Page 55 of The Billionaire's Heart

“Thank you. You as well.” Mia replies as my parents finally let her out of their arms, but mom drags Mia over to the couch by the hand.

“Mia. Tell us everything about you. I’ve purposefully avoided anything about you online because I want to hear the truth straight from you. Those bastard reporters make up stories just to get people to click on their links. It’s abhorrent.” Mom shakes as if she’s got a chill.

Mia sits next to Mom and Dad sits on the couch opposite them. “Well, some of what they say online is true. I grew up in foster care and Iamfrom Knoxville. The rest of what they’re saying is all trash.”

Mom looks over at dad and taps the coffee table in front of her. “See Lukas, I knew I was going to love her.” She turns back to Mia. “Tell us, how did you end up in Hibiscus Harbor?”

“One day I closed my eyes and pointed to the map and found this little slice of heaven.” She smiles at both of my parents, and they eat it up. I can tell immediately that they both love her. They may not be the only ones. Man, I’m fucked.

Mom continues to inundate Mia with questions when Sawyer walks next to me as I’m pouring everyone a glass of red wine. “Everything working out okay?” he whispers next to me.

I nod as I look up as both my parents and Mia laugh at something Mia said. “Yeah.”

After a few moments, Sawyer looks at me, “Oh shit.”

I turn to him, thinking something’s wrong with the wine or the food, but instead I see Sawyer pop another cheese cube in his smiling mouth. “What’s wrong with you? Have you suddenly become a mouse or something?”

He raises his eyebrows, grabs yet another cheese cube, and points to me. “Nope, but you, my friend, are in love. It’s written all over your face. Does Mia know?”

“What? No, I’m not.” I’m barely able to admit it to myself; I’ll be damned if I’m going to admit it to him.

“Oh, yes, you are.” He laughs at me. “Deny it all you want, brother. You’ve fallen and you’ve fallenhard.”

I hand him his wine glass and one for Dad. “Make yourself useful and give this to Dad.” We both walk over to Mia and my parents, and I hand out glasses of wine to Mom and Mia.

“A toast.” Dad raises his glass. “To new beginnings.”

“To new beginnings.” We all repeat and take a sip.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sawyer with a smirk on his face, and I just want to toss the rest of my wine at him.

Dinner went better than I expected, although I could have done without the rehashing of every embarrassing thing I’ve ever done. Well, at least Mia was getting a good laugh out of it all.

“It’s getting late, sweetheart. We should leave the lovebirds alone.” Dad says to Mom as he taps his watch.

Mom gives a sad look. “I know. I’m just so happy that my little boy has finally found love and is getting married.” She says as she grabs my cheeks and kisses each one of them.

“Okay, Mom. Enough with the embarrassing moments, okay?” I try to pry her off of me.

“Never.” She kisses my forehead like I’m a little kid. I suppose I am in her eyes.

“Okay, okay. I’m going, but one more thing before we leave.” Mom says and takes mine and Mia’s hand. “I will not hear a thing about it, but we are throwing you an engagement party and it’s already scheduled…” Mom raises her voice as I try to tell her no. I should know better. When Cynthia Gallo has her mind set on something, no one can deter her. Not even her family.

I look at Mia, and smile as she nods in approval. “Okay, fine, Mother. When is this engagement party?”

She smiles because she knew she would win. “Next Friday night, here. I’ve already hired a party planner, and she’s already hired a chef, so Paula will be a guest and not staff. You hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I say to my mother. She’s loved Paula since the day I hired her. I’ve always thought that if Paula was twenty years younger, or I was twenty years older, she would have pushed the two of us together.

“Good. Now, we can leave, Lukas.” Mom announces and both my brother and father follow her to the door like good little soldiers.

“Good night, you two.” Mom pulls both Mia and I into an embrace. “Welcome to the family, Mia.” I hear Mom whisper in Mia’s ear.

“Thank you. Good night and thank you for coming.” Mia replies.

Mom looks at me. “You’ve done good, kid.” She cups my cheek.

“Good night, Mother.” I tell her as I shake my brother's and father’s hands. “You, too.”

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