Page 8 of Mysterious

That isn’t what I want. Nobody should be able to dictate who falls for who, especially if it means he might get in trouble with the owner of VIP over it.

“It should be,” Ainsley says in a huff. “You still haven’t answered my question. Why do you think you care for him?”

That’s easier asked than answered. There are a hundred reasons why I care about Liam. He’s good looking. I could tell Ainsley that, but since she thinks he’s way too uptight, it probably wouldn’t be an answer she’ll agree with.

He’s great at his job. That’s a good reason, especially since his job revolves around protecting my life. Then again, she’ll probably just say he’s supposed to be good at his job.

He makes me smile. I like listening to him talk about his family and the nature shows he likes just as I do. I feel comfortable whenever I’m with him.

“Well? I think if you can’t answer the question of why you care about him, then that’s your answer why you shouldn’t.”

God, she is in rare, militant form today. Is this what everyone means when they say tough love?

Taking a deep breath in, I let it out slowly and tell her why I care for him. “Because when I’m around him, I’m happier than when I’m not around him.”

Her eyes open wide, and I suspect she thinks that’s the biggest load of shit she’s ever heard. It’s the truth, though. Even last night when I was trying to run away, simply having him with me made me feel better. I didn’t really want him to leave me alone. I just didn’t know how to handle all the emotions rushing through me after what happened between us.

And then as soon as I saw him bleeding from a bullet that may have been meant for me, I realized how much I’d miss him if he wasn’t in my life.

My life coach’s body looks like it deflates at my answer. “Well, I wasn’t expecting something so deep. I thought you were going to mention his beautiful body or how he looks when he’s working out in the gym. I’m impressed, Mia.”

With a shrug, I smile. “Don’t be. I like those things too, so let’s not get me set up for sainthood just yet. But other than abs that make my mouth water and how incredible he looks when he wears those gray sweatpants of his, I really like spending time with him.”

I don’t tell her the hundred other things I like about Liam, but even with what I’ve said, I know I’m in trouble. Ainsley knows it too. I see it in her expression as she tries to smile at me.

“You’re not helping with arguments against him, Ains. Where did they go?”

Her cheeks blush a deep pink and she giggles. “With those gray sweatpants. Nothing I can say to you can beat gray sweatpants. Those are kryptonite to women. Why do you think guys wear them?”

We both laugh, but she’s right. A hot man in gray sweatpants is truly the one thing that can make a woman forget everything she was thinking at that moment.

I stand up to leave, not any clearer on what I’m going to do about Liam. “Well, this wasn’t helpful at all, but something tells me nothing was going to be anyway.”

“I’m sorry. I’m really not a huge fan of his, but it’s hard to have an argument against someone making you happy. What are you going to do? I mean, does he know how you feel? Have you said anything to him yet?”

Shaking my head, I admit the sad truth. “No, and I don’t know how to do that. I thought last night when we were downtown that he was trying to say he cared for me, but now I’m not so sure. This whole getting shot thing has totally made things so much worse but a lot better too.”

Ainsley looks at me in horror, so I quickly explain what I mean. “Not that I ever wanted him to get shot. It’s not like that, so stop looking at me like I’m some kind of terrible person. It’s just that it’s given us a chance to just be nice to one another, which I really like. I don’t mind sparring with him since even when he’s fighting with me, I know he’s only trying to help, but simply sitting next to him as he lies in bed is nice too.”

I bury my face in my hands. “Oh, God, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

She hurries over to me and takes me in her arms. “Don’t worry so much. You have a lot on your plate right now. Take a deep breath, remember your priorities, and above all, don’t freak out. Everything will work out for the best. It always does.”

As I inhale and exhale, trying to calm myself like she claims I should, thoughts of my mother trying to push Liam out to bring Michael back flood my brain. I can’t believe she thinks that’s going to ever happen.

“You don’t feel like you’re relaxing, Mia.”

I drop my hands from my face and explain why. “My mother wants to replace Liam with Michael until he’s better. I told her no and put my foot down, but something tells me she’s planning on doing it anyway. What the hell is she thinking? She’s acting like Liam is bedridden or something. He just needs to rest for a day or so. God, my life is a mess, and I have to go out on tour in just a couple days.”

My life coach pats my arm like she’s afraid I’m going to completely unravel right there in her room if she doesn’t pull her social worker thing on me. “Calm down. Seriously, I need you to relax. Whatever happens, you can handle it. I’ll be right there beside you the entire time, so deep breaths. Do you want me to talk to Andrea? I can let her know this kind of stress isn’t good for you right before a tour. That might make her back off a little.”

The last thing I need is my best friend and my mother brawling over how much stress I have in my life, so I shake my head and smile. “No, but thanks. I hope she got the idea that I wasn’t having any of that Michael coming back nonsense, but if she brings it up again, I’ll have to handle it. As you always tell me, the key to being happy is to know when to ignore the bullshit. So I’ll ignore it and her, if she keeps it up.”

As I walk toward her door to leave, she chuckles. “I do say that. It just sounds a lot more strident coming from you. Maybe try smiling when you say it?”

Looking back at her, I paste a grin on my face. “Ignoring the bullshit is the key to being happy. Any better?”

“No, still pretty harsh.”

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