A Million Little Things (Mischief Bay, #3)

His dark gaze settled on her face. “Thank you for the text. I’m glad I was on your mind, however briefly, Pamela.”

The words spoken in his low, velvet voice, made her squirm. She honest to God didn’t know what to say. Or think. Or feel. He confused her on so many levels, plus there was the whole Zoe situation, which was starting to seem less clear that it had been.

“You have something on your mind,” he told her.

“I’m not sure why you’re here. You’re the one who walked out.”

One shoulder raised and lowered. “I did. You were being unreasonable so rather than fight, I left.”

“Do you always walk away when you’re upset?”

He smiled. “Men don’t get upset, Pamela.”

“Fine. Do you always walk away when you’re angry?”

“No. I stay and fight.”

“But you didn’t. You left.” A fact that had upset her more than she’d realized at the time. “I’m sure it’s very satisfying to be the one who simply gets to walk away, but it’s not fair to the other person. I thought we were friends.”

“Did you?”

She suddenly felt stupid. Had she made a mistake? Was he simply toying with her? “Why are you here, Miguel?”

“You reached out to me when you were in Europe. I want to do the same, now that you’re home.”

She thought about her email from Zoe. The one that had made her feel so bad about herself and the situation. Had she been wrong to assume it was best for Steven to break up with Zoe? She wanted him to be the father of any child he was involved with. She wanted him to know what that was like. How was it possible to love Chad’s baby as much as his own?

“I can hear you thinking from here,” Miguel said.

“I’m hoping you can’t hear what I’m thinking.”

“Unfortunately, no.”

“It’s for the best. Trust me on that. My mind is a confusing place.”

“Then let me help by clarifying a few things.”

“All right. Although it’s difficult to take you seriously while you’re wearing glitter nail polish.”

“I trust you’re up to the task.” He studied her for a second. “Zoe is my daughter and I love her very much. I won’t choose between the two of you, just like you won’t choose between me and Steven.”

“Of course not.”

“Then there’s only one solution.”

She nodded, shocked at how much disappointment she felt. She barely knew Miguel—she shouldn’t care if they ever saw each other again. And yet she was upset to know that she would never have the opportunity—

“You’ll have to get over your unreasonable stance on what’s happening.”

She felt her mouth drop open. “Excuse me?”

He didn’t say anything, leaving her to close her mouth and consider what he’d said. “You want me to change my mind.”

“I want you to be reasonable. Not just for me, Pamela. For yourself, as well. Steven and Zoe are still together.”

Something she would know if she and Steven were currently speaking. They’d never not been close, she thought regretfully. She didn’t like that Miguel knew more than she did about what was happening with her son.

He rose. “Think about it. I believe you have the heart of a lioness. You will protect your children with all you have. But sometimes the right thing to do is nothing. We have to let them grow and make their own mistakes. Perhaps they are meant to be together, perhaps not. Only time will tell. What I do know is that giving ultimatums helps no one. I hope you’ll agree with me on that.”

She gave the tiniest of nods.

“Good. Then I hope I will see you soon.”

Before she could ask him what he meant, he walked out of her office. She glared at the place he had been, then deliberately turned away.

“Annoying man. I don’t need you in my life.”

Only the words didn’t ring true and Pam was left with a sense that something very important was missing—if only she could figure out what.





Chapter Twenty-Three

“Meerkats,” Jen said firmly as they passed through the entrance of the Los Angeles Zoo. “I love the meerkats.”

“They’re lazy,” Lucas told her. “They’ve gone Hollywood. What happened to standing at attention to protect each other in the...” He frowned. “What are they? A herd?”

Kirk laughed. “That’s grazing animals, my friend.”

“Yeah? If you’re so smart what are a group of meerkats called?”

Kirk looked at Jen. She laughed as she pushed Jack’s stroller. “I didn’t start this,” she protested with a grin. “I just want to see them.”

“They’re a mob or a gang,” Desire told them. “The babies are called pups. So they’re not cats at all.” She dimpled. “I used to watch Meerkat Manor when I was little.”

Jen moved close to Lucas. “Uh-oh. She’s smart. How on earth did that happen? You must be horrified. And here I thought the two of you might last a month.”

“You are such a smart-ass,” he whispered back, then sighed. “Damn. I hate it when they’re secretly smart.”

“Imagine the nightmare if she was also secretly old.”

“Not a chance of that. I make sure to check their driver’s license early on.”

“Now you’re going to also have to ask for SAT scores. Or maybe just their high school GPA.”

“Dating is such a pain.”

“But necessary if you want to get laid. You could start using call girls.”

He pressed a hand to his chest. “I don’t pay.”

“Oh, honey, you’re so paying for what you’re getting. It’s your own personal underground economy.”

He chuckled and moved back to Desire’s side.

“My point being,” he said as he took her hand, “the meerkats used to do their on-guard thing. Now they just lie in the sun and wait for audition calls. The zoo should fly raptors over the enclosure and put the fear of God into them.”

“I believe that would be the fear of death,” Jen corrected. “Unless you think God is a raptor.”

Kirk put his arm around her. “She got you, bro.” He kissed her cheek.

“And here I thought today was going to be a good day,” Lucas grumbled.