Page 26 of Sanctuary

A knock on the door had me jumping. “Mia, are you alright in there? I thought I heard you get sick.”

Taking a deep breath, I smoothed down my hair and straightened my shoulders. With one last look in the mirror, I turned and reached for the doorknob. My hand trembled slightly as I twisted it, stepping back into the suite where Connor stood looking concerned.

“Are you okay?”

I forced a smile, trying to mask the churning storm inside. “Absolutely. It’s just hunger gnawing at me. Shall we go?”

Chapter 13

Connor

The restaurant was dimly lit, soft music playing in the background as Mia and I were led to our table. The rich aroma of grilled steak filled the air, making my mouth water as we passed by a man and woman seated, each enjoying one.

As we settled into our seats, I couldn’t help but notice how the candlelight flickered across Mia’s face, highlighting the curve of her cheekbones and the sparkle in her eyes.

“This is nice,” I said, picking up the menus and handing her one. “What are you in the mood for?”

She glanced over the options, her brow furrowing slightly in concentration. “Their steak looked amazing,” she nodded towards the same couple I’d seen. “But it’s so expensive.”

I waved a hand of dismissal and the mere mention of money. “Don’t worry about that. Order whatever you want.”

She smiled, a hint of shyness in her expression. “Alright then. Steak it is.”

As we waited for our food, the conversation between us felt like we were old friends.

“You know, I always wanted to go to school to become a chef,” I confessed, twirling my wine glass between my fingers. “Spent hours in the kitchen with my mum, learning all her secret recipes.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really? That explains your culinary skills. But why didn’t you go to school for it?”

I shrugged, a wry smile tugging at my lips. “Life, I suppose. Got caught up in the family business, and then when my mother passed away, I was the only one who knew their way around the kitchen.”

She nodded, understanding in her eyes. “I get that. Life has a way of taking unexpected turns.”

“What about you?” I asked, genuinely curious. “What did little Mia dream of becoming?”

A soft chuckle escaped her. “Promise not to laugh?”

I held up my hand solemnly. “Scout’s honor.”

“I wanted to be a spy,” she admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Spent my childhood with my nose buried in mystery novels, imagining myself as some sort of international woman of intrigue.”

I couldn’t help the snicker that escaped me. “Well, considering recent events, maybe you weren’t too far off the mark.”

Our steaks arrived, perfectly cooked and accompanied by sautéed mushrooms, baked potato and an array of root vegetables, roasted to perfection. As we ate, we continued to swap stories, finding more and more common ground. We both loved music from the 80’s, The Goonies was our favorite movie, and we both harbored a secret fondness for reality TV.

“I can’t believe you watch ‘The Real Housewives’ too,” Mia giggled, taking a sip of her wine. “I thought I was the only one.”

I grinned, feeling more relaxed than I had in years. “What can I say? It’s my guilty pleasure. But if you tell anyone, I swear I’ll deny it.”

By the time we finished our meal, I felt like I’d known Mia for years rather than days.

“What do you say we walk off some of this food?” I suggested as we left the restaurant. “The falls should be beautiful at night.”

She nodded, a soft smile playing at her lips. “I’d like that.”

“Oh my, isn’t it beautiful?” Mia breathed as she took in the horseshoe falls to our left. Blue lights lit them up from below, casting an ethereal glow across the cascading water. The mist rose up, catching the colorful illumination and creating a dreamlike haze around us.

I wanted to say, not as beautiful as you, but decided it was best to keep my mouth shut and instead my hand found hers. She didn’t try to remove hers and instead, turned to look at me, “Tell me one thing that no one knows about you.”

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