Through The Lens (Creative Hearts Book 1) (23 page)

Ale’s expression sobered as he looked at his brother, his tired eyes and rumpled appearance. “No way. You and Carla are Mr. and Mrs. Perfect.”

For a moment, Ale worried that his brother might break out into a fit of tears as his face started to crumple. He braced himself, holding the edge of his desk, not quite knowing what else to do. The men in his family didn’t cry. Thankfully, David frowned, clenched his fists and held on. “She kicked me out. Out of my own house.”

Ale couldn’t hold back his shocked expression. His brother wasn’t kidding around. David and Carla were college sweethearts. David was always the loving, carefree one, and Carla his sweet, almost syrupy wife, was definitely not the kicking-out sort. “What do you mean, she kicked you out? Carla would barely kick out an intruder. ” Then his eyes narrowed as he looked over his brother. “Wait a minute. What the hell did you do?”

Just then, Mika walked back in the room with David’s coffee and sat it beside him before returning to her desk. David regarded her with a small nod of thanks before turning back to Ale.

“I don’t know, really. It just seems like she’s different now. Like I can’t get close to her, and no matter what I do, it’s not right. I mean, I know she’s going through some really rough things with her mother being sick and maybe I should’ve been more sensitive to that.”

“Wait,” Ale said, “Carla’s mother is sick?”

“Yeah, turns out she has breast cancer.”

Mika gasped. “Oh, that’s awful. Carla must be a mess.” She paused. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear. I can go in the next room.”

David looked up at her. “No, it’s okay. And yeah, I guess she is.” Then he looked back at Ale. “But she didn’t have to get on me like she did about work and everything. I understand what she is going through. Really, I do. But I still have to work. Someone does.”

Mika let out a groan, and both men looked at her. “I’m sorry,” she said, holding up her hands but looking at David with a stern expression. “Obviously, this is a family conversation and you don’t need me hovering. I’m going to take my work to the conference room if you don’t mind.”
 

She started to walk away but David stopped her as she passed, reaching out for her hand. “No, wait. Obviously, you have something to say. It can’t be worse than what my wife said.”

She looked at him, taking in his disheveled appearance and sad expression, and then looked at Ale. “I don’t think I should. It’s not my place.”

“Mika, go ahead. It’s not like you’ve ever held back before.” Ale growled, and she answered him with a frown before turning to David.
 

“Okay, she needs you for support, and I think you’re burying yourself in work and excuses to cover up your own fear. You’ve been married to her for more than five years now and she’s done nothing but take care of you and see to your every need and that of the children. And now here she is, facing one of the scariest moments of her life, and you aren’t there for her. I think it’s shameful.”

“But she kicked me out.”

“And why do you think she did that?” Mika challenged. “Maybe it was to wake you up, to give you a hint as to what she needed. But did you step up? No, you took the out. Here you are, whining to your brother instead of at your wife’s side giving her the support she needs.” Both men were left staring as Mika stopped and gave them a long look. “Sorry. I told you that you may not want to hear it.”

David looked down at his cup of coffee, his hand shaking slightly. “Well damn. I’ll give you this, when you do say something it sure is a lot.”

“Yeah, she’s been quite the chatterbox lately,” Ale grumbled under his breath.

Mika gave him a quick look, then turned back to David, softening. “Hey, I’m sorry you’re going through this. Sorry for both you and Carla. She’s a wonderful woman, and you have an amazing family. Don’t ruin that.”
 

“You may have a point,” Ale said. “But I don’t see how he’s ruining anything.”

Mika leveled a hard gaze on him. “I’m not surprised.” Then she smiled that serene smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Hey, how about I take a quick walk for some lunch. I’ll pick you two up a couple of sandwiches.” She dropped the files back at her desk and with that, she quickly grabbed her jacket and was out of the loft as fast as her feet would take her.

