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MICHAEL

I had officially reached a level of patheticness I’d never descended to before. There I was at one of the most joyous occasions of my friend’s life and instead of enjoying myself and making the rounds like a normal best man, I was glued to one spot watching Mia.

Not just watching. I lurked and spied on her like a creep. She couldn’t see me in the corner where I stood, throwing back champagne that was hardly strong enough to stop me from stewing in fury.

Every time a man approached her, my gut twisted. The attention she was receiving from the opposite sex was plenty. Who could blame the single men in the room for going after her? She was absolutely gorgeous, and she radiated warmth.

I’d been trying to act cool, trying to convince myself that I had no reason to be jealous. Plus, it wasn’t like me to want to rip every man’s face off for talking to a woman I was interested in. I was typically a calm and collected guy in every circumstance, but watching men circle her like vultures, I was anything but calm.

It started with Olivia’s younger brother, who had wandered over to where Mia sat. After a quick conversation with too much damn smiling, he disappeared. I was relieved. To my chagrin, another guy approached her. That was how it continued for the past hour. I could just walk over to her and put a stop to all of it, but then I’d give myself away. Everyone would know that I had a major thing for her. Not that I gave a fuck, but I wasn’t sure how Mia would feel if I staked my claim in front of everyone.

Remembering how miserable and embarrassed she was when my family practically caught us red handed after wild sex in a treehouse, I figured she wouldn’t appreciate me punching every guy who talked to her at this reception. Another horny vulture waltzed over to her. It was Alex’s employee and prot?g?. The man was around twenty-five, closer to Mia’s age. He was youthful and fun as was Mia.

I happened to know that he made good money as Alex’s right hand man, and he wasn’t as emotionally scarred, cold, and cynical as I could be. He didn’t have a child either. I swallowed hard as I watched them. Mia lit up and laughed at something he said. Maybe it was better for her to be with a man like that. Doubts about telling her how I felt about her slithered in. If I really cared about her, I’d stand back and let her move forward with someone who was much better suited for her, right?

My fingers tightened around my glass, but then I remembered that the delicate thing might splinter and loosened my grip. Pulling in a breath to keep from storming over there and interrupting, I looked away from Mia and the latest man trying to get her attention.

Instead, I focused on Poppy who was with her “funnest uncle,” Alex. They were dancing, and Alex looked ridiculous entertaining my six-year-old with silly dance moves. Olivia was close by. Whatever Poppy said to her had her laughing uproariously. I smiled. Her personality was as different from mine as it could be… Thank God. I had Mia to thank for her growing confidence. My gaze skated back to her. I was about to look away when I did a double take.

That guy she was talking to earlier was gone. Spencer stood beside her. Immediately, I was back on edge. Spencer was one of my best friends. I knew the guy better than most. He could smooth-talk the habit off a nun. He had an accent that women seemed to fall over themselves for… fuck . Now, he was standing next to Mia, looking at her with that easy, flirtatious grin I’d seen him use a thousand times. No woman was safe from Spencer, and I suspected none of them wanted to be. There was no way he was going to get my woman, though. I’d kill him…

I slammed my glass down on a nearby table and marched in their direction. Spencer leaned in close to Mia, a little too close for my comfort. When Mia smiled up at him, I snarled and walked faster.

“Everything alright, Mike?” Jamie asked as I passed him. “You look…”

Murderous . Surely that was how I looked. I didn’t stop to hear what else he had to say or to respond. By the time I reached Mia and Spencer, I was seething.

“Spencer,” I bit out.

He glanced at me. “Michael, mate! Just chatting with your lovely guest here.”

“Back the fuck off,” I growled.

Both Spencer and Mia’s gazes snapped to me.

“Excuse me?” Spencer straightened up, his casual posture stiffening as he took in my expression.

“You heard me. Get away from her. Now.”

Mia’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened.

As Spencer’s gaze swiveled from me to Mia, he seemingly did the math. He raised his hands in surrender, though his eyes gleamed with amusement. The bastard was always amused. “Whoa, mate. Relax. Mia and I were just talking.”

“Yeah, Spence, I know what you talk to the ladies about.”

His eyes narrowed on me, but he stood down. “Mia, perhaps we’ll talk later.”

“There will be no fucking later, Spencer,” I growled. “Keep your dick away from her.”

Mia gasped. “Michael!”

Spencer wasn’t offended at all. He chuckled as he patted my shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll talk this out later, Mike.” With that, he sauntered away.

I caught Lincoln watching from across the room. He shook his head with disappointment, but I ignored him.

“How could you embarrass me like that, Michael?” Mia hissed.

I glowered at her. “I didn’t bring you here to flirt with my friends.”

The color seeped from her flushed face as she surveyed the room. I frowned as I followed her gaze to see what she was looking at. Lincoln hadn’t been the only one watching. Several guests stared in our direction with curiosity. As my jealous haze dissipated, I realized I’d become that guy. The foolish, jealous neanderthal who caused a scene at his best friend’s wedding.

