He laughed. “No, I eat out. The only thing I dislike more than a mess is having to clean one.”
“Good thing you’re rich.”
“It is a good thing. So is being structured. I’ll show you some tricks over breakfast.”
He was wasting his time, and she knew it, but she might actually be able to help him out. “Only if I can show you some tricks too.”
“Now, I’m intrigued. What kind of tricks?”
“You show me how to get organized, and I’ll show you how to loosen up and not be a stick-in-the-mud.”
A wicked grin crossed his face. “A stick-in-the-mud, am I? In case you’ve forgotten, I’m totally naked under this sheet. In order to go to breakfast, I will need to get up. If you don’t leave now, I’m going to show you a lot more than organizational skills, Hermia Lysander Argaropolis.”
With a giggle, she fled the room, Clancy’s toenails clicking close behind.
Chapter Seven
Michael stepped off the sidewalk and faced Mia while the dog sniffed around a light pole. “No. Absolutely not.”
Mia crossed her arms over her chest and glared. “Now listen here, Mr. All Business and No Play Makes You a Dull Boy. At breakfast, I did everything you asked of me. I uploaded the silly calendar app to my phone. I set every alarm possible for things I don’t want to do, and now my life is going to be run by a phone.”
“You control the phone, Mia. It does what you program it to do. It is not running your life; you are.”
“Whatever. I humored you, and now it’s your turn.” She pulled an empty sugar packet wrapper she’d used in her coffee at breakfast from her pocket and put it in her purse.
He was not riding in a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park. “No.”
The light changed, so she led Clancy across the street to the park, leaving him with no choice but to follow. It was maddening. Of the millions of things to do in this city, she’d pick the most touristy activity possible. He pulled the bill of the Yankees ball cap lower and adjusted his sunglasses.
“Your problem is that you’re so worried about what people will think and how it will affect your business, you don’t really live.”
“I live very well, thank you.”
“No, you don’t. You miss out on stuff.”
“Like what?”
“Like carriage rides.”
“Sitting in a wagon that’s covered in kid snot, separated from a haggard animal by a bag of its poop is not living.”
She raised her hand and a red and white carriage pulled by a thick white horse stopped. “Well, humor me, like I humored you with the organization lesson.”
“That was for your own good.”
“Well, this is for your own good!”
A man with a goatee and top hat grinned down from the driver’s seat. “Good morning, friends. Lovely day for a tour of the park.”
“It is. Could you give us a sec, please?” She pulled him out of earshot of the driver. “Listen, Michael. Clearly, this isn’t going to work. We have less than a week before the wedding. I appreciate you saying you would go, but at this point, I think it would do me more harm than good.”
“I gave my word. I’m going.”
“Worse than you not going would be someone figuring out we aren’t really engaged. I know these people and they know me. They also know that there’s no way a guy like you would ever in a million years even date me, much less marry me.”
At that moment, Michael was more curious about her than he’d been about anyone or anything in his life. She was smart, outspoken, attractive, talented, and kind—hell, she worked at a nursing home. What on earth could be so wrong with her that her own friends would sell her short like that?
“And honestly, no one would believe I’d be interested in you, either. You are the most uptight person I’ve ever met.”
He was not uptight—he was organized and efficient. She had it wrong, and he’d prove it. “A carriage ride it is.”
“Oh, yay!” She wrapped her arms around him and gave a squeeze, her nearness jolting even his outermost extremities awake. Amused, he watched as she lifted Clancy into the carriage, and then followed, bouncing with excitement as she settled onto the white leather seat. So full of life. So unlike the type of woman he’d always chosen to spend time with. Her earlier words played through his head. “You miss out on stuff.”
Maybe he did.
“Come on, Stick, let’s go find some mud for you,” she joked, patting the space next to her. After he took his seat, Clancy settled between them and she held her camera out at arm’s length. “Smile!”
As he plastered a smile he didn’t feel on his face, she clicked a picture of them, and the carriage rolled into motion.
“First time to New York?” The driver asked.
“Yes,” Michael answered before Mia could respond. “So give us the full experience.”