“Wow,” David said, staring at the door a moment after Mika was gone. Then, turning to Ale, he gave him a long look. “What was that all about?”

“What are you talking about?” Ale said, not wanting to go down this road with his brother.
 

“All that tension between you and Mika. And before, you go telling me it’s nothing. I’ll tell you right off, I’m not buying it. It is definitely
something
.”

Ale shook his head. “We’re just having a bad day.”

It was David’s turn to shake his head. “Sorry, it’s not flying, bro. You and Mika don’t have bad days. You are you, and she keeps you in your place. As a matter of fact, she’s the only one who does.” David chucked. “So what is it, she not putting up with your bull anymore and leaving you?”

Ale’s expression turned to stone.

“Oh shit, bro, did I hit the mark? What the hell happened? I know I screwed up. Don’t tell me you did, too.”

Ale raised a brow. “This wasn’t all me. Mika made her choice. She quit. She’s already landed a job as a photographer for
Stylist
.”

David rubbed his scruffy jaw but smiled. “Well, that sucks for you, but I can’t help but be happy for her. It must feel good to have her talent acknowledged.”

Ale couldn’t control the sharpness in his tone. “Are you saying I didn’t acknowledge her talent?”

“Whoa there, tiger,” David said, holding up a hand. “I’m not the enemy. I know she’s a dammed fine assistant, the best you ever had, but where is all this coming from? You have something more you want to tell me? Some reason you both are sharing long looks and you’re now looking like someone made off with your favorite puppy?”

“No,” Ale ground out.

David gave him a long look.
 

“What part of
no
don’t you get?” Ale said ominously.

“Fine, I get the hint. But one last thing before we go back to my problems, if there
is
something more—and I’m your brother so I know there is—you’d better not mess it up like I seem to have with my wife. You have been holding onto this hard-assed playboy thing long enough. I get you have issues and all that, but don’t we all? You are not Dad and Mika sure as hell is not our mother. Not every woman is out to hurt you.”

Ale wanted to recoil from his brother’s words. Instead, he looked away and started to shuffle the prints by his side. He shook his head, took a breath, then put the photos back. He leveled his brother with one of his hard stares. “You don’t know anything about this situation. I suggest you let it drop and head home to fix your own house. I’m sure Carla will be glad to see your sorry face.”
 

David stared back for a beat, then he shrugged. “I’m not gonna push my luck here.” He stood. “Now, can I use your bathroom to get a decent shower and a shave before I go home and grovel like I should?”

Chapter 16

Mika was grateful for the cool New York air that whooshed across her cheeks and paused the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she hit the concrete outside the building. It felt like it had been hours since she’d taken a proper breath. Being around Ale seemed to keep her breathing shallow. Like she was just hanging on to the very edge of life.
 

She was in a haze as she stepped away from the Soho loft building and just missed running into the biker that kept a place on the ground floor as he came roaring out of the alley on the side of the building. She quickly jumped back out of the way, catching a terse nod from the rider when she collided with someone behind her.
 

“Hey!” a small voice squeaked.

“I’m so sorry,” Mika replied, turning around to see the crouching figure of a woman who also lived in the building. Oh hell, she had knocked her clear down and made her drop her packages. She was a freaking mess. Everyone in New York knew that watching where you walked was rule number one and you definitely didn’t go knocking down random people on the street. She scrambled ahead of the woman, fighting to catch up with an apple that was threatening to make its way to the gutter. The apple made its escape and got ran over by a passing cab. Crap! She hung her head low. She could feel them. The tears would really fall now. She shook her head.
 

“Hey it’s okay.”

She spun around and reached out a hand to help the woman up. “I’m so sorry. I really need to be more careful and watch where I’m going.” The last words came out on a sob.

“Like I said, it’s okay. That guy was speeding. I’ve been watching him. He’s so reckless. He really needs to slow it down before he hurts someone or himself,” she said her eyes turned to the direction the motorcycle had gone.
 

