these days. I have a knack for math. Who knew?”
Gwen wasn’t letting it go, however. She googled Abel’s home number and dialed. Mia gasped out loud and reached for the phone. Gwen got up and ran across the yard toward Becky’s back porch. She had a smirk on her face.
“I am going to hurt you, Gwen,” Mia muttered with genuine feeling.
Gwen smiled. “Yes, is this Abel Ramirez? Good. You don’t deserve my best friend, Mia. So if you are a cheater, keep walking, asshole.” Gwen hung up, looking superior.
Mia covered her mouth, looking around the yard as if he would pop out of the bushes at any minute. “He is the sheriff, Gwen. Are you crazy?”
“What is he going to do? Arrest me for being honest? Let him try.” Gwen shrugged and yawned. “I am tired. Hitting the hay, Mia. See you in the morning.”
Mia watched Gwen go in Becky’s back door and shut it. Gwen was staying in Becky’s house since it was larger than Mia’s one bedroom cottage. “I am going to kill her.” Mia stalked to her cottage and went up the porch stairs. She grabbed the two empty glasses and took them inside. She set them in the sink and decided she might as well shower and try to get some sleep. Abel surely would show up at the coffee shop and reprimand her for tonight. Shit. Hopefully she could be strong and resist him and tell him to keep walking like Gwen told him.
* * * *
“What the hell, Mia?” Abel said angrily as soon as the door opened. It sure had taken her long enough to answer. Her hair was wet and clung to her face. She had a bright pink robe wrapped around her body, but her feet were bare. He forgot why he was here. She smelled fresh and he felt his body react positively.
“Abel? I was in the shower. You scared me banging on the door like that.” She had the nerve to look angry at him. Her hands were on her hips, drawing his eyes downward. Her robe was parted enough for him to see her breasts were bare. He ran his fingers through his hair and tried to focus on the lecture he had planned in his head. He had practiced it on the way here. He was going to kindly tell her they needed to put the brakes on whatever they had going on. She was messing with his brain and making it hard to concentrate on his job. His job was everything to him. It was his sanity when Lydia left.
“Who called me earlier?” He stepped in her living room and closed her front door behind him.