Searching for Moore (31 page)

Schooner laughed, “Busted.”

“Do you guys know when you’ll be out yet?” Mia asked. Being away from Schooner was becoming more and more difficult. She didn’t sleep as well when he wasn’t there. She found herself rolling over to his side of the bed and burying her face in his pillow trying just to get the scent of him. She wondered if it was just a hormonal aspect of the pregnancy that was making her feel so needy.

“We should be on the 8:10 on Friday night. I’m meeting with the building inspectors at 4:00, so we’re definitely going to be sitting in traffic out to Bay Shore.”

“Yuck. We’ll be thinking about you.” Seth smiled.

“We can do better than that.” Mia laughed. “I’ll have a Johnnie Walker Blue sitting on the table for you at Maguire’s.”

Schooner smiled, “Thanks, Baby Girl.”

“You two are gross.” Yoli rolled her eyes. “Are we done yet? I have work to do.”

“Someone’s going to need to dance off her nasty at-ee-tude in Cherry Grove this weekend.” Seth snarked.

“Please get her laid while you’re at it.” Schooner begged.

“On that note, one that would send a Human Resources Director into a seizure, we’ll sign off. Till tomorrow kiddie-winkles,” and Mia hit end call on Skype.

“One big happy dysfunctional family,” she laughed at Seth.

“They really fit in very well with us.” Seth commented.

“Scary, but true.” Mia agreed. “Beach time!” She announced with a big smile.

Saturday morning a sweaty Schooner, fresh off the courts and a walk back to the beach house, stripped off his tennis whites and crawled under the cool, crisp sheets next to his fiancé. Spooning up against Mia, he caressed her full breasts, “I love these,” he whispered in her ear.

“They hurt,” she complained.

“They were always gorgeous, but I really love them now. They are so round and your nipples are even more sensitive.” He pinched and twisted the nipple on her right breast and she moaned.

He pulled her right leg back over his and positioned his hard cock at the entrance of her dripping pussy. “This is still a good position for us.” He impaled her from behind with one hard stroke.

Mia gasped, “Very good position.”

He held onto her leg and slowly drove into her. She squeezed his cock tight. “Oh yeah, you feel so damn good. I was slamming the ball on the court and thinking I couldn’t wait to get home and be slamming into you.”

Mia turned her head to look at him and grabbed his head down to her for a kiss. “Harder,” she hissed into his mouth, as he drove up into her forcefully. “Oh God, your cock feels so fucking great,” and she squeezed him tight, “I miss you so much during the week… oh yeah, just like that…” she gasped, “I love the way you fuck me.”

He pulled out and dragged her to the edge of the bed and put her feet up on his shoulders and drove down into her. She gasped again and squeezed him tight.

“Mia, open your eyes. Look at me,” she smiled up at him. He was smiling down at her, rubbing her feet on his face. His teeth grazing her high arch. “Squeeze my cock, Baby Girl… oh yeah, just like that… oh God, that is good.” Mia’s smile was huge, “You are milking it out of me.” She tightened as hard as she could with each of his deep thrusts.

“Pussy hug,” she said, with a devil grin.

Schooner laughed and Mia bared down on him. His eyes shot open wide. “What you do to me, Baby Girl.” He grabbed her feet tight to his face and she could tell that he was coming. His eyes were closed and he looked so young and sweet, his cheek pressed into the arch of her foot. “Yes,” he moaned, but Mia was already lost somewhere. The sweet look on his face with his cock driving deep into her had already thrown her over the edge and she was crashing and spinning like she’d caught a wave wrong.

Schooner fell on the bed next to her and looking across the pillow at his beautiful blue eyes, she reached out to stroke his face. Their sweet reverie was to be almost immediately cut short by the ringing of a cell phone.

Schooner growled and reached behind him and grabbed his phone off the night stand. “CJ,” he mouthed, a look of faux horror on his face.

