"What, a girl can't wear a suit to work every once in a while?" she asked.
"Well, sure," Scott said cautiously. "But that one you're wearing is just very…"
The right word seemed to allude her brother, but not Alex. "Nunlike," he supplied for Scott and laughed. "At least for you, anyway. That's more along the lines of what Dana would wear," he said, referring to his wife of a few months.
Scott leaned back in his seat. "I guess we're both used to your more… colorful outfits," he said, and Mia knew "colorful" was his way of softening what should have been termed as flashy or outrageous. "This nice suit just surprised us both."
She gave the hem of her jacket a tug. "Well don't get used to it, because I'm not changing my entire wardrobe." She'd worn the two-piece designer suit today because she had a meeting with Amy at her gallery and she wanted to look her professional best. She hadn't thought about how her brothers might react to the more reserved look.
"Mia…" Scott's tone was tentative, even a little concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine." She went on alert, wondering what, exactly, her brother was getting at. "Why do you ask?"
"I don't know." He shrugged, but he was wearing a slight frown, as if he was trying to figure out what was bothering him so much. "You just seem so much more… subdued lately."
"It's called maturity," Alex cut in. "I think our baby sister is finally growing up."
She stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Stop bristling," Scott said, smoothing things over between her and Alex before a war could ensue. As the oldest of the family, Scott had always been the peacemaker. "It's not an insult, Mia, but a compliment. We've just noticed some changes in you the past week or so. Good ones. And you seem happy, too."
"I've always been happy," she said automatically.
"No, this is different. Your overall mood, your personality…" His voice trailed off as he narrowed his gaze on her, as if he couldn't quite put his finger on what had changed. "Is something going on that we don't know about?"
"Or that we need to know about?" Alex added, suddenly Mr. Concern.
She immediately recognized the protective glint in her brothers' gazes, and she thought about everything going on in her life that would undoubtedly set them off. Her affair with Cameron. Being stalked by an unknown person. Her appointment today with Amy and the possibility of exposing her very intimate artwork no one but Cameron knew about.
Scott and Alex would come unglued if they had any clue what she was currently dealing with, and she wasn't about to enlighten them. "Look, there is nothing going on you need to worry about. And as for this suit, I bought it because it was a helluva good deal and it looked good on me."
Scott grinned. "Can't argue with you there."
"So stop reading so much into every little thing." Then she deftly changed the subject. "Is there anything else either of you need today?"
Scott thought for a moment and then shook his head. "I think this is all the important stuff I needed."
"I'm good, too," Alex said.
"Great." She turned around and headed for the door. "I'm taking the rest of the afternoon off."
"What?" Scott said in surprise.
"Why?" Alex asked at the same time, equally startled by her unexpected announcement.
She stopped and pivoted back toward her brothers, her chin lifting a fraction. "Because my work is done and I deserve the time off, that's why," she said matter-of-factly.
"I won't argue there," Scott said. "But it's all so last minute."
She stifled an exasperated sigh. Her brothers were so damn nosey, and it was clear they were waiting for more of an explanation. She debated telling them it was none of their business, but she didn't want to rouse their suspicions in any way. And she wasn't ready to tell them about the possibility of her artwork being displayed in a gallery, just in case it didn't work out.
"I'm going to lunch with a friend and then shopping." It wasn't a lie. She was meeting Carrie for lunch and then she wanted to find a new outfit to wear this weekend. She just failed to mention her appointment with Amy. "And I might just buy something shocking to wear to work tomorrow so the two of you will quit spending all your time speculating about everything I do."
Scott shook his head and chuckled. "Okay, now there's the Mia we know and love."
Alex nodded his agreement, grinning. "Yep, full of sass and smart-ass comebacks."
"And don't either of you forget it," she said and left the office before she was late for her meeting with Amy.
MIA was lucky enough to find a parking spot on the street two spaces away from the storefront of the Brennan Gallery. She turned off the engine, closed her eyes, and inhaled a deep calming breath to still her jittery nerves.
She wanted to be sure she arrived early to make a good first impression, so she pushed aside her anxiety and gave herself a quick, bolstering pep talk. Then she grabbed the leather-bound portfolio holding a few of her designs and a photo album of the others she'd left behind and made her way inside the gallery.
She was greeted by a nice-looking young man with short spiked hair and black framed glasses that were very retro in design. He was wearing black slacks and a black silk shirt he'd left untucked, and as he approached her, she noticed a slight sway to his hips that was more feminine than masculine.
She smiled at him. "Hi, I'm here-to see Amy."
He looked her up and down and seemingly approved of what he saw. "You must be Mia Wilde."
His soft, slightly lilting voice matched the way he walked, and Mia had the fleeting thought that if things worked out, and this guy was single, she could hook him up with Will. "Yes, I have an appointment at eleven to meet with her. I'm a few minutes early."
"I'll let her know you're here." He went behind the counter, picked up the phone, and spoke in low tones Mia couldn't hear. Then he hung up and said, "She'll be out shortly."
"Thanks."
Actually, Mia was grateful for the extra time alone, which gave her a chance to check the place out and see if it was something that appealed to her. The main area of the gallery was open and spacious, with partitions that gave way to different types of art. The collections included everything from paintings, to sculptures, to collages, and photography. There was jewelry, antiques, and varying degrees of woodwork, all of which spanned pop art, deco, contemporary, eccentric, retro, and everything in between.
There was definitely something for everyone's tastes, but what she didn't find was stained-glass art, which definitely worked to her favor.
"Hi, Mia, I'm Amy Brennan," A female voice said from behind her.
Mia turned around and found herself looking at a tall, slender woman with honey-blond hair styled in a blunt cut that framed her beautiful face. She was wearing a very chic yellow pantsuit, which made Mia infinitely glad she'd chosen her own outfit so carefully.
Switching her portfolio to her left hand, she extended her right hand toward Amy. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise." Amy's handshake was firm, like a no-nonsense business woman. "Claudia was pretty insistent that I'd love your work, and I'm not one to pass up the possibility of discovering the next great thing everyone just has to have."
Mia did her best not to feel intimidated or pressured by her comment. She didn't think she had "the next great thing," but hopefully her artwork was original enough for Amy to consider displaying pieces in her gallery.
Amy led her into a private room, expensively decorated and accented with equally expensive-looking art. They sat next to each other on a comfortable black leather couch, and Mia set her portfolio on the glass table in front of them.