Three: Mia Conner: Three Years Later

Three 

Mia Conner 

Three years later 

The culinary fellowship had been a gift. I didn't even remember applying for it, but after I got pregnant with my daughter, things had been so busy that sometimes I didn't even remember my own name. It was in California, and I took my daughter and moved to a small suburb there called Delta. I worked at their small, community college and taught pastry making. I'd started out as an assistant, but after graduating with my masters, I'd gotten the teaching position. 

Today was my last day in the program though. Even with a three-year-old, I'd still managed to save up enough money for my bakery. Within the last few months, I'd bought a place, and I had enough money to finally start working on it. Things would be tight for a while, but once I had the shop, I would finally be my own boss. 

"We're going to miss you!" my co-worker, Stacy, said. She was one of the other faculty members on the staff. She taught hospitality management. She hugged me tightly, and I hugged her back. 

"Thanks," I said, "I'll miss you too. But don't worry. You'll still see me. After all, the bakery isn't that far from campus. You can come in and get your morning coffee. Maybe I'll give you some blueberry muffins for free. I know those are your favorite." 

Stacy beamed at me. "You're the best, Mia. I'm so glad everything is working out for you. And how cool that your new apartment is going to be right above your restaurant? No early morning commute for you. You'll be able to spend so much time with little Harper." 

I nodded. It had been hard, being a single mother with Harper. But at three years-old, she was quickly growing into being her own little person. She would be in pre-school in the fall, and I would have more free time then I knew what to do with. "It's great. Things are finally looking up." 

"Maybe you can finally get some sleep," said Stacy, "have those weird dreams stopped?"

I shook my head. "No. It's weird, too. Every night it’s the same thing. I wake up, and there's a wolf at the edge of my bed. I'm not even that into wolves." 

"Maybe you've got a mate." Stacy nudged me, and I rolled my eyes. A few years ago, werewolves had been discovered when one of the richest families in America had morphed into one at a congressional hearing and attacked a congressman. Since then, everyone had been equally fascinated and horrified by them. 

Especially the idea of mates. 

Some werewolves had soulmates, someone that the universe bound them to be with. It was said that a werewolf could feel a connection to their mate the minute they found them. And that it would drive them crazy with lust. If you crossed a werewolf's mate, the werewolf wouldn't stop until they had gotten revenge for them. 

"I'm in my mid-twenties, with a three-year-old who's the product of a one-night stand that I don't remember. I'm not exactly mate material, Stacy. I'm pretty sure werewolves want someone respectable and they've got that whole weird, purity thing too." 

Stacy poked me hard with her finger. "Don't be like that. You could totally get a werewolf if you wanted to. Or maybe a hot fae or something." 

I laughed. "I'm okay, really. I've got the bakery, and Harper, and that's all I need right now. Maybe later I'll have time for romance." 

"Right. Cake?" She cut a slice of the chocolate cake she'd gotten me, and poured a little champagne. There were a few other professors around and some students that had all come to wish me well. 

"Sounds good," I said, and I took the piece that she'd cut for me. 

We talked, and ate, and then it was time for us to clean everything up. Tomorrow, it would be my first day working on bakery stuff. It hadn't opened yet. That wouldn't happen until the end of the month. There was still plenty of prep to do, like recipe testing and I needed to meet with the plumbers to make sure the bathroom was going to be up and ready by the time I opened. Not to mention a whole bunch of other stuff I had to do in order to get the restaurant up to code. 

I'd enjoyed my time at the college but I was just as excited about my new journey. And I definitely didn't need a man to be part of that. Romance was out of the question. At least until Harper was a little older. I didn't want her having a string of strange men she called "uncles" or having people think I was unfit for any reason. 

I drove home to the bakery, and when I got inside, my aunt Rachel was there waiting with Harper. She'd moved to California with us when I'd gotten the fellowship which had really helped with the whole school thing. While I worked at the college, she had taken care of Harper. 

Harper was a tiny little bundle of energy, with brunette curls, and big, brown eyes. She hadn't asked any questions about her dad, but I had a story prepared for when she did finally start to. I wasn't going to hide anything from her but I wasn't going to shatter any romantic notions she had early on. 

I had my suspicions who Harper's dad was. But that was even more reason for me not to get involved with him. Mason Crescent wasn't the type of man I wanted raising my daughter. And I didn't need handouts. 

"Mommy!" Harper jumped off of Rachel's lap and ran to me, wrapping her tiny little arms around my legs. 

"Hi, sweetie," I said, hugging her back. "How are you?" 

"Good!" 

Aunt Rachel got up from where she was sitting. "Hi, honey. How was your last day?" 

I smiled. "It was great. How was this little munchkin?" I looked down at my daughter who looked up at me, grinning. 