“Hello” … “Fabulous.” He reached out to play with Mia’s hair. “Well, when does his semester start?”… “Isn’t most of his stuff still in storage up in New Hampshire? We put it in there before Spain.” … “Well, he’ll miss his first few days of classes, but I’m ok with that.” … “Yeah, am sure he is, too. I’ll take him up after the opening.” … “You’re right, I think it’s best you’re not there.” … “No, I’m not trying to be mean. Pulling off an opening event is stressful as it is and yes, you being there is a stress I don’t want to deal with.”…”You’re right, I’m sure Mia doesn’t want you there.” … “She doesn’t need to say it.” … “CJ, I hate to break this to you, but you are not high on her radar screen and I suggest you keep it that way.” … “New York is my home, CJ.” … “Honestly, never again.” … “Is he there? Yeah, let me talk to him.” … “Hey Bud, I’ve missed you.” … “Yeah, I’d love to have you here for the opening and then I’ll take you up to school. If you want to come out a little early, come hang out on the beach. Holly is here with us.” … “Yes, with me and Mia.” … “Zac, I understand it’s going to take some adjusting, but this situation is not going to change. Let me be really frank with you, I will be with Mia for the rest of my life and both of us want you in our lives.” … “Why? Because you are my son and she knows how much I love you.” … “I only ask that you keep an open mind and that you treat her respectfully, because I will tell you this, I will not tolerate you disrespecting me or Mia. Are we clear on that?” … “Look, I’m really happy we’re going to get to spend some time together.” … “Ok, well email me your flight info, when you’ve got it.” … “Zac, I love you.” … “Talk to you soon.”

Mia stroked Schooner’s cheek and smiled at him. “See, it’s all going to work out. It will.”

He pulled her head down to his chest and kissed the top of her head.

Mia, Seth and Holly stood at the center of L9’s rotunda looking around in awe. Huge concave custom projection screens lined the rounded walls of the first floor and technicians were testing them with a mixture of iconic urban and bucolic landscape images. Another team was testing the lighting, soft ethereal jewel-tone spots flickered on and off.

Mia began to survey the perimeter where the caterer had begun to set up royal blue skirted tables and stations. She felt an arm sling over her shoulder and the soft, slightly accented voice of Shiraz Events, Owner and brilliant conceptualist, Shai Tertner whispering in her ear, “I want you to know that I left the Hamptons for this. Only for you, Meezie,” he joked.

Mia looked up into Shai’s big handsome brown eyes, “I understand, they made me leave Fire Island. I haven’t worn shoes in two months.”

Shai looked down at Mia’s hot pink flip-flop clad feet and gasped. Mia backhanded him in the arm, “Stop that. It’s not like I’m wearing Birkenstocks.”

Shai flagged down a worker nearby, “Let’s see what that table looks like moved over there.” And to Mia, “So, do you like?”

She nodded, smiling. “I love it. Clean, minimalist, chic.”

Shai nodded, “Never more than three colors.” Shai’s designs were always steeped in classic with a modern edge that was so subtle it transported the attendee effortlessly to wherever Shai had chosen to send them.

“Meezie, thank you for this. I know you were wholly behind us getting to do this event for L9. We have been trying to work with them for years in LA and Brent Bolthouse has it totally locked up. This is our first time, so thank you.”

“I told Schooner there is only one person I would let touch this opening,” she rubbed his back.

“So, how do you know Schooner Moore?” Shai wanted the inside scoop.

Mia laughed and pointed to her belly,”Baby Daddy.”

Shai’s mouth and big brown eyes opened wide and Mia squeezed his arm, laughing.

“Isn’t he married to a tall, blonde
shiksa
out in LA?”

Mia nodded, still smiling, “For the moment.”

“You little tart, you.” Shai stood back and looked at Mia. “He’s very hot. How did you meet him?”

“He was my first boyfriend.” Mia confided. “The evil
shiksa
broke us up. And it took a couple of decades, but karma is a bitch.”

“Yeah, in the form of a short Jewish girl,” they laughed. “I love this. I am definitely doing your wedding.” Shai was looking intensely into Mia’s eyes, clearly happy for Mia.

“Baby, you’re doing the Bris, which might actually come before the wedding.”

“My pleasure,” he hugged Mia tightly (or as tightly as one could with her protruding stomach). “Now let me show you the rest of what we are doing here.”

