Page 90 of If We Never Met

"I know I've made mistakes about men and romantic relationships, but I'm a different woman now. Mark is someone I knew and loved a long time ago. It's not like I picked him off the street. Can't you just give him a chance?"

"I'd be more willing to do that if this angry woman wasn't hanging around."

"All right. I'll talk to Mark about her. But I don't want you to bring her up tonight. Mark wants to get to know you, and that won't happen if we start off with accusations. Can we have a nice dinner and then I'll talk to him tomorrow?"

"All right," she reluctantly agreed. "I won't bring her up tonight."

"Thank you. Now, I'm going to take a shower and change. You should do the same. Put on something pretty for Dante," her mom added with a smile.

She rolled her eyes, but she did follow her mother upstairs to change into a short floral dress.

Chapter Twenty-One

Dante felt inexplicablynervous as he rang Keira's doorbell. It wasn't about meeting her mom or talking to Mark. It also wasn't about bringing his brother along to a dinner that could very likely get uncomfortable. It was all about her.

He couldn't get Keira off his mind. It had been a long time since anyone or anything besides baseball had taken up so much space in his head. He told himself it was because he wasn't playing right now, but that wasn't the only reason he couldn't stop thinking about her. She'd gotten under his skin, and that made him feel both happy and unsettled, because he liked to be in control of his emotions. It was how he had gotten to the top of his game. He didn't feel in control now, but he was going to have to live in that space, because the front door had opened and the subject of his thoughts was standing right in front of him, looking even more beautiful than he remembered.

Keira wore a coral-red sundress with tiny white flowers that clung to her curves and showed off her tanned legs. Her brown hair fell in soft waves over her bare shoulders, her eyes sparkling, her smile bright. He didn't know how long he looked at her, but it must have been too long, because Micah cleared his throat.

"Hello," Micah said.

"Hi," Keira said belatedly.

"We brought wine," Micah added. He held up two bottles. "Red and white. We weren't sure what you were serving."

"I'm not completely sure, either. Our chef is apparently delayed, but hopefully he'll be here soon. Come in." She stepped back and waved them inside.

Keira's home was beautifully decorated and felt both comfortable and cool, with dark hardwood floors, exposed beams, and large windows that brought in the light.

"Nice house," Micah commented.

"Thanks. It was originally my grandmother's, but after she passed, my mom did a complete remodel. She picked out all the art." Keira lowered her voice. "Just so you know, she's very proud of it and loves compliments."

He gave her a smile. "Noted. Did you get your artistic talent from your mom?"

"Maybe. We both love art, but she can't sew a hem, much less draw a dress. If I got my sewing skills from anyone, it was from my grandmother." As she spoke, she led them down the hall and into the kitchen. She pulled out wine glasses. "Shall we start with the white? It looks cold, and it's such a warm day."

"Sounds good to me," he said.

"I'm in," Micah added.

She opened the wine and filled three glasses and then suggested they go out to the patio. Her mother was changing and would be with them shortly.

The pool area was just as inviting as the rest of the house, with two seating areas at either end of the pool. Keira directed them to the one closest to the kitchen, where two large umbrellas offered shade for both a dining table and a couch and two chairs. An impressive built-in brick outdoor kitchen filled out the space.

"Is that a pizza oven next to the barbecue?" Micah asked.

"Yes. We put it in about ten years ago," she said, as she sat down on the couch. "It's great and very fun for parties. We love to entertain out here."

He could see why she would. He took the seat next to her while Micah grabbed the chair across from them.

"Who's in charge of parties—you or your mom?" Micah enquired.

"That has always been me," she said with a laugh. "I love a good pool party. I usually host one on the Fourth of July, but this year was just too busy." She paused. "Dante told me you're a chef, Micah. I think he said you have a food truck."

"Ihada food truck, but it's having a lot of mechanical issues, so I'm debating my next move."

Micah's words were light and casual, but Dante sensed an undertone that he didn't understand. He'd tried to broach the subject earlier in the day, but Micah had shut him down. Since he hadn't wanted to talk about baseball and his future, he'd had to leave Micah and his career plans alone. Maybe Keira would get more information out of him.

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