Page 15 of About that Fling
But here she was now, her brown eyes brimming with indignation, the freckles across her nose as familiar as the back of his own hand. He didn’t love her, but he couldn’t muster up the anger to hate her, either.
He cleared his throat. “So you go by Mia now. Mia Dawson?”
Her expression softened again. She nodded. “I got married. Mark and I—” she swallowed. “Yes.”
“Congratulations.” Adam let his eyes drop to her abdomen, to the evidence that she’d not only changed her stance on taking a man’s name, but on having his child.
His child. Not yours.
That shouldn’t bother him, either. Hell, he never even wanted kids, and he wasn’t some caveman intent on claiming his woman or planting his seed. Still, something gnawed at his gut and made him straighten a little so his knuckles didn’t drag on the floor.
“Congratulations on the marriage and on the pregnancy,” he said. “Both seem to agree with you. You look lovely.”
“Thank you,” Amelia—Mia—said, her eyes shimmering a little. Adam watched her throat as she swallowed. “I’m sorry, Adam.”
He shook his head, not sure what she was apologizing for this time, but knowing it didn’t matter anymore. They’d both said the words so many times, they might as well have been speaking Swahili.
“I’m sorry, too,” he said. “Look, I’ll give up the contract. I can recommend someone else. It might take a few weeks, but I can explain the conflict of interest and step back quietly.”
Mia seemed to consider that, then shook her head. “No. I don’t want to be the reason you give up a job.”
“It’s okay, really?—”
“No. I should have done my homework and figured out who the mediator would be. I knew you’d changed careers, but I never even considered it could be you.” She shook her head and gave a sad little laugh. “What are the odds?”
“You knew I’d gone into counseling and mediation?” He wasn’t sure why that surprised him, but it did.
Mia nodded and bit her lip. “Of course. I kept tabs on you. For a while, anyway. I wanted to make sure you were okay after—well, after everything.”
“I’m okay.” His voice sounded certain, and he was grateful for that. “I’m great, actually.”
Mia gave him a small smile, then shook her head. “Why the hell couldn’t you Instagram-stalk me like any other self-respecting ex?”
He allowed himself a faint smile in return and shrugged. “Sorry. Not my style.”
“You’re right, of course. Tuning in to other people’s lives and interests was never really your thing.”
He couldn’t tell if she meant it as a jab, and a small flare of anger flickered in his lizard brain, that pesky, primitive amygdala that controlled emotional responses. He opened his mouth to retort, then stopped. Not this time. That was the old Adam, the one who clung to resentments and fought back even when there was no battle to be had.
The new Adam was self-aware, dammit. The new Adam listened with empathy and compassion and paid attention to others. Hell, the new Adam did spontaneous things like eating ice cream for dinner and skydiving and having one-night stands.
Okay, so it was just one one-night stand, and even seemed questionable since he was desperate to see her again. Jenna. God, what was she thinking right now? He’d seen the look of dread on her face when Mia whisked him from the room, but there’d been no chance to reassure her or even offer an apologetic smile. How the hell had he messed this up so badly?
“Look, it really might be best if I recuse myself here,” he said. “Conflict of interest and all that.”
Mia shook her head and rested a hand on her belly. “No. Look, I read an article about your work last fall. You’re practically famous. You have one of the best success rates of any corporate mediator in the country. This organization is in serious trouble, Adam. They need you.”
A stupid flash of pride surged through him, and he tried to remember if Amelia had ever said anything close to “I’m proud of you” in the six years they’d been married.
“Isn’t there a policy on fraternization among employees?” he asked. “I thought I read something in the handbook.”
“Belmont has strict policies about dating between people who work in the same department, but there are no rules about people who used to be married. Not that I know of, anyway.”
“Probably not a situation that comes up a whole lot. Still, I could see this creating a conflict. What if a member of the bargaining unit decides to refuse a contract negotiated by a mediator formerly married to a team member?”
Mia bit her lip. “How about this—we go back in there and lay it out on the table for the team and see how they want to proceed.”
“Lay what out, exactly?”
