Page 33 of Make Your Shot
“Thanks,” Mia says softly, grabbing a rubber band and wrapping it around the end of the braid. She releases Tella’s hair. “There you go, kiddo.”
Tella climbs to her feet, Mia doing the same as she turns around to face me. Tella speaks first as Mia’s gaze drifts over me and down to my daughter. “Are you coming to my lesson? The time changed.”
“Oh yes, her instructor called and asked if we could come at two. She had some things move around in her schedule and had time to do it earlier.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” I promise Tella with a wink. “Go get the rest of your things.”
Tella smiles and nods before disappearing fromMia’s room. Mia’s eyes move back to mine and I extend my arm, holding one of the coffees to her. “I stopped by the coffee shop and got you an iced vanilla latte with two pumps of vanilla and vanilla cold foam.”
A smile crests Mia’s lips as she reaches for the drink. Instinctively, I inhale a sharp breath as her fingers brush against mine. “You remembered my order?” she says, her fingers still warm against mine, sending an electric heat to my nerve endings. I let go of the cup as she wraps her delicate fingers around it. Her throat bobs as she swallows. “Thank you.”
I clear my throat. “You’re welcome.”
“I’ll get my things and get out of your hair, since you’re home,” she says, shifting her weight on her feet.
She moves to spin on her heel and my hand darts out, grabbing her wrist before she turns away. “Wait.” The word falls from my lips in a rush, heat creeping up my neck as my hand lingers a second longer than it should on her wrist. Her gaze drops to my hand but she doesn’t say anything about it as her eyes snap back to mine. “Do you want to come with us?”
Her eyes round again, her expression softening as I accidentally brush my thumb against the pulse point in her wrist. I release her, immediately feeling her absence, but I push the feeling away.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to impose,” she says, her eyes slowly searching mine.
“I’m sure.”
She dips her chin, a sheepish grin tugging on her lips. “I’d love to.”
The corners of my mouth twitch and I duck my headas she steps out of her room ahead of me. Asking her to come wasn’t exactly planned, but the thought of her not coming just didn’t feel right.
It’s a mindfuck I have no interest in dissecting right now.
Right now, I think I’m just going to try to live.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
MIA
I’m acutely aware of how close Caleb is standing next to me and it’s the only thing my brain can focus on at this moment.
We’re both standing along the railing, watching Tella as she canters around the arena, but Caleb is standing a little closer than I expected. His warmth radiates from his arm, which is just nearly brushing against mine.
I attempt to even out my breathing, knowing I need to get myself under control here. It’s just Caleb. My boss, Tella’s father. I know I’m delusional, feeling this magnetic pull toward him, but goddammit, I can’t help it. It’s the little things that keep piling up. The way he stocked his pantry with gluten free foods, the way he remembered my coffee order.
The way he asked me to come to Tella’s riding lesson, even though I should have just gone home.
I don’t think he means anything by the way he looks at me, but my brain keeps transforming it intosomething more than it is. Caleb’s a nice man, even if he may present a cold exterior to others sometimes. It’s nothing more than him being friendly.
And him standing this close is nothing more than standing next to me while we watch Tella.
“So, do you still ride?” Caleb asks, breaking through my thoughts about him.
Blush creeps across my cheeks and I don’t dare look at him. “Sometimes, but it’s hard to find the time anymore. Since I don’t have a rideable horse, I usually ride my best friend’s or her brother’s horse if I’m in town.”
Caleb is silent for a beat. “Does her brother have a farm?”
“Yeah,” I explain, nodding my head as I chance a quick glance at him from the corner of my eye. He doesn’t look at me, keeping his gaze trained on Tella. But the muscle in his jaw tightens. “Well, it’s their family farm. There was some extra stall space in their barn and he was kind enough to let me move Hank there for free.”
“That’s nice of him.” The muscle twitches again. “Are the two of you close then?”
“Willow and me?” I ask. “Oh yes, we’ve been best friends for a long time.”