"Good," said Aunt Rachel, "we went to the park and played a little, didn't we?" 

Harper nodded. 

"Right. Well. Pizza for dinner?" 

"Yes, please!" Harper said. 

We went upstairs to the apartment that was overhead the bakery. I ordered a pizza for us, and put Harper in front of a movie. I sat at the small, dining room table I had with my Aunt Rachel across from me. 

"So," said Aunt Rachel, "something exciting happened for me." 

"Exciting huh," I said, "what's that?" 

"I got a job." 

I raised an eyebrow. "A job. What for? You know I'll still pay you for watching Harper." 

"I know," said Aunt Rachel, "but the little one is going to be in pre-school soon, and I need something to do. Anyway, I got a job as a secretary." 

"Oh, where at?" I asked. 

"That's the wonderful part! Remember your old friend, Brooklyn?" 

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I remember her. Why?" I hadn't heard from Brooklyn in years. It was like once I got the fellowship in California, she dropped off the face of the earth. I had wanted her to be Harper's god mother, but she hadn't even been there for the birth. 

"Well, it's her company," she said, "she finally made that app thing she was always talking about. It's some fashion thing. She connects personal stylists with everyday people, and they do it like a subscription thing. She's even got a whole closet full of designer pieces for employees to use!" 

"Wow," I said, "that's amazing. I'm glad she finally followed her dreams." 

"Oh, and you'll never guess who else was there." 

"Who else?" 

"That tall drink of water that you were always arguing with. Her brother. Ransom?" 

"Mason," I said. My heart pounded against my chest at the mention of him. "What---wh-what was he doing there?" 

"He works there. He's her vice president." 

"Her vice president," I said,  "but he was CEO of his family's company. Why is he working there as her vice president? That's kind of a big change for him." 

"I guess his health has been in decline," said Rachel, "and his family refused to let him work for the company while he wasn't feeling well. So, his younger brother took over and he's working for his sister. He still looks good." 

I made a face. "Aunt Rachel, he's old enough to be your son." 

Rachel chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm done with romance. But you, sweetheart, I remember the way you were together. You two got on like a house on fire." 

"I hate that saying," I said. 

"Anyway," said Aunt Rachel, "Brooklyn gave me one of her cards. You should give her a call and catch up. Oh, and I'm mad at you. How could you keep that they were werewolves from me?" 

I blinked. "What?" 

"You knew about them being werewolves, didn't you? You lived with her for four years." 

I froze. "N-n-no. I was never told that." 

"Well, they are. Apparently, they're one of the most prominent packs in the US. They're billionaires, did you know that? Oh, and Brooklyn wants to see Harper. I showed her pictures. She was so excited for you." 

"You…you told her about Harper?" I said. 

Aunt Rachel nodded. "And that Mason was extremely curious about her too. I think he's lonely. He'd make a great Step Dad, I think." She winked at me. 

I groaned. "Aunt Rachel, he can't be a Step Dad. I don't need anyone to help me." 

"I was just kidding," she said, "no need to get so huffy. I know the two of you have history---" 

I clenched my fists together. "We don't have history." 

Aunt Rachel raised an eyebrow. "I think you do." She tilted her head to the side. "You know, when Harper was born, I didn't ask any questions. But you told me that you had made a mistake and that you didn't remember who the father was. I'm beginning to think that you do remember, and you just didn't want to tell me. Is it because of the werewolf thing?" 

I shook my head. "I didn't know anything about the werewolf thing, I promise. That's as much of a shock to me as it was to you." 

She crossed her arms over her chest. "But Mason is Harper's dad?" 

I nodded. "He's the only person that made sense. I was with him on that Vegas trip for Meredith's bachelorette party. But he's a controlling asshole. He was always acting like he knew what was best for me." 

"Hmmm…" 

"Hmmm what?" 

"Well, werewolves do have mates you know…."

I made a face. "I'm not his mate. If I were his mate, I wouldn't have been left alone. Mason likes controlling everyone around him. I don't think he would have let me go if he knew I was his. He probably would have forced me to marry him right away or something. And Brooklyn can't keep a secret to save her life. There's no way that she wouldn't have told him." 

"Really?" said Rachel. "Because you didn't know that she was a werewolf. Maybe he kept that information from you because he didn't know how you would react. You should call Brooklyn, and see Mason again. He might surprise you. Besides, he deserves to know his daughter. I know you didn't like him but that doesn't mean that he wouldn't be a good father." 

"I can take care of my daughter," I said, "and I don't need any help. But…you're right about Brooklyn. I'll try giving her a call. It would be nice to see her again. I've missed her." 

"She missed you too," said Rachel, "and who knows maybe you will---" 

"I'm not reconnecting with Mason. I've got nothing to see with him."