Finding Her Joy

First Kiss

*A/N- I hope you guys like this one. The next chapter is going to be super romantic and sweet, so be prepared for your teeth to hurt (if you know what I mean). Happy reading! Enjoy!

(MIA POV)
"Oh my god. What are you doing here?" Charlotte said softly as she put her purse down next to her in the car park. She was practically beaming with joy to see me, and I loved it.

"Reecey rang me. He needed my help with something." I smiled at her. "We seem to speak more now than when we were actually together." I let out a small laugh.

She shrugged her shoulders, "I don't care. I got you back here." We stood looking at each other for a moment, just taking in the lack of distance between us. It was hard being away from her, even for the short time that I had been. "So, I'm guessing you've already spoken to Marjorie because when I saw her walking out of the nursery just now, she was in a really bad mood." Her voice was getting more serious, so I knew I was about to get in trouble.

Feigning ignorance, I said, "Was she?"

Char hardened her stare, "Mia."

I grinned and looked away from her, "I... may have pushed a button or two."

Charlotte crossed her arms, "Mia. Marjorie is my friend." I raised my eyebrows at her, reminding her of how rude Marjorie had been the week before. She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I know we had our little spat, okay. But we've since mad up from there. So if you and I are going to be friends, then you have to be friends with Marjorie too, okay. You have to be nice to her when you see her."

"My only takeaway from what you just said is that you and I are 'friends'?" I said, confused and half teasing.

She looked down and then back at me, "I was just making sure you were paying attention to me." When am I not? She occupies all my thoughts all the time. She was like a drug that I needed in order to survive.

"I'm pretty sure that's how we got ourselves into this little pickle," I said, leaning in closer, "I couldn't stop paying attention to you." I flashed a quick smile.

She smiled at the thought of her on my mind and said, "And I'm really glad you did..."

I was so focused on getting to her when I saw her through the office window that I didn't even realize the changes she'd made to herself while I was away. "You've changed your hair." It was half up, half down. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but she still looked gorgeous.

She went to fix it and said, "Oh, yeah! I guess you wouldn't have seen it. We only ever talk on the phone."

I felt butterflies thinking about our latest chat. "I seem to remember us doing a little more than... talk... on that one late-night facetime."

Her cheeks went red, and her eyes went wide, but she couldn't help smiling. "Mia!" She yelled, looking around us, and then whispered, "There are parents around."

"They're walking out the nursery. It's fine. They've already dropped their kids off." I said, trying to make her less embarrassed. Of course, seeing her flustered was one of my favorite things.

She took one more look around the car park before saying anything. "Well, the only reason that facetime happened was because you sent me that," she paused to control her thoughts, but it didn't work. I knew the image had popped up in her mind by the way her whole demeanor changed before she said it, "bikini photo." Too flustered to look at me. Perfect.

I watched her try and push the image out of her mind. She was having a hard time breathing, as well. I knew she'd liked it, but I didn't know how much until I saw her in that moment. I looked her up and down, taking in every second of this encounter. "Kids with their dad tonight?" I asked hopeful of her answer.