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“You okay?” I asked.
More nods, but she wouldn’t look up at me.
“You remember the dancer, right?” Owen asked once Mia was finished clearing her throat.
“How could I not?” I joked. “I’ve thought about her every day.”
Mia blinked quickly, uneasy and struggling to look at me. “What dancer?”
Is it just me or does she look pale?Maybe it was the boring white and beige leaching color from her face, too.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked her again, rubbing her upper back.
“Yep. Yeah.” Now she lifted those emerald eyes to face me. “What dancer are you talking about?”
“Henry and I went to this really seedy dive. Some night club one of the valet drivers suggested.”
“Hmm.” Mia lowered her gaze again. She fiddled with her utensils, too, unable to stay still like usual. Mia was cool and collected in any situation.
“And we saw this one dancer who was just…” Owen shrugged.
“Gorgeous. Amazing,” I clarified. “I’ve never seen a woman move like that.”
Her brows shot up. “Wow. That good, huh?”
I mimed making a chef’s kiss. “She was clearly the star of the whole place.”
“Real talent,” Owen agreed.
“Unbelievable talent,” I added.
Mia shrugged. “Eh, all dancers have to be the same, right? One dancer can’t be that much better than any others.”
“Not true,” I protested. “I bet some have the privilege of many years of practice to perfect their stamina. Or some are just naturally born with it. This woman was probably born with it.”
Owen and I talked a little more about the mysterious woman, describing her to Mia. We added in details about Danger and talked a bit about the program they’d put on. The more we talked, the more distant she seemed. When I got the impression, again, that she was uncomfortable or awkward about us talking about this dancer, I grew curious. We’d talked about the nightclubs often. She was aware that we owned a few.
But maybe she was offended now because I wasn’t giving her attention here and now.
No, that can’t be it.
Mia wasn’t the jealous sort. We often talked about business over lunch, but we were friends too.
No matter what my dad said, she was not merely an employee. Every day, it felt like our connection and closeness was one step away from something more. Something forbidden. Something… more.
I was sure that my father would be annoyed if I tried to choose someone so unlike the women he introduced to me. But I didn’t care. I was at the point that I wished those damn ethics policies hadn’t been put in place so I could be upfront and pursue Mia. If she was interested.
All I could do with her now, though, was talk about business. Keeping it all professional.
On that note…
“How about you come with me and scope out some dancers there?”
She pointed at herself. “Me? Why me?”
“You’re one of the very few women I can trust in my life.”
She almost smiled, and I loved the idea of her glowing under my praise. “But…”