Shai walked Mia through the rest of the space, showing her the details that made the ethereal space magical. People were setting up banks of multiple sized white pillar candles along the railing edge of each of the mezzanines and on the marble staircase. Wide white raw silk ribbon with a thick silk braided cord of royal blue wrapped the banister.

Mia spied Schooner and Charles talking over near the offices. “Have you met Schooner yet?” She asked Shai.

“Never formally. Just members of his staff.”

“Come, let’s change that. He’s about to head to the airport to pick up his son.”

Schooner was listening intently to something Charles was telling him as Shai and Mia approached, he was looking down and nodding his head. Mia couldn’t help but feel pride as they approached this tan, impossibly beautiful man. Schooner looked up at Mia, as if he could sense her approach. His eyes crinkling at the corners with his smile, “Hey, Baby Girl.” Wherever they were, it was only the two of them in the room.

“Schooner, I want to introduce you to the brilliance behind all of this beauty,” her arm swept the room. “This is Shai Tertner, the President and Owner of Shiraz Designs.”

Schooner put out his hand to Shai, “I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time. This is beyond my expectations,” he motioned to the rotunda.

“I’m thrilled to have been chosen for this project. Thank you very much.”

“Mia and Charles both rave about you and I can understand why. I’m glad we have this opportunity to work together. Am sure it won’t be the last time.” Schooner flashed his All-American boy smile at Shai, who was clearly a new fan.

Schooner looked at his watch, “I’d better go get the car.” His hand stroked Mia’s hair and he bent down to kiss her. “I’ll see you out at the beach tonight, Baby Girl.”

Mia clasped his hand and he gave hers a tight squeeze and a long look in her eyes saying, “It’s going to be ok.”

Yoli and Seth were pounding down Bombay Sapphire and Tonics while waiting with Mia at the beach house for Schooner and Holly to arrive with Zac.

“I wish you could drink, BBC.” Seth gave Mia a sad face.

Mia was clearly nervous, pacing around the lower deck. “Me too,” she muttered, looking at the dusky sky over the ocean and tapping the deck railing with her foot.

“Me three, you’re going to need it.” Yoli was very tense.

“I’m glad you two are here. Hopefully that will alleviate some of the family dynamic thing.”

Yoli shook her head, “Don’t count on it. He’s not going to give a shit who’s here. Mia, I know this is going to be hard, but try to keep telling yourself that you’re talking to CJ. You’re going to think you’re talking to a young Schooner, but you’re really talking to CJ. Try not to forget that, please.” Yoli was adamant.

“He really looks that much like him?” Seth asked Yoli.

“You know that waterfall picture in Mia’s office? Haircut is different and Zac is not as tall as Schooner. I’d say he’s maybe six feet tops and he’s a slighter build than Schooner. But his face, it’s that picture,” she finished her drink, “with ice blue eyes.” She made an exaggerated shivering motion and Mia and Seth just looked at each other.

“Why am I so nervous about meeting a freaking teenager?” Mia looked at the two of them, palms in the air, shoulders shrugging.

“Because he’s CJ’s devil spawn.” Yoli was on her next drink.

“You are not making me feel better.” Mia laughed.

They heard the front door to the beach house and voices. Mia looked at Yoli and Seth, eyes wide, lips in a tight line and muttered, “Showtime” as they walked into the house.

He was exactly as Yoli had described and although she had been warned, Mia’s face broke into a huge smile upon seeing Zac standing there. In front of her was the boy on the path to Brewster Hall talking with her mom, the same one who knocked over a pitcher of water to save her from the evil sniffer, the guy who pulled her close to him on a mountaintop to warm her up after a snowball fight, and never left her side after her attack.

“Hi Zac,” she greeted him with a bright smile and received an unreturned hug. She stepped back and looked at Schooner. “Wow, I know you said he looked like you, but wow. Flashback.” She was smiling brightly at Schooner, who bent down and gave her a quick kiss. She looked at Holly, who was clearly not breathing and Mia gave her a smile and wide eyes saying, “Rut roh!”

“Well, let’s get you settled, get your stuff put away,” and she turned to Schooner and Holly, “We’ve got reservations at Maguire’s.”