A Million Dreams (Wish 3)

16 - Suicide Mission

Mia was nervous to return to work on Monday, she had no idea what Celia had been told about her car. Would she even know Mia had left it behind at her house? Taylor was bound to know about Ted speaking to the awful man. Sage had told her Aidan thanked Ted, but Mia was certain he regretted getting involved. He had to be tired of the drama she brought into his pampered life. Her cookies were the only thing keeping her in his good graces.

Sure enough Taylor immediately entered Mia's office when she arrived forty-five minutes after Mia. The woman couldn't get to work on time. It annoyed Mia, but Celia didn't care.

"Mia, you realize when you made small talk with Ted Calhoun about your quaint little apartment, he was just being polite."

"Edward Calhoun was being nice." She was complimenting him on his own workmanship.

"I'm surprised he even talked to you at all."

"He's childhood friends with my sister-in-law."

Taylor shook her head. "Sage Petersen married for the wrong reasons."

Mia let out a nervous laugh. "Sage married for love."

"Whatever." Taylor dismissed love with the wave of her manicured hand. "You're directly responsible for causing Elaine to be upset with her husband. When I had brunch with her and..." Taylor name dropped, but she didn't impress Mia. "Elaine left distraught after finding out her husband had spoken up against an important man like Walter Leonard."

It stunned Mia speechless. "Mr. Leonard was rude."

"Men talk that way all the time. I'm really not sure why Ted bothered."

"Perhaps, because he is friends with my brother."

Taylor scoffed just as Celia came in. "Ladies, it was quite a successful evening. Taylor, will you be seeing Ted again? You know he is one of the most eligible men in town."

"I'm certain I'll hear from him."

Mia busied herself on her computer, as she was afraid to make eye contact.

Celia turned to Mia. "Whatever happened with your car?"

"It wouldn't start. It needed a new alternator, whatever that is."

"How did you get home?" Taylor asked.

Mia wanted to lie, but Taylor's smugness over Ted irritated her. She replied, "Your friend, Mr. Calhoun drove me home."

Even Celia looked jealous. Taylor sounded like a four-year-old who didn't get her favorite toy, not the cookie loving one because he was much cuter. "You were in the backseat with Ted Calhoun!"

"No, he drove."

Celia asked, "What did he drive?"

"An F-150."

Celia exclaimed as she walked away. "A sports car!"

Mia looked at Taylor who looked confused. "That's a truck. Why would he drive a truck?"

"He's in construction."

"But he's the boss. He doesn't get his hands dirty." Taylor argued. "When he takes me out, he'll drive a proper car or hire one."

"I'm sure he will."

"You probably felt at home in the truck."

"Truthfully, I had never ridden in one before. I rode in a 1966 Charger. My father restored it."

Taylor looked down her nose at her. "Your mechanic father can fix your car."

"You know my father is a well-known surgeon? You may even know him."