Mia looked as if she wanted to be anywhere else but here.

“Mia, I didn’t mean to…”

She walked away, her steps brisk and her shoulders tense. I saw her eyes glisten with tears and her chin quiver before she stormed off, which made me feel like a gigantic ass. I let out a long, gusty sigh. I could go after her, but I was probably the last person she wanted to talk to. Plus, I needed to get my shit together before I approached her because I didn’t want to risk saying something stupid again.

I made my way towards a set of double glass doors. Everyone had stopped staring, but I still wanted to get away and get some air. Stepping onto the terrace, I found a corner that wasn’t visible from inside. Leaning against the wall, I tucked my chin into my chest. Since when did I become so… emotional?

“Jesus,” I huffed.

“Hey, Michael. Are you okay?”

I looked up at the sound of the soft voice. Olivia approached, wearing a less extravagant white dress than the one she got married in. She still looked like a glowing bride, though. “I’m fine.”

She stopped beside me. “Are you sure? Things looked pretty intense inside. I told Alex to come check on you, but he said he wouldn’t risk approaching you while you’re in Ebenezer-mode… whatever that means.”

I rolled my eyes.

Olivia grinned. “I called him a big wuss and came to check on you myself.”

That made me chuckle. “I appreciate it. Did Mia come back?”

“No…”

I heaved a sigh. “I’m such an idiot.”

“What happened? Not to pry, but you’re the most level-headed and composed one in the boy band.”

A grunt of amusement escaped me at her calling my friends and me a boy band.

“When I saw you lose your cool, I was worried.”

“It was nothing. Go back inside and enjoy your reception.”

She gave me a look that said she wasn’t going anywhere. We were quiet for a while. Usually, I didn’t like company when I was in a sour mood, but a few months with Mia in my life had softened me to the point of expressing myself a little more without difficulty. So I found myself blurting, “I have a… thing going on with my daughter’s nanny, and it’s complicated as fuck.”

Olivia turned to me with a little smile.

“You don’t look surprised.”

“Well… I suspected there was something between you two. Charlotte did too.”

“Did you two gossip about it?”

“You know we can’t help ourselves.”

Her sheepish look made me smile.

“So this thing, is it serious?” she asked.

I rested my head against the stone wall and groaned. “It wasn’t at first. At least, I was convinced I didn’t want it to be. I mean, I’ve deliberately avoided things like this, these feelings and relationships , for so long, I’m not even sure what I want sometimes.”

Olivia didn’t comment. She just watched me with her head tilted and her eyes full of curiosity.

“But I almost killed one of my closest friends at your wedding just for talking to her, so…” I shrugged. “I guess I can safely say it’s serious. Although I haven’t told Mia that yet.”

“Why haven’t you?”

“I made a huge deal about her being younger in the beginning. After we got over that hurdle, I insisted that what we had was casual.” I raked my fingers through my hair. “Only for me to fold like a cheap lawn chair.”

Olivia laughed softly. “Is it hard for you to tell her how you feel?”

Shoving my hands into my pockets, I gazed blindly ahead. “Yes. I’m afraid we’ll lose her if I throw caution to the wind and start a full-blown romance and things go downhill. Poppy needs her.”

“I get that her being Poppy’s nanny complicates things, but it seems as if you need her, too.” Olivia’s eyes roved over my face. “I don’t know you as well as Alex does, but I’ve been acquainted with you since our Harvard days. You’ve been different lately, Michael. You seem more relaxed and happy. I suspect that has something to do with Mia?”

I nodded.

“Your daughter’s needs are important, and I get putting them above yours, but don’t let a good thing slip through your fingers. I did once because I thought it was the right thing to do, and I almost lost the love of my life forever. Not everyone is lucky enough to get a second chance. If you lose Mia—in the romantic sense—there’s no certainty you’ll get another chance with her.”

My eyes snapped to Olivia’s face. The thought of losing my chance with Mia forever made my chest tighten. She must have read my expression because she smiled. “You’ll just have to work around the complications and go for it.”

“I don’t know how to do this,” I admitted quietly. “I’ve never…”

Olivia blew out a breath. “No one ever does. It’s terrifying, but that’s because it matters so much. But it’s worth the risk.”

“If I mess this up…”

She snorted. “Michael, you’ve built an empire from the ground up, raised an incredible daughter as a single dad, and managed to keep my crazy, mischievous husband in line for years. You can tell a woman how you feel about her without messing it up.”

I grinned at the part about keeping Alex in line. She giggled, and soon we were both laughing. The tension that had me on edge ebbed away. “Thanks, Liv. Alex is a lucky man.”

She beamed and patted my arm. “Good luck.”

I watched her go back inside. She was right. A chance at something amazing with Mia was worth the risk.