Page 64 of Angels Above

“Now that is how you win the ladies over,” Robin said. “Brian told me you were always a smooth talker and I guess he was right.”

Mia laughed and leaned her head over onto Cal’s shoulder.

“I am thrilled with the win and the job. Everything. I’m close to family too. That is what this was all about. If it wasn’t for Robin talking to Cooper about it, I’m sure this never would have come about.”

She’d thought of that more. That sometimes things just happened in life without you even realizing it.

There was no way to control it no matter how much you might wish it so.

All the hard work she’d done in her life for her career helped but didn’t guarantee the results she wanted.

She refused to feel bad about that anymore since it brought her here.

Just like she refused to get down on herself either for thinking there would be one outcome and getting another.

“Hey, you don’t know that,” Cal said. “You could have been here visiting your sister and come into my store for some wine. We could have struck up a conversation.”

“And you would have wanted to have a long distance relationship?” she asked, laughing at him.

“For you, I’m pretty sure I would have.” He winked at her and she only kept her grin in place.

When dinner was done they went back to his house. She hadn’t changed after work since where they were going was a bit fancier. Cal on the other hand had nice pants on and a sweater.

“Did I tell you how nice you look today?” she asked. “You even trimmed up the beard.”

“I know you like it when I leave whisker burns on you, but I wanted you to know I could show up in more than jeans.”

“I love you just the way you are,” she said.

“That might be an exaggeration, but I get it.”

“What does that mean?” she asked, frowning.

“It means we all have something that the other would like changed. Be honest with yourself.”

“Oh, you mean like leaving whiskers in the sink?” she asked.

“Or my midnight snacking that wakes you up?”

She snorted over that. “I don’t know anyone who gets up in the middle of the night like you do for a snack.”

“I’m hungry,” he said, tugging on a lock of her hair.

“If I wake up hungry I roll over and go back to sleep,” she said. “I don’t want to go get food because then I’ll never get back to sleep.”

“To each their own,” he said.

“So what would you change about me?” she asked.

She wasn’t so sure why she was asking this. Not many like to have faults or their character challenged or changed.

“Nothing,” he said.

“Please. You just said everyone has something that could be changed.”

“Fine,” he said. “I’d change you being so hard on yourself, but you do seem to be getting better with that.”

“I am,” she said. “But how about something that I do that annoys you.”

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