Page 41 of She’ll Steal Your Heart
“So Joy really asked about your money?” Lauren asked as they went out through the back door together.
“About ten minutes after we met,” Mia said, lips curving in amusement. “I think she’d have liked me more if I were still practicing law, to be honest.”
“Then she wasn’t the right woman for you.”
“No, definitely not.” Mia inhaled the fresh fall air. “And what about you? Has anyone caught your eye yet?”
Lauren gave her a sheepish look. “I set my profile back to inactive for now. I need to find my own place and get this court date behind me before I start dating.”
“Fair enough.” Mia understood her reasons for waiting, as much as it might have been fun for them to compare dating stories. She didn’t want to think about why she felt relieved at Lauren’s news, that maybe she didn’t like the idea of seeing Lauren with another woman, because that was absurd.
They boarded the subway together, falling to lighter topics as they rode. Mia really wasn’t in the mood to talk about Joy anymore this evening. Ten minutes later, she held the door to Dragonfly open for Lauren, who stepped through with a slightly apprehensive smile.
“No one’s going to be upset to see you, I promise,” Mia told her as she scanned the bar, disappointed that Josie didn’t seem to be working tonight. She didn’t recognize either of the women behind the bar.
“I’d be upset to see me if I were Josie,” Lauren said quietly.
“She said you’re good, so you’re good.” Mia led the way to a table for two along the back wall, the only empty table in the place. She’d almost forgotten this was a Saturday night, and Dragonfly was packed. “What are you in the mood for tonight?”
“Just a beer.” Lauren picked up the purple drink menu on the table. “But you should get one of these.” She tapped her finger against the top of the menu, giving Mia a silly smile.
“The Midnight in Manhattan?” Mia said. “I’ve had it before. It’s good.”
Lauren tapped the menu again, drawing Mia’s attention to the italicized words under the drink description.Rumor has it, if you drink one at midnight, you’ll fall in love before the end of the year. “This could be your lucky drink, Mia.”
“The end of the year is only three months away,” Mia said. “Not sure I want to fall in love againthatquickly, but I’ll have one all the same.”
“There’s the spirit,” Lauren said. “I’ll get our drinks.”
Mia smiled as she watched her walk away, noting the parallel to her date with Joy. This was already so much better than her date. In fact…shit. She’d been mentally comparing Joy to Lauren all day. Actually, if she was perfectly honest with herself, she’d compared every woman who’d contacted her through the app to Lauren. None of them seemed remotely as interesting or funny or beautiful. The realization almost knocked her off her stool.
Oh, this could be a problem. Mia had been put off by Lauren’s age at first, thinking she couldn’t possibly have anything in common with a woman in her twenties, but Lauren was wiser than her years, maybe because of the way she’d grown up. There was just something about her, something Mia couldn’t seem to get enough of.
It didn’t change the fact that Mia wasn’t going to date her. She needed a rebound fling, maybe more than one of them, after spending so many years with Kristin. Despite Lauren’s maturity, she was vulnerable right now. Mia wasnotgoing to rebound with her. It had the potential to be disastrous for both of them.
She couldn’t look at Lauren as anything but a friend, not even when her heart leaped as Lauren smiled at her from the bar. To distract herself, she pulled out her phone and sent Josie a quick text.I’m at Dragonfly with Lauren. Was hoping to see you!
Oh, yay! I’ll come down and say hi, Josie replied almost immediately.
Mia set her phone down, glad she’d get to see Josie after all, and maybe a little bit relieved to have someone else at their table so this evening didn’t start to feel like a date. Mia gave her head a quick shake. What was the matter with her tonight?
Josie came through the back door a minute later, grinning widely as she approached Mia’s table. “Hey, lady. What’s new?”
“Well, I went on a date this afternoon, and it was a total bust.”
“Bummer.” Josie slid into the chair across from her. “I don’t miss it. Where’s Lauren?”
“Getting our drinks.” Mia nodded toward the bar.
Josie followed her gaze, giving Lauren a friendly wave. “You two have been spending a lot of time together.”
“She’s crashing on my couch for a few weeks until she finds something more permanent,” Mia told her. “She’s having a hard time finding someone who’ll rent to her.”
Josie flinched. “Yeah, I can imagine. But you two are just friends?”
“Just friends,” Mia told her. “Anything new with you?”
“Nope.” Josie’s cheerful expression dimmed. “No luck yet, but we’re trying again this month.”
