A Muse Her

Chapter 11

Sven >> I know you're mad at me, but please tell me you're not really with that guy.<<

Sven >> I love you, Maia and I came here to show you that. You have to give me a chance.<<

Sven >> We're not done. Just because you're "with" someone doesn't mean I won't try my hardest to win you back.<<

Maia shook her head as she silenced her phone and turned it over on the counter. Sven was going to be a fucking pain in her back side.

"Is that your ex blowing up your phone again?" Mateo said as he took out the pan of sizzling beef from the oven.

"Yes," she grumbled, sliding a hand over her face. "I don't know why I ever thought faking a relationship would get him to back off."

"Why? What's he saying now?"

She sighed. "He's butt hurt that I'm with you and he's not giving up. He thinks I owe him a chance to prove himself to me."

"Ah, he wants compensation for his grand gesture of coming out here and leaving those flowers for you," he said, plating the mash potatoes and green beans. "Is that what you want?"

Maia scrunched up her face and scoffed. "Fuck no," she scoffed, crossing her arms. "I know I said I wanted him to see that someone could be proud to be with me just the way I am, but that isn't because I want him back. Those roses did nothing for me and I don't owe him shit for coming out here."

"No, you don't and he shouldn't try to make you feel like you do."

"I know, but he's manipulative and being with you isn't going to make him stop," she said, rubbing a curl of her hair between her fingers. "It might've made it worse and I shouldn't have dragged you into this. I know he won't hurt me, but honestly, I don't know what he's going to do. He's never wanted me like this."

"Mm, he sounds like my brother and if he's anything like him, he'll do things to make you feel like he's your only option."

"Yeah that sounds exactly like the manipulative shit Sven would pull," she said as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "I wish he never showed up here," she whispered as her lip trembled.

She may have stood her ground in the store, but she was crumbling inside. The sight of Sven's smug face, the comment he made about her in the sweets aisle and the way he tried to put words in her mouth brought back all memories of those last six months of hell.

"I'm not going to pretend to understand how this is making you feel," Mateo said, reaching across the island and taking her hand. "But as you said, you don't owe him shit and you've got to a place where your writing feels magical again." He squeezed her hand and the warmth in his gaze made her heart thump. "Don't let him take that away from you."

Maia wiped a lone tear that rolled down her cheek. "You're right. I'm in a much better place now," she said with a small smile tugging at her lips. "And I've got an amazing muse in shining armor to remind me of that."

"I told you I take my duties seriously." Mateo chuckled, letting go of her hand to finish fixing their plates. "Now how about we get your mind off your ex with some food and if you're feeling up to it, we can do some Donny and Tati planning so you can get back in the zone."

"I'm always up for that with you," she said, slipping off the stool to follow him into the living room. "I need to get lost in their world for a while anyway. My sister's going to be hounding me for my first draft to give to the publisher soon." She sighed. "And I don't want to ask for another extension on top of the one they've already given me."

"Alright, well let's talk through the last half of the story and make a plan for you to get it done on time," Mateo said, sitting their plates on the table. "And you can't do that until you eat a good meal. I'd also say after you've had a good night's sleep too, but I know that's not how you work."