Mika couldn’t help but stare at her for a moment, taking note of her smooth, lightly freckled brown skin and wide brown eyes. She was lovely, could be a model or a dancer, but the easy carefree style of her loose cotton sweater and well-worn jeans, plus the paint splattered Keds said artist all the way. The woman slung her oversized bag with large sketchpad sticking out over her shoulder and held out her hand. “I’m Sam.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Mika, and once again, I’m sorry.” Oh hell. Was her voice cracking again? It was the sorry. It felt like all she was doing was apologizing lately.

Sam gave her a concerned look. “Are you all right? I can tell this is not about our little bump. You’re from my building right? Don’t you work with that photographer on six? Would you like to sit for a minute? Come in for tea or grab some coffee across the street?”

Mika shook her head. The woman was being so nice. She’d seen her plenty of times in passing, too bad she never bumped into her before, maybe they could have been friends, but what was the use now? “Thanks, but no. I’m fine and I’ve got to grab lunch and get back to work. Sorry to have knocked you over and about the apple.”
 

Sam graced her with a wide smile that took up most of her face. “Like I said, it’s no big deal. I hope to see you soon. Watch out for speeding bikes.” With that, she was off, turning toward the building.
 

Mika looked carefully this time before taking her next steps and heading out into the street.
 

Damn. Could she really keep this up for two more weeks and come out alive? She wiped at her brow and looked around at the throngs of people bustling about. She forced her breathing to slow as she adjusted to the city around her. It was a beautiful autumn day, the air brisk, sun shining brightly. People walked quickly up and down the sidewalk jostling for space, most of them oblivious to the beauty of it. Suddenly she missed the peace of the island and knew she would for a long time to come.

She decided to take the long way to pick up lunch instead of hitting the deli across the street. Better to give Ale and David more time to talk and give herself more time to calm down. She thought of what Sam said and stopped off at a little strip of a park, sitting on a bench to watch some of the children play. Most were in the care of nannies, a very few were in the care of their own mothers, and there were one or two stay-at-home dads with their offspring. One particularly cute round-faced child ran by Mika and gave her a big smile, causing her heart to lurch a little as Sunee from the island came to her mind.
 

Had it only been a few days ago when she was blissfully in Ale’s arms? She let her mind wander as the sun slightly warmed her face, drifting into faraway dreams of a life with him, with little ones running around. A cloud rolled by, chilling her out of her haze. Ale was definitely not that man. He was a playboy if there ever was one. Hell, was she even that woman?
 

She watched the little girl run to her father and jump onto his lap, giving him a big kiss. Once again, her heart did that little flip thing. It was getting damned annoying. She got up and with one last solemn look, headed toward the deli to pick up the usual lunch order for Ale, knowing that this would be one of the last times she did.

*

When Mika got back to the office, David had left, and she stowed his sandwich away. Once again, she and Ale were alone.
 

“I really hope David and his wife work it out,” she said, filling up the empty quiet. “And that Carla’s mother pulls through.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. And there’s no way David is letting Carla get away from him. It’s not in his DNA.” His voice came out soft, but the innuendo in his answer gave Mika pause. She didn’t know how to respond so she kept quiet, pretending to work.

Ale looked at her from across the room, her head down, her face determined. David thought he’d pegged him, but thankfully he knew when to back off. He wasn’t about to compare David’s relationship with Carla to the one he had with Mika. They were nothing alike. David and Carla were made for each other—well, as far as any couple could be—and now Ale wasn’t so sure there was such a thing. Yes, he and Mika were good as coworkers, but in a more romantic sphere they couldn’t seem to stop arguing with each other. So why was it so hard to just let her go?
 

It raked at him, the way David seemed to hint that he wasn’t happy for Mika. How could he be? She’d gone about it all the wrong way and didn’t give him a chance to be. Maybe if she came to him first and told him her plans. This way it just seemed conniving. So beneath her, so like every other woman he’d known.